Buckhorn
Black Butte Lake — lakeside, fishing, hiking
Location: ORLAND, CA, CA
Price: From $18 per night
Price range: $18–$200 per night
Rating: 3.8 out of 5 (278 reviews)
Season: Year-round
Buckhorn Recreation Area is at Black Butte Lake, situated at the northern end of the Sacramento valley, 100 miles north of Sacramento, CA and 30 minutes south of Red Bluff, CA. The lake is a popular meeting place for water sports and outdoor enthusiasts, so bring family and friends for an incredibly scenic getaway.Find excitement with wake boarding and sailing or explore the shoreline’s 13 miles of fitness trails for hiking, running and biking. Black Butte is renowned for its warm-water fishing,
Cell coverage (FCC estimate): moderate signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas. Best carrier: T-Mobile. Verizon 4G: 100%. AT&T 4G: 0%. T-Mobile 4G: 100%.
Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Showers, Electric Hookups, Fishing, Boat Launch
Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/buckhorn to be notified when sites open up.
Buckhorn Recreation Area at Black Butte Lake offers 13 miles of fitness trails for hiking, running and biking, plus water sports including wake boarding and sailing. The campground provides 93 sites with fire rings, picnic tables, showers, electric hookups, fishing, and boat launch access.
Wildlife alert: Bald Eagle, Great Horned Owl, Mule Deer, American Robin, and Domestic Mallard have been documented in the area
Insider tips for Buckhorn: Book early as this is a federal campground with high demand Most sites have no hookups; confirm self-contained RV suitability before booking Access via 12 miles west on County Road 200/Newville Road from I-5 at Orland exit
Skip Buckhorn if: You need full hookups for your RV; most sites lack hookups. You prefer spontaneous camping; early booking is required.
Best time to visit Buckhorn: Year-round — Campground operates year-round according to verified data.
Nearby campgrounds: Orland Buttes (ORLAND, CA), Pines Group Site - Stony Gorge Reservoir (Elk Creek, CA), Sycamore Grove (Red Bluff) Campground (RED BLUFFF, CA), Camp Discovery Group Camp (Red Bluff Recreation Area) (Red Bluff, CA).
Cell Phone Coverage at Buckhorn
Cell signal at Buckhorn (ORLAND, CA): moderate overall signal based on FCC broadband data. Best carrier: T-Mobile.
- Verizon 4G LTE: 100% coverage
- T-Mobile 4G LTE: 100% coverage
Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.
Buckhorn Recreation Area is at Black Butte Lake, situated at the northern end of the Sacramento valley, 100 miles north of Sacramento, CA and 30 minutes south of Red Bluff, CA. The lake is a popular meeting place for water sports and outdoor enthusiasts, so bring family and friends for an incredibly scenic getaway.Find excitement with wake boarding and sailing or explore the shoreline’s 13 miles of fitness trails for hiking, running and biking. Black Butte is renowned for its warm-water fishing, including catches such as crappie, channel catfish, and large and smallmouth bass.Buckhorn has 93 campsites, including a group campground and five walk-in sites.
Verified facts
RIDB / Recreation.gov official databaseAmenities
RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verifiedStraight talk
CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reportsKnown issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.
Insider tips & when to go
CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entryBook early as this is a federal campground with high demand
Most sites have no hookups; confirm self-contained RV suitability before booking
Access via 12 miles west on County Road 200/Newville Road from I-5 at Orland exit
Campground operates year-round according to verified data
Things to do nearby
RIDB /activities /recareas + intelConditions today
LiveCell signal
FCC BDC · quarterly datasetFCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal. Best carrier: T-Mobile.
Wildlife nearby
iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 kmLocation
Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Getting there →
From Interstate 5, take the Black Butte Lake exit at Orland, CA. Travel west on County Road 200/Newville Road for 12 miles. Turn left on Buckhorn Road and enter the Buckhorn Recreation area.
Campground entrance
Google Maps APICommunity
#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)Pro tips
- Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Black Butte Lake fills fast in peak season.
- Check current road conditions at Black Butte Lake before arrival — seasonal closures common.
Frequently asked questions
RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakableHow much does Buckhorn cost per night?+
What season is Buckhorn open?+
Does Buckhorn have hookups?+
What is the maximum RV length at Buckhorn?+
How do I make reservations at Buckhorn?+
What is the cell service like at Buckhorn?+
What season is Buckhorn open, and what are check-in times?+
●Data sources on this page
CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.
Nearby Campgrounds
Own a campground nearby?
List free on CamperWatch — we take 5% only on bookings we send. No monthly fee.