Eagle Creek sits where Eagle Creek meets the Trinity River, offering 17 primitive sites for campers who don't mind a rough road and vault toilets. This is first-come camping at 2,387 feet, with Trinity Lake's 145 miles of shoreline as your backdrop.
Campground Details
- ⛺Type
- Primitive
- 💵Fee per Night
- Free
- 📍GPS
- 41.15291, -122.66846
- 🐾Pets Allowed
- No
- 🗺️Address
- CA
The Camp
The 17 sites here average 16 feet of back-in space — tight for big rigs but manageable for most. Each site gets a picnic table and fire ring with grill grate. The road in is rough, which keeps the crowds lighter and maintains the primitive feel. No running water means you pack it in, and vault restrooms handle the necessities.
You're camping between Eagle Creek and the Trinity River, with Trinity Lake — one of California's largest reservoirs — stretching out in three main arms: Papoose, Buckeye, and Stuart Fork. The lake holds over 2.4 million acre-feet of water and offers both quiet coves for fishing and open water for wakeboarding.
What to Know
This runs strictly first-come, first-served. You must be physically present to claim and pay for a site — no advance payments, no phone reservations. You pay the day you arrive and must occupy the site that same day. Payment options include the recreation.gov app's Scan & Pay feature or the on-site iron ranger that takes cash and checks.
Spring fishing (March through June) is prime time here. Bass hang around dredger piles near the lake's head and along shorelines. Trout scatter throughout the lake in spring but retreat to tributary mouths when summer heat hits. The lake holds smallmouth and largemouth bass, rainbow trout, catfish, kokanee salmon, and Chinook salmon.
Nearby
The nearest public boat ramp sits about 20 miles away at Bowerman, though launch availability depends on water levels. Trinity Lake's size means plenty of room for water sports on the main body, while the various arms and coves offer quieter spots for fishing or waterside picnics.