Oak BottomNot published
The agency doesn't publish a low-water cutoff for this ramp, so we can't calculate its status from the lake level.
Ramp pageWhiskeytown Lake campgrounds and boat launches
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
Whiskeytown Lake is a separate, smaller lake about 10 miles west of Redding on Highway 299, run by the National Park Service as part of Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. It's kept at a much steadier level than Shasta, so the shoreline and launches don't move much through the year. You need a park entrance pass ($25 per vehicle for 7 days) on top of any camping fee. Camping ranges from Oak Bottom's 94 walk-in tent sites to small creekside tent camps and a horse camp.
Right now
Lake level 1208.9 ft (98.4% of capacity), read · California Data Exchange Center (gauge WHI).
- Oak BottomNot published
- Brandy CreekNot published
Of the 9 campgrounds on this lake: Open now: 9. Closed for the season: 0. Closed: 0.
What it's like
Oak Bottom, right off Highway 299 on the north shore, is the busy side: a tent campground with 94 walk-in sites (17 on the water, where you can moor a boat at your site), a 22-space RV campground with flush toilets, coin showers and a free dump station, and a boat launch with a separate kayak put-in.
Brandy Creek, on the south shore down Kennedy Memorial Drive, has 15 asphalt RV spaces above the marina and the lake's other launch. There are no restrooms or showers at the RV sites, but it has the best cell signal on the lake.
The rest are small: Peltier Bridge (nine tent sites on Clear Creek, open all year), Sheep Camp (four tent sites above Brandy Creek), Crystal Creek and Brandy Creek (two tent sites each), the Dry Creek group camp, and Horse Camp, the only one that takes horses.
Much of the park burned in the 2018 Carr Fire, and several campgrounds, Oak Bottom RV and Brandy Creek among them, still have little or no shade. None of them have hookups.
Campgrounds on the Whiskeytown Lake
| # | Campground | Type | Sites | Max rig | Hookups | Booking | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crystal Creek Campground | Tent only | 2 | Not published | Dry Camping (no hookups) | Recreation.gov | Apr 1 – Oct 31 |
| 2 | Sheep Camp | Tent only | 4 | 15 ft | Dry Camping (no hookups) | Recreation.gov | Apr 1 – Oct 31 |
| 3 | Oak Bottom RV Campground | RV only | 22 | 33 ft | Dry Camping (no hookups) | Direct with the operator | Open year-round |
| 4 | Oak Bottom Tent Campground | Tent only | 94 | Not published | Dry Camping (no hookups) | Direct with the operator | Open year-round |
| 5 | Brandy Creek Campground | Tent only | 2 | Not published | Dry Camping (no hookups) | Recreation.gov | Apr 1 – Oct 31 |
| 6 | Dry Creek Group Campground | Group site · Tent only | 2 | Not published | Dry Camping (no hookups) | Recreation.gov | Apr 1 – Oct 31 |
| 7 | Brandy Creek RV Campground | RV only | 15 | 35 ft | Dry Camping (no hookups) | Recreation.gov | Open year-round |
| 8 | Peltier Bridge Campground | Tent only | 9 | Not published | Dry Camping (no hookups) | Recreation.gov | Open year-round |
| 9 | Horse Camp | Equestrian | 2 | 25 ft | Dry Camping (no hookups) | Recreation.gov | Open year-round |
Numbers match the map above.
Boat launches on Whiskeytown Lake
Brandy CreekNot published
The agency doesn't publish a low-water cutoff for this ramp, so we can't calculate its status from the lake level.
Ramp pageWho it suits
- Tent campers who want the water: Oak Bottom's 17 shoreline sites.
- Paddlers and small boats: steady water and a separate kayak launch at Oak Bottom.
- Quick trips from Redding: about 20 minutes away.
- Horses: Horse Camp, two sites, open all year.
Not the best pick for: RVs over 35 ft or anyone who needs hookups. The Shasta Lake private parks are the better fit.
Getting there
Highway 299 west from Redding. Oak Bottom is a signed turnoff on the north shore. For Brandy Creek, turn left on Kennedy Memorial Drive about 10 miles from Redding and continue 5.6 miles. The park is cashless, so bring a card or buy the entrance pass online.
Questions people ask
Do you need a pass to camp at Whiskeytown Lake?
Yes. Whiskeytown is a National Park unit, so you need an entrance pass, $25 per private vehicle for 7 days, on top of the camping fee. The park is cashless.
Does Whiskeytown Lake have RV hookups?
No. Oak Bottom RV (22 spaces, rigs to about 33 ft) and Brandy Creek RV (15 spaces, rigs to 35 ft) are dry camping. Oak Bottom has a free dump station.
Where can you launch a boat at Whiskeytown Lake?
At Oak Bottom on the north shore, which also has a separate kayak and small-boat launch, and at Brandy Creek on the south shore.
Does Whiskeytown Lake drop like Shasta Lake?
Not much. Whiskeytown is kept at a far steadier level than Shasta, which is why the Park Service doesn't publish low-water cutoffs for its launches.
Can you camp with horses at Whiskeytown?
Yes, at Horse Camp: two sites, $20 a night, open all year and reservable on Recreation.gov.
More of the lake
Read next
Campground facts: USDA Forest Service, National Park Service, Recreation.gov and each park's own listing. Lake level: California Data Exchange Center. Map: CampSiteHQ, © OpenStreetMap contributors.