 Austin Creek State Recreation Area offers a 24 site campground and 3
back country sites.
The Bullfrog Pond Campground is now open year-round.
Backcountry campsites are not open yet but are planned to reopen by Memorial Day weekend 2013.
Austin Creek Fact Sheet
Camping Information Brochure with campsite map
 You can help Stewards with a tax deductible donation. Camping in Austin Creek would not be possible without Stewards' efforts to enter into an operating agreement with State Parks to keep Austin Creek SRA open.
Bullfrog Pond Camping Information and Rules
Bullfrog Pond Campground is a campground where everyone is welcome. Be respectful of your fellow campers. Observing quiet hours between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. will provide a comfortable place for all park visitors to enjoy a special wilderness camping experience together. Excessive alcohol consumption, poor behavior and failure to follow park rules can result in ejection with no refunds.
- Bullfrog Pond campground is for tent or car camping. There are no hook- ups or trailer sites. Check in time is 2-9 pm. Check-out time is Noon.
- Access to the campground is up a very steep, winding, one-lane road with two-way traffic. Drive slowly and carefully and remember that uphill traffic usually has the right-of-way. Utilize turnouts when necessary. Austin Creek and Bullfrog Pond campgound are closed to vehicles over 20 feet in length or to pulled trailers of any size.
- Camping registration usually takes place at the entrance station of Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve. Otherwise, please self-register at the campground entrance using the self-pay station. You may also register with a camphost at campsite #4 if there is one on duty.
- There are NO RESERVATIONS on a regular basis. Campsites are generally on a first come, first served basis. RESERVATIONS may be made for groups wanting 4 or more campsites together at $35 per night per campsite. Call or email Stewards for information (707) 869-9177 or stewards@mcn.org.
- The base camping fee is $25.00 per night. Seniors (62+), disabled and veterans by $20.00 per night. This includes up to 8 people in one site and one vehicle. One additional vehicles will be charged $8.00 per night.
- Juveniles (under 18) must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
- Dog are allowed but MUST be on a leash at all times and confined at night. They are NOT permitted on trails or fire-roads to protect wildlife habitat.
- There are 23 campsites and one camphost site (#4). There are flush toilets and drinking water; however there are no showers in the park.
- Gathering Firewood is prohibited. Keep YOUR campground clean and safe.
- Check the camphost site (#4) for hours of operation. Firewood, ice, fishing supplies and other camping amenities are available for sale. You may leave messages for fellow campers on the bulletin board at the site.
- Fishing is permitted in Bullfrog Pond with a valid Fishing License. Swimming in the pond is not recommended.
- The campground is subject to fire closure during the summer months.
Facilities (Camping)
Twenty-four family campsites are located near Bullfrog Pond. Campsites are available throughout the year on a first-come, first-served basis. Tables, fire rings, flush toilets and potable water are provided but no showers are available. Be advised that vehicle access to the park and campground is by way of a steep, narrow, winding, 2.5 mile-long, mountain road. For safety reasons, no vehicle over 20 feet in length is allowed on this road. Vehicles with trailers or other towed vehicles are also prohibited.
Back country primitive campsites are located at the Tom King and Manning Flat sites. Each campsite has a table and fire ring. Pit toilets are located nearby. A year-round stream is nearby, but this water supply must be purified before drinking. Use of a micro filter is recommended. The primitive sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. You will need a backcountry permit to camp in our primitive backcountry campsites.
You may register for all camping and pick up a backcountry permit from the entrance kiosk at the entrance to Armstrong Redwoods SNR. Note: If the kiosk is closed, you will need to self-register for all camping at the entrance of Bullfrog Pond campground in Austin Creek. You will find self-pay envelopes, backcountry permits and self-registration instructions at the registration site.
Ground fires are prohibited during periods of extreme fire danger, although camp stoves can still be used for cooking, except during the most critical periods of fire danger when camping is not permitted at all.
All of Austin Creek's trails are open to horses although horse trailers are not permitted beyond the picnic area. Check with the Stewards' office (707) 869-9177 for up-to-date information about trail conditions. A horse riding and pack station concession providing guided day and overnight trips is located 1/2 mile west of the Armstrong Tree in Armstrong Redwoods State park.
Horse rentals are available though a private company that is adjacent to Armstrong Redwoods. For more information contact the Armstrong Woods Pack Station at 707-887-2939 or www.RedwoodHorses.com.
Trails
Strenuous
9 mile round trip: Austin Creek Trail is an unpaved service road that also serves as a trail, winding down the canyon through meadows and groves of forest as it drops from 1200' to 300' in elevation. After 4.7 miles, the road meets with Gilliam Creek Trail. A strenuous but spectacular day hike can be experienced by hiking down the Austin Creek Trail and returning via Gilliam Creek.
Strenuous
4 miles one way: Gilliam Creek Trail is a narrow, steep trail that parallels Gilliam Creek as it winds through shaded oak woodlands. After close to 4 miles it meets the Austin Creek Trail at the confluence of East Austin and Gilliam Creeks. This trail is seasonally impassable at the lower elevations due to high winter water levels in Gilliam Creek.
Strenuous
2.5 miles one way: Pool Ridge Trail gives you an opportunity to experience the dramatic contrast between the cool redwood grove below and the open forest and rolling hills above in Austin Creek SRA. The trail only drops 500' in elevation, however the upper portion is very steep. This trail can be used to access Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve. It can also be used as a loop in conjunction with the East Ridge Trail.
Moderately Strenuous
4 miles one way: East Ridge Trail curves through the diverse and varied forests of Armstrong Redwoods and Austin Creek as it traverses the 1500' elevation between the park entrance and Bullfrog pond campground. It can also be used as part of a loop by hiking one way on this trail and returning via the Pool Ridge Trail.
Maps
Public Education Programs - Armstrong Redwoods SNR and Austin Creek SRA:
School Group Education Programs - Armstrong Redwoods SNR and Austin Creek SRA:
Volunteer - Armstrong Redwoods and Austin Creek - Education Programs:
Volunteer - Armstrong Redwoods and Austin Creek - Stewardship:
Related Link:
External Links:
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