Dispersed Camping

Water reflecting rocks, shrubs and trees.

Camping on the Klamath is not limited to developed campgrounds. Most of the forest is open to those who prefer the quiet and solitude of a completely undeveloped setting. This type of camping is called Dispersed Camping.

Please choose a camping spot where you will leave a minimal impact.

Always plan ahead for accumulation and storage of your garbage and take it with you when you leave. Never burn or bury garbage in the forest.
Likewise, it is your responsibility to manage human waste. There are many commercial products on the market to deal with human waste. If you must bury it, be sure to dig a hole at least 6 inches or more down into soil and stay at least 100 feet away from any river, lake, stream, spring or trail. Never bury toilet paper or sanitary products. Animals will dig it up and scatter it around the area.
Never damage trees or vegetation to create a campsite. Do not dig trenches or build tent platforms.
A current California Campfire Permit is required to use a camp stove, barbecue or have a campfire outside of developed areas. Local fire restrictions supersede the campfire permit. To learn more about safely using fire in the forest and to get your permit online, go here.

You may camp in any one "dispersed camping" location (i.e., non-campground area) for 14 days and you may stay a total of 30 days per year on the forest. When you go home, leave the forest the way you found it or better for the enjoyment of the next visitor.

Dispersed Camping Areas

Goosenest Ranger District
Summer or winter the Goosenest Ranger District provides opportunities for many types of recreation. Deer Mountain and Four Corners snowmobile parks provide 135 miles of groomed snowmobile trails which are part of a 250 mile network the reaches into the western half of the Modoc National Forest and the northern part of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. Juniper Flat OHV Area provides 48 acres of open riding terrain.
Goosenest Trailhead
Happy Camp/Oak Knoll Ranger District
Happy Camp lies at the heart of recreation in northern California. River rafting, gold panning, wilderness hiking and scenic driving are all popular activities in the summer. Spring and fall offer the best weather and lower fire danger. Winter snowshoeing and cross country skiing can provide opportunities unmatched for solitude.
Elbow Springs Trailhead
Kelly Lake Trailhead
No Mans Trailhead
Poker Flat Trailhead
Klamath National Wild & Scenic River
The Klamath River was designated a Recreational River within the National Wild & Scenic Rivers System in 1981. The Klamath River enters California from Oregon just north of the Goosenest Ranger District. As it heads west it is impounded by two dams which form Copco Lake and Iron Gate Reservoir. Nine miles further west it turns south and follows Interstate 5 for a few miles before again turning west and entering the Happy Camp/Oak Knoll Ranger District. The next 85 miles provide many opportunities for recreation and scenic vistas before the river enters the Six Rivers National Forest. This is a high-use recreation zone. Human waste must be packed out. A scat machine is available in Happy Camp for disposing of collected human waste.

Our interactive river map will help you plan your river trip. It includes information on put-ins and take-puts, rapids, and potential camping sites. You will need to download Google Earth to view the map. You can also book a river trip with one of our permitted outfitters.

Before you start your river trip please complete a trip documentation card. Trip cards are available at river access sites, and may be turned in at the Happy Camp Ranger District office or dropped into one of the trip card boxes available at put-ins. The trip cards help Forest Service staff estimate river use, help us focus our limited staff resources on busier river sections, and help us know if boaters are on a river section if the need for an emergency evacuation arises.

Sections of the Klamath River downstream from Happy Camp are subject to temporary river use restrictions during the summer in observance of Karuk Tribal ceremonies. Please refer to the current schedule for information on the current year's river access restrictions. 2021 Klamath River Closures for Karuk Tribal Ceremonies
C. Skeahan Bar River Access
D. Gottville River Access
E. Brown Bear River Access
F. Blue Heron River Access
G. Rocky Point River Access
H. Sluice Box River Access
I. Portuguese Creek River Access
J. Savage Rapids River Access
L. China Point River Access
M. Gordons Ferry River Access
P. Wingate Bar River Access
Q. Ferry Point River Access
W. Persido Bar River Access
X. Ti Bar River Access

Dispersed Camping

Dispersed Camping Areas

Recreation Areas

Recreation Activities