Horse Camp Primitive Campground
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
This campground is located in the southeast corner of Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, 15 miles west of Redding, California, and three and a half hours north of Sacramento. This is the only campground in the park that can accommodate camping with horses, but horseback riders must share the campground with visitors who may not have horses.
The cool, clear waters of Whiskeytown Lake provide endless water activities. The picturesque mountain setting and extensive forested backcountry offer ample opportunities for horseback riding, hiking and biking.
Horse Camp can accommodate any vehicle or combination of vehicles, including trailers, RVs and RVs pulling other vehicles. Overflow parking is available. Each campsite is equipped with two picnic tables, two large bear-resistant storage lockers, a metal fire pit with a swing-arm barbecue grill and a lamp pole. The two campsites share a vault toilet. A hand pump provides potable water when available. There is no electricity at the site.
There are no corrals, hitching posts or troughs at the site. Horses must be high-lined or tethered to trailer.
Notifications and Alerts
Campfires and charcoal grills are banned due to extreme heat, extreme drought and increasing visitation throughout the park. Gas grills and camper stoves will still be allowed.
Need to Know
Download your proof of payment for your campsite from recreation.gov onto your phone or other device. You must be able to show this to a park ranger if requested.
- Whiskeytown is a National Park Service site and requires an entrance fee in addition to your camping fee. You can purchase an entrance pass online at YourPassNow.com, or at the visitor center. For complete entrance pass information, go to nps.gov/whis.
- Black bears frequent the area: all food, beverage containers, toiletries, cooking and eating utensils must be stored inside a bear-resistant locker or out of sight in your vehicle unless they are in immediate use.
Quiet hours are between 10 pm and 6 am.
- Check-in time is 1:00 p.m. and check-out time is 12 p.m. (noon).
Maximum occupancy is 10 people and 3 vehicles.
- Click here for more information about Whiskeytown National Recreation Area www.nps.gov/whis
Horse Camp may accommodate any vehicle or combination of vehicles, including trailers, RVs, and RVs pulling other vehicles.
Pets must be kept on a leash or in a cage at all times. Pets may not be left unattended. Dispose of pet waste in trash cans.
You may stay a total of 14 days from May 15 through September 15 or a total of 30 days for the entire calendar year.
Do not leave campfires unattended. Always make sure that your fire is completely extinguished before you leave your campsite or before you go to sleep for the night.
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Protect our natural resources. Gather only dead and down wood for firewood. Do not put nails in trees or damage or remove vegetation.
Natural Features
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area is located where the Klamath Mountains, Cascade and Coast Mountain Ranges, and the Sacramento Valley meet, creating a wide variety of wildlife and landscapes. Foothill pines lightly shade Horse Camp.
Nearby Attractions
Brandy Creek Beach is located five and a half miles from the campground and features sandy beaches, a large swimming area, picnicking and barbecuing facilities. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, there are showers, a store with food and supplies and rentals of paddle boards and kayaks.
Recreation
During the summer heat, swimming, kayaking, sailing, paddle boarding and water skiing are popular on the 3,200 acre lake. Year round, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, gold panning, fishing and picnicking attract visitors. Hunting is allowed in the appropriate season.
Contact Information
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PO Box 188 Whiskeytown CA 96095
Phone Number
For campground inquiries, please call: 530-242-3412
Rental Options
Learn more about gear rental options for your trip
Driving Directions
From Interstate 5 in Redding, CA, drive 10 miles west on Highway 299. Turn left on Kennedy Memorial Drive at the visitor center and follow it for 1.6 miles until you reach a fork in the road at the dam. Turn left on Paige Bar Road and drive for two miles until you reach another fork in the road at the NEED Camp. Turn left onto the gravel road and proceed .5 miles to Horse Camp.
Available Campsites
- Site 001, Loop HORSE CAMP PRIMITIVE CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 002, Loop HORSE CAMP PRIMITIVE CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
