HIRZ BAY GROUP 1

The Camp

This is purpose-built group camping done right. The layout separates your 21-vehicle parking area from the actual camping space, so you're not sleeping next to a fleet of cars and RVs. Two large pedestal grills and a large fire ring anchor the communal cooking and gathering areas, backed by dual sinks with running water — details that matter when you're feeding a crowd.

The oak and manzanita forest provides natural shade and definition to the space without feeling hemmed in. At 1,067 feet elevation along Shasta Lake's McCloud Arm, you get the lake proximity without the harsh exposure of higher, more open sites around the reservoir.

On the Water

The Hirz Bay boat launch sits about a mile away, close enough for multiple daily trips but far enough to avoid the constant traffic of launch-adjacent camps. Shasta Lake's 365 miles of shoreline open up from here, whether you're pulling skiers, chasing the lake's famous bass and trout, or just floating between the steep, manzanita-covered hills.

The fishing roster runs deep: trout, catfish, Chinook salmon, crappie, bluegill, white sturgeon, brown bullhead, and bass. Multiple resorts around the lake handle watercraft rentals and fuel if you're flying in without a boat.

Beyond the Lake

The 2-mile Hirz Bay Trail starts near camp for those who need a break from the water. For bigger views, Hirz Mountain Lookout climbs to 3,500 feet with sight lines to Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen — the kind of panorama that makes the drive worthwhile.

Lake Shasta Caverns operate on the same McCloud Arm in the Grey Rocks area, offering daily tours of the privately-owned cave system. It's tourist infrastructure, but legitimate geology.