Southwest Campground - Summer/Fall
The Quick Take
Southwest is the campground equivalent of a highway rest stop that happens to sit next to a volcano -- and that's not entirely a knock. Parked right beside the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center, this is Lassen's most accessible camping option, with a paved walkway connecting walk-in tent sites to the parking area. The trade-off is exactly what you'd expect: convenience over atmosphere. You're steps from the visitor center's exhibits, Wi-Fi, and potable water, but you won't mistake this for backcountry solitude. The parking lot sites are genuinely just that -- medians between parking islands where self-contained rigs can overnight. At sixteen bucks a night with no reservation needed, it's the cheapest bed in the park and the only year-round option. Choose Southwest if you're rolling in late, passing through, or want a base camp near the park's southwest trailheads without fussing over reservations.
Booking
Reserve Your Campsite
35 sites, first-come first-served.
What You Get
Sites & Setup
RV Information
RVs allowed. No electrical hookups.
Accessibility
Accessible restrooms available. Walk-in tent sites are not wheelchair accessible; they are accessed via uneven gravel path from parking area. Self-contained vehicle sites are located on a flat, paved parking lot. Campground restroom/water facilities and Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center from parking lot is wheelchair accessible. Paved Roads - All vehicles OK
Pro Tips
Sites fill by early afternoon on summer weekends, but midweek you can usually roll in after lunch and grab a walk-in spot. Arrive before noon on Fridays if you want a pick of tent sites rather than whatever's left near the parking lot edge.
The Brokeoff Mountain trailhead is practically in your backyard here -- it's one of Lassen's best summit hikes with far fewer crowds than the Lassen Peak trail. Start early from camp and you can bag the peak before the afternoon thunderstorms roll in.
There are no showers, no camp store, and no firewood for sale on site. Stock up in the town of Mineral about fifteen minutes south of the entrance, and bring layers -- even in July, nights at this elevation drop into the low forties.
Photos
NPS Photo
NPS Photo
NPS PhotoGetting There
Directions
Campground is adjacent to the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center Parking Area, which is located one mile from the Southwest Entrance.
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