A white Tacoma with a camper shell parked on a rise above a broad, empty basin under building cloud.

Forest Service group campground

Carter Meadows Horse Group

Forest Service group campground in Klamath National Forest, Siskiyou County, California. 5,860 feet. 16.3 miles from Etna.

Managed by
Forest Service Klamath National Forest
Elevation
5,860 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
1 1 group equestrian
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov

Overview

The Carter Meadows Horse Group Campground lies at the southern edge of the Klamath National Forest on the South Fork of the Salmon River. Designed for large groups with horses, the camp's proximity to the Trinity Alps Wilderness and the Pacific Crest Trail makes the site popular with riders and hikers.

Recreation

The Carter Meadows Horse Group Site is adjacent to the Trinity Alps Wilderness and the Pacific Crest Trail. From this site, groups can ride to three trailheads that access several wilderness lakes and many miles of trails.

Fishing is available in nearby streams and wilderness lakes.

Facilities

The Carter Meadows Horse Group Site is designed for up to 25 people and 25 horses. It includes an area for dispersed tent or trailer camping and three sections of corrals of varying sizes: seven one-horse corrals, three 2-horse corrals and three 3-4 horse corrals.

The site also includes a gravel parking area, a gated entrance, a hitch rack and a mounting ramp.

Natural Features

The Klamath National Forest encompasses nearly 2 million acres of land straddling the California and Oregon border.

The Klamath is a vast array of mountains, streams and lakes and, at elevations ranging from 450 to 8,900 feet, is home to diverse plant life and nearly 400 animal species. The partially shaded campground sits at an altitude of 5,800 feet.

Nearby Attractions

A short drive away, the Carter Meadows Summit is accessible for day hikes along the Pacific Crest Trail to Hidden and South Fork Lakes.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • camping
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • horseback riding

The land around Carter Meadows Horse Group

The ringed pin is this group campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated February 25, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.