Cloverdale, CA is a great camping destination for adventurers of all types. Cloverdale is filled with the activities, sights, and experiences to make everyone in your crew a happy camper. You're sure to find the perfect campground for your Cloverdale camping trip.
"Right by Armstrong Redwoods State Park there is a steep winding road at the end of which there is literally a pond. "
"We had spot number 23 but I think 24 or 21 would have been the best for shade and privacy. THERE ARE NO SHOWERS HERE! we did not know this before hand."
$48 / night
"He put us in a very level spot that was great for my rooftop tent situation. Can’t say enough good things about him and his staff. Everyone was very friendly."
"Location location location…. The Schoolhouse Canyon Campground is located about 400 yards off the Russian River / 1/2 mile down the road from the Korbel Winery (amazing deli!!!)"
$25 - $210 / night
"It was so nice to work with Joe and get his listing up and running on our platform. These serene year round cabins are perfect for everyone. Come check them out and leave them some love!"
"We also had access to our own private bathroom and shower a short walk away which was great. Would stay here again, highly recommend!"
"None the less, I still come here to enjoy the new growth, the impressive new trails and the new views of the valleys below.
It’s Labor Day weekend and I’m one of maybe a half dozen campers."
$30 / night
"We had just bought a motor home and wanted to go somewhere close to home to try it out. Nice clean camp sites close to restrooms and showers. Lots of places to fish, hike and bike."
$30 - $50 / night
"Outdoor kitchen with grill and gas stove. ice machine, Camp among beautiful redwoods in Guerneville just off the Russian River. Many bars and restaurants in walking distance. Nearby supermarket."
"Tucked away from the world, cozy little camp under a bridge and looking out of a crack to see huge waves coming in n! Almost like it will swallow us hole. Will be back for sure!"
$50 / night
LegendGeneral: 19 general and six walk-in campsites among giant redwood and Bay Laurel trees on the Gualala River. Sites 17 & 18 are a double site.
Site Quality: Level sites with bear box, picnic table, and fire ring. Site One’s camper pad fit our 18-foot camper van, but it would not accommodate anything much larger. Several other camper pads looked short as well. No hookups.
Bath/Shower house: Three individual units with toilet, sink, soap, and paper towels. One shower that takes quarters – three minutes for $2.00.
Activities: There is a trail that leads through the walk-in sites, under Highway One, and to the beach, approximately 1.5 miles. You can also drive to the day-use area for a shorter walk. We were there on a weekday but there were many activities scheduled for the upcoming weekend including kayaking on Bodega Bay, outside yoga, and healthy hustle circuit training – I was sad to miss all of these options.
This campground is beautiful and peaceful. But note that although we did not encounter any, several other campers experienced over-eager raccoons while eating dinner. There was also a sign warning of mountain lions but we did not encounter any. Shout-out to the ranger who shared a lot of good information about the area.
LegendSuper cool place to camp in Sequoia National Park. I drove in from the south and passed quite a few full campgrounds before I finally made it to Sunset and scored a spot that I thought was great- up high and dry, no neighbors, a nearby source of downed wood. It looks like the Park Service stays busy downing dead/dying trees, however there were lots of trees providing cover. The closest neighbors were even able to hammock (though I was not due to lack of trees). When noisy neighbors moved in at the adjoining site, I was able to move to a primo site the next day. The new site (52, I think) was right on the edge of the granite slope with an amazing view of the sunset (hence the name of the campground). All sites had the usual amenities of picnic table and fire ring (and the mandatory must use bear boxes), but you need to take a look around for a site that is level and has adequate space between the fire pit and the tent site (mine did not, so no fire for me). There is a visitor center across the road at Grant Grove Village with ranger station, grocery, post office, restaurant, gas station, and cabins. This is a good place to set up camp if you want to see big trees; the big sequoia tree General Grant is in a sequoia grove just up the road (you could easily hike there from the campground).
GuideBeautiful location, campground was easily accessible going up Elk Mountain Road. Camped in Site 11, pull through, no hook ups, nice picnic table, grill and fire pit. Vault toilets, no showers. There is potable water close to the campsites. Very quiet during the week, it did get noisier on the weekends, but everyone settled down for the evening.
TravelerLocation • state park located north of Sonoma and an hour south of Mendocino • in the Virgina redwood forest • closest town: about 6 miles away
Facilities • Bathrooms & showers easily accesible for all sites - cleaned regularly • some bathrooms updated very recently • Spigots every few sites with good draining • campfire theatre • firewood sold on premises • about 70 campsites • some cabins • day use picnic area • wheelchair accesible trails
Ambiance • quiet hours 10pm - 8am • mostly families • dogs allowed on leash
Sites • Small to medium, close together • More open than private; good for groups who need multiple sites • Most hace at least part shade throughout the day • ring fire pits with grill • wooden food locker at each site • wooden picnic table at each site • enough space for 3-4 cars
Things to do • Variety of easy hikes/walks • drive to Mendocino • wine tasting in town
Beware • Poison oak
LegendGeneral: Located between Bodega Bay and Bodega Harbor, this county park has over 140 sites in four campgrounds: Shell, Gull, Cove, and Jetty. There is also tent camping, a group campsite, and a hiker/biker camping area. No hookups in any site.
Site Quality: Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring. Sites all appeared to be level. Depending on your site, you may have more privacy/separation than in others. Site 21 (in Shell) was nicely positioned, however, the sites on either side of us were not occupied during our stay so we had more privacy.
Bath/Shower: Self-contained units with a toilet and sink with soap, HOT water, and air dryer. One coin-operated shower house for Shell, Gull, and Cove campgrounds, located between Gull and Cove. Additional showers in the tent-only section and the Jetty campground. Generally clean.
Activities: Hiking, fishing, birding, beachcombing, wading, and water sports. There was a very short boardwalk and sandy walking paths, although some of these were very overgrown.
One thing I appreciated was propane cylinder recycling. We learned there is a program where select vendors will refill the small cylinders and we hope this becomes more readily available. This is a much larger county park campground than we have been in before and it was very busy when we were there on a weekday in late October. Nice but I prefer the smaller and quieter campgrounds.
GuideFirst, you stay here for the views. Great views from the first two rows closest to the water. There are very few plantings between spaces. No hook ups at all, but water is available if you fill before you park. Seven dollar dump station. Each campsite has a fire ring and a wooden picnic table and grass. Since there’s no hook ups between the hours of 8 AM and 8 PM, you will always be listening to somebody’s generator running. Always. No privacy at this campground. I did not check out the bathrooms for the campground, but I did look at the bathrooms for the large boat launch area next-door. No showers in that bathroom, but it was clean. A bit spendy for no hookups. Safe. Zero long term campers when I was here. There are no first come first served campsites at this location. All camping spaces had a reserve sign on them, even though the place was about 40% full. Completely dark at night, which was great.
TravelerSecond time I've been here. Five years ago, I thought it was pretty bare-bones but just what I wanted: first-come, first-serve tent spot within 3 hours of San Francisco and within a walk of the ocean. No city lights to speak of = incredible stargazing. Oceanside = fall asleep to the sound of crashing waves. Did I mention first-come, first-serve? Nearly all the other campgrounds on the CA coast require a reservation 6 months in advance for weekends, with weekday availability not much better. This small campground had a number of empty spots available at 8pm on a Saturday.
This year, it was nearly the same story. Park funding cut back, so no host = no firewood (KOA up the road sells bundles for $8). And it's only open on weekends until further notice. The vault toilets had plenty of TP, and the sites were well maintained so clearly someone is looking after the place. In fact, the overgrown grass and coastal scrub that previously lent some extra privacy to sites was cut down, a bit of a bummer. Go for the spots on the northern loop. The trees there offer some wind protection and the views over the valley toward Alder Creek are worthwhile. I wanted to set up my hammock, but tree-less sites closer to the road render that a non-option. For site variety, spaciousness, privacy, and amenities, I'd say Manchester is more like 2-2.5 stars. But last-minute availability bumps it up to 3.
There is still a pasture full of cows across the street and the Pt. Arena lighthouse just beyond to greet you in the morning, and the ocean still crashes within earshot. Salt Point and Gualala campgrounds are warmer and woodsier. Mackerricher and Russian Gulch offer much more to do. But in a pinch, Manchester will continue to be my impromptu coastal road trip stopover.
LegendSo this has been closed for a while, but hope with funding it will re open.
It is sweet spot just before you reach the coastline.
A little stretch of redwoods on the Navaro River. Sites are along the river. Defnse redwoods and ferns. SHaded. Good swimming holes and good fishing. Great access for kayaks and canoes.
Sites have tables, fire rings and some have food storage. Primitve rest rooms.
GuideThere is no source of fresh drinking water. There are portable toilets, but they are often lacking toilet paper, and at times the garbage cans are overflowing and the toilets are a health hazard. The 10 campsites are small, and except for #1, there is no privacy or space between sites. The picnic tables are rotting away. It's ridiculous that the camping fee is $35. And yet, this is one of my favorite places to camp. The Navarro River flows into the Pacific here, and this is a great site to watch seals in the ocean and otters in the river. People build incredible driftwood structures on the beach.
Cloverdale, California, offers a variety of tent camping options surrounded by stunning natural beauty. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or family-friendly activities, there's something for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Cloverdale, CA is Bullfrog Pond Campground - TEMPORARILY CLOSED with a 4.4-star rating from 7 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 37 tent camping locations near Cloverdale, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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