Mountainous camping near Willows

A Sacramento Valley town near wildlife, lakes, and rugged wilderness.

94% (386 reviews)

United States
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California
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Willows

94% (386 reviews)

Popular camping styles for Willows

Community favorites near Willows

Stories from the community

2 nights at Lake Concow Campground

Beautiful property, song birds singing, nice walking/hiking trails...

3 nights at Lake Concow Campground

Awesome experience! Beautiful spot, quiet, peaceful and the staff is very friendly. Excellent spot for one person or the whole family.

1 night at Lake Concow Campground

Very cute campground on the lake! Lots of wildlife, big trees, and great energy. Host was very sweet and welcoming! Would definitely stay here again! :)

Greg

3 weeks ago

2 nights at Tambo Ranch Tiny House Village

We stayed in the tiny home that sleeps four (near the main house on the property). There is a fantastic shaded garden patio area for use with the rental. Carolyn and Julio made sure we had a great stay! We really enjoyed our visit and would recommend this place without hesitation.

1 night at Lake Concow Campground

Very distant to others, the water was very nice and fishing was amazing. The lady at the front is super friendly too, even let us borrow a bbq and gas to cook up our food.

1 night at Lake Concow Campground

Aindrea was very responsive and welcoming. The lake looks beautiful and this is a very special space. Unfortunately I was not able to make the trip but I hope to visit another time

1 night at Ravens Landing

Raven’s Landing is a fantastic and magical place to reconnect with nature and yourself. The views from the dining deck are beautiful and so are the ones from the camping spots. Layla and her puppies were great hosts, and helped our city dog Hopper get a little bit outside of her shell. Make sure you come with a car that can handle dirt mountain roads and enjoy this magical place!

1 night at Lake Concow Campground

This camp is beautiful and well maintained. I visited Lake Concow Campground at the tail end of the Memorial Day Holiday weekend. I was greeted by Tabitha, the caretaker, who explained amenities available exactly as indicated on the camp overview literature on the Hipcamp site. There’s a lot of people by the lake so I setup tent uphill instead. I didn’t mind it because it was remote and I had a gorgeous view of mountains, mature trees and lush vegetation. There’s no assigned camping spaces so I had the option of settling anywhere I chose except for some areas that were clearly marked for construction or growing specific plants. The out houses were clean, appear newly constructed and within walking distance from where you might decide to camp. There’s hot showers and also free firewood. I couldn’t have asked for better weather and accommodations. However, around 10 pm, there was group of folks by the lake that started playing guitar, sang together, and created other loud noises including turning on the generator. I hope that they’d eventually stop because the camp rules said quiet time is observed from 10:00 pm until 8:00 am. But they didn’t which led me to conclude that those folks must be illiterate. Around 10:30 pm, I messaged Aindrea, the camp host. Within 10 mins, her caretaker came and all illegitimate merry making ceased. I was surprised and relieved at how quickly Aindrea and her team responded and took action. I shall return.

Weekend Trip to Lake Concow Campground

We completely loved our first time camping here!! We will definitely be back.

Weekend Trip to Lake Concow Campground

Awesome campground, can get right up to the shore of the lake if you want. Low enough light pollution to allow a great view of the stars, and I got to fall asleep to the sound of frogs.

2 nights at Lake Concow Campground

Had such an amazing time! Tamatha was awesome, showed me around and helped pick a site. The serenity of this place was fantastic! Didn’t catch any fish this time.

Weekend Trip to Ravens Landing

We had a lovely time camping at Raven's Landing with a group of 5 friends. We thought maybe we'd travel off property to the swimming hole nearby by ended up lounging, playing games on the outdoor table, cooking meals in the outdoor kitchen and hanging out by the pond watching the tadpoles and clouds float by. Very relaxing weekend -- though the sweet farm dogs and roaming peacocks kept things lively!

Heather

April 2025

4 nights at Little House in the Big Woods

This place was easy to find and SO CUTE! I wanted a little getaway to just chill by sun trees, and this was a great spot for that. I really enjoyed working on a puzzle with a hot tea, and cozied up by the space heater. The only thing is I think you have to request that the fridge gets turned on before you stay, and I didn't think to. It was cool, though, because I already planned to eat out and I just kept my water in there. Lol! The shower also works great, and I really enjoyed the little salt lamp.

Weekend Trip to Ravens Landing

Layna is an absolute wonder! Her land is truly beautiful and a little treasure up in the mountains. What a beautiful experience it was to camp where art meets nature. She has created a unique space and I am so grateful we got to share in it for a little moment. My favorite part is the outdoor dining hall that overlooked everything. It really is something you need to experience. Thank you Layna for your hospitality, for sharing your puppies with us, and for allowing us into your beautiful home. You made our first annual sister camping trip a treasured core memory!

Weekend Trip to Gaia Getaway

Max’s place was awesome. We booked a camp site last minute to explore the area. He let us bring two cars. Like most people, I read some of the prior reviews. I don’t understand where some people came up with their opinion of the area, but everyone we interacted we seemed polite, considerate, and helpful. Max was no different. Regarding his campsite setup, he allows the use of several electric and water hookups. He has a ton of firewood available and an awesome fire-pit available for use. He’s building a super cool dome structure for future airbnb guests. That said, we’ll definitely be back.

Chloe

February 2025

Weekend Trip to Tambo Ranch Tiny House Village

As much as I’d love to keep this place to myself, I have to echo everyone’s enthusiasm and love for this site. My partner & I came for a Valentine’s getaway and we stayed in the smaller tiny home. We arrived later in the evening, but directions were easy to follow and the site was well lit with fairy lights which was such a nice touch. Upon arrival, we were greeted with fresh muffins, eggs from the farm, and a cute little sign. There’s a queen bed at the loft, a full kitchen, and a nice seating area equipped with a TV. It had everything we needed to cook our meals and enjoy mornings in. A personal bonus: everything was so incredibly clean & I can’t stress this enough! You can definitely tell a lot of care and thought was put into the home to make it as comfortable as possible. The larger property is beautiful to walk through & it’s what we ended up spending our days doing. There are 3 different sites to stay at on the property - each for different needs and with their own appeals. There are chickens, an alpaca, sheep, cats, and a dog on property & they’re all so friendly! Carolyn & Julio really made the trip for us - they’re such amazing & accommodating hosts. They gave us the space we needed, but were still easily accessible for any questions we had. This was my first time ever doing a stay outside of a major city, and this stay made me want to do this again & again. We’ll definitely make this an annual thing! :-)

Logan

February 2025

Weekend Trip to Tambo Ranch Tiny House Village

This place was absolutely perfect for a romantic weekend getaway. Gorgeous property, fantastic owners, excellent amenities, and a great location, rural enough to feel close to nature but close enough to cities like Chico to enjoy urban delights. Owners were generous, accommodating, and very kind. Plus the animals were very nice.

Meagan

February 2025

2 nights at Tambo Ranch Tiny House Village

We bought this stay as a gift for my mom and she was absolutely gushing about it when she got home. She told us about all the beautiful touches, the tea, the flowers, and what a thoughtful and beautiful space the tiny house was. She said she felt steeped in rest the entire time, and loved connecting with the hosts as well. Highly recommend!

luis

February 2025

Weekend Trip to Tambo Ranch Tiny House Village

My wife & I were looking for a quick weekend getaway to work on some financials & planning for the upcoming year. We wanted it to be quiet, close to Sacramento w/WiFi availability & this checked all our boxes! The drive there was easy & scenic. The owner’s directions were accurate & easy to read for when you arrive on the property. We stayed in the Acreage Tiny home & boy was it a good choice! It rained 24/7 w/high winds, but the tiny home was a dream to be in. The home is very well built, clean, insulated, kept us warm, cozy, & protected from wind the whole time. The bed was super comfortable, the heater worked like a charm, & the full bathroom had strong hot & cold water. We were able to cook all our meals using the electric hotplate & enjoy our coffee/tea by warming up the water w/the kettle provided. The owners left homemade muffins on our arrival. I had to stop myself from eating them all in one day! Absolutely delicious! Make sure to take them up on the carton of eggs that can be pre-ordered. Unfortunately, since it rained the whole time, we were unable to explore the property, but what we could see from our tiny home was beautiful! You can tell the owners take pride in their land. The landscaping was clean & immaculate! The cats plus one dog that roam the property are cute, friendly, & always a joy to run into. Technically this was a business trip for us, but it felt like a vacation & we will definitely be coming back. Thank you, Carolyn and Julio for your hospitality!

Mae

January 2025

Weekend Trip to Tambo Ranch Tiny House Village

Great place to stay with kind and warm people ready and willing to help in anyway they can. Really cozy and beautiful!

3 top mountainous campgrounds near Willows

95%

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Lake Concow Campground

99 sites · RVs, Tents80 acres · Oroville, CA

Ancestors of Maidu people lived here long ago. European settlers arrived and took control of the area. In recent history, a multi-cultural group of community members formed the Konkow Partnership to attempt to hold, steward, and preserve the wilderness that survives here. We look forward to your post fire visit. Learn more about this land: Congratulations Campers! The campground is reopened after the last couple of years of wild fires and tough winters. We are reopened even as repairs and upgrades are being made. Thank you to all visitors who love this place for your patience as we continue to improve the features of the Campground. Stay tuned for progress reports. We hope to see you real soon. Visit, fish, or camp in a rare jewel forest, hidden in the Sierra/Cascade foothills, less than an hour's drive to Chico, Oroville, or Paradise. Surviving forests of mature cedars, pines, oaks, and madrones provide shady camping, fishing along the lake shore, or picnicing along the banks of the creek that runs through a recovering creekside area. Stargaze or fly kites in our Great Meadow or admire copious wildflowers and other native plants on over 80 acres of wilderness. We provide a variety of recovering wilderness areas near water faucets, pit toilets and an RV dump station. Our site features mature forests, grassy meadows, a year-round creek in a fire recovery zone. The site also features lakefront shoreline access for bank fishing, a central fire pit and lots of space for group camping. Fires are permitted in the central pit when weather allows. The Lake Concow/Konkow Campground is a wilderness sanctuary and houses many variety of rare and endangered plants, animals, and insects. Please be aware of and give respectful space to all of the residents of the park. The list of year round residents may include poison oak, thorny berry vines, mosquitoes, ticks, spiders, deer, eagles, osprey, owls, squirrels, skunks, foxes, bears, mountain lions, snakes, bats, and more. Please be responsible for personal camp supplies and trash. The Campground is a Pack In/Pack Out location and garbage cans are supplied near the office house near the entrance. Good hiking shoes, protective clothing, and hats are recommended. All Campground faucets supply delicious, potable water tested regularly. The modern listings spell the name Concow, Ancestors spelled it Konkow. Both are correct, though may give different search results. There is plenty of room for parking large vehicles and for turning around. TOW VEHICLES MUST STAY THE DURATION OF THE CAMPING VISIT. Sorry, we DO NOT allow towed-in-and-dropped-off campers or 5th wheel trailers at this time. This may change as clean up work progresses through the year. Stay tuned for updates. Thank you.

97%

(238)

Ravens Landing

15 sites · Tents20 acres · Clearlake Oaks, CA

Come celebrate nature and art with us! Ravens Landing is a unique piece of property. We are an off-grid forever building artist space, saddled in between two big mountains, that sits on top of a valley with breathtaking views. Ravens Landing burnt down in 2015 and since then, I and many friends and artists have been rebuilding using recycled lumber and various objects that survived the fires. Today I am so humbly proud to facilitate a space for artists, musicians, nature lovers, off the grid fanatics and more! Come explore the beautiful oak and manzanita forests. Relax and take in the fresh air. Spend quality time with our animals, drive off to the cold running creek, take a workshop or relax in a sound journey. This is our Home, so please visit with an open mind, open heart, and most of all Respect. Everyone is always welcome here. KID POLICY: *Must keep an eye on your children at all times. You are responsible for them! *Children must be comfortable and respectful around animals. *Kids fill this space with their amazing energy so please make sure you account for them in your reservation. If your kids are walking they are considered little people and are charged at regular price. Please inform during booking there will be kids in your party, possibly we can reserve a site closer to amenities. MORE INFO: All campers get access to our hand built cob kitchen and the epic dining hall deck. There is a communal gas fire pit and BBQ. It’s a very sunny property so please bring a canopy for shade if you want it over your campsite, remember to bring stakes, it can be windy here. *Water is gold here so make every drop count, arrive with water conservation in mind. And please bring your own drinking water=) *We are off-grid with no amenities from the city so please be mindful of how much trash you’ll leave behind. If drinking alcoholic beverages we ask that campers take their empties. Ask for a bag if you need it. *We ask campers to arrive between 1pm at 9pm. If possible a general ETA helps as well. *Please keep your dog on a leash at all times. Our animals roam freely. * It’s always a journey finding magical places so just a sweet heads up, our mountain dirt road is a bit bumpy. Cars make it up all the time, stay at a steady speed=) Cya Soon!<3

100%

(3)

Hull Mt. Cabins

2 sites · Lodging30 acres · Potter Valley, CA

Hull Mt. Cabins is settled back on 30 acres of a Coniferous forested hillside. Overlooking 7,000 ft. Hull Mountain to the North East. There are about 8 buildings, 5 cabins that share the space and are within eye and earshot of each other but not too close. Each cabin has its own deck and seating with access to a fire pit and communal BBQ. This is the spot for adventurous people who would like a step up from tent camping. It offers all the creature comforts of home with nature and adventure, right outside your door. The cabins are spotless, cozy and updated with modern amenities. Nice linens and comfortable beds provided. Co-op full kitchen area for guest use. An amazing place to unwind and have a bit of digital detox. The property is full of pines, Madrone and Oak trees. Nice horseshoe pit, hammock and decks to chill on. Woodpeckers, deer, squirrels and jack rabbits all in their daily surroundings. Below cabins we offer an open field for fetch with dog, get to know our DONKEYS, frisbee or kite flying. Bonus, enclosed area for complete light pollution free star gazing at night. It's wide open and one of the best spots in the country -you can drive to. 15 min from Lake Pillsbury 5 min from pond and creeks 20 min to Eel River 1 hour scenic drive to top of Hull Mt. Attn- Wi-Fi is limited not for streaming in cabin or long term use just check-up stuff on far end of property not inside personal cabin. DIGITAL DETOX Lots of Hollywood History that goes along with the property that Heather will be available to offer legendary lodge tour for $20 fee- if interested.

Other options near Willows

Island RV Park

1 site1 acre · Clearlake Oaks, CA

Nestled in the picturesque Clearlake Oaks, CA, Island RV Park stands out as a premier destination for outdoor enthusiasts seeking a blend of comfort and adventure. Located at 12840 Island Drive, this RV park offers full 30/50 amp water and sewer hookup sites, ensuring a hassle-free stay. Guests can take advantage of the well-maintained shower, laundry, and restroom facilities, making it an ideal choice for both short and long-term visits. During your stay, immerse yourself in a variety of outdoor activities. The surrounding area is perfect for jet skiing, boating, and fishing, providing endless opportunities for fun and relaxation. Whether you're looking to explore the natural beauty of the region or simply unwind by the water, Island RV Park has something for everyone. Please be aware that public restrooms are currently closed, and all RVs must be self-contained. We look forward to welcoming you to our unique park soon!

Pets

Toilets

The Oasis Campground

51 sites1 acre · Clearlake Oaks, CA

The Oasis stands out as a unique camping destination, nestled on an island in the northeastern corner of Clear Lake, the oldest natural lake in North America and the largest freshwater lake in California. Each campsite offers stunning waterfront views, complete with a fire ring and picnic table, allowing guests to fully immerse themselves in the beauty of nature. Experience a nostalgic night under the stars while surrounded by abundant wildlife and vibrant birdlife. Fishing enthusiasts can cast their lines right from their campsites or take advantage of our convenient boat launch to explore the lake further. While our campsites are designated for dry camping, some can accommodate RVs up to 26 feet in length. Guests will appreciate the on-site amenities, including drinking water, showers, and restrooms, ensuring a comfortable stay. Whether you're seeking adventure or relaxation, The Oasis provides the perfect backdrop for your outdoor getaway.

Pets

Potable water

Toilets

Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

Mountainous camping near Willows guide

Overview

Between Sacramento and Redding, Willows was once a watering hole for cattle farmers. Today, it’s still an agricultural hub, with services for travelers along Interstate 5 and access to several nearby lakes and reservoirs for water recreation. Willows camping options include RV parks, campsites in Mendocino National Forest prime for hiking, and tent sites at additional nearby recreation areas, lakes, and forests.

Where to go

Near Willows

West of Willows, the Stony Gorge Reservoir offers fishing, boating, swimming, and camping, while Black Butte Lake is known for fishing and two US Army Corps of Engineers campgrounds. For easy access to the Sacramento River and boat-in camping (plus tent and RV camping), head to the Woodson Bridge State Recreation Area. South of Willows, the Colusa-Sacramento River State Recreation Area is home to fishing, wildlife viewing, and one campground.

Lake Oroville

East of Willows, Lake Oroville is the largest reservoir in Northern California with numerous ways to enjoy the outdoors, including boating, sailing, swimming, water sports, and lake fishing, along with surrounding trails. More than 20 campgrounds circle the lake, including tent, RV, and equestrian sites, boat-in campsites, and floating campsites.

Mendocino National Forest

Head west to the Mendocino National Forest for rugged and wild adventures, with hundreds of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, or off-roading, with a choice of developed and primitive camps. Several campgrounds can be found near water, including on Plaskett Lakes, Letts Lake, Mill Creek, and Bear Creek. For solitude, head into the backcountry in the Snow Mountain Wilderness.

When to go

Summer is the best time for water and outdoor recreation around Willows, including at Lake Oroville. It’s also the most popular time for camping. Shad fishing in the Sacramento River is best in the Sacramento River in June, while salmon fishing starts in August. Many campgrounds in the Mendocino National Forest are also seasonal. The waterfowl hunting season in the Sacramento NWR Complex runs from October to January.