NPS · Whiskeytown National Recreation Area · Whiskeytown, CA

Brandy Creek Primitive Campground

This campground is located in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area,19 miles west of Redding, California, and three and a half hours north of Sacramento. You can hear the waters of Brandy Creek from each campsite. Brandy Creek Trail passes nearby the campground and leads to a lovely series of waterfalls. The cool, clear waters of Whiskeytown Lake provide endless water activities. The picturesque mountain setting and extensive forested backcountry offer ample opportunities for hiking and biking.

More like this: reservable in California · tent only in California · pets allowed in California

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Brandy Creek Primitive CampgroundRestrooms at Brandy Creek Primitive CampgroundBrandy Creek Primitive Campground Site 2A photo of Vault Toilet at Loop BRANDY CREEK PRIMITIVE CAMPGROUND at BRANDY CREEK PRIMITIVE CAMPGROUND
Photos courtesy of Whiskeytown NRA Fee Staff, WHIS Fee Staff, WHIS NPS Staff · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Tent-only2
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

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

SiteFits, ftSurfaceShadeWater / sewerPeople / vehiclesFiresRating
00125GravelNoneNo / –6 / 2YesStandard
00225GravelNone6 / 2YesStandard

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 1:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

Max vehicle length25 ft
EquipmentTents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions

Each campsite is equipped with a picnic table, a large bear-resistant storage locker, a metal fire pit with a swing-arm barbecue grill and a lamp pole. Each campsite has its own vault toilet. Drinking water and electricity are not available. Brandy Creek is tent-on-the-ground camping only. No RVs, mobile homes, tent trailers, popup tents, cab-over campers, tent-car/truck hybrids allowed at this site. No overflow parking available.

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

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Brandy Creek Primitive Campground40°50°60°70°80°90°January: 10.74 inches of precipitationFebruary: 11.58 inches of precipitationMarch: 9.90 inches of precipitationApril: 4.97 inches of precipitationMay: 3.10 inches of precipitationJune: 1.33 inches of precipitationJuly: 0.15 inches of precipitationAugust: 0.10 inches of precipitationSeptember: 0.46 inches of precipitationOctober: 2.81 inches of precipitationNovember: 6.31 inches of precipitationDecember: 11.47 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 46.7°F averageFebruary: 49.5°F averageMarch: 53.3°F averageApril: 58.5°F averageMay: 67.1°F averageJune: 75.3°F averageJuly: 82.6°F averageAugust: 81.3°F averageSeptember: 76.3°F averageOctober: 65.0°F averageNovember: 52.8°F averageDecember: 46.0°F average0 in5 in10 in15 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Whiskeytown Rsvr, 3 miles from the campground at 1,295 feet, station USC00049621 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 63 inches a year.

Getting there

From Interstate 5 in Redding, CA, drive 10 miles west on Highway 299. Turn left on Kennedy Memorial Drive and follow it for 5.4 miles to Brandy Creek Road. Turn left and follow Brandy Creek Road for 1.2 miles to the entrance to the campground on the right-hand side of the road. Site #1 will be immediately to the left.

Nearest townWhiskeytown, California
Coordinates40.6014° N, 122.5825° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Shf Rx

    16 mi from the campground

  • Prescribed
    Five-6 Rx

    21 mi from the campground

  • Prescribed
    Five-7 Rx

    22 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 stationDump station ↗3.4 mi
RV sales & serviceRV sales & service ↗11.3 mi
Outdoor gearThe Hermit’s Hut ↗11.9 mi

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

Explore

Worth a stop

Brandy Creek Beach is located two miles south of the campground and features sandy beaches, a large swimming area, picnicking and barbecuing facilities. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, there are showers, a store with food and supplies and rentals of paddle boards and kayaks.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Shasta-Trinity 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.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area is located where the Klamath Mountains, Cascade and Coast Mountain Ranges, and the Sacramento Valley meet, creating a wide variety of wildlife and landscapes.

Recreation

During the summer heat, swimming, kayaking, sailing, paddle boarding and water skiing are popular on the 3,200 acre lake. Year round, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, gold panning, fishing and picnicking attract visitors. Hunting is allowed in the appropriate season.

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 Brandy Creek Primitive Campground?

Sites at Brandy Creek Primitive Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Brandy Creek Primitive Campground?

Check-in 1:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Brandy Creek Primitive Campground have?

2 sites, including 2 tent-only sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Brandy Creek Primitive Campground?

The longest site here provides 25 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Are pets allowed at Brandy Creek Primitive Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Brandy Creek Primitive Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Brandy Creek Primitive Campground?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there are 3 active fires within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one.

Source: Fire nearby

Is there cell service at Brandy Creek Primitive Campground?

FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 4G LTE at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.

Source: FCC Broadband Map

What is there to do at Brandy Creek Primitive Campground?

During the summer heat, swimming, kayaking, sailing, paddle boarding and water skiing are popular on the 3,200 acre lake. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Brandy Creek Primitive Campground?

Whiskeytown, California. Brandy Creek Beach is located two miles south of the campground and features sandy beaches, a large swimming area, picnicking and barbecuing facilities.

Source: Getting there

What if Brandy Creek Primitive Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Sheep Camp Primitive Campground (0.6 mi), Dry Creek Group Campground (1.7 mi), and Peltier Bridge Primitive Campground (1.9 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby

Which national park is Brandy Creek Primitive Campground in?

Brandy Creek Primitive Campground is a Whiskeytown National Recreation Area campground. Entrance fees, alerts, and hours are on Park Atlas.

Source: Whiskeytown National Recreation Area