Overview Hat Creek is one of six campgrounds available in the Hat Creek Recreation Area, home to some of the area's best trout fishing. Scenic hiking trails and an active volcanic area can easily be accessed from the facility.Recreation Hat Creek is popular for its trophy trout fishing. The cold waters of the creek allow for a refreshing play on hot summer days. Other popular activities in the area include wildlife viewing, hunting, backpacking, hiking and caving. A variety of day hikes are available in the area, including the Spatter Cones Nature Trail, which is located just across the highway from the campground. The 1.5-mile loop trail provides hikers with a unique opportunity to explore craters, cones and crevices, as well as other geologic features left by the Hat Creek Lava Flow. Nearby, visitors can take a self-guided tour of Subway Cave. The trail is less than a half-mile long and explores the underground world of a lava tube. Visitors are encouraged to bring flashlights for hiking through the cave.Facilities Hat Creek offers three group campsites that can accommodate up to 50 people each. Individual sites are also available on a first-come, first-served basis. Picnic tables and campfire rings with grills are provided, as are accessible flush and vault toilets, utility sinks and drinking water. The RV dump-station is located 1.5 miles north of the campground behind the Old Station Visitors Center.Natural Features The campground is situated next to Hat Creek in a mixed conifer forest at an elevation of about 4,390 feet. Pine needles, grasses and volcanic rocks cover the forest floor. Sites are widely spaced for privacy. Nearby Attractions The campground is located about a mile west of the town of Old Station, and 12 miles east of the northwest entrance to Lassen Volcanic National Park, where active, hissing fumaroles and boiling mud pots are continually shaping the landscape. The Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail can be accessed near the Spatter Cones Nature Trailhead.
Reviews of Hat Creek Campground
8 people have reviewed this location
Ratings Summary
Cell Coverage
Verizon 4G/5G
Confirmed by 2 users | Last reported on September 06, 2023T-Mobile 4G
Confirmed by 2 users | Last reported on May 01, 2021Reviews
Clean campground with nice big sites. Pine trees have been thinned in camp, so some sites may lack complete shade cover throughout the day. Running water, pit and flush toilets. Fast moving creek along CG for fishing. Nice big sites!
Nightly Rate: $16.00
Days Stayed: 2
Site Number: 47
Hat Creek Campground has been around for decades, and it shows. The location itself is unbeatable. Beautiful open pine forest, and the wonderful Hat Creek itself running alongside the entire campground. Lassen Volcanic National Park is a short drive west, and is worth week of visits and hikes all on its own.
The people running the campground are fantastic. Friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. They have a great little store and kitchen too. Our only quibble with the campground is that it's definitely showing its age a bit. The facilities, hookups, and the sites could use a little TLC upgrades.
Nightly Rate: $40.00
Days Stayed: 3
Site Number: -
Unfortunately I was there when they had lots of fires in the northern part of the state. So there was a lot of smoke in the air. Other than that the campground has lots of large spaces up to around 40' Several camp-hosts to buy fire wood. Quite as long as your not in sites next to main road.
Nightly Rate: $16.00
Days Stayed: 5
Site Number: 45
RV Type: Travel Trailer
Cell Coverage Rating
T-Mobile 4G
Forest Service type campground, but Hat Creek flows right by the campground. World class trout fishing here! It is at about 4,400 feet in elevation so it is cooler than places in the valley near Redding. A interesting Lava Tube is close by with stairs, but take a strong flashlight and sturdy shoes! It isn't a long tube, but gives one a good idea of what they are like! Some of the amenities need updating, but the area is beautiful and the sound of the rushing water is fantastic! There was a large forest fire near there a few years ago, so driving in the area looks sad part of the time with all the burnt forest, but the campground is nice. Easy to get in and room to park. It is right off the road along Highway 89. Not far from the road, so you might hear some traffic, but it will quiet down in the evening.
Nightly Rate: $16.00
Days Stayed: 2
Site Number: Group
RV Length: 16 ft
RV Type: Travel Trailer
Nice campground with lots of space for guests to spread out. I went in April, 2021 and there were only a few campers nearby. The sound of the creek going by was great for sleeping. Heads up that the flush toilets are out of service (vault only) and that there is very little cell service with Verizon (but you can drive to Subway Cave for calls and emails when needed).
Nightly Rate: $16.00
Days Stayed: 1
Site Number: 31
We stayed here 2 nights. The campground was not officially open in April but after calling they told us that the gates are open, just the toilets were closed.
Upon arrival there was no map and very little information. Although the campground was officially still closed it was pretty busy. Some of the campsites are very large but due to the narrow road it was difficult to back our trailer in. Our site was very uneven and it took a while to get the rig leveled. As we found out later our neighbors were having the same problem.
There was water, a picnic table and fire ring.
The campsite is right by the creek and there were lots of people fishing.
Unfortunately, there were also people speeding and racing cars on the campground and there was absolutely no presence from a camp host or law enforcement.
Nightly Rate: $16.00
Days Stayed: 2
Site Number: 56
RV Length: 30 ft
RV Type: Travel Trailer
Cell Coverage Rating
T-Mobile 4G
This campground has multiple loops, we were in the last loop. Gravel (dusty) roads and pads, fire pits, tables, pit toilets. The campground has flush toilets but they were closed with no explanation. We were in an RV, so no big deal, but for tent campers that meant a long walk to the very few pit toilets available. Hat creek runs right alongside the campground and people were catching fish. There is a dump station two miles north of the campground. There is gas and a small store in Old Station, just down the road. 30 miles from the north entrance to Lassen Volcanic National Park. Close to the subway cave and lots of dirt roads to explore. It's in a beautiful part of California.
Nightly Rate: $16.00
Days Stayed: 5
Site Number: 57
Cell Coverage Rating
Verizon 4G
Stayed here over Labor Day weekend and while there were plenty of people it was very spaced out and never felt crowded.
Once the weekend was over it was very quiet and peaceful. We couldn’t be happier. Starlink worked great! The flush toilets in loop 2 and 4 were open but the rest were closed. The vault toilets were open as well and plenty of potable water.
Nightly Rate: $16.00
Days Stayed: 4
Site Number: 54
Cell Coverage Rating
Verizon 5G
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Hat Creek Campground
Hours
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Parking
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Pets Allowed
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Restrooms
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Wifi
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Wheelchair Accessible
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Credit Cards Accepted
- Check In
- 12:00 PM
- Max Stay
- 14
- Check Out
- 12:00 PM
- Max Length
- 28 ft
- Season End
- October
- Affiliation
- National forest
- Sites Count
- 75
- Season Start
- May
- Last Nightly Rate
- 16.0
- Lowest Nightly Rate
- 16.0
- Longest Vehicle Length Reported
- 30 ft
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Sites
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Laundry
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Propane
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Showers
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Big Rigs
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Boondock
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Firewood
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Fifty Amp
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Tent Sites
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Cabin Sites
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Full Hookup
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Paved Sites
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Dump Station
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Mobile Homes
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Public Water
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Pull Through
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Reservations
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Sewer Hookup
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Water Hookup
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Potable Water
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Age Restricted
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Rec Facilities
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Dispersed Sites
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Open Seasonally
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Permit Required
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Group Tent Sites
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Fulltime Residents
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Standard Tent Sites
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Pull Through RV Sites
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