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Map showing campground location near Mill Creek, California
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Gurnsey Creek

3 ReviewsAdd Review

Accessible via Highway 36, Gurnsey Creek Campground accommodates RVs up to 99 feet with drive-in sites scattered through dense pine and sequoia forest. The US Forest Service facility provides drinking water, vault toilets, and trash service from May through October, with reservations available for the $56-$112 nightly rate. Road noise from the adjacent 55-mph highway affects most sites during daytime hours but diminishes after dark. Recent fire management has left large stacks of free firewood throughout the campground. The location serves as a staging point for tent sites around Lassen National Forest, positioned 20 minutes from Lassen Volcanic National Park's southwest entrance and the same distance from Chester's supply options.

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Location

Public Campground

Gurnsey Creek is located in California

Detail location of campground

Directions

From the town of Chester, follow Highway 36 west for about 14 miles. Gurnsey Creek Campground is located on the right side of the highway, about 2 miles past the Highway 32 turnoff.

Coordinates

40.3088889 N
121.4266667 W

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Connectivity

  • signal strength bars
    T-Mobile
    No Coverage
  • signal strength bars
    VerizonLTE
    Some Coverage
  • signal strength bars
    AT&T
    No Coverage

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Connectivity

  • signal strength bars
    T-Mobile
    No Coverage
  • signal strength bars
    VerizonLTE
    Some Coverage
  • signal strength bars
    AT&T
    No Coverage

Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)
  • Group

Features

For Campers

  • Trash
  • Reservable
  • Drinking Water
  • Toilets
  • Alcohol

Contact

General Info

Reservations

Drive Time

Reviews

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1 Star

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4.0

out of 5

3 Reviews

Many guests appreciated the spacious, wooded sites and basic amenities like vault toilets and abundant free firewood. Highway proximity creates mixed reactions - some found it acceptably quiet while others were disappointed by road noise and visibility.

Tyler D.
Reviewed Jun. 22, 2023

Solid basecamp for Lassen NP

Why we booked: Came to see Lassen NP. Manzanita Lake Campground canceled on us, and we needed a spot with plenty of FCFS availability.

Campground: Basic USFS campground. Heavily wooded with pine and sequoias, sites relatively spacious, vault toilets and threaded water spigots throughout. We were able to fill our tank by connecting a couple of hoses. Some spots for okay solar—we were getting 200W of a possible 400 after picking a sunny campsite in the summer. Being on a 55mph road, you do get road noise that dies down at night. Probably makes this a better campground for RVs than tent camping. Combining Verizon and T-Mobile with our router and booster let my wife and I work on video calls with few problems.

Quirks: Huge stacks of free firewood due to work done since a huge fire swept through the area a couple of years ago.

Site: Ours was one of a handful that can fit bigger rigs. Most folks should be able to get in here just fine—but if you're bigger, be good at backing.

Nearby: The southwest Lassen NP entrance is about 20 minutes away. The town of Chester is 20 minutes the other way, with propane and diesel and some decent food.

Value: Perfect!

Site4
Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Gurnsey Creek by Tyler D., June 22, 2023
  • Review photo of Gurnsey Creek by Tyler D., June 22, 2023
  • Review photo of Gurnsey Creek by Tyler D., June 22, 2023
  • (9) View All
Christine B.
Reviewed Aug. 20, 2021

A little too close for comfort

The campground has several campsites for tents and trailers. Each time we stayed at this campground, I became more and more disappointed. The campground is much too close to Hwy 36. You can see the highway from most campsites, the creek runs close to the busy highway as well. There also seems to be an issue with meat bees during certain times of the year, this makes for uncomfortable meal times.

Month of VisitMay
Sarah P.
Reviewed Jul. 16, 2018

Quiet, family and dog-friendly campground

This is a first-come, first-serve campground within the Lassen National Forest, about 14 miles from the southern entry gate of Lassen Volcanic National Park. My family and I arrived on a Thursday afternoon in June and there were plenty of campsites available. There were more people arriving on Friday and Saturday but still a handful of sites were available and it never got very crowded. The campground is near a highway but it stayed relatively quiet the whole time, since there's not much traffic on the road. The campground loop roads are not used much and make for a safe area for kids to ride bikes or scooters nearby the campsites. The only complaint I had about the campground is the large amount of cut wood logs that were stacked around the camp sites. It made the view a little less scenic but provided for a large amount of firewood. If you enjoy a quiet and serene camping experience near a National Park, I would definitely recommend this campground! It's also near the town of Chester, which has gas stations, restaurants, and a grocery store, as well as Lake Almanor, which has boating, swimming, and hiking trails.

SiteSite 12
Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Gurnsey Creek by Sarah P., July 16, 2018
Showing results 1-3 of 3 reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there photos of Gurnsey Creek Campground to view before visiting?

Yes, photos of Gurnsey Creek Campground are available online to help you prepare for your visit. These images typically showcase the campground's heavily wooded setting with tall pine and sequoia trees, spacious campsites, and the general layout of the area. Photos can give you a good sense of the campsite spacing, natural surroundings, and proximity to Gurnsey Creek. For the most current and comprehensive collection of campground photos, check the Lassen National Forest website or popular camping platforms like The Dyrt.

What amenities and facilities are available at Gurnsey Creek Campground?

Gurnsey Creek Campground offers basic facilities typical of a USFS campground. Amenities include vault toilets and threaded water spigots throughout the campground. The site features multiple campsites suitable for both tents and trailers in a heavily wooded setting with pine and sequoia trees. Each campsite is relatively spacious. This is a first-come, first-serve campground with no reservation system. The campground is located approximately 14 miles from the southern entrance to Lassen Volcanic National Park, making it a convenient base for park exploration.

What do visitor reviews say about Gurnsey Creek Campground?

Gurnsey Creek Campground receives mixed feedback from visitors. Many appreciate its convenient location as an alternative base for exploring Lassen Volcanic National Park, especially when park campgrounds are full. The spacious sites and beautiful forest setting with pine and sequoia trees are frequently highlighted positives. However, some visitors note the campground's proximity to Highway 36 as a drawback, with traffic noise being audible from many sites, including those near the creek. Availability is generally good, particularly for midweek arrivals, though weekends can fill up faster during peak season.

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