A gravel road curving into a high mountain valley at first light, the peaks catching the sun.

Forest Service campground

Fowlers Campground

Forest Service campground in Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Siskiyou County, California. 3,286 feet. 12.9 miles from Dunsmuir.

Managed by
Forest Service Shasta-Trinity National Forest
Elevation
3,286 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
36 36 standard non-electric
Longest rig
59 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov

Overview

Fowlers Campground is located on the Upper McCloud River five miles east of McCloud, California. The campground is nestled in a mixed conifer and oak woodland. The campground offers paved parking spurs, running water and vault restrooms.

Recreation

A river-side trail from the campground provides access to the falls. It is approximately three miles round trip to see all three. Swimming and fishing are other popular activities. This section of river has no special restrictions for fishing. The McCloud River Loop, a paved road approximately 10 miles in length provides access to the Middle Falls and Upper Falls parking lots and overlooks if you do not wish to hike the trail.

Facilities

The campground has 35 regular campsites and two double campsites with tables, fire-rings, vault toilets and piped drinking water. Some sites are equipped with bear resistant food storage lockers. Sites are suitable for tents and mid-sized RVs or trailers. Large RVs are not recommended. Campground is typically staffed with a resident host.

Natural Features

Fowlers Campground is located on the eastside of majestic Mt. Shasta (14,179 foot summit) at an elevation of 3,300 feet. This area is at the southern tip of the Cascade Mountain Range. The area hosts abundant botanical and wildlife species. This campground is mostly known for the nearby McCloud River waterfalls. The McCloud Falls can be accessed via the McCloud River Trail or by road. The waterfalls vary in height from 15 to 50 feet.

Nearby Attractions

The Lower, Middle and Upper McCloud water falls, Lakin Dam Fishing Area, Cattle Camp Swimming Hole, McCloud Reservoir, Medicine Lake Highlands and the towns of McCloud (10 mins.) and Mt. Shasta (20 mins.) are nearby.

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

What people do here

  • biking
  • birding
  • camping
  • day use area
  • fishing
  • mountain biking
  • picnicking
  • snowshoeing
  • swimming site

The land around Fowlers Campground

The ringed pin is this 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.