How this picture was made
Photorealistic landscape photograph at golden hour in the Klamath Mountains of northern California: a clear alpine cirque lake set below rugged gray granite-and-marble crags, dark conifer forest of fir and pine along the shore, granite talus and scattered snow in the high basins, warm low light, no people, no buildings, no signs. 35mm lens, natural color, faint film grain.
Klamath National Forest
Camp here — Klamath National Forest
37 camps mapped in this forest, 19 of them free. Tap one for its topo and aerial, the weather, the water, and how far you will be from fuel and a shower.
- FreeMartins Dairy Horse Camp
- FreeGrider Creek Campground
- FreeEast Fork Campground
- FreeMule Bridge Campground
- FreeRed Bank Campground
- FreeBeaver Creek
- FreeBigflat
- FreeO'Neil Creek
Where dispersed camping is listed — Klamath National Forest
The Forest Service lists dispersed camping as an activity at these 14 places. That is the agency saying it is allowed somewhere in the area — not a campsite we have mapped, and not a spot we can put a pin on. Read their page, then check the district for the rules that apply on the day.
- D. Gottville River Access
In 1857, William Gott built a home and post office at the mouth of Lumgrey and Empire Creeks, establishing the town of Gottville to serve the growing population of miners in the area. At one time, some 3,000 people lived in this…
the Forest Service page for it → - E. Brown Bear River Access
This popular fishing access has a gravel road to the water's edge. Dispersed camping is allowed and there is some shade. There is an information bulletin board but no facilities. This nice river access was built with slide…
the Forest Service page for it → - Elbow Springs Trailhead
This is the trailhead for the Kelsey National Recreation Trail leading into the Siskiyou Wilderness and providing access to Bear Lakes. The Kelsey Trail once stretched from Crescent City inland to Fort Jones. It was a main supply…
the Forest Service page for it → - F. Blue Heron River Access
A graded gravel ramp to the water's edge provides access at this popular fishing spot. Limited shade is available for a few dispersed campers. RV's and trailers are an easy fit. There are no facilities but an information board…
the Forest Service page for it → - G. Rocky Point River Access
Rocky Point River Access has a gravel ramp to the water's edge but parking here is limited. There is an information board with current info on campfire permits and fire restrictions for the area. Interpretive signs are installed…
the Forest Service page for it → - Goosenest Ranger District
Summer or winter the Goosenest Ranger District provides opportunities for many types of recreation. Deer Mountain and Four Corners snowmobile parks provide 135 miles of groomed snowmobile trails which are part of a 250 mile…
the Forest Service page for it → - Goosenest Trailhead
This trailhead takes day hikers to the top of Goosenest Mountain, a scenic and ancient volcano. Elevation at the top is 8,280 feet. The trail is 1.2 miles, so 2.4 miles round trip. If you can see snow on Goosenest Mountain, there…
the Forest Service page for it → - H. Sluice Box River Access
This is a popular put-in area for the class 3 float to Seattle Creek River Access. In addition, this area of the river is known for great bird watching and the spotting of occasional river otters. There is a river map and an…
the Forest Service page for it → - Happy Camp/Oak Knoll Ranger District
Happy Camp lies at the heart of recreation in northern California. River rafting, gold panning, wilderness hiking and scenic driving are all popular activities in the summer. Spring and fall offer the best weather and lower fire…
the Forest Service page for it → - M. Gordons Ferry River Access
Gordon's Ferry is a popular fishing access just a few miles east of Happy Camp. The road is mostly paved but has a section of improved gravel. The last 1/2 mile or so is steep, narrow and windy. It is not recommended for trailers…
the Forest Service page for it → - No Mans Trailhead
This is the trailhead for the Clear Creek National Recreation Trail and follows Clear Creek approximately 22 miles, all the way to Young's Valley. This trail provides visitors with spectacular views of the Siskiyou Wilderness.…
the Forest Service page for it → - P. Wingate Bar River Access
Wingate Bar has a graded gravel road to the water's edge. There is an information sign and parking area. The Forest Service provides a portable toilet here in summer months. There is a limited area for dispersed camping.
the Forest Service page for it → - Poker Flat Trailhead
Three miles north of West Branch Campground on the paved forest road 48 (Grayback Rd) is the turnoff to Poker Flat Trailhead. Another 9 miles on gravel roads will get you to the Poker Flat Trailhead, parking lot and restroom. The…
the Forest Service page for it → - Q. Ferry Point River Access
The 1/2 mile graded gravel road off Hwy 96 to the gravel bar will accommodate self-contained RV's for dispersed camping. There is a gravel road to the water's edge, permanent toilets and ample parking at Ferry Point River Access.…
the Forest Service page for it →
Where the camps cluster
The place
Klamath National Forest spreads across the steep, tangled Klamath Mountains and the western edge of the Cascade Range in the far northern corner of California, with a small tail crossing the line into southern Oregon. The Forest Service bills it simply as "A Northern California Adventure," and the landscape earns it: deep river canyons, dense old-growth woodlands, marble ridges and subalpine lakes packed into some of the wildest, least-crowded country in the state. The official page calls it a haven for campers, hikers, hunters, anglers, mountain bikers, white-water enthusiasts, geologists and botanists alike.
Water is the forest's throughline. The Klamath, Salmon and Scott Rivers meander from one end of it to the other, and the Klamath itself is protected as a National Wild & Scenic River -- a magnet for rafting, kayaking and tubing. Away from the rivers the terrain climbs into four wilderness areas and a botanical wonderland famous the world over, all of it managed together with the Butte Valley National Grassland, the only national grassland in California.
History
Klamath National Forest was established on May 6, 1905, in the first wave of national forests created as the U.S. Forest Service itself was taking shape -- placing it among the oldest units in the national forest system. Its headquarters sits in Yreka, the Siskiyou County seat, and the forest is administered through the Fort Jones, Happy Camp and Macdoel ranger districts. Today it is managed jointly with the Butte Valley National Grassland, an 18,425-acre basin in the southern Cascade Range that is the only national grassland in the state of California.
Wildlife & plants
This is one of the most biologically rich forests in the West. Its rivers and creeks carry king (chinook) salmon on spring and fall runs along with summer steelhead, drawing anglers from far afield, while black bears range the mixed woodlands and riparian bottoms, mountain lions hunt the canyons, and even the wolverine -- an elusive member of the weasel family -- turns up in the high backcountry. Douglas squirrels chatter in the timber and California quail scurry through the brush below. But the forest's real claim to fame is its plants: it is famous for the sheer diversity of its conifers, and the Forest Service has documented more than 3,000 plant species here -- an extraordinary number for an area of this size.
Notable features
The forest's signature is the "Miracle Mile," a patch of the Russian Wilderness where botanists have documented 18 species of conifer within a single square mile -- among the richest concentrations of cone-bearing trees found anywhere in a temperate climate. The Russian Wilderness is one of four here, alongside the Marble Mountain Wilderness -- known for its striking marble outcrops and wildflower meadows -- plus the Red Buttes and Siskiyou wildernesses, with the Pacific Crest Trail threading through on its way past craggy peaks and alpine lakes. Russian Peak rises to 8,199 feet as the high point of the Russian Wilderness, and quiet spots like Kangaroo Lake give the forest its unhurried, off-the-radar feel.
Camps are sourced from public U.S. Forest Service recreation data and have not been personally visited. Roads shown are Forest Service passenger-car routes (maintenance level 3–5) and may be seasonal or gated. Always confirm access, fees and fire rules with the ranger district before you go. Found a fee where we show free? Tell us on the contact page.