USDA Forest Service · California
Big Flat
USDA Forest Service · California, United States · in Smith River National Recreation Area
- Cost
- Day Use: $8 per vehicle per day Additional Vehicle Fee: $5 per vehicle per night
- Drinking water
- No
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Elevation
- 745 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
- BIG FLAT C.G. (NFSR 15N59) · bituminous surface treatment · suitable for passenger cars
About
US Forest Service campground. Big Flat Campground is a small, quiet campground bordered by Hurdygurdy Creek. Since it is far from towns and highways, it 's the perfect place to “get away from it all.” The campground is semi-open; trees shade some sites, others have part-shade. Shrubs and grass fill in between sites. There is a 14-day limit for occupying a campground, and pets on leashes are permitted. Picnic tables, fire rings, water spigots, trashservice provided. There is no river access from the campground. Several nice South Fork river access points are within a half mile. Hurdygurdy Creek can be accessed from the campground as well as several points off of the “All Access Trail” (see Hiking below). Not reservable through Recreation.gov, so plan on first-come, first-served; check with the ranger district for current conditions and fees.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 55° | 41° | 33° | 70° | 0 of 11 |
| February | 53° | 40° | 23° | 72° | 4 of 11 |
| March | 56° | 40° | 29° | 75° | 1 of 11 |
| April | 58° | 43° | 34° | 75° | 0 of 11 |
| May | 64° | 50° | 42° | 85° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 72° | 54° | 44° | 93° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 81° | 59° | 52° | 97° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 82° | 62° | 53° | 96° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 76° | 57° | 48° | 98° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 70° | 51° | 43° | 85° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 59° | 47° | 38° | 71° | 0 of 10 |
| December | 53° | 40° | 21° | 70° | 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
- Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park · California State Parks · 10 mi · 145 sites
- Mill Creek Campground - Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park · National Park Service · 10 mi · 145 sites
- Panther Flat Campground · USDA Forest Service · 11 mi · 39 sites
- Grassy Flat Campground · USDA Forest Service · 12 mi · 19 sites
- Jedediah Smith Campground - Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park · National Park Service · 12 mi · 86 sites
All public campgrounds in California · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-08-06. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.