Panther Flat Campground
- May–Oct
- best months
Is Panther Flat Campground open right now?
No closures listed
The Forest Service lists no closures for Six Rivers National Forest.
As of · Source: USFS · Six Rivers National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Overview Panther Flat Campground sits in the vast Six Rivers National Forest in northern California. This shady, secluded campground is just steps from the Smith River, which is famous for its bright blue waters and scenic pathway through the forest.Recreation Popular activities include swimming, sunbathing, rafting and fishing in the Smith River. Anglers enjoy healthy fishing populations of salmon, steelhead and cutthroat trout. Visitors also enjoy hiking, horseback riding and biking in the area. There are no trailheads in the campground, but Elk Camp Ridge, High Dome and French Hill trailheads are all within 10 miles of the site. A Botanical trail to a unique Darlingtonia bog is just a mile away. Facilities The campground offers multiple single-family sites and at least one double site, available for tent and RV camping. It is one of the most modern campgrounds in the area and has some of the largest parking aprons. Some sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Campsites are equipped with tables and campfire rings with grills. Accessible flush toilets, coin-operated hot showers and drinking water are provided. The Visitor Center at the Gasquet Ranger Station provides free maps and brochures of the area.Natural Features Set in a mature forest of Douglas fir, cedar and Pacific madrone trees, the campground is a short walk from the pristine Smith River. The river boasts up to Class 5 whitewater rapids. The region, thick with vegetation, is also freckled with huckleberry shrubs. The Six Rivers National Forest lies east of Eureka in northwestern California, stretching southward from the Oregon border for about 140 miles. U.S. 101, the famed "Redwood Highway," parallels the inland Forest along the coastline. The Forest is just east of the Redwood National Park. Nearby Attractions California's Redwood National Park and the Pacific Ocean are within 20 miles of the campground. Annual events include Gasquet Raft Race in July and Del Norte County Fair in August.
Local outfitters
- Steve Huber Guide Service23 mi away
- Turtle Rock RV Resort45 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
ELK CAMP RIDGEHikingPhoto: Tori Sloane, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)0.9 mi- French HillHiking1.8 mi
- Stony CreekHiking2.1 mi
- Grassy Flat CampgroundCamping2.3 mi
- Craigs CreekCanoeing3 mi
- Coon CreekCanoeing4.7 mi
- Smith River National Recreation AreaRiver fishing4.8 mi
- Patrick Creek CampgroundCamping4.8 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
- Dry LakeSaltwater fishing · ~13 min drive
- Smith River National Recreation AreaRiver fishing · ~8 min drive
- Dry LakeLake fishing · ~13 min drive
- Orleans Ranger DistrictSaltwater fishing · ~1h 13m drive
- Island LakeLake fishing · ~23 min drive
- Lake TalawaLake fishing · ~24 min drive
- Yontocket SloughLake fishing · ~24 min drive
- Muslatt LakeLake fishing · ~24 min drive
- Sanger LakeLake fishing · ~26 min drive
- Twin LakesLake fishing · ~1h 6m drive
Best time to visit Panther Flat Campground
Best months: May–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
54° / 40°
16 wet
Feb
55° / 40°
14 wet
Mar
56° / 41°
16 wet
Apr
58° / 43°
13 wet
May
61° / 46°
9 wet
Jun
63° / 48°
5 wet
Jul
65° / 51°
3 wet
Aug
66° / 52°
3 wet
Sep
66° / 48°
4 wet
Oct
62° / 46°
9 wet
Nov
57° / 42°
15 wet
Dec
53° / 39°
17 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Crescent City 3 Nnw, CA, 15 mi away at 43 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
