Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park Campground provides designated pet areas throughout its 15 campsites, where dogs must remain on leashes no longer than six feet at all times. This California State Park allows pets in developed campground areas but prohibits them on hiking trails or in historic buildings. The campground features water hookups, picnic tables with shade covers, and clean bathrooms with flush toilets and free hot showers for campers with pets. Cockroaches in tents have been reported at Visalia-Sequoia National Park KOA, making it problematic for pet owners seeking cleaner accommodations. Lost Hills RV Park, Bakersfield River Run RV Park, and Tule-Success Lake also welcome pets with various amenities including full hookups, picnic tables, and designated pet exercise areas.
Hiking options for pet owners remain limited as most nearby public lands restrict dogs on trails. Temperatures in the Central Valley frequently exceed 100°F during summer months, requiring extra precautions for pets including adequate water supply and shade protection. The campground's proximity to highways and train tracks creates noise concerns for pets sensitive to loud sounds. Most facilities require proof of current vaccinations, and veterinary services are available in nearby Porterville and Bakersfield for emergency situations. Campers report that ground squirrel infestations at Colonel Allensworth provide entertainment for dogs but require vigilant leash control. Sites are generally level with gravel or concrete pads providing stable footing for pets, though minimal natural shade necessitates bringing portable shade structures during hot weather months.
$20 - $30 / night
"While the sounds of highways and trains abound, the historical significance of this amazing site isn't lost to the sands of time."
"The "Town" In 1908, former slave Colonel Allen Allensworth and four other African Americans founded the town of Allensworth in the San Joaquin Valley of California."
"When arrived the wind was blowing and the dust was a moving.. but in the evening it calmed down.. nice place every thing looks updated, facilities, pool, help is nice, right next to loves truck stop so"
"Close to the freeway. Clean showers and bathrooms. Sites are level gravel with not much in between."
"They all have the events close to the park entrance. Three Rivers is about 5 miles away, i was blown away with this lake by the foothills but it really feels like a lake on a mountaintop!"
"I’ll start with the negatives: you can hear traffic all night because it is located in an industrial area and the showers are not hot."
$42 - $49 / night
"Convenient trail in the back of the RV site along the river with restricted access so you can walk your dog. The staff are great."
"Nice park adjacent to a great bike trail of 50+ miles. The river is not always running as in some of the pictures. Gravel pads concrete patios surrounded by grass."
$20 - $30 / night
"in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park can fill up quickly, so if you arrive to the area in the afternoon, if the higher-elevation campsites are under snow, or if you’re looking for an option outside"
"We were here on the weekend and we're able to drive in and get a spot. There are bathrooms and showers available. There is a day use area. The lake is beautiful and you are very close to town."
$53 - $63 / night
"We stopped at this park for one night, twice as a halfway point between southern and northern California. Right off the I-5 freeway next to a Shell and Valero gas station."
"This is a great location halfway between northern and southern California along I5. Clean and not too busy so we were nicely spaced out."
$20 / night
"This campground was clean, well maintained, and convenient location if you want to explore the Kern River up into the mountains."
"You can hear jet boat noise from the adjacent lake from time to time. No WiFi but good Verizon LTE (25-30 Mbps) and decent AT&T 4G (10-15Mbps)."
ScoutNice drive thru RV’s sites. Friendly Staff and good staff especially Jennifer. Very nice dog park, not a lot grass but good running area for dogs.
Location less than 30minutes from the National Forest entrance. We got up early on the road @645 am to the park was back by 11am. Only went as far General Sherman.
Only negative point was pool was closed for cleaning. Just bad timing
GuidePassing through for a night with discount was $32. Pull through full hookup gravel sites that are very tight and couldn’t put slide out as there was car parked in way. Dog park isn’t fenced off and running out of bags. Not many trees for shade and very close to noisy truck stop. Pool closed also. It was okay but nothing special.
ScoutMy family and I stayed at Lemon Cove Village over the weekend and had the most amazing time! The camp ground was clean and well kept. They had a really nice dog park. Management was super helpful. We can't wait to go back again soon!
GuideWe stopped here for one night. Cute place, clean and well maintained but very tight spots. We got a large pull through and barely fit in with our 37’ class A. Only about 6ft to the next “yard”.
Only 1 working shower and toilet.
Dog park was basically a mud run… definitely not what I would call a dog run.
Not far off the hwy and quiet. Gas station/convenience store beside it.
LegendWe arrived after carefully following the website and emailed instructions, as our RV GPS and Waze would not have gotten us here. We pulled up in the small parking lot in front of the entry gate. Although we arrived during open hours, there wasn't anyone in the office, but a kid came up to us and offered to get his mom, who was the manager. However, the kid came back alone and told us our information package was on the front board outside the gate and had everything we needed to include the gate code. We then proceeded to our assigned FHU site 34 that was a pull-in with utilities set up for a motorhome. The site was large enough that we could have pulled in, unhooked, and moved the truck out, but we were concerned about connecting to the utilities in this configuration. Back-in site 33 with FHUs was empty, so we called the office number and the man who answered didn't know if it was empty but would go check in the office if we wanted to move sites. It was obvious we were putting him out, but he did call back a few minutes later and said that back-in site 33 was open for our two-day stay. The pads here are all sand, and after settling in, we noticed the campground(CG) was about half full with either residents or transient workers. Some sites were organized, and others were not. The way the large-sized sites here are arranged, you can park your rig in various configurations. The utilities worked fine, including a decent water pressure of around 40 psi. Supposedly, they have Wifi, as indicated by the multiple repeaters around the park, but we received no instructions/password and didn’t see a guest network to try and log in. This was fine as we put out our Starlink and we had 4 bars on Verizon. We are in no way prudes, but several of the private WiFi names we could see on“Other Networks” were pretty disgusting making us question who we were parked by. They do have a nice pool area with two hot tubs. There is also a nice-sized dog park with two separate fenced areas. According to the front of the office, they sell sundries and souvenirs, but they never opened the office during our stay even though should have according to the hours on the door. From the information on their website, the King River that runs adjacent to the CG is pretty much dried up this time of year(January) but fills for the summer season. Sorry to say we didn’t“feel it” on this CG and would not want to be here in the busy season.
GuideThis camp was great! I'm glad to know that they don't have the blue green algae the is very toxic to children and animals. Makes it nice to know that I can take my pets with me to the lake so that way they can have fun to. We brought our RV and we pulled in very late at night. But it worked out because we were able to park in a spot and hook up to the power and then pay for the spot in the morning.
ScoutA little sketchy, lots of feral cats, not many people traveling through. Mostly people who live here.
RangerJust small little grass plots or pull in rvs
They had some cute stray cats
GuideWhile the sounds of highways and trains abound, the historical significance of this amazing site isn't lost to the sands of time. A pleasant, barely off the beaten path campground, this is worth a stop over before entering the hustle and bustle of southern California urban life.
Walk around the town and listen to the history of this very significant town that was once the site of the largest hotel between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
We are the only people here
Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park Campground is located in California's Central Valley at an elevation of approximately 210 feet above sea level. The park sits on flat terrain characterized by sparse natural vegetation and experiences temperature extremes typical of the region. Most campsites throughout the park remain open year-round, though summer temperatures frequently exceed 100°F while winter nights can drop below freezing.
Historical tours: Visit the restored buildings of Allensworth, California's first town founded and governed by African Americans. Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park Campground offers self-guided and ranger-led tours of the historic site. "In 1908, former slave Colonel Allen Allensworth and four other African Americans founded the town of Allensworth in the San Joaquin Valley of California. According to wikipedia, it is 'the only California town to be founded, financed and governed by African Americans,'" explains camper Corinna B.
Cycling opportunities: Explore miles of flat terrain on bicycle. Buena Vista Aquatic Recreational Area offers paved and unpaved routes suitable for cycling. "We enjoyed riding my bike around the historic town. The infestation of ground squirrels was horrifying for someone who works in agriculture, but they do provide some entertainment to watch, along with the blazing orange sunset," notes Meg R. about Allensworth.
Water recreation: Boat, fish, or swim at nearby lakes within 30-45 minutes drive. Tule - Success Lake provides multiple water activities when water levels permit. "We found sitting and watching the sunset over the lake perfect site#30 after a long day ride," writes Graeme P. The lake also offers boat rentals for visitors without their own watercraft.
Budget-friendly rates: Campground fees are lower than many California state parks. Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park charges modest fees compared to coastal or mountain parks. "Clean, newer type of space. Free showers for campers, and the price is cheap for a developed site. $20 for regular, $30 for an RV," reports Michael H.
Solitude and quiet: Campgrounds in the area often have low occupancy rates. Many visitors note the uncrowded nature of camping in this region. "Saturday in Aug and we were the only ones. Reasonable cell on mint, T-Mobile and spectrum," adds Michael H. Another visitor, Erik J., shares, "We are the only people here" during their September stay at Allensworth.
Modern facilities: Clean restrooms and hot showers available at several campgrounds. Bakersfield River Run RV Park provides particularly well-maintained facilities. "The bathrooms and grounds are modern, the showers are fantastic. Definitely stay here if you are traveling through," recommends Sarah R. Similarly at Allensworth, "Bathrooms with flush toilets, free showers, water fountains and an area to wash dishes were ridiculously clean."
Limited shade: Most campgrounds offer minimal natural cover. The Central Valley's sparse tree cover means preparing for sun exposure. "The area is hot and dry in the summer with few trees, so the shade covers over the picnic tables are helpful," notes Corinna B. about Allensworth. Consider bringing portable shade structures during summer months.
Wildlife presence: Ground squirrels and other small mammals are prevalent. Buena Vista Aquatic Recreational Area visitors frequently mention wildlife encounters. "The campground is full of pocket gophers and ground squirrels so lots of uneven ground," warns Wendy S. This creates potential hazards for tent stakes and walking after dark.
Environmental noise factors: Highway and train sounds affect some campgrounds. Proximity to transportation corridors impacts sound levels at certain sites. "If the trains and small freeway weren't close, it would be 5 as a site," mentions Michael H. about Allensworth. Strategic site selection can minimize noise disruption.
Playground access: Some campgrounds offer dedicated play areas for children. Limited recreational facilities exist specifically for children. "The playground is a couple swings and a kiddie slide, the pool was dirty, ants and flies all over everything," warns Leandra S. about Visalia-Sequoia National Park KOA, suggesting expectations should be managed accordingly.
Educational opportunities: Historic sites provide learning experiences. Visalia-Sequoia National Park KOA serves as a base camp for exploring regional attractions. "We planned on spending most of that week in the Sequoias and King's Canyon, a little disappointing to find that it is quite a drive to get to the parks. The name is deceiving but our bad for not researching more before booking," shares Erin D.
Swimming options: Public pools and lake swimming areas offer cooling relief. During hot weather, water access becomes essential for families. "It's a pretty far walk to the lake. On the pro side not too far from a town if you need to grab something," notes Patricia C. about Success Lake, highlighting the importance of planning for water access.
Site selection strategies: Choose carefully based on rig size and access needs. Lost Hills RV Park provides convenient highway access for overnight stops. "Under slight construction from change of ownership, but convient to food and gas," reports Brian J., highlighting the practical amenities available for travelers.
Level sites: Most RV parks offer graded pads, though quality varies. Confirming site conditions before arrival helps avoid setup challenges. "We had booked a pull thru site and they asked to change our spot because they were having a party that day in that area. I was okay with it until we got there and tried to pull into the spot. We have a 35 foot 5th wheel and they put us on the far end where it was hard to turn," warns Tonya C. about Lindy's Landing and Campground.
Dog friendly campgrounds near Alpaugh: Pet areas and rules vary widely. Most campgrounds welcome pets but enforce leash regulations. "Lindy's Landing" provides pet-friendly accommodations, though one visitor notes, "If you have a long fifth wheel or RV this place is perfect pull through parking full hook up." When traveling with dogs, confirm specific site restrictions as some areas may have additional limitations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Alpaugh, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Alpaugh, CA is Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 6 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Alpaugh, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 39 dog-friendly camping locations near Alpaugh, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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