Best Equestrian Camping near Atwater, CA

YOU CANNOT CAMP HERE. However, this gorgeous state park has dozens of beautiful trails winding through cattle country and down along streams and ponds in the Dinosaur Point area.

NO WATER. Note that there is no safe potable water at the park, so if you're hiking, bring plenty to drink.

NOT DOG-FRIENDLY: Dogs are allowed on leash in the parking lot only. You cannot hike with your dog here.

VERY HORSE-FRIENDLY: The park is especially friendly to horses, because the lady that donated the land was an equestrienne. There is a corral at the main parking lot area and the park is fenced for livestock. They make a point of stating that although the water in the creeks and ponds is unsafe for humans, it is safe for livestock and horses. (The one exception to the no camping rule, actually, is when those on horseback are allowed to camp during special events.)

We rented sites #10 & #11 for the weekend of 6/2-6/4/23. Sites #9-11 make up the cul-de-sac so it was great for our kids to ride their bikes and scooters. It would make the perfect group site as they were a bit tucked back from the other sites. Site #12 could easily be connected to site #11 as the brush is well-cleared between the two.

These are the closest sites to the water in the campground, but unfortunately water access is pretty limited (there’s a small trail that leads down to a rocky edge, but wouldn’t be great for small children). We drove to a beach area found about a mile up the road. There is also a day-use area across the lake with some good swimming sites.

The campground was very clean and had rangers and a sheriff patrolling regularly (but not bothersome).

There is a small pit toilet right next to site #12, but there are larger bathrooms up the road with flushing toilets and showers. There is also a nice playground for the kids too.

Unfortunately site #10 does not have a shade structure but #9 does, and #11 is well shaded by trees.

We had one raccoon visitor the first night (came out of the drainage pipe under site #12) but otherwise no other wildlife. We were warned that rattle snakes are out, but we were fortunate not to see any ourselves. There is also quite a bit of brush around the campsites so be aware if you bring dogs. They are supposed to be kept on leash at all times, but our lab just brushed by some of the weeds and was littered with foxtails. So just something to be cautious of.

Although we were disappointed with not having better water access, it really is a nice campsite overall if you’re okay with driving up the road to swim.

There are few gems along the Hwy 99 route between Sacramento and Bakersfield but this is definitely one of them! Located a short 20 miles east of 99, just north of Fresno, this Army Corps of Engineers campground is stunning. Situated among rolling hills that are luscious green in the spring, this campsite is quiet and packed full of things to do. Whether you want to bike, hike, fish, boat or just sit and enjoy the peace and quiet, this is the site for you!

We're dry camping at the Wildcat site which the ranger said is rarely used. There is no one else in the whole campground!

Coyotes howled in the distance last night and it was dead quiet. Going to take the road bike out today and explore some of the roads around the Lake. Lake is full after the 2023 season.

Out in Central valley is Woodward Lake. Great for a day trip if you live in the Bay area and want to get away. They have boat access to the lake. My favorite thing about this lake campsite is almost every campsite is connected to the lake so if you have boat or jetski bring it up to the site after unloading. Also the campsites are super close to neighbors and people love to party here. To me this is a plus but I understand the other side of things just know that things get quite fun here and is 5 o'clock somewhere 24/7. Holidays usually offer fireworks. Overall great spot for family fun or even nonfamily fun haha .

We have stayed at this campground many times and recently revisited in September’24. This COE is on a small lake that is used for irrigation during the summer resulting in a much lower water level than in the spring. Fishing is good. The Corps have added more electric sites over the years and there were 5-6 that fit our 43’ Blue Bird. We marked this as “big rig” friendly. Springtime has the grasses green with abundant wild flowers in late Feb through early March. Summer can be hot as the elevation is low in the California Central Valley and the grasses are brown. Sites are asphalt. Many sites may take some time to level. Back in and pull through are available. A nice dump stations is available within the COE park. Fall has a Tarantula migration and you will definitely see them. Coyote, Bobcat, and deer are frequently seen. Codorniz is 21 miles from Chowchilla. One way in and one way out cuts down on traffic.

Summary as of late June 2020:

-Super nice, helpful manager -Great location for Yosemite/Hetch Hetchy -Large, clean restrooms -Inconsistent electricity -Bear Lot is right next to Hwy 120 -Coyote Lot is literally a new gravel parking lot, 4x4 required -No wi-fi in Bear Lot or Coyote Lot

First of all, I have to say that the manager (owner? I never caught his name) was very kind and tried his best to accommodate everyone there. The location is great for trips to Yosemite, and if you’re lucky enough to reserve a spot in the ‘main loop’ (I don’t see this ability online), you’ll probably love it. The bathrooms are large and clean and there is laundry, a small playground, a small pool (closed during our stay), and a privately run store on-site.

We brought our 28’ toy hauler here at the end of June 2020. We had reserved a spot in Coyote Lot, which we were told over the phone would be no problem. Upon arrival, the manager had his doubts but told us to “put the truck in 4x4 and give it a go!” Coyote Lot looks like a newly, semi-leveled gravel parking lot with full hook-ups… no trees or shade. There were some longer spots, but there was no way our trailer would fit in the one we reserved. The lot also exits through a run-down residential grouping of trailers, some occupied and some abandoned.

The manager put us in Bear Lot, no question, after it was determined Coyote Lot would not work. This lot is a little more established than Coyote, but still a gravel parking lot with electricity (inconsistently for many) and water hook-ups. The lot is pretty level and separated from Hwy 120 by a wooden fence. There are some picnic tables and fire pits, but not enough for each spot. We didn’t end up having to use our generator like others did. There were tent campers and rv/trailers in this lot.

Side note: the Rainbow Pools swimming hole that is recommended on the website was WAY overcrowded and I do not suggest going unless maybe you go in the early morning. There were tons of people, tons of litter, and no respect for nature… very sad to see.

Photo are of Bear Lot