The best camping near Lassen National Forest

Situated at the crossroads of northern California where the Sierra Nevada, Cascades, and Great Basin meet, Lassen National Forest, which surrounds Lassen Volcanic National Park, spans 1.2 million acres of diverse landscape that include volcanic peaks and ridges, alpine lakes, rolling plateaus, and thickly forested wilderness. Popular activities include hiking, biking, off roading, boating, fishing, hunting, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling. More than 30 developed campgrounds offer diverse overnight options for tent and RV campers, while solitude seekers can take advantage of semi-developed and dispersed camping sites or head into the backcountry, including the Ishi, Thousand Lakes, and Caribou wilderness areas.

• Best for families and water sports enthusiasts: The Almanor Campground offers extensive amenities and easy access to Lake Almanor, ideal for myriad water sports.
• Best for anglers and spelunkers: The Hat Creek Campground sits right by Hat Creek, renowned for trophy trout fishing, with proximity to Subway Cave.
• Best for RVs: The Merrill Campground offers full-hookup and water-and-electric-hookup sites for RVs up to 75 feet, with close access to Eagle Lake.

1. During peak summer season, plan to reserve a campsite as soon as you know your dates. Reservations can be made from four days and up to six months in advance for individual sites and 12 months for group sites.
2. If you don’t have a reservation, plan to arrive first thing in the morning to grab a site at a first-come, first-served campground.
3. Be sure to check on seasonal opening and closing dates, which vary by campground.

Summer is the most popular time for visitors at the forest, and popular campgrounds can book up in advance. Visit in the spring and early summer for wildflowers and for the best conditions in the Ishi Wilderness. Much of the area is covered in snow in the winter, which may affect access, though ideal for activities such as cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, and snowmobiling. Cold spring and fall rains in the Caribou Wilderness can also cause hypothermia concerns.

• Campfire permits are required except in developed campgrounds. Permits are also required to gather mushrooms or to cut firewood or Christmas trees.
• Bring a jacket and flashlight to explore the Subway Cave.
• Mosquitoes can be an issue in the Thousand Lakes Wilderness and Caribou Wilderness; bring repellent.
• Everyone 16 and older needs a valid California fishing license to fish. Special fishing regulations may also be in effect in certain wilderness areas.