Best Tent Camping near Angels, CA

We stayed the night at one of the Hetch Hetchy reservable sites (first come, first served) before our trek through the backcountry of Yosemite. The sites were just a quick walk in from the parking lot and featured picnic tables, bear boxes, bathrooms and established fire rings. A permit is required to stay in the area as well as a $6 per person fee and you're able to check-in with your reservation right at the Hetch Hetchy entrance. The sites are well maintained and do feature scenic vistas, though it appears that the best views offered by Hetch Hetchy are found farther in the backcountry and we wish we had the time to really explore the area. The campground served as an easy spot to hike in, set up and prepare for a long trek ahead, although, if you're not pressed for time or resting up for a big hike, I'd recommend continuing on past the established sites into the more scenic backcountry. One major advantage of Hetch Hetchy is that you'll avoid the major crowds in Yosemite Valley which can't be beat in my book.

My brother and I hit the north grove campground for the first time this past weekend. My expectations weren’t high but this place was great.

The campground we chose was kind of close to the road which would have been the only real negative. The campground map makes it seem like the road was further away from the sites but I woke up a couple of times from road noise.

Our campsite had a fire ring, bbq, picnic table and bear box and still had a large flat spot for my huge tent as well as parking for my car.

The weather was great, no bugs to be found and plenty to do. I already want to go back next year but choose a site further from the road.

Located off highway 50 near Kyburz, CA, this campsite is a first come, first serve campsite. No reservations. Listen to the sounds of the river while sleeping. You can also play & fish in the river during the day. The river is stocked with fish. RV & tent sites which are spacious & most have nice shade coverage. No hookups, vault toilets. Dog friendly on leashes. Camp host has been there for 5 years & is super friendly. we had no problems but we followed the rules. Only 4 stars because you do hear the highway traffic. one of my fav places. $23 per day per site, $8 for extra parking. Lots of extra spaces.

This place is amazing. I’ve been five times since I discovered it late last year. This campground is about an hour’s drive to any kind of amenities or cell phone service. The road in is bumpy and there is a shallow creek that you will need to drive across, but I had no problems driving a 2wd Honda Fit compact car up. This park didn’t even open until late July this year due to all the snowfall. There is 1 vault toilet and an old-school hand pump for water, which isn’t always functioning so bring plenty of water. All of the sites are first come first served, each has a fire pit with grill plate, and a picnic table. No dumpsters for trash, pack it in and pack it out.

There is plenty of hiking, both steep and moderate. Folger peak trail can be very challenging due to all the loose shale. There is an equestrian trail that is more flat going the other direction which is less steep but still a very scenic hike. Ranchers bring their cattle up to graze during the summer months so you’ll hear their cowbells all day long. There is a weather station in the valley and it’s fairly accurate so you can get the forecast before you go, just google weather Highland Lakes. I would recommend a 4 season tent, even in the summer. On my last trip it was a little to cold for my taste so we drove back down the road and camped along the creek the last few nights.

The location and weekend was amazing and beautiful. The 105 daytime temps were quelled by dunking ourselves in the lake and taking excursions to some of the other local wonders. We had a great view of the lake and the stars overnight were amazing. It was extremely easy to socially distance from others at all times.

We spent the weekend camped out here but when we arrived, our location was filled with trash. The previous occupants had left garbage strewn everywhere and a garbage bag that was torn into by the wildlife. We cleaned for about half an hour and filled a large black yard waste bag with garbage before we could start to settle in.

The other big issue is that the site says “all facilities are open” but in reality all the restrooms are closed and locked with a solution of putting portable toilets in front of the restroom areas. This is in no way better for dealing with bathroom needs.

Also, the camp host location was marked but no host appeared or was available. The rangers drove by maybe 6 times total.

Be aware when coming here that many sites do not have shade or places to set up hammocks.

Don’t let my negative points turn you away, many of these things were going to be situational and we would love to go back (just not in the midst of a heatwave like that).

The sites were well maintained. We went early in the season (April) so the dust was not bad. I think later in the spring/summer you might find yourself faced with dust and foxtails. Lots of weeds in surrounding areas. 

Water was high, but looks like it would be great fishing. 

There are many site styles available- private riverside drive up, community river cul-de-sac walk-ins, and three drive in sites tucked up the hill away from everything. 

Porta-pottys and vault toilets available- no water. 

Lots a options here.

Great beach by the river- tag the shade early in the day to beat the heat.

Beautiful view of the lake, level plot, toilets, picnic table, potable water, fire ring, grill, recycling stations and large dumpsters. Dog friendly too. This campsite has everything you need to enjoy a nice evening by the lake. However, booking online or by phone is a pain in the ass. If you toussle around with the website, you'll see what I mean. We were also unable to reach anyone by phone.

They do not do walk-ins for campsites on Fridays or Saturdays. We came on a Sunday and were able to set up camp and leave our stuff to hit the grocery store in Pollock Pines. I think it was $45 for the night but very well worth camping in an established zone for the first time in a week! We drove into our site in a Ford E-350 and next to us was a converted schoolbus. Many SUVs as well. The camp host was on premises as well.

At the time of this review, the store across the check-in gate, Sly Park Resort, was closed until further notice.