Soquel Campground, near Yosemite National Park, is a peaceful spot that offers a true escape into nature. With spacious, creekside campsites, it’s perfect for those who want to unwind and enjoy the soothing sounds of flowing water.

This campground is known for its free firewood and a helpful host who can point you to nearby swimming holes. Visitors have raved about the natural swimming pools formed by the creek, making it a refreshing place to cool off on warm days. As one camper noted, “The creek is gorgeous, and hey, there's some light fishing to be done in the creek as well!”

While the amenities are minimal—think vault toilets and no drinking water—this place shines in its simplicity. The last stretch of road can be a bit twisty, so it’s best to arrive during daylight, especially if you’re driving a larger vehicle. Campers appreciate the quiet atmosphere, with many noting that it’s a great spot for a peaceful night under the stars.

If you’re looking for a place to connect with nature and enjoy some tranquility, Soquel Campground is a solid choice. Just remember to bring your bug spray and be prepared for a bit of a drive to get there!

## Overview

 Soquel Campground consists of two loops on the banks of Willow Creek. The primitive sites are well-shaded by pine and fir trees and can accommodate small trailers and tents. Reservations for this campground are now site-specific. 
## Recreation

 Trails can be found off Highway 41 west of the campground, including the 3.7-mile Lewis Creek National Recreation Trail and the Miami Motorcycle Trails, a network of forest roads and trails for dirt bikes and off-road vehicles. The Shadow of the Giants, a grove of giant sequoias, is popular 1-mile hike just a short drive north of the campground.
## Natural Features

 The Sierra National Forest, located on the western slope of the central Sierra Nevada, is known for its spectacular mountain scenery and abundant natural resources. The terrain includes rolling, oak-covered foothills, heavily forested middle elevation slopes and the starkly beautiful alpine landscape of the High Sierra. Soquel Campground is located in the Highway 41 Corridor of the Bass Lake Ranger District. This area is known for the Nelder Grove of giant sequoias. 
## Nearby Attractions

 Yosemite National Park is a popular day trip from the area. The historic logging train at Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad is a little closer to the campground. Soquel Campground is just off the Sierra Vista Scenic Byway (Sky Ranch Road), an 83-mile drive past many highlights of Sierra National Forest.
## Charges & Cancellations

 Once your reservation start date has begun, neither the Recreation.gov Contact Center nor the campground manager will be able to modify your reservation.

Soquel Campground

The Dyrt is here to help plan your best camping near Bass Lake. There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. Find the best campgrounds near Bass Lake, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.

Bass Lake

The Best Camping Near Bass Lake, California

The drive up can be difficult (especially at night) with dirt roads making tight turns; plus the signs get scarce after a certain point.
The grounds are pretty well kept. The bathrooms could be a little cleaner. The firepit and grill were all par for the course.
My only real complaint was that there were no bear food lockers for nighttime storage. There's signs warning people about bears at night, but you are advised to store food in cars. That kinda sucks since bears don't care at all about scratching your car to get to that food.
That said, we never ran into any serious wildlife. BRING BUG SPRAY as the ladybugs and other insects are busy doing their thing, we're just visiting.
The creek is gorgeous, and hey, there's some light fishing to be done in the creek as well!

Worth the Trip!

some sites are little too close to each other. place is beautiful and there is a creek. probably not too hard to find if you don’t show up when it’s pitch dark (creeeepyyyy) ;) 
no water there  (I think) 

Close to Bass Lake

Nice little site by a creek. Vault toilets, no water. Last 5 mins of drive is dirt road and pretty twisty turny mountain roads. Wouldn’t want to drive after dark or with a real big rv, but my sedan made it just fine. Nice host and quiet at night. 

Nice minimal site by creek

Camped here a few times years ago. The creek is cold, but the rock formations create natural pools great for swimming. It a popular spot and fills up fast. 

Natural swimming pools

This is a lovely campground near Yosemite. No RVs, so quiet and almost all campsites are creekside. The host is knowledgable and helpful, gave us good directions for swimming hole near by, and lots of free firewood. A lovely spot to camp.

Quiet, creekside campsites

Quiet, large creekside campsites. Free firewood, helpful host.

Photos of Soquel Campground

Real photos from real campers