Whiskey Creek Group Picnic Area (Whiskeytown Nra)
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
Whiskey Creek Group Picnic Area is located on the northern shore of Whiskeytown Lake in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, 13 miles west of Redding, California. The Group Picnic Area is a popular spot to celebrate birthdays, family reunions, work events and many other special occasions with a day of waterside fun. This is a day use area only. The hours are 9 am to 9 pm for reservation holders. Alcohol, smoking, and pets are prohibited.
The Group Picnic Area contains one large site and two small sites with dirt surfaces, each with two large serving tables, numerous picnic tables and a large charcoal barbecue grill. We recommend that you bring your own portable shade structures as there are no permanent ones at the site. These sites do not provide electric or water hookups. Two vault toilets service all sites.
Notifications and Alerts
This area remains closed for 2024.
Need to Know
The picnic area is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Whiskeytown is a National Park Service site and requires an entrance fee in addition to the reservation fee. You can purchase an entrance pass at the Whiskeytown visitor center or online at www.YourPassNow.
Interagency passes such as the Senior, Access, Military and $80 annual pass are accepted for park entrance. Lassen Volcanic National Park, Lava Beds National Monument and Crater Lake National Park annual passes are also valid here for entrance. Display pass on dashboard or from rear view mirror of vehicle.
- Gate to area should be open on your arrival. Call 530-242-3431 if gate has not been opened.
- Site G01 is located adjacent to the beach and next to the parking area; Sites G02 and G03 are located up the hill
All groups with reservations must share the beach area.
Please be advised that because the Carr Fire of 2018 burned extensively through the park, post-fire hazards such as falling trees and branches remain. Stay alert while in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area.
- Area lacks shade and temperature regularly climbs over 100 degrees in the summer; Portable shade structures are recommended
Drinking water and electricity are not provided.
Alcoholic beverages and smoking are prohibited.
Open or ground fires are prohibited.
Pets are not allowed.
Personal watercraft, such as jet skis, are prohibited on Whiskeytown Lake.
Check the park website (www.nps.gov/whis) or stop in at the visitor center for a complete list of all regulations.
Natural Features
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area is situated where the Klamath Mountains, Cascade and Coast Mountain Ranges and the Sacramento Valley meet, creating a wide variety of wildlife and landscapes. The Group Picnic Area features a protected cove for swimmers.
Nearby Attractions
The Whiskey Creek Launch Ramp is located 1.6 miles from the Group Picnic Area. Boats may be launched from there and moored at the Group Picnic Area. Boats are available for rent at Oak Bottom Marina, located 5.5 miles from the Group Picnic Area. Call (530) 359-2671.
Recreation
During the summer heat, swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding and fishing are popular activities in the Whiskey Creek arm of the lake. Boats may be launched at nearby Whiskey Creek Launch Ramp and moored along the shore of the Group Picnic Area.
Contact Information
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PO Box 188 Whiskeytown CA 96095
Phone Number
For campground inquiries, please call: 530-242-3412
Rental Options
Learn more about gear rental options for your trip
Driving Directions
From Redding, CA, take State Route 299 west for approximately 11 miles. Turn onto Whiskey Creek Road and drive past the Whiskey Creek launch area. At the fork in the road, turn right and follow paved road approximately 1.6 miles until it ends at the group picnic area.
Available Campsites
- Site G02, Loop Sites 1-3, Type Group Picnic Area
- Site G01, Loop Sites 1-3, Type Group Picnic Area
- Site G03, Loop Sites 1-3, Type Group Picnic Area
