Hiking, Swimming, Camping at Sims Flat, Upper Sacramento River

Sims Flat along the upper Sacramento River has a hiking trail around the campground perimeter, and you can hike the west river bank in either direction to great swimming holes. There’s also good fishing!

The Upper Sacramento River with beautiful fall foliage, just upstream of Sims Flat Campground

Sims Flat makes a great place to stretch your legs and take a nature break when you’re traveling Interstate 5 north of Redding. You want the Sims Road exit (Exit 718) about 40 miles north of Redding and 20 miles south of the town of Mount Shasta. Follow the road east and then south, and park in the lot at the Sims Flat Campground entrance on the south (downstream) side of the bridge over the Upper Sacramento River.

Camp for Free in California National Forests

California’s national forests and BLM lands have thousands of miles of dirt roads with lots of spots for dispersed camping (boondocking). My book provides all the info you need to get started (but is not a guide to specific sites):

Researching the best locations
Finding the best camping spots
Backcountry safety and ethics
What to take

Buy it on Amazon
Buy it on Apple, Kobo, and Nook

Sims Flat and the Upper Sacramento River…

Some history: The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) had a Depression-era camp here in the 1930s, and they built a sturdy bridge across the Upper Sacramento River that gives great views of the water rushing below. Around the turn of the twentieth century, a lumber mill was situated here at Sims Flat.

This bridge across the Upper Sacramento River at Sims Flat Campground was built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC).

Hiking the Sims Flat Campground Trail

Sims Flat is one of my favorite hiking spots in my neck of the woods. A half-mile trail loops around the campground (which usually has inexpensive spaces available) and there’s such a variety to see: the Upper Sacramento River is always mesmerizing, and Hazel Creek runs swiftly year-round on the south side of the campground. Much of the path is shaded by ponderosa pine, incense cedar, and black oak, and informational signs describe the human history of the area.

Sims Flat Campground has hiking trails and access to swimming on the Sacramento River, Hazel Creek, and Mears Creek. Great summer camping spot!

Here’s the US Forest Service info on the campground itself, including details about price, season, potable water, and more. If you prefer camping for free out in the forest, check out my book Camp for Free: Dispersed Camping & Boondocking on America’s Public Lands.

Sims Flat Campground has spacious and private campsites, some near the Sacramento River and others near Hazel Creek.

Swimming the Upper Sacramento River Near Sims Flat

Brothers Eric Soares and John Soares relax in Mears Creek.Swimming in Mears Creek near the Upper Sacramento River, just north of Sims Flat Campground: brothers Eric and John Soares. — Brothers Eric Soares and John Soares relax in Mears Creek

Summer swimming holes abound both up and downstream. You can cross to the west side of the Upper Sacramento River and follow the railroad tracks in either direction, with north having the most options; look for small paths down to the water. A dirt road leaves the access road just before the railroad tracks and runs 200 yards north to a parking area; this is a good place to leave the car if you’re just coming for a quick swim in the river, or if you want to continue farther upstream to explore swimming and wading opportunities in Mears Creek.

This stretch of the river is also great for rafting, as long as you can handle the boulders in the water.

A Summer Memory

Several years ago I camped at Sims Flat with my oldest brother Eric and his wife Nancy. One hot afternoon we headed downstream to a stunning swimming hole on the Upper Sacramento River. The cold-but-not-too-cold water was the perfect complement to the 95 degree sunshine. We dipped in the coolness, we sunned on rocks, we floated downstream, we hopped on rocks, we took in the green of the streamside vegetation and the thick forests rising up the ridges. And the bit of smoke in the air didn’t bother us at all.