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Carr Powerhouse Picnic Shelter
NPSNational Park Service — Whiskeytown · California · Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
| Agency | NPSNational Park Service |
|---|---|
| Area | Whiskeytown National Recreation Area |
| Location | Whiskeytown · California · Whiskeytown National Recreation Area |
| Sites | 1 public sites counted from the federal listing — 1 group shelter electric |
| Getting a site | Reservable — the federal listing marks this campground as taking reservations. Some sites or seasons may still be first-come; the listing’s own words are below. |
| Hookups | Electric at 1 of 1 sites Water hookups at 1 of 1 sites Sewer hookups at 0 of 1 sites Full hookups (all three at one site) at 0 of 1 sites Counted site by site from affirmative reports in the federal record. A site with no report is not counted either way. |
| Max RV length | Not reported in the federal data |
| Months open | Not in federal data — the federal listing does not publish a season for this campground. Check the official description below or Recreation.gov. |
| Fees | This picnic shelter costs $50 per day to reserve. Entrance fees are required in addition for each vehicle. If you already have a valid Interagency Annual, Senior, Access, Military, or Whiskeytown Annual pass, please display this pass in a hangtag or place it on the dashboard of your vehicle. Annual passes from Crater Lake National Park, Lassen Volcanic National Park and Lava Beds National Monument are also valid here at Whiskeytown. Entrance passes can be purchased at the Whiskeytown Visitor Center or online at https://www.recreation.gov/sitepass/74295. |
| Check-in / out | In 09:00 AM · Out 09:00 PM (most common in the listing) |
| Pets | Allowed at 1 sites, as reported |
| Accessible sites | 1 marked accessible in the listing |
| Amenities, as reported | Drinking waterFlush toilets |
| Phone | 530-242-3412 |
Check availability & book on Recreation.gov →
This site takes no reservations and shows no live availability. Source: Recreation.gov (RIDB export pulled November 5, 2026); this listing was last updated in the federal record on 2026-04-11.
From the official listing
Overview Carr Powerhouse Picnic Area is located on the northern shore of Whiskeytown Lake in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, 15 miles west of Redding, California. This covered picnic area is a popular spot to celebrate birthdays, weddings, family reunions, work events and many other special occasions. There is a big open lawn area with additional picnic tables and benches.
This is a day use area only. The hours are 9 am to 9 pm for reservation holders.
Recreation This area offers plenty of beuaitful views of Whiskeytown Lake. It is a big open grass area with benches, picnic tables, cornhole cement boards, and BBQ grills. Although swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding and fishing are popular activities in the Whiskeytown Lake National Recreation Area in the summer, this particular spot is not an area to do any of those due to strong water currents generated from the Carr Powerhouse.
Swimming, kayaing, wading, etc, can be done in the water at nearby Oak Bottom (2 miles east) and Whiskey Creek (4.5 miles east).
Hiking trails nearby include the Boulder Creek Falls and Oak Bottom Water Ditch Trail. Both trails accessible by driving a short distance to the trailheads. Crystal Creek Road is less than 1 mile away which leads to hikes such as Crystal Creek and Whiskeytown Falls.
Facilities The Carr Powerhouse Picnic Area contains one large covered pavilion area with seven concrete round tables, two large charcoal barbecue grills (each have 3 sections to grill on), electricity is available to the site, cement boards for game of cornhole (bags not provided), flushable toilets, and garbage and recycleable bins.
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.
Nearby Attractions The Whiskey Creek Launch Ramp is located 2.0 miles from this area.
Boats are available for rent at Oak Bottom Marina, located 2 miles from this parking lot.
Swimming, kayaing, wading, etc, can be done in the water at nearby Oak Bottom (2 miles east) and Whiskey Creek (4.5 miles east).
Hiking trails nearby include the Boulder Creek Falls and Oak Bottom Water Ditch Trail. Both trails accessible by driving a short distance to the trailheads. Crystal Creek Road is less than 1 mile away which leads to hikes such as Crystal Creek and Whiskeytown Falls.
Contact Info For facility specific information, please call (530) 246-1225. Charges & Cancellations $10 Cancellation fee applies if cancelled prior to 14 days before arrival date. Late cancellation fees apply if cancelled less than 14 days before arrival date.
Directions, from the listing
From Redding, CA, take State Route 299 west for approximately 15.5 miles. Turn left onto South Shore Drive. When the road splits stay to the right on South Shore Drive and continue on until the road dead ends into the Carr Powerhouse Parking Lot.
Trip Card — Carr Powerhouse Picnic Shelter
Whiskeytown · California · Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
| Agency | NPS · National Park Service |
|---|---|
| Location | Whiskeytown · California · Whiskeytown National Recreation Area |
| Fees | This picnic shelter costs $50 per day to reserve. Entrance fees are required in addition for each vehicle. If you already have a valid Interagency Annual, Senior, Access, Military,… |
| Getting a site | Reservable |
| Hookups | Electric at 1 |
| Max RV | Not reported |
| Months open | Not in federal data |
| Sites | 1 sites |
Book: recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/10153246 · Source: Recreation.gov, pulled November 5, 2026. Facility details come from federal recreation data and may be out of date — this site takes no reservations and shows no live availability; confirm details and book through Recreation.gov or the managing agency.