Connectivity
- T-MobileLTEGood coverageVerified by 11 campers · Oct 18, 2026
Community-reported service can change with terrain, weather, congestion, and carrier coverage.
Campground
Hat Creek
Lassen National Forest, California
About this campground
The campground is situated next to Hat Creek in a mixed conifer forest at an elevation of about 4,390 feet.
Hat Creek is one of six campgrounds available in the Hat Creek Recreation Area, home to some of the area's best trout fishing.
Hat Creek offers three group campsites that can accommodate up to 50 people each.
Map
Loading map
- Latitude
- 40.667778° N
- Longitude
- 121.445556° 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
- Walk-inCommunity report
Site types
- Tent sites
- RV / trailer sites
- Standard campsites
- Group sites
Features
For campers
- Toilets
- Drinking water
- Picnic table
- FiresUse only when the current order allows flame
- Alcohol allowedCommunity report
- Phone serviceCommunity 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
- Sanitary dumpCommunity 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
Hat Creek is one of six campgrounds available in the Hat Creek Recreation Area, home to some of the area's best trout fishing. Scenic hiking trails and an active volcanic area can easily be accessed from the facility.
Facilities
Hat Creek offers three group campsites that can accommodate up to 50 people each. Individual sites are also available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Picnic tables and campfire rings with grills are provided, as are accessible flush and vault toilets, utility sinks and drinking water. The RV dump-station is located 1.5 miles north of the campground behind the Old Station Visitors Center.
Recreation
Hat Creek is popular for its trophy trout fishing. The cold waters of the creek allow for a refreshing play on hot summer days. Other popular activities in the area include wildlife viewing, hunting, backpacking, hiking and caving.
A variety of day hikes are available in the area, including the Spatter Cones Nature Trail, which is located just across the highway from the campground. The 1.5-mile loop trail provides hikers with a unique opportunity to explore craters, cones and crevices, as well as other geologic features left by the Hat Creek Lava Flow.
Nearby, visitors can take a self-guided tour of Subway Cave. The trail is less than a half-mile long and explores the underground world of a lava tube. Visitors are encouraged to bring flashlights for hiking through the cave.
Natural Features
The campground is situated next to Hat Creek in a mixed conifer forest at an elevation of about 4,390 feet. Pine needles, grasses and volcanic rocks cover the forest floor. Sites are widely spaced for privacy.
Nearby Attractions
The campground is located about a mile west of the town of Old Station, and 12 miles east of the northwest entrance to Lassen Volcanic National Park, where active, hissing fumaroles and boiling mud pots are continually shaping the landscape.
The Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail can be accessed near the Spatter Cones Nature Trailhead.
Activities & amenities
What Recreation.gov or the campground’s official source specifically lists.
Available activities
- Fishing
- Camping
Amenities and facility features
- Vault or pit toilets
- Potable water
- Picnic tables
- 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.
Management
67 sites- Reservation type
- Non Site-Specific
- Maximum people
- 8
- Maximum vehicles
- 1
- Maximum vehicle length
- 45 ft
- Check-in
- 0:00 AM, 12:00 PM
- Check-out
- 0:00 AM, 12:00 PM
- Accessible sites
- None flagged in site inventory
Standard Non-Electric
9 sites- Reservation type
- Site-Specific
- Equipment
- RV, Tent, Trailer
- Maximum people
- 8
- Maximum vehicles
- 1
- Maximum vehicle length
- 45 ft
- Check-in
- 12:00 PM
- Check-out
- 12:00 PM
- Accessible sites
- None flagged in site inventory
Group Standard Non-Electric
3 sites- Reservation type
- Site-Specific
- Equipment
- RV, Tent, Trailer
- Maximum people
- 50
- Maximum vehicles
- 12
- Maximum vehicle length
- 40 ft
- Check-in
- 12:00 PM
- Check-out
- 12:00 PM
- Accessible sites
- None flagged in site inventory
Site rules, inventory & rates
Facility rules, inventory procedures, and price seasons published by the official source.
Site rules
- Max Stay
- 14 nights
- Holiday-weekend minimum
- 0 days
- Reservation cutoff
- 4 days before arrival
- Maximum published occupancy
- 50 people per site
- Maximum published vehicles
- 12 vehicles per site
- Check-in
- 0:00 AM, 12:00 PM
- Check-out
- 0:00 AM, 12:00 PM
- Food storage
- Hat Creek's official facility record checked 2026-10-16 does not publish a food-storage method; confirm the posted rule with Lassen National Forest.
- Fire and stove use
- Hat Creek's official facility record states: Picnic tables and campfire rings with grills are provided, as are accessible flush and vault toilets, utility sinks 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.
- Currently bookable through
- Oct 10, 2026
- Next release
- Oct 23, 2026, 7:00 AM PDT
- Next book-through date
- Apr 23, 2027
- Group sites bookable through
- Oct 10, 2027
Published seasons & rates
| Season | Site type | Nightly rate | Additional person | Deposit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peak SeasonApr 23, 2026 – Oct 10, 2026 | Group Standard Non-Electric | $80 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonApr 23, 2026 – Oct 10, 2026 | Management | $33.97 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonApr 23, 2026 – Oct 10, 2026 | Standard Non-Electric | $16 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonApr 23, 2027 – Oct 10, 2027 | Group Standard Non-Electric | $80 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonApr 23, 2027 – Oct 10, 2027 | Management | $33.97 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonApr 23, 2027 – Oct 10, 2027 | Standard Non-Electric | $16 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonApr 23, 2028 – Oct 10, 2028 | Group Standard Non-Electric | $80 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonApr 23, 2028 – Oct 10, 2028 | Management | $33.97 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonApr 23, 2028 – Oct 10, 2028 | Standard Non-Electric | $16 | — | — |
Important facility notices
Read these with current closure and fire notices before departure.
- Off-road vehicle use is prohibited within the campground
- Click here for more information on the Lassen National Forest
- Check out the forest's campground description for specific information to Fish Your 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 Highways 44 and 89, go through Old Station and continue 1.5 miles west to the campground.
Facility contact
530-336-5521