Closed
— Closed for the winter season. Operates pack-in/pack-out with no facilities or fees from mid-September through mid-May. Reopens mid-May with trash service and portable restrooms.
About
Beehive Dispersed Camping and Day Use Area sits on the Sacramento River Arm of Shasta Lake at 1,067 feet elevation within the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. This shoreline area operates without designated campsites, allowing visitors to choose their own spots along the lakeshore. The area is popular for water-based recreation including water skiing, jet skiing, and fishing for trout, catfish, Chinook salmon, crappie, bluegill, white sturgeon, brown bullhead, and bass.
During the operating season (typically mid-May through mid-September), the area provides trash service and portable restrooms on a first-come, first-served basis. Visitors can pay via the Recreation.gov app's Scan & Pay option or use the on-site iron ranger with cash or check. You must physically be at the campground to purchase and claim a spot, and occupancy must begin the day of payment.
In winter months (mid-September to mid-May), the area remains accessible but operates as true dispersed camping with no facilities, no fees, and pack-in/pack-out requirements. Informal mooring is allowed when water levels are sufficient. A public boat ramp is located approximately 1 mile away at Sugarloaf, though availability depends on lake levels. The surrounding landscape features steep mountains covered in manzanita and evergreens, with Mount Shasta visible in the distance.
Directions
From I-5 northbound, exit at Lakeshore Drive/Antlers Road in Lakehead, approximately 25 miles north of Redding. Turn left at the stop sign from the ramp, then left on Lakeshore Drive for about 1 mile to the dispersed area entrance on the left.
Nearby Campgrounds
