Penny Pines Campground

Federal campground in Mendocino National Forest

Location: Upper Lake , CA, CA

Price: From $6 per night

Rating: 4 out of 5 (0 reviews)

Season: May through October

This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site. Once on-site, you are able to pay for your campsite(s) by scanning a QR code using the Recreation.gov mobile app, and the Scan and Pay feature.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Restrooms

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

Penny Pines offers affordable camping at $6/night with excellent access to off-highway vehicle trails and forest roads. Google reviewers consistently praise it as an awesome spot for dirt biking, ATVing, and family camping, with beautiful surrounding forest and multiple trail options.

Wildlife alert: Fisher, Wild Turkey, Steller's Jay, California Quail, Band-tailed Pigeon, Ringneck Snake, Garter Snakes, and Western Pond Turtle present in the area.

Insider tips for Penny Pines Campground: Download the Recreation.gov mobile app before arrival to use Scan and Pay feature for on-site payment. This is first-come, first-served only — arrive early to secure a site. Forest roads connect to Indian Valley and Stonyford areas for extended riding exploration.

Skip Penny Pines Campground if: You need RV hookups — no hookups available at sites.. You prefer guaranteed reservations — first-come, first-served basis only.. You're visiting outside May-October — seasonal operations only..

Best time to visit Penny Pines Campground: May-June — Early summer features a creek flowing through the campground and beautiful conditions per camper reviews.. May-October — Official operating season for the campground..

Nearby campgrounds: Deer Valley Campground (Upper Lake, CA), Pine Mountain Lookout (UPPER LAKE , CA), Letts Lake Campground (Stonyford, CA), Mill Valley Campground (Stonyford, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Penny Pines Campground

Cell signal at Penny Pines Campground (Upper Lake , 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.

CamperWatch
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Federal campground in Mendocino National ForestLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Penny Pines Campground

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Upper Lake , CA, CA★ 4 (0 reviews)From $6/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site. Once on-site, you are able to pay for your campsite(s) by scanning a QR code using the Recreation.gov mobile app, and the Scan and Pay feature.

Best for:FamiliesSites: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.
Pull-throughsAvailable
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Restrooms

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 — no hookups available at sites.✕ You prefer guaranteed reservations — first-come, first-served basis only.✕ You're visiting outside May-October — seasonal operations only.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Download the Recreation.gov mobile app before arrival to use Scan and Pay feature for on-site payment.

This is first-come, first-served only

arrive early to secure a site.

Forest roads connect to Indian Valley and Stonyford areas for extended riding exploration.

Best: May-June

Early summer features a creek flowing through the campground and beautiful conditions per camper reviews.

Best: May-October

Official operating season for the 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: Fisher, Wild Turkey, Steller's Jay, California Quail, Band-tailed Pigeon, Ringneck Snake, Garter Snakes, and Western Pond Turtle present in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
(707) 275-2361· Mendocino National Forest

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

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Penny Pines Campground cost per night?+
Penny Pines Campground costs $6 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Penny Pines Campground open?+
Penny Pines Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Penny Pines Campground have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Penny Pines Campground?+
Penny Pines Campground is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Penny Pines Campground?+
Penny Pines Campground 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 Penny Pines Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Penny Pines Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Penny Pines Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Penny Pines Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Penny Pines Campground WebpageMendocino National Forest on Facebook
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.

$6 /night★ 4 (0)
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 Penny Pines Campground cost per night?+
What season is Penny Pines Campground open?+
Does Penny Pines Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Deer Valley Campground

Upper Lake, CA

From $6/night

Pine Mountain Lookout

UPPER LAKE , CA

From $50/night

Letts Lake Campground

Stonyford, CA

From $6/night

Mill Valley Campground

Stonyford, CA

From $5/night

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