Connectivity
No community carrier report is currently published for this campground.
Community-reported service can change with terrain, weather, congestion, and carrier coverage.
Campground
Fir Cove Campground
Six Rivers National Forest, California
About this campground
Fir Cove Campground is located on beautiful eastern shore of Ruth Lake, a 13,800-acre jewel situated in the thickly forested mountains of northern California.
Fir Cove is one of three Forest Service campgrounds in the area, and one of two on the lake.
Bailey Canyon Campground is the companion to Fir Cove.
Map
Loading map
- Latitude
- 40.344167° N
- Longitude
- 123.403056° 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
- Boat-inCommunity report
Site types
- Tent sites
- RV / trailer sites
- Standard campsites
Features
For campers
- Toilets
- Drinking water
- FiresUse only when the current order allows flame
- Picnic table
- ADA access
- Alcohol allowedCommunity report
- Trash serviceCommunity report
- Pets allowedDogs are allowed in developed Forest Service recreation sites when restrained, crated or caged, or on a leash no longer than six feet. Posted site restrictions still apply.
- Reservable
For vehicles
- 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
Fir Cove Campground is located on beautiful eastern shore of Ruth Lake, a 13,800-acre jewel situated in the thickly forested mountains of northern California. A variety of recreational opportunities abound.
Fir Cove is one of three Forest Service campgrounds in the area, and one of two on the lake. Bailey Canyon Campground is the companion to Fir Cove. It is located east of Fir Cove and is first-come, first-serve.
Facilities
The campground offers several tent-only and multiple combined sites, many of them overlooking the lake. All sites are within a short walk from Ruth Lake. Sites 11 and 12 are companion sites.
Tables and campfire rings with grills are provided, as well as accessible vault toilets and drinking water.
Recreation
The lake provides boating, water skiing, fishing and countless other recreation opportunities.
Anglers can enjoy a catch of small and largemouth bass, catfish, rainbow trout, Kokonee salmon, bluegill and crappie.
Forested peaks and valleys offer ample opportunities for hunting, hiking and off-road vehicle use. The Bailey Vista and Lakeview Trailheads start from Fir Cove, and the Picket Peak Trailhead starts from Bailey Canyon.
Natural Features
The campground straddles a seasonal creek that empties into Ruth Lake. It is nestled in a mixture of mature Douglas fir, oak, pine and cedar trees at an elevation of about 2,700 feet.
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
Not separately publishedRecreation.gov does not publish a separate nearby attractions section for this campground.
Activities & amenities
What Recreation.gov or the campground’s official source specifically lists.
Available activities
- Wildlife Viewing
- Water SportsTubing
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Camping
- BoatingBoat Rental
Amenities and facility features
- Vault or pit toilets
- Potable water
- Site fire ring or grillUse only when the current order allows flame
Recreation sites
Published inventory grouped by site type. Individual sites can have stricter limits.
Standard Non-Electric
14 sites- Reservation type
- Site-Specific
- Equipment
- Tent, Trailer
- Maximum people
- 8
- Maximum vehicles
- 2
- Maximum vehicle length
- 45 ft
- Check-out
- 2:00 PM
- Accessible sites
- 7 flagged accessible
Site rules, inventory & rates
Facility rules, inventory procedures, and price seasons published by the official source.
Site rules
- Base site allowance
- Season Dates: 5/21/2021 - 9/13/2021 • Daily rate $12/night • Extra Vehicle $5/night • Fee is due at entrance kiosk • Cash or Check made payable to USDA (United States Department of Agriculture).
- Reservation cutoff
- 4 days before arrival
- Maximum published vehicles
- 2 vehicles per site
- Check-out
- 2:00 PM
- Food storage
- Fir Cove Campground's official facility record checked 2026-10-16 does not publish a food-storage method; confirm the posted rule with Six Rivers National Forest.
- Fire and stove use
- Fir Cove Campground's official facility record states: Tables and campfire rings with grills are provided, as well as accessible vault toilets and drinking water.
- Pets
- Dogs are allowed in developed Forest Service recreation sites when restrained, crated or caged, or on a leash no longer than six feet. Posted site restrictions still apply.
Inventory window
Recreation.gov publishes a rolling booking window. The dates below are the official snapshot captured for this catalog build.
- Next release
- Oct 18, 2027, 11:00 PM PDT
Published seasons & rates
The official source does not publish machine-readable seasonal rates. Confirm the final rate with the reservation provider before checkout.
Important facility notices
Read these with current closure and fire notices before departure.
- 2021 Season will be first come, first serve.
- Extra vehicles are $5 per day
- Boat inspections for quagga mussels and other aquatic invasive species are required at the marina; an additional fee applies
- Click here for more information about Six Rivers National Forest
- Don't Move Firewood: Protect California's forests from tree-killing pests by buying your firewood locally and burning it on-site. For more information visit firewood.ca.gov.
Getting there & contact
Official directions
From Highway 101 When traveling north on Highway 101, do not turn off at the Zenia Road exit at Garberville. This will result in a 2-hour delay driving on winding back roads. Instead, continue north until you reach the Hwy 36 exit near Fortuna. Head east for approximately an hour until you reach the town of Mad River. After you cross the bridge at the Mad River, look for the Mad River Road turn-off on the right. The sign will say Ruth Lake. Continue for 20 minutes to reach Fir Cove campground. From Highway 5 Head west on Highway 36 at Red Bluff for 2 hours until you see the sign for Ruth Lake at Mad River Road.
Facility contact
707-574-6233