USDA Forest Service · California
Panther Flat Campground
USDA Forest Service · California, United States · in Smith River National Recreation Area
- Sites
- 39
- Hookups
- 38 no hookups
- Season
- Year-round
- Max RV length
- 45 ft
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 584 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- PANTHER FLAT C.G. SPUR (NFSR 17N62B) · asphalt · moderate degree of user comfort
- Lake
- Six Rivers National Forest
- Nearest town
- GASQUET
- Address
- PO BOX 228, GASQUET, CA, 95543
- Phone
- 707-457-3131
- Activities
- Camping, Fishing, Swimming
39 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
Panther Flat Campground sits in the vast Six Rivers National Forest in northern California. This shady, secluded campground is just steps from the Smith River, which is famous for its bright blue waters and scenic pathway through the forest.
Recreation
Popular activities include swimming, sunbathing, rafting and fishing in the Smith River. Anglers enjoy healthy fishing populations of salmon, steelhead and cutthroat trout.
Visitors also enjoy hiking, horseback riding and biking in the area. There are no trailheads in the campground, but Elk Camp Ridge, High Dome and French Hill trailheads are all within 10 miles of the site. A Botanical trail to a unique Darlingtonia bog is just a mile away.
Facilities
The campground offers multiple single-family sites and at least one double site, available for tent and RV camping. It is one of the most modern campgrounds in the area and has some of the largest parking aprons. Some sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Campsites are equipped with tables and campfire rings with grills. Accessible flush toilets, coin-operated hot showers and drinking water are provided. The Visitor Center at the Gasquet Ranger Station provides free maps and brochures of the area.
Natural Features
Set in a mature forest of Douglas fir, cedar and Pacific madrone trees, the campground is a short walk from the pristine Smith River. The river boasts up to Class 5 whitewater rapids. The region, thick with vegetation, is also freckled with huckleberry shrubs.
The Six Rivers National Forest lies east of Eureka in northwestern California, stretching southward from the Oregon border for about 140 miles. U.S. 101, the famed "Redwood Highway," parallels the inland Forest along the coastline. The Forest is just east of the Redwood National Park.
Nearby Attractions
California's Redwood National Park and the Pacific Ocean are within 20 miles of the campground.
Annual events include Gasquet Raft Race in July and Del Norte County Fair in August.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 56° | 41° | 33° | 70° | 0 of 11 |
| February | 53° | 40° | 24° | 74° | 3 of 11 |
| March | 56° | 41° | 31° | 77° | 1 of 11 |
| April | 59° | 44° | 34° | 76° | 0 of 11 |
| May | 65° | 50° | 42° | 87° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 74° | 54° | 44° | 96° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 83° | 60° | 53° | 100° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 85° | 63° | 54° | 100° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 77° | 58° | 49° | 99° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 71° | 52° | 43° | 86° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 60° | 47° | 38° | 72° | 0 of 10 |
| December | 53° | 41° | 21° | 71° | 1 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
- Grassy Flat Campground · USDA Forest Service · 2 mi · 19 sites
- Patrick Creek Campground · USDA Forest Service · 5 mi · 13 sites
- Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park · California State Parks · 9 mi
- Jedediah Smith Campground - Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park · National Park Service · 9 mi · 86 sites
- North Fork Campground · USDA Forest Service · 10 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.