This site is ideal for those who you want to unplug completely. You lose cell reception more than 12 miles from the site, just before the historic town of French Gulch. The drive is in very scenic. As soon as you hit Whiskeytown, the landscape is an immediate mood setter. Roll the windows down and enjoy the curvy roads, it's about an hour to cover the 35 miles from Redding to the camp. The road is windy and pitches up and down, tons of fun to drive. From French Gulch to the gate at Kutras Ranch, it's ~7.5 miles. Stop to wave to the locals and respect their 'SLOW DOWN' signage, it's worth it and everyone we interacted with was super friendly. You need two people to operate the gate, one person to stand on it while the other swings it. We have a Subaru Outback and it made quick work the of rough terrain on the road in. As others have noted in their reviews, it's 5 miles from the gate to this site. The road is well marked. The site is perfect laid out. Sufficient room for the camp kitchen and picnic table. Close proximity to the gas fire pit. The tent gets morning shade and afternoon sun. The tent is rustic and the bugs are MANY and STRONG, so be prepared that you're outdoors and have a plan to deal with that. The cots were great, kids loved them. It sleeps four but with so much extra space. The gas fire pit made us miss the smell of a wood burning camp fire, but it's safer and easy to use. The outhouse is about 2mins walk and extremely nice. Flush toilet, sink for dishes, and well ventilated. My wife really appreciated that part of the site. The wildflowers in the meadow are worth the walk around. It was hot on our trip, so we used the swimming hole a couple of times. Kids enjoyed the rushing cold water and our pug was happy to dive in. We ran into the campers from Sasquatch Meadows, that site accesses the swimming hole by going through this Upper Falls site. That was a bit surprising, we had been so unplugged and isolated that when other humans showed up it surprised us a bit. Very friendly people, we just didn't expect to see them. Wildlife abounds in this area. We saw deer, slugs, crawfish, lizards, and even a rattlesnake. The latter was a definite shock while I was on a trail run. I was cruising along the beautiful rock roads and dirt paths, dropped down into one of the meadows by the second wooden bridge, and the serenity of my peaceful jaunt was broken by the audible warning of his rattle. Sunbathing on the trail and camouflaged by his skin matching the dirt, I did not see him until I heard him. We both gave each other a wide birth. Took me a minute for my heart rate to recover, but that's part of being outdoors. Caution and respect means it all ended well. We loved this site. Terri and Chris were great hosts, minimal interaction was perfect for us and we had everything we needed. If you want to get completely out of touch, this is your place. NorCal at its' finest, set deep on Trinity Mountain Road.
Past trips
Creekside Casita near the Ocean
in Frog Hollow Farm Stay, CaliforniaDana and Jason's hipcamp is amazing. They've gone above and beyond with the prep and setup, it's super hospitable, glamping at its' finest, and picture perfect. The extra lighting, hearth for a safe fire setup, and remarkably clean porta-potty (never seen one smell good before!) make this a wonderful get away spot. The farm environment was fun, the chickens are friendly and walk freely about the area and the goats are fun to 'talk' with. My son loved bantering with the goats. The farm fresh eggs make a wonderful breakfast -- thanks Dana! We slept four in the tiny house, with our kids being smaller and able to share the sofa sleeper. The loft bed is amazing, super fun to bunk up there. We never camp without our adventure pug, he approved too. There is a great tree in the yard for a hammock, we hung our Serac and the kids napped in it. The camp cooking setup was perfect as well, it's unusual for such a well stocked 'kitchen' when you camp. We pack all of our meal prep items but we could have left all of our spices, pots/pans, and stove at home. They have it all ready for you at the Creekside Casita.
Upper Falls
in Clear Creek Ranch, CaliforniaThis site is ideal for those who you want to unplug completely. You lose cell reception more than 12 miles from the site, just before the historic town of French Gulch. The drive is in very scenic. As soon as you hit Whiskeytown, the landscape is an immediate mood setter. Roll the windows down and enjoy the curvy roads, it's about an hour to cover the 35 miles from Redding to the camp. The road is windy and pitches up and down, tons of fun to drive. From French Gulch to the gate at Kutras Ranch, it's ~7.5 miles. Stop to wave to the locals and respect their 'SLOW DOWN' signage, it's worth it and everyone we interacted with was super friendly. You need two people to operate the gate, one person to stand on it while the other swings it. We have a Subaru Outback and it made quick work the of rough terrain on the road in. As others have noted in their reviews, it's 5 miles from the gate to this site. The road is well marked. The site is perfect laid out. Sufficient room for the camp kitchen and picnic table. Close proximity to the gas fire pit. The tent gets morning shade and afternoon sun. The tent is rustic and the bugs are MANY and STRONG, so be prepared that you're outdoors and have a plan to deal with that. The cots were great, kids loved them. It sleeps four but with so much extra space. The gas fire pit made us miss the smell of a wood burning camp fire, but it's safer and easy to use. The outhouse is about 2mins walk and extremely nice. Flush toilet, sink for dishes, and well ventilated. My wife really appreciated that part of the site. The wildflowers in the meadow are worth the walk around. It was hot on our trip, so we used the swimming hole a couple of times. Kids enjoyed the rushing cold water and our pug was happy to dive in. We ran into the campers from Sasquatch Meadows, that site accesses the swimming hole by going through this Upper Falls site. That was a bit surprising, we had been so unplugged and isolated that when other humans showed up it surprised us a bit. Very friendly people, we just didn't expect to see them. Wildlife abounds in this area. We saw deer, slugs, crawfish, lizards, and even a rattlesnake. The latter was a definite shock while I was on a trail run. I was cruising along the beautiful rock roads and dirt paths, dropped down into one of the meadows by the second wooden bridge, and the serenity of my peaceful jaunt was broken by the audible warning of his rattle. Sunbathing on the trail and camouflaged by his skin matching the dirt, I did not see him until I heard him. We both gave each other a wide birth. Took me a minute for my heart rate to recover, but that's part of being outdoors. Caution and respect means it all ended well. We loved this site. Terri and Chris were great hosts, minimal interaction was perfect for us and we had everything we needed. If you want to get completely out of touch, this is your place. NorCal at its' finest, set deep on Trinity Mountain Road.
Redwood Camp
in Salmon Creek Ranch, CaliforniaWe spent Thanksgiving camping, as a family, at Redwood Camp. Site #1 is set back off the meadow, nestled in with new growth redwoods. It's an amazing setting. There is an ideal spot for a large tent within the trees and immediately next to the fire ring and picnic table. A second tent could be set up, but would probably have to be in the meadow if you want flat terrain. The ranch is secluded and stargazing is perfect, minimal light pollution means a clear night results in every star in the sky shining bright. We enjoyed hiking the trails on the property during the day. Dieckman's in Bodega Bay is a great spot to restock on firewood or other supplies. Redwood Camp is as good as it gets, when you need an escape to the coastal hills and forests.
Patrick's lists
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