U.S. Forest Service · Shasta-Trinity National Forest · California

Cattle Camp

Description: At an elevation of 3700 feet, this is one of two developed campgrounds on the Upper McCloud River. There are 27 sites with tables and fire rings, vault toilets, and piped drinking water. Suitable for tents and larger RV's or trailers. Double sites for large families or small groups. 14 day limit. $15 per night. No reservations. Features: The Upper McCloud River is one of the primary attractions in the area. In addition to swimming and fishing, there is 15 miles of river-side trail to explore. Cattle Camp Swimming Hole is a Day Use Area, no Camping.

Closed for the seasonFirst-come, first-served27 sitesFrom $15 per nightTents only

Sites are first-come, first-served. Recreation.gov lists this campground for paying on site, and you may be able to pay with the Scan and Pay feature of its app.

More like this: first-come in California · tent only in California

Cattle Camp
Photo from the area. Little Mountain 5 (CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons

Amenities & rules

EquipmentTents
Fees$15 per day.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusClosed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
ForestShasta-Trinity National Forest
Fees$15 per day.

Shasta-Trinity National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Cattle Camp30°40°50°60°70°January: 7.98 inches of precipitationFebruary: 7.42 inches of precipitationMarch: 7.55 inches of precipitationApril: 3.77 inches of precipitationMay: 2.47 inches of precipitationJune: 1.23 inches of precipitationJuly: 0.19 inches of precipitationAugust: 0.25 inches of precipitationSeptember: 0.58 inches of precipitationOctober: 2.30 inches of precipitationNovember: 5.59 inches of precipitationDecember: 10.39 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 35.5°F averageFebruary: 38.1°F averageMarch: 41.2°F averageApril: 46.4°F averageMay: 55.1°F averageJune: 62.3°F averageJuly: 69.7°F averageAugust: 67.9°F averageSeptember: 62.2°F averageOctober: 51.8°F averageNovember: 41.8°F averageDecember: 35.2°F average0 in5 in10 in15 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Mccloud, 10 miles from the campground at 3,233 feet, station USC00045449 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 50 inches a year.

Getting there

Coordinates41.2594° N, 121.9397° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗10.1 mi
Outdoor gearTed Fay Fly Shop ↗17.6 mi
RV sales & serviceCousin Gary RV Center ↗47 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

Cattle Camp - Shasta Trinity National Forest, CA

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 1.1 mi
    Jeff Spur
    0.08 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.9 mi
    Algoma Nature
    0.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.9 mi
    Upper McCloud River ↗
    16.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3.7 mi
    Middle Falls Main
    0.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3.7 mi
    Middle Falls Alternate
    0.06 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3.8 mi
    Upper Falls Main B
    under 0.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

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

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Klamath National Forest.

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.

Guidebooks for California

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Cattle Camp?

No. Cattle Camp 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 Cattle Camp?

$15 per day.

Source: Forest Service

Is Cattle Camp open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Cattle Camp have?

27 sites.

Source: Forest Service

Can I bring an RV to Cattle Camp?

Cattle Camp is listed for tents only.

Source: Forest Service

What if Cattle Camp is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Camp 4 Group Campground (2.9 mi), Algoma Campground (2.9 mi, first-come), and Fowlers Campground (4.5 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby