Patterson Guard Station

Modoc National Forest — lakeside, hiking

Location: Alturas, CA, CA

Price: From $75 per night

Rating: 4 out of 5 (6 reviews)

Season: May through October

*Altitude is 7,080 feet above sea level* Set on the edge of a meadow surrounded by Aspen, Fir and Pine trees, Patterson Guard Station has stood since 1921. It served the Modoc National Forest as a fully staffed fire office and guard station until 1981. Just a few footsteps from the Summit Trail and one-quarter mile from the wilderness boundary, Patterson Guard Station can be your basecamp for trips into the South Warner Wilderness or the perfect place to disconnect and relax.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Drinking Water, Camp Host, Boat Launch, Firewood for Sale

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

Set on the edge of a meadow surrounded by Aspen, Fir and Pine trees at 7,080 feet elevation, Patterson Guard Station offers a quiet basecamp for wilderness trips into South Warner or a place to disconnect. One reviewer called it charming, relaxing, and perfectly quiet with no cell phone service.

Wildlife alert: Mule Deer, Belding's Ground Squirrel, Northern Red-shafted Flicker, and Townsend's Solitaire documented in the area

Insider tips for Patterson Guard Station: Book early as this is a federal campground with only 1 tent site Located just a few footsteps from Summit Trail and one-quarter mile from South Warner Wilderness boundary Firewood available for sale on-site

Skip Patterson Guard Station if: You need hookups — no hookups available. You require cell phone service — no service in area. You're visiting outside May-October — campground is seasonal.

Best time to visit Patterson Guard Station: May-October — Seasonal operations run May through October only.

Nearby campgrounds: Blue Lake Campground Group Site - Modoc Nf (Ca) (CEDARVILLE, CA), Aspen Grove Campground (Ca) (Susanville, CA), West Eagle Campground (Susanville, CA), Christie Campground (SUSANVILLE, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Patterson Guard Station

Cell signal at Patterson Guard Station (Alturas, 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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CamperWatch›CA›Patterson Guard Station
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Modoc National Forest — lakeside, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Patterson Guard Station

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Alturas, CA, CA★ 4 (6 reviews)From $75/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

*Altitude is 7,080 feet above sea level* Set on the edge of a meadow surrounded by Aspen, Fir and Pine trees, Patterson Guard Station has stood since 1921. It served the Modoc National Forest as a fully staffed fire office and guard station until 1981. Just a few footsteps from the Summit Trail and one-quarter mile from the wilderness boundary, Patterson Guard Station can be your basecamp for trips into the South Warner Wilderness or the perfect place to disconnect and relax.

Best for:HikersFamiliesBackpackersSites:Tent
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
HookupsNo hookups.
ToiletsVault toilets
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsCamp Host
Recreation
Picnic TablesBoat Launch
Family & Pets
Drinking WaterFirewood for Sale

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 hookups — no hookups available✕ You require cell phone service — no service in area✕ You're visiting outside May-October — campground is seasonal

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early as this is a federal campground with only 1 tent site

Located just a few footsteps from Summit Trail and one-quarter mile from South Warner Wilderness boundary

Firewood available for sale on-site

Best: May-October

Seasonal operations run May through October only

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: Mule Deer, Belding's Ground Squirrel, Northern Red-shafted Flicker, and Townsend's Solitaire documented in the area

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
530-233-5811· Modoc National Forest
Getting there →

From Alturas, California, travel South on U.S. Highway 395 for 18 miles to the town of Likely and Turn left (East) onto County Rd 64. Continue for 9 miles toward Jess Valley and stay right at the fork toward Blue Lake (Blue Lake Road), this road is not maintained for winter travel . The pavement ends in approximately 6.5 miles, and the road becomes Forest Road 39N01 (South Warner Road). Continue 7.5 miles and turn left (North) at the sign for Patterson Campground (Forest Road 39N28), stay left t

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 — Modoc National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Modoc National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Patterson Guard Station cost per night?+
Patterson Guard Station costs $75 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Patterson Guard Station open?+
Patterson Guard Station is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Patterson Guard Station have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Patterson Guard Station?+
Patterson Guard Station is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Patterson Guard Station?+
Patterson Guard Station 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 Patterson Guard Station?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Patterson Guard Station is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Patterson Guard Station open, and what are check-in times?+
Patterson Guard Station is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
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●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.

$75 /night★ 4 (6)
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 Patterson Guard Station cost per night?+
What season is Patterson Guard Station open?+
Does Patterson Guard Station have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Blue Lake Campground Group Site - Modoc Nf (Ca)

CEDARVILLE, CA

From $70/night

Aspen Grove Campground (Ca)

Susanville, CA

From $28/night

West Eagle Campground

Susanville, CA

From $140/night

Christie Campground

SUSANVILLE, CA

From $28/night

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