Buckhorn

BUCKHORN

Overview

Buckhorn Recreation Area is at Black Butte Lake, situated at the northern end of the Sacramento valley, 100 miles north of Sacramento, CA and 30 minutes south of Red Bluff, CA. The lake is a popular meeting place for water sports and outdoor enthusiasts, so bring family and friends for an incredibly scenic getaway.

Facilities

Buckhorn has 93 campsites, including a group campground and five walk-in sites. Conveniences include showers, a modern boat ramp complex, two playgrounds, an exercise area, and shoreline access. No sites have electric or water hookups. The area is open year-round.

Natural Features

Black Butte Lake was formed in 1963 with the completion of the Black Butte Dam on Stony Creek.

The lake's surface area measures 4,460 acres when water levels are high. Black basalt buttes and blue oak woodland hug the lake's 40 miles of shoreline.

Recreation

Find excitement with wake boarding and sailing or explore the shoreline's 13 miles of fitness trails for hiking, running and biking. Black Butte is renowned for its warm-water fishing, including catches such as crappie, channel catfish, and large and smallmouth bass.

Nearby Attractions

A 18 hole disc golf course can be accessed across from the Orland Buttes Campground. Horeseback riders can make use of the horse trails at Grizzly Flat and Burris Creek. Drive east to visit the Mendocino National Forest.

Important Notices

Please adhere to all road signs. Traffic for sites 1 through 22 is one way in, one way out. All vehicles must face with the flow of traffic in case of an emergency.
There are no electric/water/sewer hookups
No fireworks allowed
No off-road vehicles
Entrance gates close at 10 pm from April 1 through Sept. 30th. Quiet hours are from 10 pm to 6 am.
Don't Move Firewood: Protect your forests from tree-killing pests by buying your firewood locally and burning it on-site. Visit Dontmovefirewood.org for further information.
Buckhorn Campground Closures:

Site 66-92 - Closed first Monday after Labor Day to March 31st.

Sites 23-65 and GUA - Closed December 1st to March 31st

Notifications and Alerts

Buckhorn Recreation Area – Limited Sanitation Facilities
The Buckhorn Recreation Area is scheduled to reopen on 1 April 2026. Due to ongoing sanitation infrastructure issues, flushing toilets and showers will not be available. Portable restrooms and handwashing stations will be in place to support public health and safety. These facilities will be located near existing restroom areas.
Potable water and dump stations will remain available for visitor use.
We appreciate the public’s patience and apologize for any inconvenience.
For more information, please contact the Project Office at (530) 865-4781.
Due to a PG&E power line issue, a generator is operating 24 hours a day to maintain power to the campground water system. Campsites 1–10 may be most impacted by generator noise.
We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding.
For questions, please contact the office at (530) 865-4781.

Available Activities

SWIMMING SITE - Swimming
WILDLIFE VIEWING - Wildlife Viewing
HIKING - Hiking
FISHING - Fishing
CAMPING - Camping
BOATING - Boating
BIKING - Biking

Directions

From Interstate 5, take the Black Butte Lake exit at Orland, CA. Travel west on County Road 200/Newville Road for 12 miles. Turn left on Buckhorn Road and enter the Buckhorn Recreation area.

Contact Information

Phone: 530-865-4781

19225 NEWVILLE ROAD
ORLAND, CA 95963-8901

Rental Options

Learn more about gear rental options for your trip

Available Campsites

Photo Gallery

Camp, RV, and Explore Outdoors

Recreation.gov is your gateway to explore America's outdoor and cultural destinations in your zip code and across the country. We provide tools and tips to discover new adventures through a one-stop shop for inspiration and ideation, trip planning, information sharing, and reservations. Find incredible places and experiences that help you bring home a story through Recreation.gov!