Dixie Glade Campground

We love camping at Dixie Glade when paragliding at Potato Hill. Most of the OHV users stick to the wide open campgrounds at Foutt's Springs and most of the fishermen and family's go up to Lett's Lake. That leaves this quiet dry tent friendly site for the rest of us - we seldom see many other people here other than occasional hunters at the start of the season (hence you will find shell casings on the ground sometimes).

This campground is first come first served and from memory only 6 or 7 spots, but some of them are large and could comfortably handle two or more tents, and most of them two cars two. Two spots have tie ups for horses. There is a flat area of parking near the entrance where a horse trailer, tent trailer or RV could be parked which is usually available but never any guarantee you can get it.

Most spots have plenty of shade. All have fire pits, table and a grill. One spot in the middle has a large flat grill and three tables so a great spot for a group camp - it can also take three to four cars.

The bathrooms are pit toilets but kept clean and well stocked with toilet paper.

This is a DRY campground - no potable water here. There's a path down to a creek below the glade where you should normally be able to get water to purify. There used to be potable water at Letts Lake but I don't know if that is the case anymore. If you were desperate beg the camp host there or find a friendly RV camper who can give you some. It's about a 20 minute drive up an unpaved but pretty good condition forest road to get there. When it is hot in the summer (often over 100!) it is great to get up to the lake and swim or lounge on a floaty. There are also some swimming spots in the creek early in the season of there is enough water.

Only negative is there are sometimes flies around especial if horses have been present recently - it is also close to water so cover or DEET up before sun down and in the morning. I've never been to Dixie when fire pits could not be used though extreme caution is advised if it is windy in the dry summer. Use water to douse your fires before bed! There is sometimes firewood on hand and available in the surrounding wood especially early in the season, otherwise bring your own or buy in Stonyford.

Cost per night is currently (2017) $5 per night paid by an envelope in a box. Bring some cash. Rangers from Stonyford do patrol especially on the weekend.

There is no cellphone service of any kind so unless you are a radio ham or have a satellite phone you're on your own. Nearest civilisation is Stonyford (other than a few remote houses in the hills) where the store has supplies, food, drink, firewood, ice and gas. It's not open super late though. About 30+ minutes drive from Dixie Glade. There is also a bar and grill in Stonyford. After that you need to go all the way back to Maxwell by I-5 and that's an hour drive.

Warning: the road to Dixie Glade from Foutt's Springs often has potholes large enough to give you a flat if you don't keep your eyes open an slow down. Right now (Nov 2017) there is a ongoing rock slide situation and a giant rock sliding into the road. This and smaller slides could go at any moment. I'd be very surprised if it lasts the winter with a giant landslide that could take weeks or longer to get the road open. I could imagine anyone camping at Dixie or Lett's Lake might be stranded for a while!

So I definitely recommend checking with the Mendocino Forest website for road closures (they also have fires in the summer) before going. You can also try calling the Ranger station in Stonyford too.