Connectivity
No community carrier report is currently published for this campground.
Community-reported service can change with terrain, weather, congestion, and carrier coverage.
Campground
BUTTE LAKE
Lassen Volcanic National Park, California
About this campground
Butte Lake Campground (elevation 6,100 feet) is located in the northeastern section of Lassen Volcanic National Park in northern California.
This facility is more remote than other campgrounds within the park.
There is no electricity/water/sewer site hook-ups at this campground.
Map
Loading map
- Latitude
- 40.565000° N
- Longitude
- 121.305278° W
Know before you arrive
Access, sites & campground features
Official facility and campsite inventory, supplemented by clearly marked community reports when the official listing does not publish the detail.
Access
- Drive-in
Site types
- Tent sites
- RV / trailer sites
- Standard campsites
Features
For campers
- Toilets
- ADA access
- Amphitheater
- Picnic table
- Fires
- Reservable
For vehicles
- Parking
- Pull-through sites
- Big rig friendlyPublished vehicle length up to 45 ft
- Back-in sitesCommunity report
Official campground guide
Plan with the full campground details
Facility information, site rules, booking windows, and published rates. Source snapshot checked Oct 18, 2026.
Overview
Butte Lake Campground (elevation 6,100 feet) is located in the northeastern section of Lassen Volcanic National Park in northern California. It is fairly remote and within walking distance of Butte Lake, which is popular for fishing, canoeing, kayaking and swimming. Several hiking and backpacking trails are located nearby. The facility is 45 minutes from the main park road.
Facilities
This facility is more remote than other campgrounds within the park. Campers must travel on a six-mile gravel road to access the facility. For more information visit Campgrounds of Lassen Volcanic .
A non-motorized boat launch is convenient for kayaks and canoes. Flush toilets and running water are turned on during summer; vault toilets are available outside of the peak season.
Recreation
Outdoor enthusiasts stay at Butte Lake Campground for its many recreation opportunities. The lake is popular for trout fishing, as well as non-motorized boating. Within the facility, hikers and backpackers will find the trailhead for the Cinder Cone Trail, one of the most popular trails in the park that ascends a nearby volcanic dome. The Painted Dunes, Snag Lake and Bathtub Lake areas are also nearby.
Natural Features
The campground has a pleasant atmosphere dominated by Ponderosa pines. It sits on soft volcanic soils, and several ponds dot the landscape. Butte Lake has a large black lava flow running into it, creating rocky shores and interesting views for visitors in kayaks and canoes to explore.
The national park is known for its volcanic history, as well as its diversity of plants and animals. It contains 300 active volcanic domes and many hydrothermal features, such as mud pots and steam vents. Lassen Peak is the southernmost active volcano in the Cascades, and the second most recent volcano to erupt in the lower 48 of the United States before Mount Saint Helens.
Lassen National Park boasts over 700 species of flowering plants and 250 species of vertebrates, including birds, mammals, reptiles and fish. The park is at the junction of the Cascade Mountains, the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Great Basin, thus providing many unique habitats.
Nearby Attractions
Visitors can explore Subway Cave, an underground lava tube, in the adjacent Lassen National Forest from late April through November. Free tours are offered every weekend during summer.
Subway Cave, Lassen National Forest
Activities & amenities
What Recreation.gov or the campground’s official source specifically lists.
Available activities
- Swimming SiteSwimming
- Day Use AreaAmphitheater
- Visitor CenterRanger Station
- PicnickingPicnic Tables
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Camping
- BoatingCanoeing
Amenities and facility features
- Toilets
- Accessible Flush Toilets
- Accessible Sites
- Accessible Vault Toilets
- Amphitheater
- Host
- Parking Area
Recreation sites
Published inventory grouped by site type. Individual sites can have stricter limits.
Standard Non-Electric
77 sites- Reservation type
- Site-Specific
- Equipment
- RV, Tent, Trailer
- Maximum people
- 6
- Maximum vehicles
- 2
- Maximum vehicle length
- 45 ft
- Check-in
- 1:00 PM
- Check-out
- 12:00 PM
- Accessible sites
- None flagged in site inventory
Tent Only Non-Electric
2 sites- Reservation type
- Site-Specific
- Equipment
- Tent
- Maximum people
- 6
- Maximum vehicles
- 2
- Maximum vehicle length
- 45 ft
- Check-in
- 1:00 PM
- Check-out
- 12:00 PM
- Accessible sites
- None flagged in site inventory
Management
2 sites- Reservation type
- Site-Specific
- Equipment
- RV, Tent, Trailer
- Maximum people
- 6
- Maximum vehicles
- 2
- Maximum vehicle length
- 45 ft
- Check-in
- 1:00 PM
- Check-out
- 12:00 PM
- Accessible sites
- 1 flagged accessible
Site rules, inventory & rates
Facility rules, inventory procedures, and price seasons published by the official source.
Site rules
- Max Concurrent Stay
- 4 campsite(s) held
- Maximum stay
- 14 consecutive days
- Max Stay
- 14 nights
- Minimum stay
- 1 consecutive nights
- Reservation cutoff
- 0 Not Reservable
- Maximum published occupancy
- 6 people per site
- Maximum published vehicles
- 2 vehicles per site
- Check-in
- 1:00 PM
- Check-out
- 12:00 PM
- Food storage
- BUTTE LAKE's official facility record does not publish a campground-specific food-storage method; follow the current posted Lassen Volcanic National Park rule.
- Fire and stove use
- BUTTE LAKE's official facility record does not publish a campground-specific flame allowance; check Lassen Volcanic National Park's current conditions and posted site rules before using a stove, charcoal, or fire.
- Pets
- BUTTE LAKE's official facility record does not publish a campground-specific pet allowance; verify the current Lassen Volcanic National Park pet boundary before arrival.
Inventory window
Recreation.gov publishes a rolling booking window. The dates below are the official snapshot captured for this catalog build.
- Currently bookable through
- Oct 12, 2026
- Next release
- Nov 29, 2026, 7:00 AM PST
- Next book-through date
- May 29, 2027
- Group sites bookable through
- Oct 12, 2027
Published seasons & rates
| Season | Site type | Nightly rate | Additional person | Deposit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peak SeasonMay 29, 2026 – Aug 31, 2026 | Standard Non-Electric | $22 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 29, 2026 – Aug 31, 2026 | Tent Only Non-Electric | $22 | — | — |
| Non-Peak SeasonSep 1, 2026 – Oct 12, 2026 | Standard Non-Electric | $15 | — | — |
| Non-Peak SeasonSep 1, 2026 – Oct 12, 2026 | Tent Only Non-Electric | $15 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 29, 2027 – Aug 31, 2027 | Standard Non-Electric | $22 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 29, 2027 – Aug 31, 2027 | Tent Only Non-Electric | $22 | — | — |
| Non-Peak SeasonSep 1, 2027 – Oct 12, 2027 | Standard Non-Electric | $15 | — | — |
| Non-Peak SeasonSep 1, 2027 – Oct 12, 2027 | Tent Only Non-Electric | $15 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 29, 2028 – Aug 31, 2028 | Standard Non-Electric | $22 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 29, 2028 – Aug 31, 2028 | Tent Only Non-Electric | $22 | — | — |
| Non-Peak SeasonSep 1, 2028 – Oct 12, 2028 | Standard Non-Electric | $15 | — | — |
| Non-Peak SeasonSep 1, 2028 – Oct 12, 2028 | Tent Only Non-Electric | $15 | — | — |
Important facility notices
Read these with current closure and fire notices before departure.
- There is no electricity/water/sewer site hook-ups at this campground.
- Campsites are limited to 3 tents, 6 people, and 2 vehicles (including RV) per site.
- Campers must have valid entrance permit/pass before camping.
- An entrance fee of $30 per vehicle is required. Do too limited connectivity at the campground we highly recommend visitors purchase the park's digital 1-7 day entrance fee or the parks annual pass and make campground reservations through recreation.gov prior to visiting park.
- No motorized boats permitted on the lake.
- Pets must be on a 6' leash at all times.
- Pets must not be left unattended and are not allowed on park trails.
- Please have a printed copy of your reservation with you.
Getting there & contact
Official directions
From Redding, California drive 63 miles east on State Highway 44 to Old Station. From the intersection of 44 and State Highway 89, continue east on 44 for 11 miles. Watch for sign to Butte Lake Campground. Turn right and continue for six miles on a rough gravel road.
Facility contact
530 595-6121