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Signs & Maps
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Water

Established Camping

Dardanelle Campground

Dardanelle Campground, near Stanislaus National Forest, is a fantastic spot for those looking to immerse themselves in nature. With a mix of tent and RV sites, it’s a great place to set up camp and enjoy the great outdoors.

This campground is known for its proximity to a beautiful mountain stream, making it a prime location for fishing. Many visitors have enjoyed catching fresh rainbow trout right from the river, with one camper noting, “Almost every cast was a fish for me.” Just remember, the fishing is best when the water is cooler, so plan your trips accordingly.

While the campground doesn’t offer electric hookups or showers, it does provide vault toilets and drinking water, ensuring you have the essentials covered. Campers appreciate the peaceful atmosphere, especially during the week when it’s quieter, allowing for a more serene experience in the woods. Just keep in mind that there’s a generator from a nearby resort that can be a bit noisy at times.

For those who love to hike, there are trails nearby, and the stunning scenery is perfect for outdoor activities. Just be cautious of the local wildlife, including bears and mountain lions, and make sure to store your food properly. Dardanelle Campground is a solid choice for anyone looking to enjoy a classic camping experience surrounded by nature.

Description

National Forest

Stanislaus National Forest

__Dardanelle Campground is situated in a mixed conifer forest along the banks of the Stanislaus River. It is located 23 miles east of the Summit Ranger Station on Highway 108, opposite the Dardanelle Resort. There are a total of 28 camping sites; two double sites and four walk-in sites. The main road and parking pads are paved. Restrooms are vault toilets. Water is piped; each hydrant serves several sites. A fee is charged for extra vehicle parking. Two trails travel from the campground to the Stanislaus River.

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Location

Dardanelle Campground is located in California

Detail location of campground

Directions

23 miles east of Pinecrest on Highway 108 across from Dardanelles Resort.

Coordinates

38.3423 N
119.8323 W

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Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site
  • Walk-In
    Park in a lot, walk to your site.

Stay Connected

  • WiFi
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  • AT&T
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  • T-Mobile
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Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)

Features

For Campers

  • Trash
  • Firewood Available
  • Drinking Water
  • Toilets
  • Alcohol

For Vehicles

  • Sanitary Dump

Contact

General Info


Reviews

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4.5

out of 5

4 Reviews

Reviewed Mar. 6, 2021

The BEST 4 months.

I had the luxury of being a camp host at this location back in 2010 for a summer. While the USFS does over see the campgrounds on a regular basis, It was operated and maintained by Dodge Ridge Ski Resort. I'm pretty sure that if you want power you'll need to be self sufficient i.e( solar, wind or generator). Unless they upgraded the grounds, not sure if there are hook ups of any kind. I had a nice sturdy picnic table and a decent sized fire ring( remember dont leave until you drown your fire with at least 5-10 gal of water) dead out. If you dont bring your own wood that's ok. You are in national forest land if it's dead on the ground then you can burn it, dont get fires too large though. The fishing there is usually great in the summer time as long as the water isnt to high from the snow melt or a recent storm. I ate fresh rainbow trout when ever I took the short medium walk/ hike down to the river. The river is stocked with rainbow trout every Wednesday I think( check USFS website for current schedule and location) if you need to eat or have kids that wanna learn. Almost every cast was a fish for me. Albeit I'm not a beginner fisherman either so not much on the way of clunkers but still plenty of fun. However, there are many places where big fish are and every once in awhile you get a big fish. Some campsites are only for tents while some are for both. It's only available in summer due to roads to the campground are covered in ice and snow, as well as gates blocking the road (which allows the county to not have to plow in the winter.) In the summer it's usually pretty quite and the 10pm quite time, which meant voices down not a huge fire and no music, I allowed an outdoor movie if I was a large group and noise wasnt a nuisance to other campers. It was left to my discretion. Most party campers are only weekenders so weekdays are the best time for nature as well as quiet time. I dont really know about prices but I believe you can check USFS website for more details. The water temp varies is there snow run off? Is it raining or has it in the last 3 days? I found the best time to swim is later in the summer or go down the road to another lake for the day to swim. Fishing was best when the water was cold and slowed when it got too warm. Yes this is one thing I will say the large generator that is run at store was a problem and I've heard they are working on rebuilding so that may still be an issue but after the first 3 days it's not so bad plus I found that some campsites aren't as bad as others and you can barely hear it. Tent sites are even further away from the noise. Remember there are predators in the area; mountain lions, black bear, brown bear( I think however I've never seen one) Bobcats, eagles, falcons, owls. So keep children and small animals close, Watch out because the scavengers up there are very sneaky, raccoons, ravens and even the tree squirrels will steal unattended food as well as draw the bears and mountain lions closer so make sure all food is properly disposed of and stored correctly. Dont just lock it in your car, glass wont stop a bear( look it up on youtube) Remember if you pack it in, make sure to pack it out. Before you leave make sure your fire is completely out. Soak with water, stir, soak, stir, soak. If you can hold your hand over it and not feel any heat then you can leave other wise keep soak and stir. At the time I was in a motor home and was a green horn RVer and made many mistakes and had no idea what I was doing. Nor had i been shown how everything really worked. If you have an rv or travel trailer you can apply for a camp host position single or couple it doesnt matter no rent and pay on top of that. Make sure you bring what you need though there is a few stores down the road its roughly a 30- 45 min drive so double for round trip. There are several water filling stations on the way there( one was a mile sb108 at the forrest station) those are free but the dump stations I believe are all $10.00. If open, can be a line on busier weekends and holidays there are toilets at the campgrounds they are all vault toilets and were cleaned and stocked daily ( unsure if still being done).

I will definitely being returning over and over and F.Y.I If this campground is full their are about 6 more in the area plus a hike in site that's really great.

Reviewed Sep. 22, 2020

Nice camp next to mountain stream

This is a first come, first served campground owned by the national forest. Other options nearby in case it’s filled up upon arrival. Has two loops, one is tent only. Close driving distance to Columns of the Giants (search this for details). Camp host on-site. We enjoyed it and would return. Only con: the Dardanelles Resort across the street runs a large electric generator to power their camp facility, store, bar, etc. until midnight. Although at a distance, the valley murmur was a little annoying.

  • Review photo of Dardanelle Campground by Steve E., September 22, 2020
  • Review photo of Dardanelle Campground by Steve E., September 22, 2020
  • Review photo of Dardanelle Campground by Steve E., September 22, 2020
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Reviewed Jul. 29, 2018

Camping

We slept in a tent here , there are vault toilets throughout the grounds, close to the store/ gas station. Fished in the river , kids had a great time