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Reserve this site on Reserve America. Look under Tate’s Hell State Forest Deep Creek Primitive Campsites. When you get to your campsite, find the closest point for cell coverage. If you call 911 give them 2851 Deep Creek Road in Tate’s Hell State Forest as your address. First responders will not know to get you by your campsite number. Reserve America does not have this information on your confirmation.

The problem with Deep Creek campsite for a paddler is….

When the water is high enough to paddle to it by paddling upriver on Graham Creek (landing off SR 65) where it meets Deep Creek and continuing up Deep Creek, the campsite is flooded and what isn’t flooded is soggy.

Because this is one of the smaller campsites in Tate’s Hell State Forest, under those conditions, the capacity of 8 may have to occupy some of the entry road.

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Paddling in this area we’ve seen lots of small wildlife. Even though you may have to cart your boat to another landing if the creek is too shallow to paddle when the site is dry, you’ll have interesting company when you return.

It doesn’t have the expansive view which camping in the estuaries or rivers provide, but this camp site location shows that you can have different camping experiences in Tate’s Hell. We have enjoyed our lunch stops here — one feels more a part of the swamp forest and water at this site than in other upland sites in Tate’s Hell SF.

Here’s the view upstream. If the water is really high, one can explore as far as one feels confident to venture (GPS recommended).

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And here’s the view downstream which joins Graham Creek.

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It’s a cozy site.

The grassy land just slips into the water — no problem getting on land or off land.

The fire pit need repair.

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Because this site is often waterlogged, a portable toilet is recommended rather than a digging a pit. One does not want seepage from the pit to get into the creeks.

US Bureau of Land Management requires portable toilets on many of its popular sites. For kayak camping see BLM directions on how to make small toilets using PVC pipe, defecating on flushable toilet wipes and inserting it in PVC with both ends closed (one end screw on). Each paddler carries her tube on the deck, held by deck bungee cord. You can add powder which removes smell in the cylinder.

If you camp(ed) here, please add your comment in the box provided at the end of this post.