Camping between Medford and Redding

I'll be heading South after November 1st and I'm looking for a place to pull off of I-5 and spend the night. Looking for a place to sleep that is within 30 min of the freeway, where no one will hassle me. I'm not into sleeping in parking lots and public streets. Anyone have any hidden jems that they want to share? Thanks, Merle
 

borabora

Well-known member
I think ECU is referring to Castle Crags State Park north of Redding. Right off Hwy 5. It's convenient and they have showers.
I also have spent nights at Valley of the Rogue (River) just North of Medford (actually not in your requested area but just out of it). There's both a campground and a rest area. Campground has showers. No one has hassled me spending the night at the rest area (or any other rest area) but you have to put up with more noise.
I consider spending the night in a rest area a lot safer than some side street, parking lot or country road but that's just me...
 
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Kajtek1

2015 3500 X long limo RV
CA campgrounds are mostly closed this time of the year. That beside pandemic closures.
 

YOLOMOG

2016 170" 4x4
If you can drive a bit farther south, there is a BLM campsite off I-5 near Red Bluff: https://www.campendium.com/perry-riffle

The bathrooms were open when I drove north in March. It's lower elevation than the area around Shasta so the temperature is not as cold at night so that avoids the risk of black ice on the roads.
 

YOLOMOG

2016 170" 4x4
It looks like the latest Campendium review says the bathrooms are closed and no overnight parking as of 9/21/20... probably because bathrooms aren't being serviced during Covid and they don't want people dumping waste around the bathroom. Forest Service bathrooms were also closed in Washington State so it is probably better to pay to stay somewhere you can call to confirm the campground is still open.
 

Mr. Bills

Raconteur Emeritus
The Castle Crags State Park campground is most likely closed - Covid restrictions. The McArthur-Burney Falls State Park campground is definitely closed due to Governor Newsom's pandemic restrictions.

Most of the PG&E campgrounds are closed for the season, but some may still have open gates.



These links may be helpful:


 

Kajtek1

2015 3500 X long limo RV
Interesting suggestions for "pull off of I-5 and spend the night "
$50 for dry spot at tent camping, or $85 for RV hookup.
Or $100 for the view with no hookups.
I'd rather drive to hotel in Redding with those prices.
 

sprint2freedom

2008 NCV3 170ext
Many people cannot envision camping as anything other than a big social event, or that it might have any constructive purpose (e.g. self-sufficient lodging) beyond gathering outdoors as entertainment.

Unfortunately, that often means it gets shut down due to COVID-19, to the detriment of everyone who just wants to be alone or is just passing through and needs a place to stay for the night.
 

autostaretx

Erratic Member
Centuries ago, i detoured over to Tule Lake and just parked across the street from the west edge of the water.
It was Xmas Eve in the late 1970's. ((looking at a map, it must've been Hill Road))
As an off-road snooze-in site, it was fine ... except we were kept awake all night by the sounds of the Snow Geese in the lake.
The next (foggy) morning we drove through the narrow roads between the lakes ... fence posts would loom out the fog and disappear as we passed them ... and about every 3rd post had a hawk standing on top of it. At a spot when the fog lifted, we watched a trio of Golden Eagles dancing on the ice.

Fast forward to somewhen between 2006 and 2012 ... this time (my memory says) we went east of the lakes, to the town of Tulelake.
And we found a fairgrounds (lots of buildings, etc) that had powered sites. ((but as i look at my map tonight, i'm not seeing it))
I'm pretty sure that was very near Tule Lake, since we drove over in the morning for another magical drive around.

update: it was probably the Klamath County Fairgrounds: https://www.kceventcenter.org/facility-map/
(541) 883-3796 (on the map, look for the "RV Pay Kiosk" on the right side)

My map *does* show the Blue Herron RV Park (yes, two r's) about 6 miles east of Henley/Hornbrook on Copco road, before you get to the Iron Gate Reservoir. (530) 475-3270 https://klamathranchresort.com/
"Open All Year" ... but $59 a night.
My map (DeLorme California Gazetteer 2010 edition) shows a "public campground" (no info) on "Old State Highway" about 8 miles south of the town of Mount Hebron, and a mile or two south of Jerome. That's just a bit east of US 97. (my frequent bypass route to avoid snow blockage of I-5 at Grants Pass) That CG is at a corner of NF and private land, so it may be available. (i.e. not NF)

--dick (Scratching the wife's memory, we may have found it in a Woodall's directory, and then she suggested Klamath County FG)
 
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