Campsite for booking · Chester

Butte Lake

via Recreation.gov Mineral, CA, Chester, California, United States

Overview

Pitches
79
Pitch types
caravan, motorhome, tent
Season
Not stated: check on Recreation.gov
Check-in / out
13:00 / 12:00

Facilities

  • Dogs allowedListed by Recreation.gov
  • Hardstanding pitchesListed by Recreation.gov

Policies

PetsYes
SmokingNot stated: check on Recreation.gov
Instant bookingNot stated: check on Recreation.gov
CancellationNot stated: check on Recreation.gov

About this campsite

Overview

Butte Lake Campground (elevation 6,100 feet) is located in the northeastern section of Lassen Volcanic National Park in northern California. It is fairly remote and within walking distance of Butte Lake, which is popular for fishing, canoeing, kayaking and swimming. Several hiking and backpacking trails are located nearby. The facility is 45 minutes from the main park road. Recreation

Outdoor enthusiasts stay at Butte Lake Campground for its many recreation opportunities. The lake is popular for trout fishing, as well as non-motorized boating. Within the facility, hikers and backpackers will find the trailhead for the Cinder Cone Trail, one of the most popular trails in the park that ascends a nearby volcanic dome. The Painted Dunes, Snag Lake and Bathtub Lake areas are also nearby. Facilities

This facility is more remote than other campgrounds within the park. Campers must travel on a six-mile gravel road to access the facility. For more information visit Campgrounds of Lassen Volcanic .

A non-motorized boat launch is convenient for kayaks and canoes. Flush toilets and running water are turned on during summer; vault toilets are available outside of the peak season. Natural Features

The campground has a pleasant atmosphere dominated by Ponderosa pines. It sits on soft volcanic soils, and several ponds dot the landscape. Butte Lake has a large black lava flow running into it, creating rocky shores and interesting views for visitors in kayaks and canoes to explore.

The national park is known for its volcanic history, as well as its diversity of plants and animals. It contains 300 active volcanic domes and many hydrothermal features, such as mud pots and steam vents. Lassen Peak is the southernmost active volcano in the Cascades, and the second most recent volcano to erupt in the lower 48 of the United States before Mount Saint Helens.

Lassen National Park boasts over 700 species of flowering plants and 250 species of vertebrates, including birds, mammals, reptiles and fish. The park is at the junction of the Cascade Mountains, the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Great Basin, thus providing many unique habitats. Nearby Attractions

Visitors can explore Subway Cave, an underground lava tube, in the adjacent Lassen National Forest from late April through November. Free tours are offered every weekend during summer.

Subway Cave, Lassen National Forest

Managed by a US federal agency. Data source: ridb.recreation.gov.

Description supplied by Recreation.gov.

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Where you can stay nearby

Campsites, aires and parking within 30 km, from OpenStreetMap.

  1. Butte Lake Campground
    Campground · Chester, California
    30 m from the pick-up area
  2. Butte Creek USDA Campground
    Campground · Chester, California · Free
    5.2 km from the pick-up area
  3. Campsite near Chester
    Campground · Chester, California
    11 km from the pick-up area
  4. Juniper Lake Campground
    Campground · Chester, California
    13 km from the pick-up area

Nearest dump station and water

  1. Service point near Shingletown
    RV dump station · Shingletown, California · PaidWaste
    22 km from the pick-up area
  2. Larkin Road Boat Launch
    Water fill station · Thermalito, CaliforniaWater
    125 km from the pick-up area
Pick-up10 kmPlot of OpenStreetMap data
Map of 6 places to stay near Butte Lake. CampsiteFull map

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Data: Recreation.gov (RIDB), from ridb.recreation.gov, last updated 13 October 2026. Federal agencies provide this data and are responsible for it; it may be incomplete. Not endorsed by Recreation.gov or the U.S. Government. About this data. Places data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

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