No other Redwoods campground compares to this place. It really is the best when you factor in…read morelocation, proximity to the river across the street, the peaceful atmosphere, the large private, spacious campsites and scenic beauty of the grounds and of course the gracious, kind and accommodating staff. I absolutely love and adore every stay we spend here. It feels like home. Nearby stores and restaurants too, so it's just perfect in every way. Our last stay Cheyanne was a doll to us, and the boys too. Don't hesitate to stay here- there's not a bad camp site on the property.

We had campsite 138. It says it can fit 8 people. It was pretty crowded for our group of 7…read more There were two trees in the middle of the site taking up a good portion. Bathrooms were a slight uphill walk from the site with running water, so so on cleanliness. Potable water were by each site maybe two sites per faucet. 138 is furthest from the entrance about 0.7 miles from the camp site entrance. $10 for wood bundle which you buy by the campsite entrance. A lovely camping weekend. Pretty private because the redwood trees block the view between sites and we were lucky that the neighboring sites were empty most of the weekend.

I was impressed by this park because it was so beautiful, family friendly and it had immaculate…read morebathrooms! There's a little loop path that has little signs about Redwood trees, the birds nearby and the fun facts. I appreciate how there's a grassy pasture in case you bring pups (they shouldn't go on the trails). There were picnic tables around too to enjoy a meal. The bathrooms were clean and unique, I'd never seen a skylight in a bathroom.

Beautiful, easy trails with signage to share information. The river is also easy to access. We…read moreloved learning about the trees as we walked. We were bummed to miss the visitor center but didn't look up the hours in advance.

Stopped by here a few years ago and loved the area, its peaceful, we hiked down to the black sands…read morebeach, but it was pretty rough on the feet so you can't do bare feet due to the rocks, but it was a gorgeous spot worth checking out since we were there, the water is cold, and the waves are high so you can't swim, but its nice for sight seeing

Black Sands Beach is a beautiful beach that is secluded. We went on a busy weekend, although I hear…read morethat on non- busy weekends or weekdays you might have this place to yourself. You park and walk down to the beach. When we went the bathrooms were out of order. It's a beautiful beach to walk along and soak in the views. Tip: Don't go near the water. There are signs all over to stay 100 ft away or more from where the waves break due to the under toe.

This recreation area is located in the hills west of Redding, California. I'd never heard of it…read moreuntil we took a different route back from the Humboldt region, back down to SoCal. It was scenic, there's lots of different lakes that dot the area. It's really pretty. People come here for boating, swimming, and hiking up to the waterfalls. Theres also water sports and camping in the summer months.

Excellent park, beautiful nature, everything is well-maintained. Highly recommend! Beautifulread more

I don't often review campgrounds but so many people commented on specific sites and no one…read morecommented on Site 11, which is the one I booked this weekend so here you go future bookers: We were able to fit two single backpacking tents and two larger two person tents but both the official tent spot and our unofficial spot had notable, but tolerable slopes as noted multiple times in reviews. There is a parking spot for site 11 across the campground road near a pit toilet. Flush toilets are located on the other side of the parking lot, which is right next to site 10. Site 10 seemed like it had a nice lake view. You can see the lake through the trees from site 11. There are no bear boxes! You store food and toiletries in your car at night. Wing wildlife included mosquitoes (light), yellow jackets (heaviest mid morning), and very loud cicadas. My ears were ringing like I went to a loud concert. I have to assume that's seasonal. There's a "boat launch" past the flush toilets near the tent cabins that was nice for setting up a few camp chairs and entering the water in floaties. There were a few other beaches further on but they were full. There was a kerfuffle over an inflatable kayak while we were there so keep an eye on your things! The lake was shockingly not ice cold like many CA lakes I've been in but it was also 100 degrees out. We stayed in for hours. So nice! Intimate campground with sloped sites and nice lake access- overall a pleasant stay!

We had a great time at Mary Smith Campground. We stayed in glamping site #3 and really liked it…read more(though site #2 was our favorite). Some feedback on the campground: - The glamping site bed is super comfortable. We fell asleep instantly and got woken up next day by the morning sun. - The glamping sites are set up well, have enough space, each come with a fire pit, 2 plastic chairs, 2 wooden chairs, a full table + benches and a LED lantern. - The bathrooms at are clean, flush toilets. The ranger is re-stocking toilet paper daily. Big plus! - There are no showers at the campground. Good news is that you can simply take a swim in the lake :) - There's no cell phone reception (AT&T, at least) once you leave Redding. - This is a pretty small campground, which is really nice because you have a lot of space and it's not too crowded. As with any campground, it can still be noisy with kids or other neighbors that talk at night. You might want to bring earplugs if you don't fall asleep easily. More details: https://www.simonkreuz.com/trips/mary-smith-campground.

The campsite is great, but I had a poor experience…read more My group had one too many vehicles for a single campsite. 4 motorcycles and 1 car. That's fine, we were happy to abide by their policy, so our only option was to purchase another campsite for the sole purpose of parking the extra vehicle(s). We had booked for 2 nights and when we paid for the 2nd site, we unfortunately didn't notice that they only charged for one night, which apparently their policy for non-reservation sites is only one night, which they didn't tell us nor did they warn us to check out from the 2nd site by noon. We ended up getting two $71.50 parking citations for failing to remove our vehicles from the campsite by checkout time (noon). When I spoke with the staff regarding the misunderstanding and how we obviously intended to pay for 2 nights at the 2nd site, the same duration as our initial reservation, one staff member in particular had a very poor attitude even though we were being very polite and just trying to work with them and their policies.

Amazing campground in the middle of the redwoods! Site 34:…read morebathrooms and showers in close proximity and the space is huge! Fire ring, bear box and table all in good condition. Camp hosts are super nice, and provide plenty of guidance on the campground rules. There is firewood for sale so don't take it from home Highly recommended!!!

We camp at Albee Creek after getting a recommendation on the "Best Tent Camping" bool and it was…read moreall that and more! We had campsite 32ac and it was a perfect site for our10x10 REI Wonderland 4 Tent (the best car camping tent in the world!) ...the road to the park is better than the Ave of the Giants! It was sooo awe inspiring as we drove in to setup camp. Staff were excellent and the Campground Host was welcoming and informational. The bathroom came with a dishwashing sink (need's racks) and the showers were immaculate! The hikes out of the campsite were wonderful and the nearby drive too hikes were enchanting. Do not miss hiking the Cheney Grove as well-most of the hike were 5 stars but it was a 6! It is the Best Tent Camping spot so far this Summer...it beats Pinnacles, Summit Lake in Lassen, or the Venerable Ventana in Big Sur!!

This is my favorite campsite of all time. You're about 15 minutes off the main freeway so it's very…read morequiet and peaceful. That being said, there's very limited cell service, if any, which can be a pro and a con. There are many trails that lead to views or the nearby creeks, although most are not dog friendly so keep that in mind if you're bringing your furry friend. They have large campsite bonfires where campers are invited to learn about different facts about the environment and animals in the area, which is fun for children. There are clean bathrooms and showers which are available on both sides of the campground. Showers are operated by quarters so bring a a couple rolls. Each campsite has a decent amount of space and has its own table, fire pit, and bear proof locker. I've seen bears in the area but they are very peaceful and keep to themselves and just want to eat the apple trees. My favorite time to go is end of July and August because the blackberry bushes are fruiting, and you can make fresh blackberry pancake pancakes in the morning (although they have cut a lot of of the blackberry bushes down since they are invasive, so you have to walk a little farther to find them). Overall it's a very peaceful and beautiful campground that I find my self return returning to every year.

What a stunning state park! I was headed up to Eureka and had actually never heard of this park…read more(being an Angeleno) when I decided to stop in. There is so much to see and do here! First of all, the scencery is absolutely stunning. It's pretty easy to drive through the park and pop out at scenic spots for a view of the ocean (such as Wedding Rock, so named as a beautiful spot for a wedding). There's also wonderful hiking, including the Rim Trail and the path down to Agate Beach. Also... beachcombing camping learning about the history of the area at the Visitor Center biking nature photography and much more! There is an entrance fee; however, if you avail yourself of the California State Park Library Pass, it's free! Either way, definitely worth a vist.

Spectacular view for a girl from LA…read more I planned a roadtrip to visit all the gloomy coastal cities up north and this park beach truly delivered. It is nothing like the beaches in SoCal which is everything that I wanted to experience. I enjoyed how cool the weather was and the smells of the clean, crisp air. It was just under $10 to visit for the day and we spent about an hour solely taking in the views. Overall, highly recommend if you are in this neck of the woods.

Needed to get away from the 100 degree heat of Sacramento. Mattole has no cell coverage, no water…read moreand no electricity (does have outhouses). What it does have is a cool breeze off the ocean, great sunsets, miles of uncrowded beach and a specular star show at night. Camp sites are roomy. Since it's out of the way, doesn't seem to attract the large party crowd. Nice families and couples were our temporary neighbors. It was perfect place to get away.

Amazing views, amazing weather while we were here in July. Lots of backpackers getting ready for…read morethe Lost Coast trail. The other review is correct, the campground is completely flat with no bushes or other obstructions between you and your neighbors. The campground is set just behind the beach and is safe from most of the strong winds. There are only 15ish sites so our first night we ended up camping on the beach and grabbed a spot the next morning as someone left. Just vault toilets, no plumbing. Totally worth it--the site is so remote and the beach is almost private.

Shelter Cove Campground and RV Park is completely sufficient for a brief stay. The sites are clean…read morebut crowded, most with a fire ring and all with picnics tables. The whole area sits well above the sea so there are ocean views. But the campground lies directly adjacent to an air strip, so you may be bothered by occasional landing planes as I was early in the morning. Bathrooms and showers were exactly as I'd expect at a campground - not hotel quality but not 3rd world either, so fear not the lavatory. There appears to be a laundry as well. Checking in/out was easy. I cannot comment about the deli but the store had the essentials that you might have forgotten to bring. (Why do some complain about the deli food? You're camping on a remote part of the Lost Coast, ffs.) The nearby cliff park was scenic as was Black Sand Beach. I will caution you about the drive in; it's very tight, hilly, and twisty. I'm glad I wasn't towing. On an aside, there's also a public campground an hours north at Matole Beach but it's first-come-first-served, and it's unimproved, i.e., no electricity, wifi, market, etc., and vault toilets. I enjoyed the remoteness of that place but I get it that many people require the amenities that Shelter Cove Campground provides. I was quite satisfied.

Clean bathroom. Didn't use the store except for information…read morebut staff was pleasant & helpful. Campsite didn't have a fire pit which I didn't know in advance. Quite expensive for tent camping.