The Klamath’s Camper Corral has been in business since the 1960s and is located in Klamath, California, with the Klamath River running along the premises. There are 100 full hookup sites and 24 that only include water and electricity. George, the owner, says there is also an undisclosed amount of tent camping sites throughout the land. Amenities on the property include WiFi, showers, coin-operated laundry, and cable TV. Facilities include the main office and the barn, which can be used for events such as family gatherings. Attractions to the area include the Klamath Tour-Thru Tree, the Trees of Mystery, the Klamath River, and the nearby ocean. During labor day weekend, there is a blackberry festival. Weather conditions in the area cause the property to only be open from late April to the end of November.
In the town of Klamath, California resides the Klamath’s Camper Corral business which has been in the area since the late 60s. The property is comprised of a total of 52 acres of land, which is also situated on the Klamath River. Fishing is one of the most popular activities on the property among guests and the owner himself. With the Klamath River being on the property, the land is known to occasionally flood depending on the time of year. George, the camp owner, describes the premises to be located between two national redwood parks, saying, “Klamath sits in the heart of the redwoods.”
Accommodations offered by the camp include 100 full hookup sites and 24 that only include water and electricity. The sites are described to be “buddy sites” due to the option of having one RV pull in the opposite direction of another RV so that the two trailers are door to door with each other. There is a maximum of six people at each site located on the premises. George also says there is an undisclosed amount of tent sites scattered throughout the camp’s grounds. Tents are not permitted in RV sites unless pre-arranged with the staff for family gatherings. Guests are also able to rent RVs that the property already has on the grounds, such as The Pegasus, The Springdale, and The Crossroads, with each one being different in style and layout. Pets are permitted on the property, however, not in the RV rentals.
Klamath’s Camper Corral offers various amenities to those who visit the camp. Such amenities include free WiFi, cable TV, coin-operated laundry machines, and showers. Facilities on the property include the main office, a rec barn, and on-site bathrooms. The barn can be used for family gatherings, reunions, and potlucks; tables, chairs, and a few video games are provided in the building. Overall, George says the space is meant to be a place where patrons can come to relax. Another feature of the property is the on-site store which is relatively small. Items sold at the store typically include emergency supplies and will vary from year to year.
George, the owner of Klamath’s Camper Corral, says that his biggest goal for his business is to continue to have success. He also wants guests to continue to have good spirits when they arrive at the camp. He says that they are generally already positive when arriving and wants them to continue that way throughout their stay. He wants to provide a place that is clean and to always be attentive to those who enter his establishment.
According to George, interactions among patrons and staff are said to be high and constant. He also attributes his success to taking good care of his customers and keeping the property clean and mentions that the weather is also a contributing factor. The business is only open from late April to the end of November due to the other months of the year being too wet, which often floods the land. George says that some clientele comes from the San Joaquin Valley in the Cottonwood area to escape the heat. He claims that “It’s often 118 degrees on their side of the hill and high 60s to 70s on our side.” The busiest season for the business can be considered from September to October, perhaps because of these lower temperatures. George says that the overall weather during this time is constant and mentions the saying, “65 at noon and 65 at midnight.”
Other draws to the surrounding area include fishing in the nearby rivers and ocean as well as the redwood forests. Across the street from the camp is the Klamath Tour-Thru Tree, which is a relatively large redwood tree with a space in the middle big enough for a car to drive through. Another redwood forest includes the Trees of Mystery. One guest remarks that “this campground is right of Highway 101. Quiet and close to so many sights (Trees of Mystery, Prairie Creek State Park, and the beach). The staff is very nice and helpful.” If visitors are looking for a place to eat in the area, George recommends the Log Cabin Diner right across the street from the camp. He also mentions that there are not a lot of food options in the area, so the property will typically sell pizzas in the barn throughout the week for guests. Another event that takes place in the barn is the annual blackberry festival that the property hosts. The event takes place on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. The festival has live music and a farmers market that includes vendors and crafts.
Patrons who visit the property are said to return often, according to George, with some guests coming throughout generations. Those who visit the property are typically older folks who are retired, though recently, there have been higher amounts of the younger generation coming to the camp. Guests to the property are expected to abide by the policies set by the establishment. One policy includes following the daily quiet time from 10:00 PM to 7:00 AM. Pets are permitted on the property but must be cleaned up after; smoking is also allowed on the grounds.
Klamath’s Camper Corral has been in business since the late 1960s. The original owners of the establishment were the Cooper family and have had multiple owners since. Herold Del Ponte was the previous owner of the camp until George, the current owner, bought the property. George has owned the property for nearly nine years, and as far as he knows, the land has always served as a place to camp since being opened in the 60s. The land was possibly used as a pasture before a flood in 1964. Due to this flood, the owners of the land were led to convert the property into an RV Park. Highway 101 was rerouted due to the flood; before this, the highway cut through the property.
George was led to enter the lodging industry due to his love of fishing. The property and area around allow easy access to the sport. He also wanted to escape the heat of the valley, which is why he bought this specific property. George has made multiple changes since purchasing the land. He says that he has spent a lot of time cleaning it up and putting it back together. He has no future plans of anything to add or do to the property besides to continue what they are currently doing.
18151 U.S. 101
Klamath, California 95548
United States
Campground
George
Herold Del Ponte
