A dark green Toyota pickup with a roof tent parked in tall dry grass as mist closes in.

National Park Service group campground

DRY CREEK GROUP CAMPGROUND (Whiskeytown NRA)

National Park Service group campground in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, Shasta County, California. 1,242 feet. 11.1 miles from Shasta Lake.

Managed by
National Park Service Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
Elevation
1,242 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
2 2 group tent only area non-electric
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Shasta County

Overview

This tent-only group campground is located on the southern shore of Whiskeytown Lake in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, 14 miles west of Redding, California and three hours north of Sacramento. The cool, clear waters of Whiskeytown Lake provide endless water activities. The picturesque mountain setting and extensive forested backcountry offer ample opportunities for hiking and biking.

Recreation

During the summer heat, swimming, kayaking, sailing, paddle boarding and water skiing are popular on the 3,200 acre lake. Year round, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, gold panning, fishing and picknicking attract visitors. Boats may be launched at nearby Brandy Creek Marina and moored at the campground.

Facilities

There are two spacious tent-only sites available at Dry Creek. Each site contains two large serving tables, numerous picnic tables, small and large charcoal barbecue grills, a cleared fire pit area, bear-proof storage lockers, vault toilets and drinking water.

Natural Features

Dry Creek Group Campground affords beautiful lake-side views and a canopy of conifer, oak and maple trees, which offer pleasant shade for campers. Whiskeytown Lake is located where the Klamath Mountains, Cascade and Coast Mountain Ranges, and the Sacramento Valley meet, creating a wide variety of wildlife and landscapes.

Nearby Attractions

Brandy Creek Beach is located one mile from the campground and features sandy beaches and a large swimming area. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, there are showers, a store with food and supplies and rentals of paddleboards and kayaks. The trailhead for Brandy Creek Falls is located four miles away.

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

What people do here

  • birding
  • boating
  • camping
  • canoeing
  • fishing
  • gold panning
  • hiking
  • horseback riding
  • hunting
  • kayaking
  • mountain biking
  • sailing
  • scuba diving
  • swimming
  • water access
  • water activities
  • water skiing
  • wildlife viewing
  • windsurfing

The land around DRY CREEK GROUP CAMPGROUND (Whiskeytown NRA)

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.