★ Field-verified · Dave's ownFederal · dispersedFree
Del Norte County
Drive-up · public land · Del Norte County, CA · 41.98265, -123.96036
Ask an AI about this campsiteOpens Grok already loaded with this site. It reads the same records this page is built from, and links whatever it tells you.
Ask about this camp →Dave's been here. A spot from Dave's own travels on public land — free to camp. Conditions still change, so confirm access, stay limits and fire rules before you go.
Within unincorporated town of Rockland, California, at the river access to the beautiful blue Smith River. There is a vault toilet here, and scattered fire rings. Nestled in valley with mountains on both sides. This is very remote. Enough room for multiple vehicles. No cell service. Like an oasis in the middle of the wilderness. Possible best-kept secret. Strongly recommended.
USGS topo — contours & terrain
Aerial — USGS / NAIP
Weather outlook
Loading the latest forecast…
Live NWS area forecast (~2.5 km grid, not elevation-corrected). Camp sits at 901 ft.
Fire & smokeNIFC · AirNow
Checking active fires & air quality…
Active wildfires from NIFC (within ~50 mi); air quality from AirNow. Always confirm current fire restrictions with the managing office before you go.
Everything you need — measured from camp
Straight-line miles · bearings approx · roads run longer
Nearest of each
- GGrocery10 mi
- @Mail10 mi
- FFuel13 mi
- +Urgent care13 mi
- ShShower13 mi
- MMechanic14 mi
- DDump14 mi
- WWater15 mi
- LLaundry16 mi
- RxPharmacy17 mi
- HHardware20 mi
- OOutfitter38 mi
- PPropane45 mi
- AAir-up46 mi
≤30 mi30–4545+water
The read: water's a short hop out, fuel & food sit about 10 mi out.
One dot per need — the nearest of each kind, straight-line from camp. Places from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors). Open in Google Maps ↗
The site
Access
Drive-up
Land
public land · dispersed
Elevation
901 ft
County
Del Norte County, CA
Coordinates
41.98265, -123.96036
Cost
Free
Nearby & resupply (OpenStreetMap)
- Water featureNorth Fork Smith River (river) · nearby
- Nearest townRockland · ~0.1 mi
- Drinking waternone within 10 mi
- FuelShell · ~12.6 mi
- Propane / LPGnone within 31 mi
- Dump stationDump station · ~14.4 mi
- GroceriesGasquet Market · ~9.5 mi
- PharmacyFred Meyer Pharmacy · ~17.6 mi
- Hospital / clinicSutter Coast Hospital · ~18.8 mi
- HardwareTrue Value Hardware · ~20.7 mi
From the field — what Dave saw, in person
Cell service
No signal
Getting there
Any vehicle managed it
Fire ring
Yes
Toilet on site
Yes
Tent friendly
Yes
Verdict
Highly recommended
Nearby restrooms — pit toilets, restrooms & rest areas (government data)
- Vault / pit toiletNorth Fork River Access · at this camp · USFS
- Vault / pit toiletNorth Fork · ~0.3 mi S · USFS
- Vault / pit toiletShelly Creek · ~7.8 mi SE · USFS
- Vault / pit toiletLudlum House · ~8.5 mi NW · USFS
Open this spot elsewhere
Other camps nearby
If this one is full, gated or washed out.
- Winchuck~7.8 mi
- Griffin Bridge~9.5 mi
- Eighteen Mile~9.6 mi
- Coon Mtn. Shelter~12.5 mi
How we know this
Source
Dave's own travels
Confidence
Researched — The record is detailed and internally consistent, and the coordinates land where the managing agency says this site is.
How it was placed
FIELD VERIFIED by Dave Lalande -- he has stood on this site. Coordinates are his own GPX track point, not a geocode. County and state confirmed against the FCC Census Block API (Del Norte County, CA). Everything under 'From the field' is a direct observation; nothing here is inferred from a land record.
Field check
Verified on the ground. Dave has stood on this one. Conditions still change — confirm before you commit.
What we don’t know
A land record can put you within a few metres of a spot. It cannot tell you any of this — so check it yourself, and treat anything below as the open question it is.
- How many rigs actually fit
- Seasonal & winter access
- Current fire restrictions
- Whether any water here is drinkable
- Shade & wind exposure
- Noise and who else shows up
Before you go
Finding water out here →Hot-weather camping →Bugs & critters →First-night troubleshooting →All field notes →
Been here? Tell us what changed. This page is built from public records, so the fastest way it gets better is somebody who has actually pulled in. Road washed out, site gone, gate locked, or it is exactly as described — all of it useful. Send a report →