Dispersed camping near Bass Lake, California encompasses a range of options from established campgrounds to free backcountry sites. The area includes Goat Meadow Dispersed Camp Site in Sierra National Forest, which permits both tent and RV camping with no hookups or facilities. Yosemite National Park's Wawona Campground lies approximately 7 miles north, while developed options include Bass Lake at Yosemite RV Resort and High Sierra RV Park in nearby Oakhurst, both offering cabins and full hookups. Several campgrounds directly on Bass Lake provide varying levels of amenities, with some sites featuring lakefront access and others tucked into forested areas.
Camping season typically runs May through September at most Bass Lake campgrounds, though some facilities remain open year-round. Flush toilets and drinking water are available at developed sites like Spring Cove and Forks Campground, while dispersed areas require self-sufficiency. Summer temperatures average 75-85°F during the day, dropping to 50-60°F at night. Reservations are strongly recommended for weekend stays between Memorial Day and Labor Day, as lakeside sites fill quickly. Many campgrounds near the water feature multiple loops with varying site sizes and privacy levels. Several visitors have noted challenges with campground navigation. One camper described: "The campground is big with multiple loops but no maps or explanation. We chose a site on a deserted loop, set up camp, and waited around."
Campers report high satisfaction with waterfront access and proximity to recreational activities. The lake serves as the central attraction, with boat rentals available nearby and swimming access from several campgrounds. Bathroom cleanliness varies, with flush toilets in most developed areas but limited facilities in dispersed zones. Sierra National Forest campgrounds tend to have more shade, while some lakeside areas have lost tree cover over time. A review from a long-time visitor noted: "My family has been camping here for 78 years. There is great beachfront access on the lake and being at the beginning of the lake, making a trip to Oakhurst doesn't feel so daunting. Like most of the lake, the majority of the pine trees have been removed, so the shade situation isn't as great as it used to be." Cell service can be spotty throughout the region, with Verizon coverage described as inconsistent in many campground reviews.
"After accidentally driving to this location following the directions of another reviewer for the “Yosemite Boondocks” campground across 41 (which we never found) we were very happy with this location."
"Great spot about 5 minutes away from Yosemite entrance. Only a few other campers nearby but plenty of space to where they were only seen from a distance."
$36 - $75 / night
"The river and swimming holes are close by and accessible to all, sites have ample space between each other, there are clean restrooms, and all sites have their own bear box."
"I didn’t go swimming but the family next to my site seemed like they were enjoying the river, especially the little ones."
$13 - $50 / night
"The campsite was 39 and it was right next to the bathroom. To leave with a 26’ travel trailer I had to pull out and back down another road just to exit the park."
"Good access to Yosemite. We prefer less neighbors but overall it was nice."
$52 - $54 / night
"Bass Lake is within walking distance of the entrance. Definitely a come back and stay again!"
"The bathrooms are a little rough, but the location next to bass lake makes this worth it."
"Beautiful at bass lake"
"Cool summer nights near Bass Lake Recreational area so fishing and boating are a main attraction. Park is tight for big rigs, but can fit if careful. Pads are gravel and almost level."
"It’s close to both Yosemite entrances ! Close to town . Love it ."
"He kept in touch with us all throughout our drive there and helped us get set up upon arrival."
$42 - $288 / night
"Stopped by to get out of the California valley heat. Haven’t been to Bass Lake for years. Missed out on this little piece of heaven. Will be back."
"The park is about 30 mins from the entrance to Yosemite and if you don't want to do that... There's always Bass Lake...which is 2 miles down the hill!"
"RV spaces have many different location styles, secluded, views, groups etc.
Large clean pool with a shallow lounging section. Playground. Bathrooms/showers were freshly renovated and clean.""You’re 25 miles from the park entrance, on a straight path. The sites were a great space and the pool and playground was a lot of fun of the kids. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful."
$52 - $106 / night
"This is a great tent or boon docking spot that is close to a number of good beaches at bass lake. The campsite hosts are very friendly and the restrooms were always clean."
"Lovely view of the lake. Close by for easy access. Clean bathrooms!"
"We asked if there was dispersed camping nearby and they directed us to a street less than a mile south of the southern entrance to Yosemite. The street was Mount Raymond."
"Nestled amongst trees right on the edge of Yosemite. Was quite busy when I was there but managed to find a quiet spot tucked away & private."
ScoutWe have spent summers here on the water for the last 3 years. The site has a convenience store and a restaurant that serves up a really great burger. Also a very short drive into town.
ScoutWe stayed at SKP Park of the Sierras for two months during April and May and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. To use the park, you'll need an Escapees membership(about$50), which we found well worth the cost given the quality of the facilities and amenities.
Originally, we were only able to reserve one month at a time, but when our circumstances changed, the office staff were incredibly understanding and worked with us to extend our stay. The staff throughout the park were welcoming, friendly, and helpful.
Our site was spacious, shaded by mature trees, and included full hookups and a concrete patio area that was perfect for setting up chairs and relaxing outdoors. The grounds were well maintained, and the park was surprisingly quiet during our stay. The amenities were excellent. The clubhouse hosted daily activities, and there was a library, games, fitness area, coffee station, and a donation-based thrift shop section. The laundry facilities were clean and well maintained, and quarters were available for purchase in the office during business hours.
Traveling with dogs, we especially appreciated the dog park. It featured separate fenced areas for large and small dogs, water spigots, covered areas for rainy weather, and even a heater for chilly mornings.
The shower facilities were clean and comfortable. They sold propane onsite. Fuel was conveniently located just down the road at the casino, often at reasonable prices. For our longer stay we would drive into Oakhurst or Fresno for groceries, so it's worth planning ahead for larger grocery runs.
One of the biggest advantages of this park is its location. It served as an excellent home base for exploring Yosemite National Park, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Monterey Bay, San Francisco, and Pinnacles National Park,(we don’t mind a long drive!).
We used Starlink throughout our stay and were pleased by how well it worked. Even with a tree-filled site, it was able to find enough open sky to maintain a reliable connection.
A few things future guests should know: some of the roads have tighter curves, but the staff are very knowledgeable about matching RVs to appropriate sites. Our 25-foot trailer had no issues. Mail and package delivery can also require some planning. As guests, we had mail sent to General Delivery at the Coarsegold Post Office. However, we later learned that FedEx would not deliver there, so packages shipped by different carriers may require different delivery addresses. It's worth confirming shipping methods before ordering anything important.
Overall, SKP Park of the Sierras exceeded our expectations. The spacious sites, excellent amenities, quiet atmosphere, friendly staff, and central location made it one of our favorite long-term stays. We would gladly return and highly recommend it to other RV travelers.
TravelerThe morning view and the sunset light through the trees were wonderful, and the starry sky at night was a highlight. I also liked the grill area, but the campsite was quite challenging for the tent since the ground wasn't even.
We booked two nights but left after one because of the cold weather and lack of internet connection. Service was only available about 10 minutes away by car, which became inconvenient for us. Since the area is publicly managed, getting help was difficult, and we couldn’t easily cancel the second night because nobody was available. Two volunteers were very kind and tried to help though.
The place would also benefit from adding showers, especially considering how many people stay there.
Overall, the location itself was beautiful, but the inconveniences made it harder to fully enjoy the experience.
ScoutWawona Campground is good if all you’re needing is somewhere to camp inside the park. The sites are fairly close together with little to no foliage blocking your view to each site. Some of the sites are not very level so if you have a roof tent like myself keep this in mind. It is about a 30-40 minute drive to the valley and the whole campground just feels busy and not much privacy. If you’re needing a place to stay I would recommend trying for a campground inside the Valley it will make your time in Yosemite much better spent
ScoutWe are having a great time at Hodgdon Meadow Campground! The camp hosts have been terrific! Helped us out when we got locked out of our trailer. This campground has lots of tent camping and a handful of rv and trailers. The hardest thing is to get consecutive nights at the same site. We had to move from site 104 to site 85 after 1 night. We are at site 85 (very nice ) for 3 nights. Have 1 more move to site 75.
GuideI cant say enuf about our stay. After choosing a perfect spot. We setteled into relax and enjoy to quiet country vibes. Pool. Was great for a cool down. Very great since of community very welcomed by everyone. Matt Tracy and chad made us feel like we were at home The animals were great and friendly. Also The shower was over a granite bolder surrounded with grapevines. We boondocked and had a great time .
GuideIt's a gorgeous service road, fully paved, with plenty of pull-offs alongside it. Depending on the spot you set up in your phone service is either going to be spotty or non-existent. My only complaint is the number of vehicles pulling through in the middle of the night, pulling right up to where I was at with their high beams and sitting there for a while before eventually leaving.
TravelerI will start with the good. Fantastic WiFi, extremely clean bathrooms and shower rooms, excellent pool at cedar Lodge next door, short walkable distance to the YART bus stop into Yosemite, great price for a campground 8 miles from a national park entrance and easy access to a beautiful little river park across the highway. The only negative is, out of the several hundred campgrounds I have camped in over the last six years, none have even come close to how packed this place is. I was fortunate to get the best campsite in the park but across from me are 4 campers in an area no larger than some single campsites I have stayed at. The spaces don't allow for parking both your camper and your towing vehicle so you need to use the overflow parking which is outside the campground parallel to the highway. The Jupe Tents, tent cabins, and cottages are also packed just as tight as are the tent sites. I would still recommend this campground to anyone wanting to go to Yosemite though. It's definitely the closest and most convenient campground
ScoutAmazing spot love it, it’s a bit of a drive for a car but amazing view and very peaceful
Dispersed camping near Bass Lake, California offers options within Sierra National Forest at elevations ranging from 3,500-5,200 feet. The area sits approximately 14 miles from Yosemite's south entrance with temperatures averaging 50-85°F during peak season. Most dispersed sites lack facilities but provide fire rings and level spots for vehicles ranging from small cars to larger RVs depending on access roads.
Hiking to waterfalls: Bass Lake's surrounding terrain features multiple creeks with swimming holes and natural features. High Sierra RV Park campers can access nearby water features as one visitor noted, "The creek, waterfalls & rope swing over the swimming hole was unbelievable!! The kids enjoyed the rope swing while the mom enjoyed the walk back to the falls & thru the shallow waters."
Wildlife viewing: The wooded areas around dispersed sites provide opportunities to spot local wildlife. At Goat Meadow - Dispersed Camp Site, campers should be prepared for animal encounters: "Coyotes and bears are active in the area- coyotes raided a bag I had hanging from a tree and stole my food!" A deer sighting was reported by another camper who wrote, "A sweet deer came by as we were setting up. She wasn't afraid of us at all, just minding her business eating away."
Stargazing: The higher elevation and distance from major cities creates excellent night sky viewing. At Shooting Star Sanctuary, visitors can "enjoy a beautiful fire together and check out the crazy starlit sky." The sanctuary's location away from light pollution makes it ideal for astronomy enthusiasts.
Proximity to Yosemite: Many campers appreciate the convenient location relative to Yosemite National Park. At Yosemite "Boondock National" Dispersed Camping, one visitor reported it's "really close to the park entrance and to the less populated but still great areas of the park." Another camper found it "only about a mile or so off the main road" making it "a perfect base camp for my day trips to hike in Yosemite."
Riverside camping: Several campgrounds feature access to the Merced River and its tributaries. At Wawona Campground, a camper recommended: "Jump in the creek for a swim or walk across the road and check out the covered bridge and barn around the pioneer history center. Swimming holes all up and down those creeks."
Shade coverage: The forested setting provides natural cooling during hot summer days. Sierra National Forest's Forks Campground received positive feedback for its tree canopy: "The campsite hosts are very friendly and the restrooms were always clean. We were in spot 29 which had great shade but backed up to a road that resulted in some noise occasionally."
Road conditions: Access to some dispersed sites requires navigating unpaved roads. A visitor to Shooting Star Sanctuary and Retreat noted: "While the dirt road/driveway is a bit bumpy, we had no problem with our 23' Airstream -- just go slowly and you'll be fine (there was a 40' Class A there, too, if that says anything)."
Reservation processes: Some campgrounds have unusual check-in procedures. At Spring Cove Campground, campers must "check in at a different location about ~4mi from the campground, at the other end of the lake. They were very pleasant there, but we were surprised that we had to go so far to get our tag for the site."
Seasonal considerations: Holiday weekends dramatically impact site availability. One camper at Goat Meadow described: "Stayed about a week which also crossed over Memorial Day weekend. Arrived the Tuesday before. This place gets CROWDED. At 5:30 it's like everyone got off work and headed home, it's nuts."
Animal interactions: Some campgrounds offer unique opportunities for children to interact with farm animals. At Shooting Star Sanctuary and Retreat, "Jason, the owner has 100 acres he opens up to campers. Very nice, large spots. There are animals on site which the kids liked interacting with and feeding them our leftovers."
Swimming options: Bass Lake offers designated swimming areas suitable for different age groups. A visitor to Outdoorsy Yosemite mentioned: "Stopped by to get out of the California valley heat. Haven't been to Bass Lake for years. Missed out on this little piece of heaven."
Playground access: Some campgrounds provide built-in entertainment for children. At Yosemite RV Resort, a camper reported: "This park is absolutely wonderful! They have cabins, places to rent camp, laundry on site, a pool, 30/50 hookups."
Site leveling challenges: Many campsites require significant leveling for RVs. A visitor to High Sierra RV Park reported: "Our spot was also very hard to try and level our trailer. We never did quite get it leveled the way we would've liked."
Navigating tight spaces: Several RV parks have limited turning radius for larger vehicles. One High Sierra RV Park camper explained: "We have 29 foot travel trailer and we reserved a premium pull through spot. Although we could pull through the spaces were very tight and we just happen to get lucky that nobody was across from us as there is only one way in and one way out."
Utility variations: Hook-up quality varies significantly between campgrounds. At Bass Lake at Yosemite RV Resort, a visitor noted: "The sewer connection was almost level with our dump pipe, so it made dumping a challenge." Another reviewer mentioned: "Pads are gravel and almost level. FHU's with good water pressure."
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best campgrounds at Bass Lake?
Bass Lake offers several excellent campgrounds for visitors. Spring Cove Campground is highly recommended for its clean facilities, spacious sites, and helpful staff. The campground is well-maintained with fire rings at each site and firewood available for purchase. Another popular option is Cedar Bluff, which offers double and quadruple-sized sites within walking distance to the water's edge. For those seeking a more secluded experience, the Bass Lake area has numerous campgrounds scattered around the shoreline, each offering unique amenities and access points to the lake. Remember that reservations are essential, especially during peak season, as these campgrounds fill up quickly.
Can I go tent camping at Bass Lake?
Tent camping is excellent at Bass Lake with multiple options for different experiences. Texas Flats offers a genuine wilderness feel with ample space for large groups, featuring an impressive communal fire pit and plenty of parking. It's perfect for tent campers seeking a more rustic experience. Whisky Falls Campground is another fantastic tent camping destination near Bass Lake, providing isolated sites, access to off-road trails, and plenty of natural shade. Many tent campers appreciate the abundant firewood available in the area. Most Bass Lake campgrounds accommodate tents with designated sites, though availability varies seasonally. Be sure to secure reservations in advance, especially during summer months when the area is most popular.
Are there RV camping facilities at Bass Lake?
Bass Lake offers excellent RV camping options with modern facilities. Yosemite RV Resort provides multiple RV space styles including secluded spots and sites with views. The resort features full hookups, a clean swimming pool with a shallow lounging section, freshly renovated bathrooms/showers, on-site laundry, and a playground. Another option is Bass Lake at Yosemite RV Resort, which offers beautiful lakeside camping opportunities. Many RV sites around Bass Lake include amenities like 30/50 amp hookups, water, sewer connections, and pull-through spaces. The RV parks in the area typically operate seasonally with peak availability during summer months, so advance reservations are highly recommended.
How close is Bass Lake to Yosemite National Park?
Bass Lake is conveniently located approximately 14-20 miles from Yosemite National Park's southern entrance, making it an excellent base for park exploration. The drive typically takes about 30-40 minutes along scenic county roads. Bass Lake Recreation Area Rudy is situated about 20 miles from Yosemite's southern entrance and offers its own recreational opportunities. Outdoorsy Yosemite is another accommodation option located about 30 minutes from Yosemite's entrance. Many visitors appreciate Bass Lake's proximity to Yosemite while enjoying the lake's amenities, including boating, fishing, and swimming. This strategic location allows travelers to experience both the majesty of Yosemite and the recreational activities at Bass Lake during the same trip.
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