Connectivity
- T-MobilePoor coverageVerified by 89 campers · Oct 18, 2026
Community-reported service can change with terrain, weather, congestion, and carrier coverage.
Campground
Panther Flat Campground
Six Rivers National Forest, California
About this campground
The campground offers multiple single-family sites and at least one double site, available for tent and RV camping.
Panther Flat Campground sits in the vast Six Rivers National Forest in northern California.
This shady, secluded campground is just steps from the Smith River, which is famous for its bright blue waters and scenic pathway through the forest.
Map
Loading map
- Latitude
- 41.843056° N
- Longitude
- 123.930556° 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
Features
For campers
- Toilets
- Showers
- Drinking water
- FiresUse only when the current order allows flame
- ADA access
- Picnic table
- Alcohol allowedCommunity report
- Firewood availableCommunity 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.
For vehicles
- Sewer hookups
- 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
Panther Flat Campground sits in the vast Six Rivers National Forest in northern California. This shady, secluded campground is just steps from the Smith River, which is famous for its bright blue waters and scenic pathway through the forest.
Facilities
The campground offers multiple single-family sites and at least one double site, available for tent and RV camping. It is one of the most modern campgrounds in the area and has some of the largest parking aprons. Some sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Campsites are equipped with tables and campfire rings with grills. Accessible flush toilets, coin-operated hot showers and drinking water are provided. The Visitor Center at the Gasquet Ranger Station provides free maps and brochures of the area.
Recreation
Popular activities include swimming, sunbathing, rafting and fishing in the Smith River. Anglers enjoy healthy fishing populations of salmon, steelhead and cutthroat trout.
Visitors also enjoy hiking, horseback riding and biking in the area. There are no trailheads in the campground, but Elk Camp Ridge, High Dome and French Hill trailheads are all within 10 miles of the site. A Botanical trail to a unique Darlingtonia bog is just a mile away.
Natural Features
Set in a mature forest of Douglas fir, cedar and Pacific madrone trees, the campground is a short walk from the pristine Smith River. The river boasts up to Class 5 whitewater rapids. The region, thick with vegetation, is also freckled with huckleberry shrubs.
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
California's Redwood National Park and the Pacific Ocean are within 20 miles of the campground.
Annual events include Gasquet Raft Race in July and Del Norte County Fair in August.
Activities & amenities
What Recreation.gov or the campground’s official source specifically lists.
Available activities
- Swimming SiteSwimming
- Fishing
- Camping
Amenities and facility features
- Flush toilets
- Showers
- Potable water
- Site fire ring or grillUse only when the current order allows flame
- Sewer hookups
- Accessible Sites
Recreation sites
Published inventory grouped by site type. Individual sites can have stricter limits.
Standard Non-Electric
38 sites- Reservation type
- Site-Specific
- Equipment
- RV, Tent, Trailer
- Maximum people
- 12
- Maximum vehicles
- 4
- Maximum vehicle length
- 45 ft
- Check-in
- 2:00 PM
- Check-out
- 2:00 PM
- Accessible sites
- None flagged in site inventory
Management
1 site- Reservation type
- Site-Specific
- Equipment
- RV, Tent, Trailer
- Maximum people
- 8
- Maximum vehicles
- 2
- Maximum vehicle length
- 45 ft
- Check-in
- 2:00 PM
- Check-out
- 2:00 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
- Site availability
- The official inventory marks these campsites as first come, first served rather than reservable live inventory.
- Minimum stay
- 1 consecutive nights
- Reservation cutoff
- 3 days before arrival
- Maximum published occupancy
- 12 people per site
- Maximum published vehicles
- 4 vehicles per site
- Check-in
- 2:00 PM
- Check-out
- 2:00 PM
- Food storage
- Panther Flat 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
- Panther Flat Campground's official facility record states: Campsites are equipped with tables and campfire rings with grills.
- 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
No live campsite inventory is published. Sites use an arrival-based, first-come procedure; dates selected in Kampilo are for trip planning only.
Published seasons & rates
| Season | Site type | Nightly rate | Additional person | Deposit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First-come, First-served SeasonJan 1, 2026 – May 17, 2026 | Standard Non-Electric | $15 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonJan 1, 2026 – May 17, 2026 | Standard Non-Electric | $30 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 18, 2026 – Sep 14, 2026 | Standard Non-Electric | $15 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 18, 2026 – Sep 14, 2026 | Standard Non-Electric | $30 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 15, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026 | Standard Non-Electric | $15 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 15, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026 | Standard Non-Electric | $30 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonJan 1, 2027 – May 23, 2027 | Standard Non-Electric | $15 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonJan 1, 2027 – May 23, 2027 | Standard Non-Electric | $30 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 24, 2027 – Sep 13, 2027 | Standard Non-Electric | $15 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 24, 2027 – Sep 13, 2027 | Standard Non-Electric | $30 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 14, 2027 – Dec 31, 2027 | Standard Non-Electric | $15 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 14, 2027 – Dec 31, 2027 | Standard Non-Electric | $30 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonJan 1, 2028 – May 21, 2028 | Standard Non-Electric | $15 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonJan 1, 2028 – May 21, 2028 | Standard Non-Electric | $30 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 22, 2028 – Sep 11, 2028 | Standard Non-Electric | $15 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 22, 2028 – Sep 11, 2028 | Standard Non-Electric | $30 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 12, 2028 – Dec 31, 2028 | Standard Non-Electric | $15 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 12, 2028 – Dec 31, 2028 | Standard Non-Electric | $30 | — | — |
Important facility notices
Read these with current closure and fire notices before departure.
- Additional fees will be collected at the campground for more than one vehicle. A limit of one extra vehicle is allowed.
- There are no electricity, water or sewer hookups at the campground
- Click here to learn more about the 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 north of Crescent City, California, take highway 199 east for 16 miles to the campground.
Facility contact
707-457-3131