Looking for an adventure where you can explore Auburn and then fall asleep in your tent? Finding a place to camp in California with your tent has never been easier. Would you prefer a quiet dispersed site or an established camgpround with amenities? Either way, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to pitch your tent.
Boat-In Sites 1-16
$38 / night
Get back to nature at Rancho Seco Recreational Area. A short 25-minute drive from downtown Sacramento, you’ll find the 400-acre park that makes up the Rancho Seco Recreational Area. Take a short vacation and enjoy bird watching, boating, camping, fishing, hiking and even a sanctuary for rescued exotic animals and wildlife. Camp in comfort with recreation and concession buildings, shade structures, laundry facility, boathouse, and newly renovated restrooms and showers. This Rancho Seco camping destination offers RV sites, tent camping sites, and group sites, some with gorgeous lake views.
$65 - $300 / night
$50 / night
Sweet land with a cute hobbit/ witchy natural Vibe.
Great asthetics, incredible gardens.
Close to town, 30 min drive to 2 different parts of the Yuba River.
Friendly vibe good people live on the land. There is a cute Cob compost toilet, bath house.
Located in an Oak Grove.
We are in the armpit of the Nevada County. A 15 minute drive to either Grass Valley or Nevada City. Or a 15 minute drive to two different parts of the Yuba River, Bridgeport and 49. And about 30 minutes to amazing lakes on the way to Tahoe. Also close to the bike trail you could bike to Nevada City. Before you arrive fill up on spring water from Bitney Springs, we've been drinking it for over a decade. For the extra sensative just ask to use the Berkey water filter. This area is the most bike friendly area in the entire county. Lots of trails a long the NID (Nevada Irrigation Ditch) created during the Gold Rush.
Beautiful trail that over looks a view of an epic creek and a heart shaped lake. Camping stove can be requested, in the beginning stages of building a beautiful outdoor kitchen.
For guests staying the weekend there is availabile usage of bikes, kayak, and paddle board. Need to be reserved a head of time.
Also please the woodstove is currently wood fired. It takes about 5 hours to heat up and a decent amount of wood. We are more than will to prepare it ahead of time, but need a heads up and would prefer if you plan to be in it longer than 20 minutes. Also because of the amount of wood it uses and the labor to takes to prepare it, we request a donation. We love our tub, she is our precious gem, but she's a labor of love and anything opposite from a convience. Also because she is wood fire, I cant burn fires in the summer. So she is only available late fall, winter and spring. When the fire Ban is on there are no fires, including the hot tub.
But due to high demand I will work on including a propane option for next summer.
I love birthday parties.
I love people coming with friends. I love people of all walks of life.
$60 / night
Traveler
I am not the easiest but the staff has a heart of gold and at every turn we’re really there to help.
Guide
We could not find this place. Needs better description. Afterwards in another rv park I worked it out. Need to go to their website first better directions than just el dorado. Dyrt dropped the ball on this one.
Legend
We ended up at this small campground because our potential boondocking spots were completely snowed in up top. So glad we did as it is tucked away on the grounds of an amazing state park!
Most of the sites are small with a lot of tree coverage. It was quiet, quaint, and clean. We found a good site that provided just enough sky for both our 400W portable solar panel and Starlink to work pretty well. The bathroom building has flush toilets, was kept clean, and warm showers.
But the campground isn’t the reason to come here...it’s the history! This little park tucked into the Western Sierras will blow your mind. It is a significant Miwok Native American historical site, with home sites, ancient Oak trees, and literally thousands of grain, and acorn grinding stones located in the central part of the park.
The visitor’s center is a must-see and brings the location to life. In cooperation with the local tribes, the state manages the site and visitor’s center for the public. Take a walk on the interpretive trail, hike the adventure trails, fish in the creek, or attend a special program. It is a beautiful place to spend a few days.
The nearby town of Pine Grove has a few restaurants and grocery stores to get what you might need.
Scout
Had a standard Hookup-RV-Spot. Was very uneven, couldn't get the RV level. If you don't have the premium hookup spots, you got to pay 20$ "Service Fee" for dumping. Idk why because you end up doing it all by yourself as usual anyway. Feels like a bit of a rip off to be honest. The rest is nice, quiet (except for the geese) and clean.
Traveler
Nice peaceful spot. Few cars go by, but it’s tucked away enough.
Traveler
Des douches chaudes du wifi Super rapport qualité-prix Que du bonheur
Scout
Long drive on a narrow bumpy levy road to find a full time trailer park. NOT A RV RESORT!
Ranger
Sly Creek Reservoir is a beautiful mountain lake with several campsites along a small portion of the lake.
There is a boat ramp and ATV riding on the forest roads in the area.
The campground closed in 2024 for tree removal and cleanup but is expected to open in 2025.
Passes are honored.
Guide
I thought this campground was pretty decent for being NPS run and due to its large size. The campsite was close to other campers, but not right on top of them. The location is ideal. Bathrooms were the least favorite part, only one bathroom (with 4 stalls?) for one large loop of campsites. Check-in was a breeze. Nearby visitor center and camp store was convenient. There were hiking trails nearby. Be bear aware!
Guide
Large pull off area I found and stayed at for 4 days with amazing views of the sunset and sunrise! I was there on weekdays so was pretty much alone the whole time but even if the main spot is occupied there’s a couple of dirt roads that lead to more areas to camp. A couple of level spots and lots of room to hike around. Completely free and peaceful but 0 amenities so come prepared. Currently there is an abandoned red semi truck cab so it’s easy to find not sure if that will ever be moved in the future though!
Traveler
If you are looking to be near the water and no service, this is perfect. The rough road in I believe must keep some folks out but the lake is amazing.
Guide
Beautiful river area, friendly people, hills to hike around! There’s a fire pit and bbq set up at each site and bathrooms and drinking water around the campgrounds. Seems like an amazing spot for a family camping trip! I believe it was $28 a night for a single spot or $14 with a discount. Cons for a nomad is there’s 0 service out there even hiking to the top of the mountain. It’s also about an hour of winding roads from the nearest town to get there. IMO not worth it when there’s plentyyyy of free camping pull offs you pass on the way there.
Ranger
I made reservations here a week prior to our trip because I was looking for a warmer place to camp. I previously had reservations at Pinecrest, but it was going to be in the 50s during the day and 30s at night. Which isn’t ideal since I have a 7 month old and a 3 year old. But it ended up getting pretty chilly here as well - high 50s, low 40s. I do not recommended campsite 3, where we camped. It is a double site and is spacious enough for two families. But the campground had 3 bears that were visiting every night. One huge black bear, and a mama black bear with her cub. It was disappointing to learn this by getting a visit by the black bear who comes down from behind our campsite (which is why I do not recommend campsite 3). Luckily, our kids were asleep when the black bear came around 9pm. The camp host never came by to check us in, even though we were right next to their site. They did not inform us of the three bears that would be coming by. Obviously we are in bear country, so precautions were taken. But it would have been nice to know, since we have little ones exploring the area behind us (where one of the bears was coming down). When my husband informed the camp host of the bear that came by she wasn’t surprised at all and said “oh there’s three that come every night. One big black bear who is about 4.5ft tall on all fours - he’s a big guy! And a mama bear with her cub.” This was very strange to me that she didn’t come by and tell us this, nor did she tell the other campers around us. We went and informed the two sites by us so that they were aware of this. Aside from that, the campground is beautiful. You can chop your own wood, since there was a couple of dead trees around. The walk to the reservoir is short and sweet. The water isn’t freezing either, our dog enjoyed her daily swim. I recommend this campground for its beauty but be prepared for a bear visit.
Traveler
Loved the time spent. Crozier fire started. Made for a bitter sweet sunset.
Scout
We have been going to camanche Lake for years . Low cell service but very nice place to tent camp. Last year, they gave us our spot we set up, then was told they made a mistake and made us move spots, but the new spot was closer to the water and that made the kids happy. Kinda a hassle, but it worked out. We love it at this lake.
Traveler
Place wasn’t too bad. Very nice people, very peaceful, and quiet, however, there were many people here who are permanent residents of the park, some of their areas are a little trashy looking for lack of a better word. Definitely not a bad spot if you’re on the way to another campground, but there are probably better ones to head to, especially if you have children with you. We were also looking for a place to camp with two days notice and this was all we could find. Cheap too!
Guide
It is the only RV parking in Sacramento that will allow you to stay for one night. Great campground! Hospitality and professionalism- that how you can describe this place! Lots of things to do for kids: great playgrounds, swimming pool, more than 100 ducks going around! Beautiful place! Thank you!
Traveler
Stayed 6 days with friends and dogs. Sites were rustic but clean. We had direct access to lake to launch and swim. Jake, site host, very kind and professional as he answered questions and gave advice when a group member popped a tire coming up to the lake. We will be back!
Ranger
Tons of beautiful, shady spots overlooking or near the Sacramento river. Very Breezy and well maintained park with good prices for electrical and water hookup and a dump station. Clean bathrooms and showers at no cost and the laundry room with free detergent . Decent prices in the store and overlooks the Marina and the river at includes free fishing and swimming and is a beautiful spot! was only going to stay one night and ended up staying two.
GuideThis place was a slice of heaven, but only accessible by way of 4 x 4 with decent clearance. The trail will take you off road for quite some time , but it's well with the adventure. Traction boards and a winch could help you through unexpected obstacles and are recommended to have on hand, but you most likely won't need them. No running water, but there are restroom buildings, fire rings and bear boxes to use. Mosquitoes are abundant here. Don't forget your repellent. The lake is gorgeous, a great fishery, and there are plenty of inspirational views and solitude to be had.
Scout
*pros: great little market, very nice staff, clean, great views *cons: rocky watch your step, especially at the beach and a long the shore. Recommend water shoes, although this may only help a little as the rocks are quite large and when can trip over them as much as step on them. they are not round river rocks, but pointy and painful to traverse. *my stay: I was only here for two nights and on the second morning some people pulled in and pitched a tent at 4:30 in the morning. They weren’t particularly loud, but they did curse and had their flashlight bright enough that it shone into my site and RV. Overall, it was still a very pleasant stay for the two nights.
Traveler
We recently spent a night at this campsite and found it to be perfect for a quick overnight getaway. The area is spacious and conveniently located not too far off the main road, making it easy to access without feeling too isolated.
There are plenty of sites to choose from, catering to different preferences. However, we recommend taking some time to survey the land before setting up camp, as some spots are slightly sloped.
A huge plus is the gas station just about 5 minutes down the road. It’s well-stocked with all the convenient store items you might have forgotten at home, making it easy to grab any last-minute necessities.
Overall, it was a delightful stay. Just remember, always practice Leave No Trace principles—pack out what you pack in!
ScoutBoulder loop is very hot. Meadow loop has more trees and shade. Several sites in each loop have lake views and direction access to the lake. Can pull up your boat and leave water toys. Pit toilets and central shower at boat launch area.
Guide
The last five miles to get to this campground was narrow and rocky. Once we got to the campground, I realized narrow and rocky are okay. We were there last weekend in June and there was still snow on the ground. Woot! It was awesome. Quite a few sites there with fire rings, beat up, bear boxes that didn't open and picnic benches that were in bad shape. They had two pot toilets. This was a very busy campground. Lots of traffic on and out, I'm sure to beat the heat. It was 25 degrees cooler up there than in Sacramento. We loved this campground. I can't wait to go back.
Scout
Thank you for sharing your experience at Hirst Horse Ranch! It sounds like a perfect getaway with its peaceful 10-acre property, shaded by trees and dotted with delightful horse pastures. The children’s playground, with its sandbox, treehouse, and impressive 17-foot swing, promises endless fun for the young and the young at heart. The opportunity to interact with horses and enjoy breathtaking sunsets makes it truly special. For more captivating moments and updates, make sure to follow them on Instagram. Download the Instagram app through this link and stay connected with Hirst Ranch!
ScoutFh
Traveler
Pretty easy to get to and lots of spaces for dispersed sites. There was trash EVERYWHERE. Broken glass, toilet trash, bottles and cans, we were really disappointed. We found a spot pretty hidden which was rad but someone was shooting litteraly all night long which was frustrating. We probably won’t come back.
Camping near Auburn, CA, offers a mix of beautiful landscapes and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking for a family-friendly spot or a peaceful retreat, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
Camping near Auburn, CA, has something for everyone, whether you're in a tent, RV, or cabin. Just remember to plan ahead and enjoy the great outdoors!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Auburn, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Auburn, CA is Auburn State Recreation Area—Lake Clementine Boat In with a 4.6-star rating from 7 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Auburn, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 61 tent camping locations near Auburn, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
