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Southwest Campground in California
Hard to BookNational Park

Southwest Campground

Lassen Volcanic National Park, California

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As of October 2026, Southwest Campground is a campground in Lassen Volcanic National Park, California with 37 campsites. Southwest Campground is booked through Recreation.gov.

  • PermitSnag checks Southwest Campground for availability and tells alert holders when a site opens up.
  • Southwest Campground is located at 40.4367ยฐ N, 121.5325ยฐ W.

Southwest Campground reservations and next available dates

October 2026

open, tap to book on Recreation.govsold outin your alert

Campsites at Southwest Campground

Amenities

  • restrooms
  • potable water
  • dump station

At a glance: Setting: Mountain.

Things to do: fishing, hiking, wildlife.

About Southwest Campground

Overview

The Southwest Campground (elevation 6700FT.) is a first come first serve campground. It has 20 walk-in tent sites and 5 RV sites located in the parking lot adjacent to the campground. It is located within walking distance to the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center.

Recreation

The park boasts more than 150 miles of hiking trails, a variety of which can be accessed from the campground, including family-friendly hikes as well as those for more experienced hikers

Facilities

Restrooms with running water and flush toilets are available 24/7 in the Visitor Center vestibule. Public WiFi is available around the Visitor Center. The park's dump station is located 30 miles north of Southwest Campground, at Manzanita Lake (additional fees apply).

Natural Features

The national park is known for its volcanic history, as well as its diversity of plants and animals. It contains 300 active volcanic domes, as well as 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 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 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

Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center

Mill Creek Falls Trail

Brokeoff Mountain Trail (1/2 mile south on Hwy 89)

Sulphur Works (1 mile north on Hwy 89)

Rules and notices at Southwest Campground

Recreation.gov does not date these notices. We last read them on September 29, 2026. Check Southwest Campground on Recreation.gov

Notices from Recreation.gov

The Southwest Campground is a first-come first-serve campground. It has 19 walk-in tent sites, and 10 RV sites located in the adjacent parking lot. All payments must be made through the Scan & Pay system. You must download the recreation.gov app in order to use the Scan & Pay system. It is highly recommended that you download the app prior to coming to the park as connectivity can be limited. The Scan & Pay QR code located at the campground can be used with or without connectivity.

Be bear aware; food and scented products must be stored in the bear lockers provided at each campsite.

Pets must be leashed (no longer than 6ft) at all times, are not allowed on hiking trails, and should never be left unattended. Pets are not allowed on snow and must stay on paved surfaces only.

There are no electricity, water, or sewer hookups.

Campsites are limited to 2 tents, 6 people, and 2 vehicles per site.

Parking Lot sites are limited to self-contained RV's, trailers, vehicles, or other camping units. Tents or other camping structures are not allowed to be set up in the parking lot.

An entrance fee of $30 per vehicle is required. We highly recommend purchasing a digital pass through Rec.gov

Don't Move Firewood: Help protect our forests! Prevent the spread of tree-killing pests by obtaining firewood at or near your destination and burning it on-site. Moving firewood is illegal in some states. Visit dontmovefirewood.org to learn more.

Sites 2 and 3 at the Southwest Campground are ADA sites only. A Handicap Permit is required to use these two sites.

Southwest Campground FAQ

How hard is it to get a campsite at Southwest Campground?

Southwest Campground is rated "Hard to Book" based on historical demand. This campground is popular and often books out weeks in advance. Your best strategy is to monitor cancellations.

How do I find last-minute availability at Southwest Campground?

Cancellations happen frequently at Southwest Campground, especially 1-2 weeks before check-in dates. PermitSnag monitors availability 24/7 and sends instant alerts when sites open up due to cancellations. This is often the best way to snag popular campsites.

How many campsites does Southwest Campground have?

Southwest Campground has 37 campsites.

More campgrounds in Lassen Volcanic National Park

Same forest, same drive. Set an alert on any of them alongside this one.

All 14 Lassen Volcanic National Park campgrounds

Campgrounds

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