Established Camping
Butte Lake Campground — Lassen Volcanic National Park
About
National Park Service
Lassen Volcanic National Park
Overview
Butte Lake Stock Corral (elevation 6,100 ft.) is located in the northeastern section of Lassen Volcanic National Park in northern California. It is fairly remote and within walking distance of Butte Lake, which is popular for fishing, canoeing, kayaking and swimming. Several trails are located nearby. The facility is 45 minutes from the main park road.
Recreation
Outdoor enthusiasts stay at Butte Lake Stock Corral for its many recreation opportunities. The lake is popular for trout fishing, as well as non-motorized boating. Trailheads within the facility include the hike to Snag Lake, trails leading to the interior of the park, and the Cluster Lakes loop. Longer trails nearby will take you to Juniper Lake and Summit Lake. The Pacific Crest Trail can also be accessed from Butte Lake and runs through the park.
Facilities
The stock corral area has two adjacent metal corrals with water troughs and spigots. A vault toilet is located next to the facility for the use of those reserving the corral. This facility is remote and you must travel on a six-mile gravel road to access the facility.
Natural Features
The area is dominated by Ponderosa pines and surrounded by soft volcanic soils. Extending into Butte Lake is a large black lava flow, creating rocky shores and interesting views for visitors in kayaks and canoes to explore. Trails suitable for horses are easily accessed from the corral and numerous forest roads just outside the park boundary. The national park is known for its volcanic history, as well as its diversity of plants and animals. It contains 300 active volcanic domes and many hydrothermal features, such as mud pots and steam vents. Lassen Peak is the southernmost active volcano in the Cascades, and the second most recent volcano to erupt in the lower 48 of the United States before Mount Saint Helens. Lassen Volcanic National Park boasts over 700 species of flowering plants and 250 species of vertebrates, including birds, mammals, reptiles and fish. The park is at the junction of the Cascade Mountains, the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Great Basin, thus providing many unique habitats.
Nearby Attractions
The Caribou Wilderness area is managed by the Forest Service has numerous trails that are suitable for stock use and can be accessed directly from the park via the Widow Lake trail.
Location
Butte Lake Campground — Lassen Volcanic National Park is located in California
Directions
From Redding, California, drive 63 miles east on state Highway 44 to Old Station. From the intersection of Highway 44 and State Highway 89 , continue east on Highway 44 for 11 miles. Watch for sign to Butte Lake Campground. Turn right and continue for six miles on a rough gravel road. The stock corral road is located directly left of the Butte Lake self-registration entrance station. Turn left up the hill and take the immediate road to the right. Continue up the hill to the campsite and the corrals.
Address
P. O. Box 100
Mineral, CA 96063
Coordinates
40.565 N
121.3052778 W
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
Stay Connected
- WiFiUnknown
- VerizonUnknown
- AT&TUnknown
- T-MobileUnknown
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Group
- Equestrian
Features
For Campers
- Trash
- Picnic Table
- Drinking Water
- Toilets
- Alcohol
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Pull-Through Sites
- Big Rig Friendly
Great out of the way lake!
It's a great place to camp out of the way from all the other campgrounds in Lassen Park. Just beware of the 5 mile gravel road into camp. The lake is close to the campground, quiet and peaceful. No motor boats. You must wear a life preserver if you put your boat in the water.
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Peaceful visit in a National Park
This was a very peaceful campground, given it was in a popular National Park. The setting is very open, with tall pines and no undergrowth, but the sites are far apart. There is no cell service, no dump site, nor any grey water dump pits. The latrines are very nice with running water and toilets. The toilet houses are the only place you can get drinking water and there are only about four locations. There is no way to hook up a hose, even with a water robber, so you have to fill jugs and carry from the sink. There is a campground host, but we had no interaction.
I was there in late July and the lake was great (cold, not numbing) for swimming. Several people launched kayaks and lots of people did the many hikes around the area. Not really a place for riding bikes.
The campground is at the end of a six-mile gravel road. Not too dusty or bumpy. Maybe that is why it wasn't so populated.
For those looking for boondock sites, the first five miles are National Forest with several side roads.
Nice and quiet with big campsites
Large campsite with fire pit and large trees. There are toilets but I didn't see any showers. If you visit after the summer season it is dry camping meaning there is no drinking water available so keep that in mind. The campground is near the lake, and cinder cone trailhead.
Nice quiet campground near lake
Nice campground with all year facilities. We enjoyed a hike to nearby cindercone volcano. Campground is nicely shaded. The water in the lake is low this year, but lots of campers brought canoes and boats. The boat ramp is closed. No motorized boats allowed. The last 7 mile to the campground is dirtroad. Rv spots are drive through.
If you want remote in Lassen…
Stayed at Butte Lake for two nights in late June 2022. None of the campsites has an unobstructed lake view, but it’s a short walk to the day use area on the shore. This is a good jumping off point for a ton of hikes on this side of Lassen NP; excellent signage tells you how far each destination is. The sites themselves are not very private; kids were rolling through our site on bikes all afternoon and evening, dogs were barking at each other, it was a little crowded feeling even though it was probably only at half capacity. (There were reservation cards on almost all the sites, but it seems like a lot of people didn’t show up.) That said, after driving past some of the other campgrounds right next to the highway, I was happy to have chosen this one.
Out of the way and peaceful
If you're up for driving down a bumpy gravel road for 5-6 miles, this campground is a hidden gem within Lassen. Facilities are clean, sites are decent sized and there's a beautiful lake (Butte Lake) and a couple of great hikes that you can do directly out of the campground. We did the Cinder Cone trail, which is short, exposed, extremely steep but has a great payoff in terms of view and curiosity factor. We stayed for one night only, as we were passing through and I enjoyed our stay. If you're freaked out about taking your rig down a bumpy and dusty road, I would avoid this one. Otherwise, this is a tranquil spot away from the masses, which easily offers a day or two of activities, including potentially serving as a base camp to see other sites in the park and area. e.g. Barney Falls.
Great Spot, but far from all of the National Park sites
The road is bumpy in, so plan on that. We pulled in our R V with no problems. The lake is small but beautiful. It has a lava flow going right into it. Great for hiking, biking, paddleboard, kayaking, whatever. It is a great place on its own, but if you are trying to see the Volcano National Park, it's a bit of a drive. We loved camping here.
Remote Campground at Lassen NP
Despite the remote location and the bumpy gravel road to get to this park, it is a very popular campground. Advanced reservation is a must. Make sure to read the signs about the wildlife and take the advice of how to store food seriously. We saw a bear just a mile outside the campground.
The sites are large and spaced far apart and shady. The lake is only a short walk away and great for swimming, kayaking or paddle boarding. The lake is surrounded by lava and the beach has been formed by volcanic material and smells a little sulphuric but the water is very clear. There are several stunning hikes starting right at the campground .
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Tucked away
This little gem is a great place to stay while visiting Lassen. Located off a well maintained gravel road near beautiful Butte Lake. We had no problem towing our trailer to this location and neither did our friends whose trailer is 30+ ft. The campsites are spacious and well maintained. Lots of trees and within walking distance to the lake. Flush toilets were decently clean.
There are no sites located on the actual lake so you have to pack a beach bag, chairs, toys and snacks and haul them down to the waters edge if you want a beach day. Mosquitoes were HUGE so don’t forget bug spray!
The Cinder Cone hike along the old lava flow behind the campsite is spectacular! Don’t let the climb up the cinder cone dissuade you; the panoramic view from the top is well worth it! We did it with two 6 year olds. Don’t forget to visit the nearby Lava Tubes and geothermal sights.
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Crazy bumpy road
The camping spot was near the lake and good hiking trails. The road getting in you need a suv not a car. It’s very bumpy lots of pot holes.
Beautiful and secluded campground
Great campground right next to the beautiful Butte Lake. Campground has two decent sized loops. Some of the sights seemed fairly close together but despite that they were nice sites.
Roomy and plenty of shade
Group camps have plenty of room in a fairly shaded Pine tree environment. Campers are spaced adequatley apart. Have to get water from the faucet outside the rest rooms which have flush toilets. No showers and no electricity but the Lake was great for cooling off.
Butte Lake
I think the most important thing to know about this camp site is that it is not always open. When we went there, it was closed (apparently only open 6/8/18 - 10/23/18, weather permitting per the website).
We were still able to see and explore the camp sites which looked very standard.
The best thing about this site would be its location close to many spectacular trails. The cinder cone is very close to here, and while it is quite a journey to get to the top, it offers spectacular views of the nearby lakes, lava beds, and painted dunes.
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Best in Lassen
This is my favorite campground in Lassen because it is not crowded and the sites are decent sized. It's right by Cinder Cone (amazing views up top), Butte Lake and many nice hiking destinations. Bear boxes (yes, you need to use them), toilets, running water (though you need to check late season). It is a gravel road. There is a boat launch for kayaks and canoes..
This campground is 45 minutes from the main park road, so plan accordingly. If you stop at Hat Creek Rim Overlook on the way by, there is cell reception. Firewood and supplies are available at Old Station.