Directions
When traveling north on Highway 101, do not turn off at the Zenia Road exit at Garberville. This will result in a 2-hour delay driving on winding back roads. Instead, continue north until you reach the Hwy 36 exit near Fortuna. Turn right, heading east for approximately an hour until you reach the town of Mad River. After you cross the bridge at the Mad River, look for the Mad River Road turn-off on the right. The sign will say Ruth Lake. Continue for 20 minutes to reach Fir Cove campground.
If traveling on Interstate 5, turn at Hwy 36 at Red Bluff and head west for 2 hours until you see the sign for Ruth Lake at Mad River Road.
Phone
707-574-6233
Activities
BOATING, CAMPING, FISHING, HIKING, WATER SPORTS, WILDLIFE VIEWING
Keywords
FIR COVE CAMPGROUND (CA),Fir Cove Campground,Fir Cove,SIX RIVERS NF -FS
Related Link(s)
California State Road Conditions
Overview
Fir Cove Campground is located on beautiful Ruth Lake, a 13,800-acre jewel situated in the thickly forested mountains of northern California. A variety of recreational opportunities abound.
It is one of three campgrounds in the region, and one of two on the lake. Bailey Canyon Campground is the companion to Fir Cove. It is located east of Fir Cove and is first-come, first-serve.
Recreation
The lake provides boating, water skiing, fishing and countless other recreation opportunities.
Anglers can enjoy a catch of small and largemouth bass, catfish, rainbow trout, Kokonee salmon, bluegill and crappie.
Forested peaks and valleys offer ample opportunities for hunting, hiking and off-road vehicle use. The Bailey Vista and Lakeview Trailheads start from Fir Cove, and the Picket Peak Trailhead starts from Bailey Canyon.
Facilities
The campground offers several tent-only and multiple combined sites, many of them overlooking the lake. All sites are within a short walk from Ruth Lake. Sites 11 and 12 are companion sites.
Tables and campfire rings with grills are provided, as well as accessible vault toilets and drinking water.
Natural Features
The campground straddles a seasonal creek that empties into Ruth Lake. It is nestled in a mixture of mature Douglas fir, oak, pine and cedar trees at an elevation of about 2,700 feet.
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.
