0
Pull-thru
USFSShasta-Trinity National Forest · California
Girard Ridge Lookout
Overview Girard Ridge Lookout was constructed in 1931 and used by the Forest Service on a regular basis until 1981.
Sites1all reservable
Elev.4,823ft
Comf.May-Oct6 months
Max rigtents
Electricnonesites
From Sacramento5h13real road time
The honest read
Synthesized from
RIDB · Open-Meteo
OSM · OSRM
Updated 2026-05-27
RIDB · Open-Meteo
OSM · OSRM
Updated 2026-05-27
At 4,823 ft, Girard Ridge Lookout has a 6-month comfortable window (May-Oct). Winter nights average around 25°F, so the shoulder seasons turn cold fast. All 1 sites are reservable in advance, so plan ahead. Popular weekends book out. Within about 4 miles: 7 named hiking routes, 1 peak, lake or river access.
The campground at a glance
01 · CHARACTER
Reads strongest on reservability and cool nights. Softest on shade.
Six axes, each scored relative to every other federal campground in the region: quiet (miles to a major road), cool (elevation), roomy (average site spacing), shade, RV-fit (longest rig), and how reservable it is. All six come from data, nothing hand-tuned.
When to go
02 · CLIMATE
avg highavg lowfrost-freedriest · Jul
May-Oct
Comfortable window: nights stay above 35°F, days below 90°F.
95%
Of summer weekend-days are dry.
May 23
Last spring frost; first fall frost Oct 11.
54°F
Average July low. Bring a fleece.
Getting there
03 · ACCESS
01
Sacramento
235 mi
5h13
02
San Francisco
301 mi
6h41
03
Fresno
431 mi
9h35
04
Los Angeles
697 mi
15h29
05
San Diego
840 mi
18h40
By drive time
Routed road time (OSRM). Nearest major highway 2 mi away.
Picking your site
04 · 1 SITES
0
Walk-in
0
50-amp
0
Accessible
0
Prime
1
Sites
What's within four miles
05 · TRAILS · PEAKS · WATER
Trails & Peaks
Named hiking routes
7
Trail segments
50
Peaks
1
Viewpoints
1
Water & Access
Lake / river access
yes
To nearest major road
2 mi
Method
We synthesize public data layers: RIDB and Recreation.gov facility and site records, Open-Meteo climate normals, OpenStreetMap roads, trails, and water, OSRM drive times, and USGS elevation. We take no bookings, no ads, and no paid placements. Independence is the entire point.