341 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Campgrounds near Applegate, California range from established facilities to more primitive sites along the American River watershed. Auburn State Recreation Area offers several campgrounds including Mineral Bar and Ruck-A-Chucky, providing access to the North Fork American River. The area supports tent camping, RV sites, and cabin accommodations at places like Coloma Resort, which sits adjacent to the South Fork American River. Most developed campgrounds in the region provide basic amenities such as picnic tables, fire rings, and vault toilets, while some offer additional features like showers and electric hookups.
Road conditions and seasonal closures significantly impact camping availability throughout the area. Many campgrounds operate on seasonal schedules, with sites like Ruck-A-Chucky Campground open from October to April, while others like Lake Clementine Boat In operate from May through September. A visitor noted, "The sites are a little small, but very nice. The beaches are great too and secluded." Elevation changes affect temperatures and accessibility, particularly during winter months when some forest roads become impassable. Campers should check current fire restrictions before planning trips, as summer and fall fire bans are common. Most developed campgrounds require reservations through recreation.gov or Reserve California, especially during peak summer weekends.
The proximity to water features represents a major draw for campers in the Applegate area. Several visitors mentioned the American River as a highlight, with swimming holes and fishing opportunities accessible from many campgrounds. One camper shared, "Close to the n. fork of the American river. Lots of great swimming holes close by up river. Great hiking path opposite the camp ground going up river." Wildlife sightings, including bears, are relatively common, with most campgrounds providing bear-proof storage lockers for food and scented items. Noise levels vary significantly between locations, with campgrounds closer to highways experiencing more road noise than more remote options. Giant Gap Campground and other forest service sites typically offer more seclusion but fewer amenities than state park campgrounds. Folsom Lake State Recreation Area provides additional camping options within a 30-minute drive, offering more developed facilities and lake access.
"I’ve been here about 8-10 times and every time I love my stay, it’s a quiet getaway around 45 mins away from me and the sound of the river is amazing."
"Place the cash ($28 a night) in the envelope and put it in the post that’s on the parking entrance."
from $38 / night
Check Availability"Beautiful fall surroundings right adjacent to the South Fork of the American River. Easy walk or car ride to numerous hiking trails."
"If you ever want to experience the thrill of gold panning, and California history go here!"
"Our site was next to the raft launch/pickup, so there were a couple of groups picked up during the day. Bathrooms were average and the site was maintained well."
"Small cars made it down ther without difficulty)
Once at the camp ground, right on the waters edge, grab up the 3rd site on the right. It is literally on the edge of the river."
"As with most of California everything is dry. The lake is very low and a half mile walk from park to get to. The sites are surrounded by dry tall grass and spaced out nicely."
"As full timers- we thought we hit the jackpot for the area in order to be near the towns we wanted to explore and also have service for good wifi."
from $33 - $58 / night
Check Availability"The site was spacious and a short walk to the reservoir and trail. We hiked around the entire reservoir and it was gorgeous."
"The campsites are all very nice but 23 and 24 can’t be beat with the best access to the water ( you will have a lot of people walking by to get there also though)."
from $24 - $48 / night
Check Availability"You’re also about 3 or 4 miles away from the Georgetown OHV which made it an easy ride to get to the dirt."
"A lovely quiet spot midweek, quiet drive to Georgetown for some great breakfasts if you want some classic American diner fare."
from $3 - $8 / night
Check Availability"Very quite camping spot very clean.coin operated showers😭 lake is very close by."
"I wanted to find a spot somewhat close by and came across this one."
from $33 / night
Check Availability"Just know that here on The Dyrt, the location on the map for some reason shows it as being many miles away from Kidder Ct: it’s marked as if it is at Higgins Corner, halfway to Auburn?"
"Super clean and friendly Not congested and close to many hiking trails Easy drive and close to Nevada City.
Especially nice during Christmas Season. Feels like walking back in time."
"Nice campground - close to river. .5 mile walk to town for shopping/eating. All sites have fire pit and picnic table. Bathrooms clean and private showers."
"It is right in the American River and next to a class 3 rapid called Trouble Maker. It was awesome watching rafters and kayakers go through it."
ScoutNeeded a place to camp after driving 12 hours from Washington . Wanted to stay as close to Yosemite . This place did the trick . No one was there . Quiet and serene . Lots of scorched trees . But all in all was great . There is also cell service ! 7-23-26
ScoutI’d give this campsite a 4/5 if it weren’t for the road. Maybe if you get a spot right next to the river it isn’t an issue, but if you’re not that lucky then you’re going to be stuck hearing cars go by all day and night.
ScoutI've been camping at this location for 10 years. This year the bathrooms were so disgusting it was difficult to use them. The smell was awful and we never saw the hosts clean them once in the 3 days we were there.
Also, the camp hosts were MAGA and thought they owned the place. They had 3 large dogs that at times were running around the campground off leash. We were enjoying our time in the river when her 3 big dogs and her, came to our quiet peaceful spot and just took over and her dogs were off leash and out of control. They tried to attack my small dog multiple times and she wouldn't even try to control them. She kept telling us that she's the camp host and she could do what she wanted. We had to leave because it was so chaotic. She totally ruined our good time. Then, when I tried to make a complaint to the Lake Tahoe Hospitality group who manages that campground, they did not take the event serious and even tried to kick us out because we said a curse word. I told them we were not leaving since we had done nothing wrong and to call the Sheriff. Which they did and guess who took our side. Animal control was dispatched too. And, no, we didn't have to leave. I've never seen such blatant entitlement and disregard for others using the area and enjoying nature in all my life. Pure Trash.
GuideLook up this site’s history, it’s quite fascinating.
While there’s a no trespassing sign, this is indeed a Forest Service-managed site and confirmed as a dispersed location.
I pulled in just as this older gentleman was walking the area, and he started telling me all about the owner back in the 60s-70s (“a mean guy”) and what a cool ski resort it once was.
LegendGeneral: Beals Point is one of two locations on Folsom Lake for camping. Large campground with a mix of electric and non-electric campsites plus some group sites.
Site Quality: Drives are paved and mostly level. We camped in a little “cul-de-sac” with just four sites. While these sites back up to the American River Bike Trail (aka Jedediah Smith Recreation Trail), it was overgrown, and I did not see direct access to the trail as we did the last time we were here.
Bath/Shower: Typical CA state park layout– all-gender units with toilet and sink (but no soap, towels, or dryers) and showers. Unlike other CA state parks, these take quarters instead of tokens. The units could use a little TLC, but what was most disheartening was how other campers had trashed them– toilet paper (and worse) scattered all over the insides. Obviously not the fault of the campground.
Activities/Amenities: Folsom Lake is the draw, and people were fishing, kayaking, and swimming. The 32-mile paved multi-use American River Bike Trail is easily accessible. There is a snack bar/concession stand for beach rentals, but it was not open when we were there.
Our stay here this time was over a weekend; it was completely full, and it reminded us once again that we prefer to camp during the week and shoulder seasons when campgrounds are less crowded!
LegendI invite you to take a look at the pictures. This is a simple gravel parking lot with hookups. There's nothing special about this location.
GuideThere’s only a couple of spots to pull off the road, the boat ramp clearly states no camping. I found a spot but every few hours all night long a truck with flashing lights on the roof drove by. Kinda weird
GuideThis appears to be another roadside pullout in the Demonstration Forest area rather than a legal overnight campsite. Based on on-site clarification from CAL FIRE at a nearby listing, overnight camping is not permitted in this Demonstration Forest area. Only the campground run by PG&E is legal.
Guide--- Not a legal campsite: confirmed by CAL FIRE ---
I originally stopped here with an in-progress cargo trailer conversion because this looked like an excellent roadside pullout: large, easy to access, relatively level, and long enough to maneuver a truck and trailer without drama. As a short stop, turnaround, or day-use staging spot, it is genuinely useful. However, this should not be listed or treated as an overnight campsite. While I was on-site, I was contacted by Officer Steve Garcia with CAL FIRE, who advised me that overnight camping is not permitted at this location. I had interpreted the posted seasonal“no parking” signage as suggesting that public use might be allowed outside the snow-removal season, but he clarified that the signage relates to snow removal and does not authorize overnight camping in the Demonstration Forest area. For practical details: the pullout itself is easy to enter and exit, with enough room for a modest trailer rig to get fully out of traffic and turn around. Road noise drops off substantially overnight, though traffic begins again in the morning. The area may be useful for a brief rest stop, equipment check, turnaround, or day-use pause. But as a camping location, the important information is simple: Do not plan to camp here overnight. I’m updating this review so others don’t make the same assumption I did. This is a good pullout, but it is not a legal overnight campsite.
Camping options around Applegate, California span elevations from 500 to 2,500 feet, creating significant temperature variations between locations. The region's campgrounds typically close by 10 PM, with quiet hours strictly enforced from 10 PM to 6 AM. Most campsites in this area remain green with oaks and pines through spring, but become drier with limited shade during summer months.
Swimming in crystal clear water: The North Fork American River near Mineral Bar Campground offers numerous swimming spots. "Beautiful mountain valley of north fork. Clean campsites right along road with bearboxes, picnic tables, and fire pits. Easy river access down the hill to rocky swimming pools," notes one visitor who enjoyed the secluded setting.
Gold panning: Try your luck searching for gold flakes along the American River. As one camper at Coloma Resort shared, "If you ever want to experience the thrill of gold panning, and California history go here! You will not strike it rich, but with a couple hours of effort you can get a nice little bottle of gold flakes to take home with you."
Explore historic sites: Visit nearby Sutter's Mill and historic mining towns. "Campground is walking distance from the historic town of Coloma and the Argonaut for breakfast and lunch (and Gelato!)," explains a camper who appreciated the blend of outdoor recreation with local history exploration.
Clean facilities: Many campgrounds maintain exceptionally clean bathrooms and showers despite their remote locations. A visitor to Inn Town Campground noted, "They have dish washing stations and the absolute nicest, cleanest bathrooms/showers I've ever seen in a campground."
Waterfront access: Lake and river proximity allows for immediate water recreation. "We camped during the off season (November) so we had our pick of the campsites, which was a great considering the spots are right next to each other. Really nice site right by the water," reported a camper at Lake Clementine Boat In.
Wildlife viewing: The area supports diverse wildlife encounters throughout the year. At Peninsula Campground, one camper observed, "Wildlife is off the chain here. As others have said, if you don't love being surrounded by wild animals, this will probably be a bit much for you. Bears have been seen on occasion, cougars, Bobcats, and coyotes all stop by from time to time."
Road conditions: Many campgrounds require navigating narrow, winding roads. For Giant Gap Campground, a visitor advised, "Be warned though, Google maps will suggest driving up Iowa Hill. DO NOT. Follow the directions of the campground, that road is not for the faint of heart. And NOT for RVs or trailers."
Seasonal water levels: American River and lake water levels fluctuate dramatically by season. "The river was crystal clear and beautiful," noted a camper at Lake Clementine Boat In during October, while summer visitors often find water levels significantly lower.
Reservation requirements: First-come sites fill quickly during summer weekends. "First come first serve campsites, I went for a solo camp trip and loved it. I came in on a Thursday afternoon and snagged campsite #5. (Useful tip, BRING A PEN AND EXACT CASH)," advised one camper detailing the self-registration process.
Pool access: Some campgrounds offer swimming pools as alternatives to river swimming. An Inn Town Campground visitor mentioned, "Pool was small but the pool area was really nice. Great location for swimming in the Yuba river!"
Kid-friendly amenities: Look for campgrounds with playgrounds and recreational facilities. According to a Dru Barner Campground visitor, "This has been my favorite spot after traveling all across US. I wanted to hide in the forest. Nothing but trees and the wind blowing through them."
Safety considerations: Bear activity requires proper food storage throughout the region. "Bears are common in this area and I've personally seen a few crossing the road on my way to and from the campground. There are bear lockers provided for food and scented items," reported a Mineral Bar camper highlighting the importance of using provided bear boxes.
Site leveling challenges: Many RV sites require significant leveling. A visitor to Beals Point Campground shared, "Stayed two nights while working on the road. Really nice camp hosts and attendants. Nice services; clean bathrooms and coin op showers. Very green early in the season, lake extremely low, warm evenings already."
Length restrictions: Several access roads have vehicle length limitations. "The access road is about six miles of curvy, hilly, and narrow (sometimes only one lane) pavement. There is a sign prohibiting trailers; our 18-foot camper van did fine but anything much larger would definitely be challenged," warned a Lake Clementine Boat In visitor.
Hookup availability: Most campgrounds offer limited or no hookups. An Auburn Gold Country RV Park visitor noted, "If you don't have the premium hookup spots, you got to pay 20$ 'Service Fee' for dumping. Idk why because you end up doing it all by yourself as usual anyway."
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Applegate, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, Applegate, CA offers a wide range of camping options, with 341 campgrounds and RV parks near Applegate, CA and 19 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Applegate, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Applegate, CA is Lake Clementine Boat In — Auburn State Recreation Area with a 4.6-star rating from 7 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Applegate, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 19 free dispersed camping spots near Applegate, CA.
What parks are near Applegate, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 23 parks near Applegate, CA that allow camping, notably Eldorado National Forest and Plumas National Forest.
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