NPS · Lava Beds National Monument · Tulelake, CA

Indian Well Campground

The Indian Well Campground is in the heart of Lava Beds National Monument. The campground is comprised of 43 sites available on a first-come, first serve basis and one group site that is available by reservation April-October. The monument was established as a national monument on November 21, 1925, and includes more than 46,000 acres (190 km2).The monument lies on the northeastern flank of Medicine Lake Volcano, which is the largest volcano by area in the Cascade Range. The Monument has over 800 lava tubes, with 27 having marked entrances and developed trails for public access and exploration.

Partly reservable 45 sites No hookupsPets okFires ok

Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served.

More like this: first-come in California · reservable in California · pets allowed in California · group sites in California

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗

Photos courtesy of NPS, NPS Photo · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard, no hookups		43
Group sites		1
Host/management		1

Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served. For the first-come sites, arrive early on a weekday and take what is open. The booking page shows which of the reservable sites are open. The first-come playbook

Site guide

44 sites in 2 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

Site	Loop	Type	Fits, ft	Surface	Water / sewer	People / vehicles	Fires	Accessible	Rating
A1	A-Loop	Standard	26	Paved	No / –	8 / 2	Yes		Standard
A2	A-Loop	Standard	23	Paved	No / –	8 / 2	Yes		Standard
A3	A-Loop	Standard	35	Paved	No / –	8 / 2	Yes		Standard
A4	A-Loop	Standard	21	Paved	No / –	8 / 2	Yes		Standard
A5	A-Loop	Standard	26	Paved	No / –	8 / 2	Yes		Standard
A6	A-Loop	Standard	33	Paved	No / –	8 / 2	Yes		Standard
A7	A-Loop	Standard	25	Paved	No / –	8 / 1	Yes	Yes	Standard
A8	A-Loop	Standard	24	Paved	No / –	8 / 1	Yes	Yes	Standard
A9	A-Loop	Standard	26	Paved	No / –	8 / 1	Yes		Standard
A10	A-Loop	Standard	21	Paved	No / –	8 / 1	Yes		Standard

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 03:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Campground map of Indian Well Campground — Campground map published by National Park Service on Recreation.gov, credited to NPS. Open the image for full size.

Amenities & rules

Hookups	None
Equipment	RVs & trailers, Tents
Pets	Allowed
Campfires	Allowed, subject to restrictions
Accessibility	Sites A7, A8, B14, B15 are listed accessible

The Indian Well Campground is located a 1/2 mile (0.8 km) from the Visitor Center and Cave Loop. The campground is comprised of 43 sites available on a first-come, first serve basis and one group site that is available by reservation April-October. First-come first-serve camping permits are available at the self-registration kiosk in Indian Well Campground and must be obtained within 30 minutes of occupying a campsite. Affix your purchased camping permit to your campsite post. Sites can accommodate tents, pickup campers, small trailers and motor homes up to 30 feet. Not all sites can accommodate motor homes. A-Loop of the campground is open year-round and B-Loop closes in mid-November and reopens in the spring. Each campsite driveway is paved with either back in or pull through available. Flush toilets and drinking water are provided. Additionally each campsite has a fire ring and picnic table. There are no showers or RV hookups available. The Indian Well Campground Group Campsite accommodates groups of 15 to 40 occupants. The group site is on an unpaved road, has pit toilets, water, a fire ring and picnic tables.

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

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →

The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Lava Beds Nat Mon, 1 mile from the campground at 4,770 feet, station USC00044838 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 14 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 43 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

Indian Well Campground is located 1/2 mile (0.8 km) from the Visitor Center and cave loop.

Nearest town	Tulelake, California
Coordinates	41.7175° N, 121.5041° W · Directions ↗

Good to know

Not all sites can accommodate motor homes.

Supplies & services

Dump station	Dump station ↗	9.9 mi
Outdoor gear	Sportsman's Warehouse ↗	36.4 mi

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

Explore

Video

Indian Well Campground - Lava Beds National Monument, CA

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Lava Beds Wilderness, which overlaps Klamath National Forest.

in
Lava Beds Wilderness ↗
Wilderness · National Park Service · 28,460 acres
in
Klamath National Forest ↗
National Forest · Forest Service · 1,705,451 acres
1.7 mi
Modoc National Forest ↗
National Forest · Forest Service · 2,023,026 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

FS · CA

Medicine Lake Recreation Area

Partly reservable10 mi

FS · CA

Schonchin Springs Campground

First-come10.4 mi

FS · CA

Payne Springs Campground

First-come11.6 mi

FS · CA

Harris Spring Campground

First-come23.1 mi

Cabin and lookout rentals nearby

FS · CA

Little Mt. Hoffman Lookout

Lookout rental12.513383686164415 mi

Historic landmarks nearby

On Register Atlas →

National Historic Landmark · 13 mi

Carpenter and Paint Shop

Newell

Natural features

Lava Beds National Monument lies on the northeastern flank of Medicine Lake Volcano, which is the largest volcano by area in the Cascade Range. The Monument is geologically significant because of its wide variety of volcanic formations, including over 800 lava tubes, fumaroles, cinder cones, spatter cones, pit craters, hornitos, maars, lava flows, and volcanic fields.The region in and around Lava Beds National Monument lies at the junction of the Sierra-Klamath, Cascade, and Great Basin physiographic provinces. The southern most area of the monument is the highest in elevation and receives the most precipitation, and supports a Ponderosa Pine forest. Farther to the north of the monument, the middle elevations are a juniper and shrub woodland. Extending to the northern boundary are lower grasslands and sagebrush. Despite semi-arid conditions, native wildlife has adapted to the environmental constraints and are abundant and diverse.

Recreation

Lava Beds National Monument has the largest concentration of lava tubes in North America with over 800 documented in the Monument. 27 caves have marked entrances and developed trails for public access and exploration. Mushpot Cave has electrical lighting; the others are illuminated by ceiling collapse portals or require flashlights. The monument also has 13 hiking trails, all of which cross or enter the backcountry. The most popular trails are short, but lead to a number of historic sites as to several geological areas. This includes sites of the Modoc War that includes Captain Jack's Stronghold. Birding and wildlife viewing is also a popular activity along the north boundary of the monument.

Guidebooks for Lava Beds National Monument and California

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

Monitoring the American Pika in the Pacific West Region: Crater Lake National Park, Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, Lassen Volcanic National Park, and Lava Beds National Monument: Standard Operating Procedures
National Park Service, 2013
Find at Bookshop.org
Moon California Camping
Tom Stienstra, 2022
Find at Bookshop.org
Camping Northern California
Linda Parker Hamilton, 2016
Find at Bookshop.org

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

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Indian Well Campground?

For some sites. Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Indian Well Campground?

Check-in 03:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Indian Well Campground have?

45 sites, including 43 standard sites without power and 1 group site.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I bring an RV to Indian Well Campground?

Indian Well Campground is listed for tents only.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there showers or a dump station at Indian Well Campground?

Flush toilets and drinking water are provided.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Indian Well Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Indian Well Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Indian Well Campground?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there accessible sites at Indian Well Campground?

Sites A7, A8, B14, and B15 are listed accessible on Recreation.gov. What that covers (a paved pad, an accessible table, a nearby accessible restroom) is on each site's booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Indian Well Campground?

Lava Beds National Monument has the largest concentration of lava tubes in North America with over 800 documented in the Monument. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Indian Well Campground?

Tulelake, California.

Source: Getting there

What if Indian Well Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Medicine Lake Recreation Area (10 mi, partly first-come), Schonchin Springs Campground (10.4 mi, first-come), and Payne Springs Campground (11.6 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby

Which national park is Indian Well Campground in?

Indian Well Campground is a Lava Beds National Monument campground. Entrance fees, alerts, and hours are on Park Atlas.

Source: Lava Beds National Monument