Summit Lake South

Lassen Volcanic National Park — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: MINERAL, CA, CA

Price: From $15 per night

Rating: 4.2 out of 5 (186 reviews)

Season: May through October

Summit Lake South Campground (elevation 6,700 ft.) is conveniently located on the main road of Lassen Volcanic National Park. The campground is within walking distance of the small but scenic Summit Lake and eight miles from the 10,457-ft. Lassen Peak, the largest volcano in the park.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water, Fishing

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

Summit Lake South offers scenic lakeside camping at 6,700 ft elevation within Lassen Volcanic National Park, with direct access to major hiking trails and views of Lassen Peak. Google reviewers praise the clean facilities, quieter atmosphere compared to North campground, and excellent stargazing opportunities.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear, Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Mule Deer, North American Porcupine, Sooty Grouse, Clark's Nutcracker, and Common Garter Snake verified in the area. Campers report persistent wildlife accessing firepits, bear lockers, tables, and vehicles—secure all food and supplies.

Insider tips for Summit Lake South: Book early—this is a popular federal campground with high demand Request D loop or other spacious layouts for better site separation Short walk to Summit Lake for fishing and swimming access Plan hiking trips to the major trailhead 1/4-mile away or Lassen Peak eight miles distant

Skip Summit Lake South if: You need RV hookups—no hookups available; only suitable for self-contained RVs. You prefer isolated camping—campsites are close together with potential for noisy neighbors. You're traveling outside May-October—seasonal operations only.

Best time to visit Summit Lake South: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October per verified schedule.

Nearby campgrounds: Summit Lake North (MINERAL, CA), Warner Valley Campground (Chester, CA), Southwest Campground (CA), Lost Creek Group (MINERAL, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Summit Lake South

Cell signal at Summit Lake South (MINERAL, 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›CA›Summit Lake South
Summit Lake South — photo 1
Summit Lake South — photo 2
Summit Lake South — photo 3
Lassen Volcanic National Park — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Summit Lake South

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MINERAL, CA, CA★ 4.2 (186 reviews)From $15/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Summit Lake South Campground (elevation 6,700 ft.) is conveniently located on the main road of Lassen Volcanic National Park. The campground is within walking distance of the small but scenic Summit Lake and eight miles from the 10,457-ft. Lassen Peak, the largest volcano in the park.

Best for:AnglersHikersFamiliesSites: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 RV59 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic TablesFishing
Family & Pets
Vault Toilets

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; only suitable for self-contained RVs✕ You prefer isolated camping—campsites are close together with potential for noisy neighbors✕ You're traveling outside May-October—seasonal operations only

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a popular federal campground with high demand

Request D loop or other spacious layouts for better site separation

Short walk to Summit Lake for fishing and swimming access

Plan hiking trips to the major trailhead 1/4-mile away or Lassen Peak eight miles distant

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October per verified schedule

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, Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Mule Deer, North American Porcupine, Sooty Grouse, Clark's Nutcracker, and Common Garter Snake verified in the area. Campers report persistent wildlife accessing firepits, bear lockers, tables, and vehicles—secure all food and supplies.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
530 595-6121· Lassen Volcanic National Park
Getting there →

From Redding, California take State Highway 44 east approximately 48 miles to the Manzanita Lake entrance of the park. The campground is 14 miles south of the entrance on the main park road.

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 — Lassen Volcanic National Park fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Lassen Volcanic National Park before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Summit Lake South cost per night?+
Summit Lake South costs $15 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Summit Lake South open?+
Summit Lake South is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Summit Lake South have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Summit Lake South?+
Summit Lake South can accommodate RVs up to 59 feet.
How do I make reservations at Summit Lake South?+
Summit Lake South 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 Summit Lake South?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Summit Lake South is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Summit Lake South open, and what are check-in times?+
Summit Lake South is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Print Facility Map
●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.

$15 /night★ 4.2 (186)
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 Summit Lake South cost per night?+
What season is Summit Lake South open?+
Does Summit Lake South have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

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