Free Camping at Oroville Wildlife Area
We stumbled across free camping at Oroville Wildlife Area as we began our journey south from Lassen Volcanic National Park. We just spent an incredible few weeks camping near Lassen and exploring the amazing unique volcanic features throughout the national park. Then, it was late September, we got six inches of snow overnight! We went from no snow, to
six inches.. that’s when we knew it was time to hit the road and head south!
As we were heading south, we didn’t know of any great boondocking areas. But before making it all the way to Sacramento, we looked on Freecampsites.net and found free camping at Oroville Wildlife Area. We thought Wildlife Area sounded good, so we decided to check it out. We had no idea what to expect but luckily a review on Freecampsites.net gave us a heads up that we would need a permit for camping there.
So beforehand, we stopped at the Oroville California Highway Patrol office to get the mandatory camping permit. The permit was free in exchange for your soul. Just kidding! To get the permit, they required copies of:
- the ID’s of everyone who will be camping
- proof of insurance
- vehicle (and RV/trailer) registration
The permit for camping at Oroville Wildlife Area is valid for 7 days and is limited to 14 days per calendar year.
Quick Info:
Ownership: Fish and Wildlife Service
Directions: From Oroville, turn right onto Grand Avenue and then turn left onto the CA-70 S ramp. Take exit 46, then turn right onto State Highway 162 W for 1.8 miles. Turn left onto Larkin Road for 3.4 miles. Turn left, then right and you will see the numbered spots on the concrete slabs.
Solar: Good, all of the spots are out in the open with the exception of one shady spot under a tree. Also note, the camping spots are very close together so shade from a neighbors trailer could limit your solar. Yes, that’s what happened to us.
Cell Service: Yes
Miles From Town: About 7
Water: No drinking water available but the spots overlook the river.
Road Conditions: Paved except for the last 200 feet is gravel.
Know Before You Go: No fires allowed while camping at Oroville Wildlife Area.
Amenities: Two vault toilets and a dumpster
Our Experience Camping at Oroville Wildlife Area
First, we’ll start with a quick run down of what to expect when you arrive. There are 8 camp spots that are on designated level concrete pads. One of the spots is by the restroom and dumpster. Another is separated and is located under a big shady tree. The other six spots share a concrete area with dividing lines.
When we arrived, there was only one tent camper here and by the time we left there were four other campers besides us. We chose a spot at the edge of the large concrete pad, mostly because we needed solar.
The concrete pads are located at the edge of a large gravel parking area with a view of the river below. There is a boat launch nearby and it is heavily trafficked! There is also a nice rope swing near the boat ramp.
By the campspots, there is a dumpster and two vault toilets that were relatively nice and seemed to be maintained regularly. There was a lot of traffic – primarily fishermen using the boat launch. This seems like a very popular fishing spot.
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While we were camping at Oroville Wildlife Area, we walked around to check out the area. We found several marshy swamps and gravel roads throughout the Wildlife Area. There is a shooting range nearby. Other activities to do include hunting, fishing, boating, swimming and bird watching.
There were some interesting people here to put it nicely and the setting was much different than our usual boondocking experiences. But it was a good place to stay for a couple nights. The river was pretty and the weather was good – no snow! Oroville Wildlife Area is also a convenient drive away from town if you need supplies.
Worth noting – there are regular security patrols, several times a day. We saw a sheriff and CHP doing rounds also. And once during our stay, a government worker came by checking camp permits and license plates. After spending time camping at Oroville Wildlife Area, we understood the need for the permit process as well as the regular rounds of security.
All in all, this was a nice facility that provides a place to camp for free near the river. We didn’t stay long but it was useful having the camping option here!
Thanks for Reading
We are usually boondocking on public land, seemingly in the middle of nowhere with noone around. If you’d like to see some great free camping places like that, check out the articles below:
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