Camping Regulations

 

Obtaining a Site

Check-out time is 12 pm. Check-in time is 1 pm. Campers may occupy a campsite at any time if vacant or once the occupant leaves. If you have a reservation, verify your name and dates listed on the reservation card on the campsite post. Contact a camp host (if available) or entrance station staff if there is an error. Campers without reservations can learn more about obtaining a first-come, first-served campsite. Campsites cannot be held and must be paid for upon occupying the site.

Rates

Rates vary by campground and are reduced for dry camping (when the drinking water is not available). Senior and Access pass holders receive 50% off camping fees; this does not include the dump station fee. Park entrance and campground fees are paid for separately. If self-registering, please fill out an envelope for your camping fees, payable at the campground. Camping fees must be paid within thirty minutes of occupying a site. Camping fees are not refundable.

Length of Stay

Stays in a park campground are limited to 14 days per year.

Capacities

Campsites are limited to 3 tents, 6 people, and 2 vehicles (including an RV or trailer) per site. Group sites are limited to a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 25 people and 6 vehicles. Vehicles must stay on paved/graveled areas. Additional parking is only available in the designated overflow parking lot near each campground. During winter, the Southwest Walk-in Campground allows up to three tents per group.

Campfires

Fire restrictions may be in effect in the summer months when wildfire danger is its most severe. Learn more about how to practice fire safety and reduce the risk of wildfire when visiting Lassen Volcanic during this dry, high-risk, wildfire season.

Fires are allowed only in designated campfire rings. Do not build rock rings or burn trash in the grate. Never leave fires or hot coals unattended and extinguish them completely when not attended to. If it's too hot to touch, it's too hot to leave. Learn more about how to maintain and extinguish your campfire at smokeybear.com.

Firewood

You may gather dead wood that is down on the ground within 30 feet of the road and less than 4 inches in diameter. Do not cut, saw, or break any standing trees, dead or alive for firewood. Chainsaw use is not permitted. Buy firewood where you burn it. Tree-killing insects and diseases can lurk in or on firewood. As a rule of thumb, it's best to only move firewood up to 10 miles. Learn more at dontmovefirewood.org.

Dispersed Camping

Camping is permitted only in the campgrounds listed above. Backpackers may camp in the backcountry with a permit. It is unlawful to camp outside of established campgrounds, including sleeping in your vehicle along the road or "boondocking". The surrounding Lassen National Forest permits dispersed camping (or camping outside of a developed area) in many areas.

Leave No Trace

Help care for your national park and campgrounds. Leave your campsite as you found it. Do not create trenches, level your site, or put nails in trees. Dispose of all trash and recyclables in provided bins. Do not burn trash or leave it in campfire rings.

Quiet Hours & Generators

Respect your fellow campers by observing quiet hours between 10 pm and 6 am. Generators may be used only from 8 am to 10 am; 12 pm to 2 pm; and 5 pm to 7 pm. Do not run continually and please keep use to a minimum so other campers are not disturbed. Generators are not allowed in tent-only sites.

Food Storage and Wildlife

Store all food and scented items in the bear-resistant storage locker provided at your campsite. It is also safe to store food and scented items in hard-sided vehicles. Do not leave food and other items with a scent unattended on tables or around your campsite. It is illegal to feed, frighten, or disturb any wildlife. Read more about proper food storage in the backcountry.

Sanitation

Wash dishes at your campsite, not in restrooms or water spigots. Please do not wash clothes, hair, or bathe at water spigots or sinks. Strained dishwater must be disposed of in the grates located in front of each restroom or industrial sinks. Dispose of food particles in trash bins, not in the sink drains or grates. Coin operated showers and laundry machines are at the Manzanita Lake Camper Store. Gray water from RVs and trailers must be contained and may be disposed of at the Manzanita Lake dump station. Refuse receptacles are available throughout each campground.

Pets

Pets are welcome in park campgrounds, however they must be attended and physically restrained on a leash not longer than 6 feet at all times. Pets are not permitted on trails or inside park facilities. Read more about visiting the park with your pets.

Vehicles and Bicycles

Keep all vehicles, including motorcycles, bicycles, and trailers on paved areas at all times to prevent damage and reduce risk of wildfire. The speed limit on campground roads is 10 miles per hour; most campground roads are one-way. Bicycles are permitted on paved areas only. California law requires people under 18 years of age wear a helmet. Learn more about biking in the park.

Camping with Stock

Overnight stays with stock are permitted only in corrals; stock are not permitted overnight in the backcountry. Reservations are required. Read more about visiting the park with stock animals.

Questions about Campground Regulations? Email us at [e-mail].