Horse Camp Primitive Campground
Gold panning · Shasta County, CA
Horse Camp Primitive Campground is listed in the federal Recreation Information Database with gold panning as an activity. Check current collecting or panning rules with the managing agency.
| Type | Gold panning (Campground with gold panning listed as an activity (RIDB)) |
|---|---|
| Location | Shasta County, California |
| Coordinates | 40.57611, -122.53139 (map) |
| Managed by | Call to confirm |
| Fees | Call to confirm |
| Hours | Call to confirm |
| Phone | 530-242-3412 |
| Website | https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/272244 |
About this site
Overview This campground is located in the southeast corner of Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, 15 miles west of Redding, California, and three and a half hours north of Sacramento. This is the only campground in the park that can accommodate camping with horses, but horseback riders must share the campground with visitors who may not have horses. The cool, clear waters of Whiskeytown Lake provide endless water activities. The picturesque mountain setting and extensive forested backcountry offer ample opportunities for horseback riding, hiking and biking. 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. …
Description from Recreation Information Database (RIDB).
Directions
From Interstate 5 in Redding, CA, drive 10 miles west on Highway 299. Turn left on Kennedy Memorial Drive at the visitor center and follow it for 1.6 miles until you reach a fork in the road at the dam. Turn left on Paige Bar Road and drive for two miles until you reach another fork in the road at the NEED Camp. Turn left onto the gravel road and proceed .5 miles to Horse Camp.
Verify before visiting. Hours, fees, access and collecting rules change, and some listings come from community-edited data. Call or check the operator's official page before you go. Details we could not confirm are marked "call to confirm".
Nearby sites
- Dry Creek Group Campground (Whiskeytown NRA) – Shasta County, CA, 4 mi
- Sierra Campground (North Yuba River) – Sierra County, CA, 123 mi
- Dave Moore Nature Area – El Dorado County, CA, 149 mi
- Sutter Gold Mine – Amador County, CA, 175 mi
- Ponderosa Mine Tour – Virginia City, NV, 176 mi
Source: RIDB record 272244 (Recreation.gov / RIDB, public domain). Data retrieved 2026-11-04.