Northern Calif in October - wildfires, COVID, etc

[rvshrinker]

Wanting to spend about a week seeing Lassen, Shasta, Castle Crags SP, Lava Beds, etc. In mid October. We’re mostly into hiking, and we can mix dry camping for up to 3-4 days with full hook ups.

However that is potentially wildfire season, so any tips to deal with that? I thought we’d split our trip in two, so 3-4 nights in each of 2 different places, so if one gets closed due to fire, the other would be open. Even now Lava Beds NM has been closed for four days due to fire.

Also, COVID. California SP only reopened for camping July 12 and as of July 21, Castle Crags closed again due to a ‘surge in visitation.’ It sounds very unpredictable whether we’d be able to count on a camping reservation.

And I supposed California could order all campgrounds closed at any point. Who can say what October will look like?

Any insider viewpoints? If we do go, are there any other must see sites in the area?

[profdant139]

We use this map during fire season -- one year, we were in Idaho. Wanted to go to Montana. Nope -- the map showed too much smoke -- changed plans and headed for Mt. Rainier instead. Clear skies for a week! And then more smoke. 😉

NOAA Smoke Map

[cptqueeg]

Stay up w the national fire situation on inciweb.


https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/

[rvshrinker]

Northern oregon is my backyard 🙂

We could alternatively go to Hell’s Canyon and Eastern Oregon.

[jdc1]

We had to leave NorCal to go camping. We're in northern Oregon right now.

[ppine]

I just spent some time on the Stanislaus Nat For in California and on route 49. It was surprisingly normal. People were polite and friendly.

By October the weather cools in the mountains and there can be some rain. It is much better than the summer and not as crowded either.

[MarkTwain]

rvshrinker wrote:
Wanting to spend about a week seeing Lassen, Shasta, Castle Crags SP, Lava Beds, etc. In mid October. We’re mostly into hiking, and we can mix dry camping for up to 3-4 days with full hook ups.

However that is potentially wildfire season, so any tips to deal with that? I thought we’d split our trip in two, so 3-4 nights in each of 2 different places, so if one gets closed due to fire, the other would be open. Even now Lava Beds NM has been closed for four days due to fire.

Also, COVID. California SP only reopened for camping July 12 and as of July 21, Castle Crags closed again due to a ‘surge in visitation.’ It sounds very unpredictable whether we’d be able to count on a camping reservation.

And I supposed California could order all campgrounds closed at any point. Who can say what October will look like?

Any insider viewpoints? If we do go, are there any other must see sites in the area?

At best I would make tenative plans:( Call all the local fire service agencies for conditions of fires a week before you will be in the areas and which hwys. are open. Bottom line, wait until the virus count numbers are under control. Today there are fire conditions in most of the areas you want to visit.

[Lwiddis]

All bets are off for California camping options in October. Situation is too fluid.