Campgrounds and RV parks near McCloud, CA

The headline attraction is the McCloud River Falls Trail, a roughly 3.8-mile round-trip route linking Lower, Middle, and Upper McCloud Falls about six miles outside town. Each of the three waterfalls also has an ADA-accessible overlook reachable by car along the paved McCloud River Loop. Swimming is popular at the pools below Lower and Middle Falls, though submerged boulders make cliff-diving dangerous. Fishing and paddling are also strong draws on the McCloud River, with stocked trout water near Lower Falls and kayaking between Lower Falls and McCloud Reservoir. Day trips run south to Castle Crags State Park for granite-spire views, north to the town of Mount Shasta, and east toward McCloud Reservoir and the Medicine Lake Highlands. The Pacific Crest Trail crosses the Shasta-Trinity National Forest with multiple nearby access points.

Summers in McCloud are warm, dry, and mostly clear, while winters are long, cold, wet, and snowy. The reliable RV window runs from late spring through early fall, when forest roads are open and the falls trail is snow-free. The McCloud River Loop access road is subject to seasonal closure after the first significant snowfall and typically reopens in spring. Winter brings substantial snow at McCloud's elevation, with seasonal accumulation well above the national average. Some campgrounds close seasonally: Forest Service sites along the Upper McCloud River, including Fowlers, typically begin opening around mid-May and operate into November. Castle Crags State Park stays open year-round, though upper-loop sections can close in winter for maintenance and reservations are most useful during the busy May-to-October window. Spring brings runoff and the strongest waterfall flow. Summer is peak season for the falls, swimming holes, and Mount Shasta hiking. Fall offers cooler nights and lighter crowds before the first snow arrives in the higher elevations.

Expect mixed-conifer forest, paved access from Highway 89, and active bear country. Fowlers Campground offers paved parking spurs, piped drinking water, and vault restrooms, with bear-resistant food lockers at many sites. Sites there are suitable for tents and mid-sized RVs or trailers; large rigs are not recommended. Castle Crags State Park provides flush toilets, hot showers, and food lockers, while private parks in the area generally offer full hookups, showers, and laundry. Cell service is patchy outside town, and grades on Highway 89 are manageable for most rigs. Do not move firewood; buy it locally to protect California's forests from tree-killing pests. Fire restrictions tighten in late summer, so check current alerts before arrival. Nights stay cool even in July, so pack layers.