Located on the Upper McCloud River at an elevation of 3400 feet, Fowlers Camp is the most popular campground in the McCloud area, and for good reason. The river here is dotted with three waterfalls ranging from 15 to 50 feet high, creating a genuinely scenic setting that pulls in visitors year-round.

A riverside trail starting right from the campground takes you past all three falls in about three miles round trip. If hiking isn’t your preference, the McCloud River Loop—a paved road roughly ten miles long—offers parking and overlooks for the Middle and Upper Falls, so you can see them without much effort. The water itself is great for swimming and fishing, with no special restrictions on this section of river.

The campground has 39 sites, each with a table and fire-ring. You’ll find vault toilets and piped drinking water throughout. It works well for tent camping or mid-sized RVs and trailers. Most sites (31 out of 39) require reservations through recreation.gov or reserveamerica.com, while eight sites stay available on a first-come, first-served basis. The nightly rate is $15, and there’s a 14-day limit on stays.

Getting here is straightforward: head left on Highway 89 from the McCloud Ranger Station and drive five miles. You’ll see a sign on the left for Fowlers/Lower Falls. Turn right just after the sign and continue for about a mile. Once you cross the River Loop Road, take the left fork into the campground. The right fork leads to the day-use parking area for Lower Falls and the start of the river trail if you want to explore before deciding where to camp.

Fowlers Camp sits right on the McCloud River, and it’s the roof-less option in our Father’s Day dog-friendly trips guide — classic Northern California trout country for the kind of dad who’d rather sleep near the water.