Three recreation areas at Black Butte Lake will temporarily close for the 2025 recreation season on May 19, 2025, due to limited staffing availability. The lake is northwest of Orland, Calif., off of busy north-south Interstate 5.
Without sufficient staffing, measures must be taken to ensure the safety of visitors, protection of environmental resources, and to maintain the well-being of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers personnel and assets. The three recreation areas impacted by the closures include:
• Buckhorn Recreation Area and Buckhorn Campground
• Eagle Pass Recreation Area
• Orland Buttes Recreation Area and Orland Buttes Campground
“We understand that the impacts of temporarily closing these facilities will be felt by the public and apologize for any inconveniences,” the park noted on its website. “Our goal is to provide safe and sustainable recreation experiences. These temporary closures will also allow us to focus our remaining staff at this critical site on the primary mission of operating and maintaining Black Butte Dam and Lake.”
All existing camping reservations at the impacted campgrounds will be automatically canceled and fully refunded. Refunds may take 4–6 weeks to process.
For questions related to the status of a reservation, please contact recreation.gov at (877) 444-6777.
“USACE is committed to reopening these areas and resuming full operations at Black Butte Lake as soon as conditions allow and appreciates the continued support and understanding of its visitors, volunteers, and partners during this time,” the park noted in a news release.
Burris Creek and Grizzly Flat recreation areas as well as Observation Point will remain open. As a reminder, visitors should recreate responsibly and always wear a life jacket when on or near the water.
Black Butte Dam and Lake is one of ten U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District recreation sites. To find a USACE facility that is open, visit spk.usace.army.mil/Missions/Recreation.
RVT1209b
Thank you for the news, RV Travel! We plan to conclude our visit along the Pacific Coastal area at or near Sacremento, so this is highly valuable information! Have a great day and safe travels!