Hirz Bay

Shasta-Trinity National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: Lakehead, CA, CA

Price: From $30 per night

Price range: $30–$60 per night

Rating: 3.8 out of 5 (39 reviews)

Season: May through October

Hirz Bay Campground is nestled among Manzanita and oak trees on a hilltop overlooking the McCloud Arm of Shasta Lake. The scenic location offers a variety of recreational activities, including a nearby boat ramp for water sports and a hiking trail.The nearest boat launch is about 1 mile away at Hirz Bay. Resorts on the lake have watercraft rentals and marinas with fuel.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Flush Toilets, Drinking Water, Bear Boxes, Fishing, Boat Launch

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/hirz-bay to be notified when sites open up.

Hirz Bay offers scenic hilltop camping overlooking McCloud Arm of Shasta Lake with excellent recreational opportunities including boating, fishing, and hiking. Campers consistently praise clean flush toilets, spacious sites with shade, and convenient water access.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear present in area — bear boxes are essential. Also watch for Bald Eagles, Steller's Jays, and rattlesnakes (Striped Racer, Diadophis punctatus).

Insider tips for Hirz Bay: Site 27 is a double site with extra shade, two tables, and BBQ grill — request it if available. Bring insect repellent — yellow jackets are prevalent and campground has no control over them. Verify bear box is functional before setting up; actively use it for all food and coolers. Boat launch is approximately 1 mile away; watercraft rentals and fuel available at nearby lake resorts.

Skip Hirz Bay if: You need RV hookups — this campground has none and is suitable only for self-contained RVs.. You require year-round camping — seasonal operations May through October only..

Best time to visit Hirz Bay: May-October — Official operating season only. Peak visitation likely summer months; book early as noted for this federal campground..

Nearby campgrounds: Hirz Bay Group 1 (Lakehead, CA), Dekkas Rock (REDDING, CA), Moore Creek (Lakehead, CA), Hirz Mountain Lookout (REDDING, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Hirz Bay

Cell signal at Hirz Bay (Lakehead, CA): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

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.

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Shasta-Trinity National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Hirz Bay

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Lakehead, CA, CA★ 3.8 (39 reviews)From $30/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Hirz Bay Campground is nestled among Manzanita and oak trees on a hilltop overlooking the McCloud Arm of Shasta Lake. The scenic location offers a variety of recreational activities, including a nearby boat ramp for water sports and a hiking trail.The nearest boat launch is about 1 mile away at Hirz Bay. Resorts on the lake have watercraft rentals and marinas with fuel.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersFamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV50 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
PetsAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking WaterBoat Launch
Recreation
Picnic TablesBear Boxes
Family & Pets
Flush ToiletsFishing

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups — this campground has none and is suitable only for self-contained RVs.✕ You require year-round camping — seasonal operations May through October only.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Site 27 is a double site with extra shade, two tables, and BBQ grill

request it if available.

Bring insect repellent

yellow jackets are prevalent and campground has no control over them.

Verify bear box is functional before setting up; actively use it for all food and coolers.

Boat launch is approximately 1 mile away; watercraft rentals and fuel available at nearby lake resorts.

Best: May-October

Official operating season only. Peak visitation likely summer months; book early as noted for this federal campground.

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: American Black Bear present in area — bear boxes are essential. Also watch for Bald Eagles, Steller's Jays, and rattlesnakes (Striped Racer, Diadophis punctatus).

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
1111111111· Shasta-Trinity National Forest
Getting there →

From Redding, CA, remain on I-5 to Gilman Road. (From the north, take Salt Creek exit to Gilman Road). Take Gilman Road east for 11 miles to entrance of Hirz Bay.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Shasta-Trinity National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Shasta-Trinity National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Hirz Bay cost per night?+
Hirz Bay costs $30–$60 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Hirz Bay open?+
Hirz Bay is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Hirz Bay have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Hirz Bay?+
Hirz Bay can accommodate RVs up to 50 feet.
How do I make reservations at Hirz Bay?+
Hirz Bay is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Hirz Bay?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Hirz Bay is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Hirz Bay open, and what are check-in times?+
Hirz Bay is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Forest Service Concessionaire
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$30 /night★ 3.8 (39)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Hirz Bay cost per night?+
What season is Hirz Bay open?+
Does Hirz Bay have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Hirz Bay Group 1

Lakehead, CA

From $170/night

Dekkas Rock

REDDING, CA

From $170/night

Moore Creek

Lakehead, CA

From $140/night

Hirz Mountain Lookout

REDDING, CA

From $110/night

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