Go if
Fall fishing or leaf-peeping trips on a tight budget. Sites 6 and up sit away from HWY 299, get decent tree cover, and the river nearby stays productive as it cools. At $12 a night, it's hard to argue.
Price
$6 - $12/night
Booking
First-Come
Sites
15 campsites
Season
Open seasonally from...
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Very Pet Friendly
Price
$6 - $12/night
Booking
First-Come
Sites
15 campsites
Season
Open seasonally from...
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Very Pet Friendly
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Burnt Ranch Campground, Trinity National Forest, Big Bar Ranger District, California
Fall fishing or leaf-peeping trips on a tight budget. Sites 6 and up sit away from HWY 299, get decent tree cover, and the river nearby stays productive as it cools. At $12 a night, it's hard to argue.
No potable water on-site is a real logistical problem if you're not prepared to haul everything in. Add highway noise on sites 1-5 and no flush toilets, and anyone who values comfort will find this rough going.
Reference information about Burnt Ranch Campground sourced from official USFS records and forestcamping.com. View official recreation.gov page →
<p>This facility is a first-come, first-serve facility with 16 units. Can accommodate up to a 25 foot trailer. Please contact the Weaverville Ranger Station at 530-623-2121 for open and close dates.</p>
Total of 16 units. Average max. trailer size = 25 foot.
The elevation is 1,400 ft. The campground meanders down a draw under a canopy of cedar, Ponderosa pine, and deciduous trees. The campsites are rustic with some having a grille, some have a Klamath Oven, and some have nothing to cook on at all. Traffic noise from State Rt. 299 can be heard from sites 1 through 5. The community of Burnt Ranch is adjacent to campground and offers limited services. Hawkins Bar is also nearby and offers gas and limited groceries. Private residences adjoin campground.
Open May 15 through October 31.
The parking aprons are dirt and gravel. A state-run RV waste station, with potable water and no fee, is available at the Frances B. Mathews Rest Area, 6.8 miles west of Willow Creek, CA off State Rt. 299.
From Willow Creek, CA, take State Rt. 299 east 13.1 miles to campground on left.
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Fall delivers the campground's best conditions. Daytime highs range from the mid-40s to mid-60s°F, with nights dropping into the mid-30s. The mixed forest shows late-season color, mosquitoes disappear, and weekday crowds thin after Labor Day. Fishing stays productive as streams cool. Wildfire closure risk drops compared to late summer but still exists.
Fall cited as best season: cooler temps, vivid canopy color, fewer mosquitoes and crowds.
Burnt Ranch Campground offers rustic facilities with a focus on simplicity. The campground has a total of 15 sites, including 5 tent sites and 10 combined sites. Amenities are sparse, with no restrooms except for vault toilets, and no potable water or waste station on-site. Picnic tables are available at all sites, while only 4 sites reportedly have grills. The parking aprons are dirt and gravel.
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