Cave Campground
Cave Campground is right on Hat Creek and across the road from the Subway Cave. All sites have fire rings and barbeques. Cave Campground offers Hat Creek fishing access with free day use parking. Hat Creek offers some of the best fishing on the Lassen National Forest. There are plenty of day hiking trails and interpretive information that can be found at the Old Station Visitor Center.
More like this: first-come in California · tent only in California
Amenities & rules
| Equipment | Tents |
| Fees | $16.00 per night. Maximum two vehicles per site, extra vehicles $5 per night. |
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Closed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date. |
| Season | April to October |
| Forest | Lassen National Forest |
| Fees | $16.00 per night. Maximum two vehicles per site, extra vehicles $5 per night. |
| Rules | 14-day limit; campfires in designated fire rings only; no saving/holding campsites. |
Weather by month
Getting there
| Coordinates | 40.6849° N, 121.4233° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- PrescribedShf Rx
47 mi from the campground
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 12.7 mi |
| RV sales & service | Reliable RV ↗ | 46.6 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Camping World ↗ | 48.7 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Video
MidTrip Stop over in South Western Virginia at a great Campground - Cave Mountain Lake…
Worth a stop
- 0.4 miOld Station Day Use Picnic ↗Day use
- 10.4 miCypress Trailhead ↗Trailhead
Trails nearby
- 0.1 miHat Creek Fisherman'S Trail4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 0.2 miSubway Cave Interpretive Trail0.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.3 miOld Station Access Trail ↗under 0.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.5 miSpattercone Crest Trail1.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.7 miParham'S Point Trail ↗13.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.8 mi33n20 Connector1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 4 more
Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.
Public land it sits in
This campground sits inside Lassen National Forest.
- inLassen National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 1,488,712 acres
- 5.8 miThousand Lakes Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 16,526 acres
- 7.2 miLassen Volcanic Wilderness ↗Wilderness · National Park Service · 79,061 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
Cabin and lookout rentals nearby
On the National Register nearby
- Prospect Peak Fire LookoutBuilding · Mineral · 8.7 mi
- Nobles Emigrant TrailHistoric district · Shingletown · 9.5 mi
- Twin Lakes Fire Tool CacheBuilding · Mineral · 12.3 mi
Guidebooks for California
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Cave Campground?
No. Cave Campground is first-come, first-served. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.
Source: Forest Service
How much does it cost to camp at Cave Campground?
$16.00 per night. Maximum two vehicles per site, extra vehicles $5 per night.
Source: Forest Service
Is Cave Campground open right now?
Closed for the season as of Oct 26, 2026. Season April to October.
Source: Forest Service status
Can I bring an RV to Cave Campground?
Cave Campground is listed for tents only.
Source: Forest Service
What if Cave Campground is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Hat Creek (1.7 mi, partly first-come), Bridge Campground (3.3 mi, first-come), and Honn Campground (7.7 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby