Featured amenities
Pet Friendly
Sites & Rates
Average nightly rates2 total sites
RV Sites
2 sites
About Horse Camp Primitive Campground
Number of accommodations: 2
Activities & Attractions
Nearby
Hiking
Horseback Riding
Swimming
Water Activities
Year-round
Hiking
Horseback Riding
Spring
Water Activities
Summer
Swimming
Water Activities
Fall
Water Activities
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Open year round
This campground is open year round, providing flexibility for your stay.
Campground Amenities
Most popular amenities
Pet friendly
Pets and Policies
- Pet friendly
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Rates, Sites & Availability
2 Sites Available
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Site Details
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2 Sites Available
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Reviews (37)
What Guests Are Saying
Horse Camp Primitive Campground offers a beautiful, clean environment with ample space for large vehicles and tent setups. Visitors appreciate the peaceful surroundings, proximity to a scenic river overlook, and well-maintained facilities, including bear boxes and picnic tables. However, there were issues with reservations, lack of fire permissions, and some campers experienced difficulty finding level parking spots.
What Guests Are Saying
Horse Camp Primitive Campground offers a beautiful, clean environment with ample space for large vehicles and tent setups. Visitors appreciate the peaceful surroundings, proximity to a scenic river overlook, and well-maintained facilities, including bear boxes and picnic tables. However, there were issues with reservations, lack of fire permissions, and some campers experienced difficulty finding level parking spots.
Review Summary
rochelle p
VerifiedApril 7, 2022 • Stayed at: 001, Loop: HORSE CAMP PRIMITIVE CAMPGROUND
I’ve been going here about 8 years. It’s one of my favorite spots, and I can bring my trailer
Brandon h
VerifiedFebruary 12, 2022 • Stayed at: 001, Loop: HORSE CAMP PRIMITIVE CAMPGROUND
Our experience other than a couple cars driving through it was very quiet and dark for great star viewing. There was plenty of space. Overall we had a great time.
Andy C
VerifiedJanuary 12, 2022 • Stayed at: 002, Loop: HORSE CAMP PRIMITIVE CAMPGROUND
Toilets! I have 3 daughters so this helped a lot. We stayed in a Tent and while you couldn't find a perfectly level spot, we managed to make it work. You have 2 sites. Site 1 looks like a better spot for RTT/car camping. You can park a lot closer than you can at #2. There is a walking trail that begins at camp2 and continues to guardian rock. The walk to overlook is a sidewalk, continue trail is dirt and loose rock. We did not see any vehicles or people during our trip. We saved this as one of our favorites in the area.
Angela S
VerifiedDecember 4, 2021 • Stayed at: 002, Loop: HORSE CAMP PRIMITIVE CAMPGROUND
Pleasantly surprised! We just loved the quiet, the STARS and how clean it was here. Lots of things to do here! We explored! Went to Whiskeytown Falls and Crystal Creek Falls. So Beautiful! We will be back. Thank you for having a bathroom so close!
Donna W
VerifiedNovember 21, 2021 • Stayed at: 002, Loop: HORSE CAMP PRIMITIVE CAMPGROUND
We spent 3 nights 2 we had it all to ourselves. It was quiet and beautiful.
Misty W
VerifiedAugust 20, 2021 • Stayed at: 001, Loop: HORSE CAMP PRIMITIVE CAMPGROUND
We didn't stay at the camp site. We have never visited this area before and when I made the reservations online it didn't say that it was a remote campsite. When we (my son 12 and myself) I didn't feel comfortable or safe to camp at this site. Now I'm trying to get a refund and it's almost impossible.
lucy s
VerifiedJune 14, 2021 • Stayed at: 001, Loop: HORSE CAMP PRIMITIVE CAMPGROUND
Nice and secluded with one 2 spots. However, a dirt road that leads to a couple of small towns is frequented at various times of the day/evening, and the vehicles speed through there, kicking up dust and dirt.
Jenna S
VerifiedMay 12, 2021 • Stayed at: 002, Loop: HORSE CAMP PRIMITIVE CAMPGROUND
The bugs were awful! The mosquitoes were so bad and their bites hurt that we actually had to pack up and leave. It is an ok spot but there are probably prettier spots in the area near/overlooking the water.
Richard K
VerifiedApril 27, 2021 • Stayed at: 001, Loop: HORSE CAMP PRIMITIVE CAMPGROUND
The only knock was our first night the bathroom door became locked and wasn’t opened until Monday (2 nights later). Once it was opened it was still set to be locked anytime it was closed so we set out a rock hoping that others would understand not to shut the door when they left. Otherwise the campsite was clean and great to use.
Caitlin M
VerifiedApril 25, 2021 • Stayed at: 001, Loop: HORSE CAMP PRIMITIVE CAMPGROUND
Beautiful hikes close by, bathrooms were locked & therefore unusable, somewhat isolated (only two spots, no host) but not remote per se
Location Horse Camp Primitive Campground
Address:
Po Box 188
Whiskeytown, CA, 96095
United States
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.
Elevation: 326 feet
6.5 mi drive to downtown Whiskeytown (about 15 min)
Policies & Rules
Arrival & departure
Check in time
1PM
Check out time
12PM
General
- 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.
- Entrance Pass Required - Whiskeytown is a National Park Service site and requires a vehicle entrance fee. You can purchase an entrance pass at the visitor center, or online by using your smart phone, tablet, or computer by going to the website. www.Recreation.Gov. If you already have a valid Interagency Annual, Senior, Access, Military, or Whiskeytown Annual pass, please display this pass in a hangtag or place it on the dashboard of your vehicle. Annual passes from Crater Lake National Park, Lassen Volcanic National Park and Lava Beds National Monument are also valid here at Whiskeytown.
- Maximum occupancy is 10 people and 3 vehicles.
- Horse Camp may accommodate any vehicle or combination of vehicles, including trailers, RVs, and RVs pulling other vehicles.
- Quiet hours are between;
- 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.
- Protect our natural resources. Gather only dead and down wood for firewood. Do not put nails in trees or damage or remove vegetation. Campfires must be attended at all times and completely extinguished (using water and dirt) when going to bed or leaving the campsite.
- Pets must be kept on a leash or in a crate at all times. Pets may not be left unattended. Dispose of pet waste in trash cans.
- Please be advised that because the Carr Fire of 2018 burned extensively through the park, post-fire hazards such as falling trees and branches remain. Stay alert while camping in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area.
- 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.
- Click here for more information about Whiskeytown National Recreation Area www.nps.gov/whis
- There is a 3 tent maximum per site for this campground.
- Camping is limited to an aggregate of 14 days between April 1 and October 31 (inclusive) and no more than 30 days per person per calendar year. No period of stay of 30 days may be succeeded by any period of stay with less than a 7-day break. The 14 day between April 1 and October 31 is necessary to provide more equitable access to campsites. The maximum 30 window between November 1 and March 30 is necessary to prevent individuals from residing within Whiskeytown
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Last updated: September 3, 2026
