USDA Forest Service · California

Ellery Creek

USDA Forest Service · California, United States · in Whiskeytown Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area

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Sites
20
Hookups
19 no hookups
Season
April 1 to September 9
Max RV length
40 ft
Drinking water
No
Restrooms
Yes
Pets
Yes
Elevation
1,033 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
ELLERY CREEK CG (NFSR 35N59) · asphalt · moderate degree of user comfort
Lake
Shasta-Trinity National Forest
Nearest town
Lakehead
Address
Gilman Road Exit off I-5, Lakehead, CA, 96051
Activities
Boating, Camping, Fishing, Water Skiing

14 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.

About

Overview

Ellery Creek is located on the McCloud Arm of Shasta Lake. The campground is terraced, providing views of the lake from all of the lower sites and some of the upper sites.

At certain water levels, boats can be moored on the shore within sight of the campground, making Ellery Creek a very popular place to camp among boaters.

Recreation

A public boat ramp is located approximately 4 miles away at Hirz Bay, but informal mooring is allowed at Ellery Creek if the water levels are sufficient. This area is popular for water skiing and jet skiing.

Lake Shasta offers excellent fishing for trout, catfish, Chinook salmon, crappie, bluegill, white sturgeon, brown bullhead and bass.

Facilities

Each site offers fair to good privacy and sufficient shade provided by the deciduous trees in the campground.

There are two sets of vault toilets and water spigots throughout the camp. Each site has lockers for food, picnic tables, fire rings with grills, paved parking spurs and tent pads.

There are no showers available or electric/water hookups for trailers. All sites at this campground can accommodate small trailers as well as tents.

Natural Features

Shasta-Trinity is the largest national forest in California with a diverse landscape encompassing five wilderness areas, hundreds of mountain lakes and 6,278 miles of streams and rivers.

Lake Shasta sits at an elevation of 1,067 feet, with 365 miles of shoreline punctuated by steep mountains blanketed in manzanita and evergreens. A snow-capped Mount Shasta, the second-tallest mountain in the Cascade Range, looms in the distance.

Lakeside sites at Ellery Creek offer excellent views and access to the water. Wildlife is abundant in the area.

Nearby Attractions

The Lake Shasta Caverns are also located on the McCloud Arm of Shasta Lake in an area know as the Grey Rocks. Tours are given daily at this privately owned facility.

The nearby Hirz Mountain Lookout offers panoramic views of Mt. Shasta, Mt. Lassen and the surrounding area at an elevation of 3,500 feet.

The nearest store is 21 miles away in Lakehead.

Fees

If the reservation was made through recreation.gov please call 1-877-444-6777 to make a refund request. Refunds must be requested no later than 14 days before your scheduled arrival date for a full refund (excluding recreation.gov fee’s).

Reservation Fee: For some facilities, an additional reservation fee is charged. This additional non-refundable fee is $10.00 for the call center and online reservations.

Refunds for Check or Cash Purchases: Refunds for cash payments will be issued a check refund. A refund will be processed within 30 days of receipt and approval. For cash or check refunds please call us at 530-275-8113. Please Note! Refund requests made during or after departure can only be processed when approved by the facility management staff based upon local policy.

Refunds for Emergency Closures: In the event of an emergency closure the Recreation.gov will attempt to notify users and offer alternate dates and sites (as appropriate). If this is not possible, reservations will be canceled and all fees paid will be refunded.

Refunds for Naturally Occurring Events: Refunds will not be issued for naturally occurring events like rain, snow, wind, smoke, extreme temperature, low lake level, etc.

If you are requesting a refund for a walk-up site, please contact the host on-site or call us 530-275-8113.  All refunds must be approved and issued through our office or processed though Recreation.gov.

Weather, month by month

MonthTypical highTypical lowColdest nightHottest dayYears with a night below 32°F
January52°38°25°69°5 of 11
February55°38°20°74°4 of 11
March60°40°26°86°5 of 11
April65°43°35°82°0 of 11
May79°53°41°92°0 of 11
June89°60°46°104°0 of 11
July99°68°58°111°0 of 11
August97°68°59°111°0 of 11
September88°60°51°99°0 of 11
October77°51°42°92°0 of 10
November61°44°34°80°0 of 10
December52°39°27°70°3 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.

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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.