The Red Bluff Recreation Area is a Mendocino National Forest day-use area on the Sacramento River off Sale Lane in Red Bluff. It covers 488 acres of riparian forest, grasslands, wetlands and oak woodland, with a paved 3-mile trail, a boat ramp, a disc golf course and the Camp Discovery group campground. It sits at the site of the Bureau of Reclamation's Red Bluff Diversion Dam, whose gates once formed Lake Red Bluff. Checked October 29, 2026 on the operator’s own pages.
From Chico: about 1 hr (typical, without traffic)
Plan It in Three Lines
- Get thereFrom Chico: about 1 hr, typical, without traffic. Address: Sale Lane, Red Bluff, CA.
- WhenDay use only: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- CostAnnual boat launch pass $30; daily launch fee $6 (Recreation.gov or scan-and-pay at the ramp). The same page also says no fees are required for this site.
Key Facts
- The Sacramento River bisects 488 acres of riparian forest, flowering grasslands, wetlands and oak woodlands.[1]
- Over 125 species of birds use the area over the course of the year.[1]
- Trails give views of Mount Shasta, Mount Lassen and the Yolla Bolly Mountains.[1]
- The Lake Red Bluff Trail is 3 miles, paved and accessible, along the river and through a wildlife viewing area.[1]
- A new disc golf course is open for use.[1]
- Shooting and hunting are not allowed in the Red Bluff Recreation Area.[1]
- Day use is open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., year-round unless flooding or high winds occur.[1]
- Camp Discovery Group Campground has 11 screen cabins, showers and an amphitheater, and holds up to 100 guests for $175 per night.[2]
- Forest Service lists other facilities as a campground, 4.2 miles of trail, a boat ramp and the Sacramento River Discovery Center.[2]
- Reclamation says the Red Bluff Diversion Dam has 11 large gates that, when lowered, formed Lake Red Bluff for gravity diversion into the Tehama-Colusa and Corning Canals.[3]
- Reclamation's project page describes a flat-plate fish screen and a 2,500 cfs pumping plant to improve fish passage while keeping water deliveries.[3]
- The diversion dam and Tehama-Colusa Canal were built in the early 1960s by the Bureau of Reclamation.[3]
- BLM's Bend guide says the Red Bluff Recreation Area offers fishing, boat launches, camping and a fish-viewing plaza.[4]
Areas Inside Red Bluff Recreation Area
Camp Discovery Group Campground
11 screen cabins, showers, vault toilets, amphitheater and grills; check-in 2 p.m., check-out 11 a.m.[2]
Lake Red Bluff Trail
3-mile paved, accessible trail along the Sacramento River.[1]
Sacramento River Discovery Center
Listed by the Forest Service as a visitor facility at the recreation area; its own details are not confirmed.[2]
Red Bluff Diversion Dam and fish screen
Reclamation facility with 11 gates and a screened pumping plant project for fish passage.[3]
Plan Your Visit
| What | As the operator states it |
|---|---|
| Run by | USDA Forest Service, Mendocino National Forest |
| Address | Sale Lane, Red Bluff, CA |
| Drive from Chico | About 1 hr, typical, without traffic (Google Maps, plus 10 minutes, rounded) |
| Hours | Day use only: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.[1] |
| Season | Open year-round unless flooding or high winds occur.[1] |
| Fees | Annual boat launch pass $30; daily launch fee $6 (Recreation.gov or scan-and-pay at the ramp). The same page also says no fees are required for this site.[1] |
| Parking | Parking available.[1] |
| Restrooms | Accessible restrooms with showers.[1] |
| Accessibility | The 3-mile Lake Red Bluff Trail is accessible and paved; restrooms are accessible.[1] |
| Camping | Camp Discovery Group Campground: 11 screen cabins plus tent camping, up to 100 guests, $175 per night.[2] |
| Boating | Boat ramp on site.[1] |
| Reservations | Camp Discovery reservations are accepted on Recreation.gov only.[2] |
| Phone | (530) 934-3316[1] |
| Official page | USDA Forest Service, Mendocino National Forest |
Not confirmedThe official pages we read do not publish dogs for this place.
Hours at a Glance
Season, as printed: Open year-round unless flooding or high winds occur.
Bars are drawn from the hours printed in Plan Your Visit below; a faded or dashed bar means the page prints sunrise or sunset, not a clock time. Today is outlined.
Admission, Side by Side
As the operator prints it: Annual boat launch pass $30; daily launch fee $6 (Recreation.gov or scan-and-pay at the ramp). The same page also says no fees are required for this site.
Map of Red Bluff Recreation Area
Around Red Bluff Recreation Area
- Red Bluff and Corning: 0.8 miles west
- Sacramento River Bend Outstanding Natural Area: 6.8 miles north
- Black Butte Lake: 25.4 miles south
- Orland and Willows: 29.7 miles south
- Bidwell-Sacramento River State Park: 33.9 miles southeast
- Gateway Science Museum: 36.4 miles southeast
The yellow dot is this place. Rings are spaced so close places do not pile up, and a numbered badge may sit slightly off its true spot (a thin line ends at the true spot). Distances are straight-line miles worked out from the map points each page prints; they are not drive times or walking routes.
What We Could Not Verify
These items were not on an official page we could open on October 29, 2026, or two official pages disagree. Check with the operator before you rely on them.
- Not confirmedSacramento River Discovery Center hours, fees and programs (own site did not respond)
- Not confirmedDate the diversion dam gates were permanently raised and the fish screen/pumping plant completion date
- Not confirmedWhether dogs are allowed in the day-use area
- Not confirmedFish-viewing plaza current status
- Not confirmedConflict: Fees: the Forest Service page lists a $6 daily / $30 annual boat launch fee and also states 'No fees are required for this site'.
More in Red Bluff & Corning
Coming Up in Red Bluff & Corning
6 events are on our calendar for Red Bluff & Corning in the next 45 days. 3 are listed as free by the organizer; 3 are marked Not confirmed because we could not confirm them on the organizer’s page yet. This list rebuilds itself every day at midnight, Pacific time.
October 2026
Costumed Dog Parade (Corning)
5:30 PM
Yaya's Tacos, Corning
Price: Free
Dog costume parade right after Trick or Treat Street.
Checked Oct 29, 2026 · Source for Costumed Dog Parade (Corning) (opens in a new tab)
November 2026
- Not confirmed
ArtWalk 2026
2:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Historic Downtown Red Bluff
Price: Free art; wine tasting ticketed
Tehama County Arts Council event: Chalk the Block 2:00 to 4:00 PM, live music, and wine tasting 4:00 to 8:00 PM.
Checked Oct 29, 2026 · Source for ArtWalk 2026 (opens in a new tab) Annual Corning Veterans Day Parade
11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Third Street to Houghton Ave, Corning
Price: Free
Veterans parade with lunch after at the Old Miners Inn, 1301 Solano Street.
Checked Oct 29, 2026 · Source for Annual Corning Veterans Day Parade (opens in a new tab)- Not confirmed
Gifts of Joy
4:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Gallery, Red Bluff
Price: Free
Handmade art and craft gift show; items priced at $100 or less. Gallery open Fri and Sat 11 AM to 3 PM through Dec 19.
Checked Oct 29, 2026 · Source for Gifts of Joy (opens in a new tab) Downtown Red Bluff Christmas Parade 2026
5:30 PM to 7:00 PM
Downtown Red Bluff
Price: See event page
Christmas parade with the theme Stars, Stripes and Christmas Lights, hosted by the Red Bluff Chamber and Downtown Business Association.
Checked Oct 29, 2026 · Source for Downtown Red Bluff Christmas Parade 2026 (opens in a new tab)
December 2026
- Not confirmed
Buzz Brass Concert (Tehama Concert Series)
7:00 PM to 9:30 PM
State Theatre for the Arts, Red Bluff
Price: $30 adults, $10 students
Brass quintet playing arranged classical works by Debussy, Dvorak, Satie, Bach and Liszt.
Checked Oct 29, 2026 · Source for Buzz Brass concert (Tehama Concert Series) (opens in a new tab)
Sources: each card links to the organizer’s own page and shows the date we checked it. This list shows the next 45 days; see every upcoming event.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a fee at the Red Bluff Recreation Area?
The Forest Service lists a $6 daily or $30 annual boat launch fee, but the same page also says no fees are required for this site. Check with the forest at (530) 934-3316.[1]
What are the hours?
Day use only, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., open year-round unless flooding or high winds occur.[1]
Can I camp there?
Group camping is at Camp Discovery, which holds up to 100 guests for $175 per night and is reserved on Recreation.gov only.[2]
Sources
- Red Bluff Recreation Area, USDA Forest Service, Mendocino National Forest. Read October 29, 2026.
- Camp Discovery Group Campground, USDA Forest Service, Mendocino National Forest. Read October 29, 2026.
- Reclamation MP Region Red Bluff Fish Passage Improvement Project – About the Project, Bureau of Reclamation. Read October 29, 2026.
- Sacramento River Bend Outstanding Natural Area Map & Guide, Bureau of Land Management. Read October 29, 2026.
Cite this page: “Red Bluff Recreation Area.” It’s Chico, checked October 29, 2026. https://itschico.com/red-bluff-corning/red-bluff-recreation-area/
Coming Up Here
No dated event at Red Bluff Recreation Area is on our calendar right now. We list a date only after reading it on the organizer’s own page, so an empty list means not listed yet, not that nothing is happening. See every upcoming event.