1 campground with availability this weekend
Ruck-A-Chucky Campground offers limited horse access in the Auburn State Recreation Area along the American River. The campground consists of five tent-only sites located at the end of a 3-mile dirt road that can be challenging for trailers. Sites are situated directly on the riverbank, providing water access for horses. The terrain is steep, requiring careful consideration for horse handling. Vault toilets are available, but no drinking water or corrals are provided, making this a primitive option for experienced equestrians. The campground operates seasonally from October 15 to April 15.
The surrounding Auburn State Recreation Area provides approximately 100 miles of multi-use trails suitable for horseback riding, with varying terrain and difficulty levels. Trailer parking is available at designated trailheads, though not at the campground itself. The three-mile access road requires four-wheel drive during wet conditions. Most riders prefer to trailer to nearby equestrian-friendly trailheads rather than camp with horses at Ruck-A-Chucky itself. Several staging areas throughout the recreation area offer better facilities for day rides. Folsom Lake State Recreation Area provides an alternative nearby option with more accessible terrain and facilities, though also without dedicated horse corrals.
"Folsom Lake is a very large lake which touches 3 counties (Sacramento, Placer & El Dorado). Beals Point is right on the border of Folsom & Granite Bay on Folsom-Auburn Rd."
"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."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $28 - $48 / night
"Definitely the best campground in the Auburn area, though only 5 walk-in spots. It’s right on the river with fishing and boating opportunities. Lots of hiking trails right from camp."
"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."
"WELCOME TO ASCENSION RANCH Ascension Ranch is an off-grid paradise tucked away in an oak savanna along Folsom Lake with a unique and ever growing list of features and activities."
"Super relaxing and has a lake that is at the end of the trail. Super convenient. It was cool to experience the animals that were in the pastures as well. I'd definitely come back."
Available this weekend
from $59 - $115 / night
"The good part is this is a beautiful place in the trees to camp with nearby hiking,. And it's equestrian friendly if you want to bring your horse. The Verizon connection was strong."
"Close to Georgetown and to the El Dorado National Forest. Super clean and easy to get to. Signs off 193 are well marked! The have horse corrals too if you’re into that. Highly recommend!"
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $3 - $8 / night
"It reminded me of Lake Pillsbury north of Clear Lake Ca where we as a family had been camping since 1981. But with just over 2hr drive not 6hr with trailer. There is a pool, and kids pool."
"About 1.5hr from Sacramento and South Lake Tahoe. Built thick forest of the Sierra mountains. Nice size campsites. Water and Electricity only."
"There are tons of activities to partake in: relax and do nothing, hike (entire lake is 9.5 miles with a waterfall!)"
"They are set into the mountains with trees behind you. The park rangers are very present to keep people in check and the camp host drives by multiple times to keep the bathrooms clean."
"Just returned from a weekend getaway to Loon Lake. We (2 people, 1 pup) stayed two nights at site #25 at Loon Lake Campground. Perfect location for daytime fishing and nighttime stargazing."
"These two sites are right on the road next to the toilets and trash bins. Some smells and lots of noises and foot traffic, some 4x4 traffic as well."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $30 - $160 / night
"This is a great small campground with walking access to the Mumford Bar Trail hike down to the American River. One vault toilet. No water spigot. Pack it in, PACK IT OUT."
"Beautiful lake and campground. We will be back in August."
"Other good sites up here are 111 (full shade all day) and 113 with the awesome lake view."
"Beautiful view of the lake, level plot, toilets, picnic table, potable water, fire ring, grill, recycling stations and large dumpsters. Dog friendly too."
from $37 - $47 / night
GuideFriendly staff and a camp host selling firewood. Clean flush toilets and hot showers for 50 cents. A little difficult to find a level spot for a van in the dry camping area, and most spots were right on the side of the road. It would be more enjoyable if one could pull off into the dirt area for level spots out of the main drag.
ScoutEasy to find campsite, we arrived after hours on a Monday so drove around to find a spot and then paid using the collection box and envelopes, we couldn't get the QR code to work. Phone reception here is good. There is a constant hum of traffic but it is not loud and it is quiet around camp. Toilets and showers are clean and well stocked with toilet paper. We didn't stay long but saw some wildlife, coyote and squirrels mostly. A little bit of rubbish around from campers but overall very tidy. The sites are flat pull-in or reverse-in style, there are also some campsites marked with wheel chair access.
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!
TravelerOur family loved it here. Great staff. The poo was clean and heated. They had volleyball, karaoke, clean bathrooms and open showers.
There is even a cute pond to fish out of.
Theirs an old town that has two stores open. One is ice cream and the other is breakfast and lunch.
Everything is affordable.
GuideWe booked the Eagles Nest campsite, and the views were awesome! We stayed two nights and had a good time. There are two spots down below the main road that are accessible but recommend at minimum AWD, especially if visiting during the rainy season. The host was very helpful got us a case of water and even had fresh eggs that we bought. 👍🏼
GuideThis is quintessential California no frills forest camping under trees that are so tall they muffle all sound, where the dirt is so infused with pine needles that it smells like incense. Although this is a horse camp, anyone can camp here. It is primitive, but if you have your own toilet you'll be ok. Otherwise, you can use the old pit toilets provided. Because this is a horse camp, the sites are spacious. Kick back and enjoy.
GuideCame here for a moto trip and really enjoyed the spaciousness, layout, and natural beauty the area had to offer. You’re also about 3 or 4 miles away from the Georgetown OHV which made it an easy ride to get to the dirt.
As others have mentioned, getting to town is a short 15 minutes despite feeling like you’re in the middle of nowhere. Some decent restaurants and a pretty awesome grocery store there so you don’t have to fret if you forget anything.
I can’t speak for other months, but coming around Thanksgiving was just about perfect.
GuideWe love Wrights Lake, the kayaking and hiking are amazing
GuideThis is a small but,free camp site. Each camp site is spacious and has a metal firepit , picnic table. There is restroom in the middle of the camp sites. This is definitely bear country.....my first night i heard a bear. But there's also alot of deers,too. Cell service isn't great ....but I did get a bar or two with Verizon.
Auburn State Recreation Area offers several equestrian camping options along the American River. The terrain ranges from 500 to 3,000 feet elevation with a mix of oak woodlands and conifer forests. The area typically has hot, dry summers with temperatures often exceeding 90°F and mild winters with occasional rain or snow at higher elevations.
Hiking trail access: At Dru Barner Campground, trails connect directly to campsite areas. "The near by Otter Creek Trail is a nice day hike though a bit of switch backing elevation to get down to the creek," reports camper Lily S. The surrounding area hosts multiple well-maintained trails with varying difficulty levels.
Water activities: The American River provides swimming and fishing opportunities at several locations. "Soak up some sun and enjoy the cool snow melt waters. If you're lucky and know how to read the river, gold panning is a must!" shares Jason A. about his experience at Ruck-A-Chucky Campground.
Equestrian facilities: For riders seeking horse campgrounds near Auburn, California, Loon Lake provides options beyond the immediate Auburn area. The campground features "Lot's of room and space" according to Alisyn G., who notes that "the group camping is separate and private from the rest of the camp that is located right on the water."
Riverside camping: Visitors appreciate direct water access at many sites. "We stayed one night and pitched our tent along side the American River. The sound of the river was calming," notes Brian O. about his stay at Ruck-A-Chucky. The riverside sites provide natural cooling during hot summer months.
Privacy between sites: At Beals Point Campground, campers appreciate the spacing. "There is some privacy between campsites. If you plan on going to the lake late in the evening, know that the rangers are pretty serious about their curfew," advises Lizzy C.
Wildlife viewing: The forested settings support diverse wildlife. "We saw a tarantula near the tee box on 2. I woke up with 4 deer casually strolling through our campsite, a huge group of turkeys were cruising around the whole weekend," describes Christy L. from her stay at Lake Amador Resort.
Road conditions: Access roads to some horse-friendly campgrounds require careful navigation. "The trek down to the campsite was slightly difficult and we decided to utilize the four wheel drive as we navigated to and from," shares Brian O. about Ruck-A-Chucky. Some campgrounds become inaccessible during wet conditions.
Seasonal variations: Water levels change dramatically through seasons. "We came for a great trip in March, May, July and September... July, just too hot," advises Debbie R. about Lake Amador. Most horse-accessible campgrounds operate with limited seasonal availability.
Reservation systems: Many popular sites require advance planning. "I recommend planning and reserving sometimes several months in advance. Weekends book up quickly, but weekday camping is easy to find," explains Carly D. about Sly Park Recreation Area. Horse campgrounds near Auburn typically have limited sites available.
Swimming options: Several locations offer safe water access for children. Lake Amador provides "a water hole with a fun slide, which is all kept nice and clean with tables you can sit at. I would recommend a pop up tent for shade if you go to the water hole," suggests Moonlit_starrynights.
Insects and wildlife: Be prepared for seasonal insect activity. "The lake and surroundings are absolutely gorgeous, but we had cut our camping trip short due to meat bees (Labor Day weekend, 2016). There were TONS of them!" warns Erika B. about her Loon Lake experience.
Weather preparations: The Auburn area experiences significant temperature fluctuations. "The Sacramento area gets very hot in the summer, and this campground provides some but not a ton of shade," notes Lizzy C. about Beals Point. Temperatures can drop significantly at night, particularly at higher elevations.
Site selection: Specific sites offer better access for larger vehicles. "Hilltop sites are better for smaller campers. I have an 18' trailer and sites 126-128 are really nice. They are set into the mountains with trees behind you," advises Bea I. about Sly Park.
Utility considerations: Most equestrian campgrounds provide limited hookups. "Stayed two nights while working on the road. Nice services; clean bathrooms and coin op showers. Dry camping spot 28.00/per night," reports Brian A. about Beals Point Campground.
Accessibility limitations: Many horse-friendly locations have road constraints. "Definitely the best campground in the Auburn area, though only 5 walk-in spots... The 3 mile road down is a bit treacherous (maybe don't take your RV) but makes you feel 'out there'," explains Kevin W. about Ruck-A-Chucky.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Auburn, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Auburn, CA is Beals Point Campground — Folsom Lake State Recreation Area with a 4.2-star rating from 35 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Auburn, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 28 equestrian camping locations near Auburn, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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