Manzanita Lake Campground

So the reason we made a big investment in solar and battery was to be able to enjoy national parks and forests. Was shocked when making reservations last month to see openings here at Lassen so I grabbed a 3 day spot. But disappointed when we got here that everything was closed! The store, the showers, the bathrooms, the gas station, the dump station, everything. This is apparently the only campground in the park still open. Even the entrance gates are staffed only during the day on weekends. All the water is turned off to the campground, even the fire hydrants. And annoyingly when we asked at the visitor center about water they didn't know all the water had been shut off. Why didn't they know? And the pay phones are turned off! On top of that there is no cell service in the park, I get limited satellite, and tree canopy is so thick I only manage to add about 17 amps of power each day. So we couldn't use tv or microwave or rice cooker, and limited our internet to 2 hours per day. Battery somehow lasted 3 days. Campfires are permitted but you have to use your own water to drown it so there were several unattended fires after people left. The camp hosts are gone as is much of the park staff. Here 3 days and only one official vehicles ever drove thru the campground. Only twice in three days did I even see a law enforcement ranger vehicle. But the first time it was being driven by two unarmed naturalists out taking pictures of birds at Kings Creek. Don't go up to a law enforcement ranger vehicle and expect help. And no way to call 911 in an emergency, very unsafe. Every site says reserved but Sat/Sun they were only about 80% occupancy and that dropped to 10% by Monday. You could just come into the park and grab a camp site and stay several days without paying and no one would notice. No one is checking. You have to pay online but there is no cell service or wifi so you have to leave the park and drive down the highway several miles to get signal to pay! You can't pay at the visitors center. We camped at Manzanita Lake in a Fifth Wheel.

Would definitely come back! Had running water, flushing toilets, showers, a small convenience store. And omg, please have some ice cream here, so delicious! They had plenty of firewood to sell. Bathrooms were clean. Showers were $5 per person & you can use as much as you can. Beware that warm water runs out quick. Small walk to the lake. Don’t forget to watch the bats fly around the lake right after sunset. Recommend by a fried, & I’m glad he shared this w us! Nice campground and would book again!

This is a hit or miss campground in Lassen Volcano. The sites and roads are VERY dusty. You'll find your vehicle and equipment covered after only a day or two. The restrooms are mostly vault toilets, and the restroom with flushing toilets has no lights - bring a flashlight at night. The cabins also have no electricity. The mattresses in them have no sheets or pillows. As of June 2024, the shower building is under repair due to a tree falling on it. Otherwise this campsite is in an excellent location with lots of great shade, lovely trees, and beautiful lake views a short walk away. Once the store opens again it'll be even better.

♿️🚾 available I really want to love this campground, but the flies 🪰 are overwhelming—far more than I expected. So we ended up staying for just one night instead of two we planned. On the plus side, the campsites are well spaced out so it doesn’t feel too crowded and you can park right next to your site. While there are no restaurants within Lassen National Park, check out a nearby camper store with almost everything you need, including coffee, sandwiches, and all supplies (see more in vids!). A fuel pump, shower and laundry room next to it. Keep in mind that the restrooms have no lights at night so be sure to bring your own headlamp; it can get totally dark. There’s also a dishwashing station with good water pressure and drinking water dispenser.

Manzanita Lake Campground is spacious, quiet, full of trees, no hook-ups, bathrooms are clean, and have flush toilets. No cell service. Plan to be pretty much on your own. We were there in June 2024 when they were remodeling their laundry and shower facility, so it was closed while we were there. Also, their camp store only had a few items in it and no food. The lake is beautiful and there were lots of fishermen fishing. Be bear aware, even when the ranger says they haven't come down yet and are still up in the higher elevation. Not their not! Here's a picture of one, just outside of camp. Also, if you're planning on visiting Lassen, check the website before you come up. In June 2024 the park was still closed due to snow.