Hirz Bay Boat Ramp
McCloud Arm · Shasta Lake
The lake is at 980.7 ft, 8.7 ft above this ramp's 972 ft floor. 2 of 3 lanes are usable at this level. That's close to the floor, so read the posted notices before you tow.
Lake level 980.7 ft, read · California Data Exchange Center (gauge SHA)
53.5% of capacity · 86.3 ft below full pool
Status recalculated hourly from the lake level, the agency's usable range and any closure order. Checked .
Live data updated
Hirz Bay is the public ramp for the McCloud Arm, about 9 miles up Gilman Road from I-5 exit 698. It runs three lanes down to 992 ft and two lanes down to 972 ft, with a courtesy dock, 61 lighted parking spaces and flush toilets, but no drinking water. Hirz Bay campground is next door, and the Greens Creek boat-in campground is up the arm.
Weather, alerts and fire activity near the ramp
From the forecast point at Hirz Bay 2 Group Campground, 0.2 mi from the ramp. Each item carries the timestamp its source published.
Active weather alerts
No active National Weather Service alert covers Hirz Bay 2 Group Campground right now.
Forecast
Forecast: National Weather Service · issued Pacific
Fire activity within 45 miles
Gulch Fire38.3 miles away
5 acres
Updated Oct 2, 4:08 PM Pacific
Published · CAL FIRE
Fire restrictions
Campfire and stove rules change through the season. Read the current forest order before you pack a fire pan — we link it rather than paraphrase it.
Published · USDA Forest Service, Shasta-Trinity alert: 2026 fire restrictions lifted
Road work on the way in
I-5 · Route 5 to O'Brien Rest Area - Northbound
Full · Rest Area Closure · All lane(s) — Active now (Pacific)
I-5 · 1.1 mi south of Antlers Rd (Lakehead) to Lakeshore Dr/Antlers Rd
Lane · Bridge Work · 1, 2 lane(s) — Oct 5, 5:01 AM – Oct 10, 5:01 PM (Pacific)
I-5 · 1.1 mi south of Antlers Rd (Lakehead) to Lakeshore Dr/Antlers Rd
Lane · Bridge Inspection · 2 lane(s) — Oct 5, 5:01 AM – Oct 9, 3:01 PM (Pacific)
I-5 · 0.8 mi south of Gilman Rd to 0.9 mi south of Turntable Bay Rd
Lane · Guardrail Repair · 2 lane(s) — Oct 6, 8:01 AM – Oct 6, 2:30 PM (Pacific)
I-5 · 0.8 mi south of Gilman Rd to 0.9 mi south of Turntable Bay Rd
Lane · Guardrail Repair · 2 lane(s) — Oct 6, 8:01 AM – Oct 6, 2:30 PM (Pacific)
I-5 · Packers Bay SB On to Turntable Bay Rd SB On
Lane · Guardrail Repair · 2 lane(s) — Oct 7, 8:01 AM – Oct 7, 2:30 PM (Pacific)
Source: Caltrans. County roads (e.g. Gilman Rd, Lakeshore Dr) aren't covered by this feed.
Lanes as the lake drops
| Lanes | Usable while the lake is at or above | Drop from full | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 992 ft | 75 ft below full | |
| 2Now | 972 ft | 95 ft below full |
Ramp facts
- Usable down to
- 972 ft
- Lanes now
- 2 of 3
- Parking
- 61 spaces
- Launch fee
- $18 per vehicle per day on the USFS ramp page. Recreation.gov quotes $17 on the Ellery Creek and Hirz Bay pages and $16 on the Moore Creek page.
- Restrooms and water
- 61 paved lighted parking spaces, courtesy dock, flush toilets. No potable water.
- Getting there
- I-5 exit 698 Salt Creek/Gilman Road, then about 9 miles east on Gilman Road. 20 miles northeast of Redding.
Where sources disagree
USFS describes it as open year round to 95 ft of drawdown. Fee figures differ across USFS and Recreation.gov pages.
40.86311, -122.25474 · Driving directions
Campgrounds near this ramp
- Hirz Bay 2 Group Campground · 0.2 mi
- Hirz Bay 1 Group Campground · 0.4 mi
- Hirz Bay Campground · 0.4 mi
- Dekkas Rock Group Campground · 1.3 mi
- Moore Creek Campground · 2.4 mi
Other ramps on Shasta Lake
- Centimudi · Open
- Jones Valley · Open
- Sugarloaf · Open
- Packers Bay · Open
- Antlers · Closed
- Bailey Cove · Closed
Questions people ask
Is the Hirz Bay boat ramp open?
Open as of October 3, 2026 at 10:00 PM. The lake is at 980.7 ft, 8.7 ft above this ramp's 972 ft floor. 2 of 3 lanes are usable at this level. That's close to the floor, so read the posted notices before you tow.
What lake level does the Hirz Bay ramp need?
It's usable down to 972 ft, 95 ft below full pool. Lanes: 3 lanes down to 992 ft and 2 down to 972 ft.
How much does it cost to launch at Hirz Bay?
$18 per vehicle per day on the USFS ramp page. Recreation.gov quotes $17 on the Ellery Creek and Hirz Bay pages and $16 on the Moore Creek page.
How do you get to the Hirz Bay boat ramp?
I-5 exit 698 Salt Creek/Gilman Road, then about 9 miles east on Gilman Road. 20 miles northeast of Redding.
Does the Hirz Bay ramp have restrooms and water?
61 paved lighted parking spaces, courtesy dock, flush toilets. No potable water.
Plan the launch
Sources: USDA Forest Service ramp page. Lake level: California Data Exchange Center.