USDA Forest Service · California
Hat Creek
USDA Forest Service · California, United States
- Sites
- 79
- Hookups
- 12 no hookups
- Season
- April 23 to October 10
- Max RV length
- 45 ft
- Group sites
- Yes
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Elevation
- 4,469 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- Verizon weak · T-Mobile none · AT&T none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- HAT CREEK CG (NFSR 33N45) · bituminous surface treatment · high degree of user comfort
- Lake
- Lassen National Forest
- Nearest town
- FALL RIVER MILLS
- Address
- LASSEN NATIONAL FOREST, FALL RIVER MILLS, CA, 96028
- Phone
- 530-336-5521
- Activities
- Camping, Fishing
3 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
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.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 43° | 30° | 12° | 58° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 43° | 28° | 3° | 62° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 45° | 30° | 13° | 77° | 10 of 11 |
| April | 55° | 34° | 23° | 71° | 9 of 11 |
| May | 68° | 44° | 31° | 83° | 1 of 11 |
| June | 79° | 52° | 37° | 95° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 90° | 62° | 48° | 101° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 89° | 61° | 51° | 101° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 81° | 53° | 43° | 91° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 69° | 43° | 32° | 81° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 51° | 36° | 16° | 68° | 5 of 10 |
| December | 43° | 29° | 13° | 62° | 9 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Hat Creek Group Campground · USDA Forest Service · 0 mi
- Cave Campground · USDA Forest Service · 2 mi
- Big Pine Campground · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi
- Rocky Campground · USDA Forest Service · 4 mi
- Bridge Campground · USDA Forest Service · 4 mi
All public campgrounds in California · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.