Deer Creek Campground
A great place
Huntington Lake is a bit cool, but it’s less traffic than Shaver. We caught several brown trout and had a great time with the kids.
233 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Camping options around Clovis, California range from developed campgrounds to dispersed sites across the Sierra Nevada foothills and mountains. The region includes established facilities like Millerton Lake State Recreation Area, which accommodates both tent and RV camping along the shoreline, and Lost Lake Campground near Friant with boat-in access. Several campgrounds in the area feature full hookups for RVs, while others maintain a more primitive camping experience with basic amenities like vault toilets and picnic tables.
Road conditions and seasonal considerations significantly impact camping experiences in this region. Many campgrounds remain open year-round, though summer brings higher temperatures in the foothills while offering more moderate conditions at higher elevations. A camper noted, "It's quite warm in the summer months but perfect if you're visiting the Clovis Rodeo! A local town isn't far away." Facilities vary widely across the area, with some sites offering drinking water, showers, and electric hookups, while others provide only basic amenities. Campgrounds near water bodies like Millerton Lake and Shaver Lake tend to fill quickly during peak summer weekends, making advance reservations essential.
The landscape transitions dramatically from the valley floor to mountain terrain, creating diverse camping environments within an hour's drive. Campers report high satisfaction with waterfront sites that provide swimming and fishing opportunities. "This campground is situated by a lake. Love this spot! You'll hear all the frogs by night and birds in the morning, great place for fly fishing," wrote one visitor about Pine Flat Campground. Sites at higher elevations like Camp Edison near Shaver Lake offer cooler temperatures during summer months and proximity to hiking trails. Most campgrounds in national forests require proper food storage due to wildlife, particularly bears, and many provide bear-proof containers. Public lands throughout the region support various camping styles from tent sites to RV parks with full hookups.
"Bathrooms were so-so with regard to cleanliness but most sites had its own access to water which was awesome!"
"Had a fun time with the family, had accesible restroom and showers, had picnic table so we could put our things, shade, place where we could set our tent with our truck next to us, and we were able to"
from $30 - $200 / night
Check Availability"It was quite and have several trails to walk on. Their is a nice that runs by the campgrounds and further down and pass the station where pay the toll to the stake park."
"A few miles out of town, store close by. Usually mostly empty and good privacy"
from $25 / night
Check Availability"Place has grass, dog park, lots of kids play areas, adults game areas, fishing pond, creek and river next to property is very pretty. We really enjoyed it."
from $75 - $85 / night
Check Availability"This location was helpful when trying to take care of ordinary business matters. The park is well maintained and provided a nice area to walk with my pup."
"Great campsite if you want to camp around Shaver Lake in the Sierras of California. Beautify lake, plenty of water sports. The small town has great rustic mountain vibe."
"Easy walk to lakeside and boat ramp. Nice picnic area near lake. Camped with full hookups. Nice store and hospitality center with food, drinks and stock of camp supplies."
from $40 - $105 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $5 - $25 / night
Check Availability"This campground is situated by a lake. Love this spot! You’ll hear all the frogs by night and birds in the morning, great place for fly fishing or cat fishing and nice folks staying here!"
"Excellent 4xx4 close by"
"It was a bit of a nightmare getting turned around to back in here (we have a 42’ toy hauler and a 3500 ram DRW with an Andersen hitch), BUT we’ve had an incredible week here."
"The only thing was neighbors were very, very near. But our neighbors were quiet so it wasn't bad. End of March was rainy, so be prepared for rain if you go during that time."
from $10 - $135 / night
Check Availability"The county is underfunded and a parks management company is in talks to take over 3 nearby parks including this one."
"It was cool to hear and watch the local bats flying around. Very little smoke from the fires."
"Even with all the rain, the lake isn’t very full. The campground, including the bathroom, was clean."
"The site we stayed at had a nice fire ring, was flat, had a picnic table and it was close to running water. We tent camped, but it looked like there were plenty of RV spots too. Nice and quiet too."
from $20 - $100 / night
Check AvailabilityHuntington Lake is a bit cool, but it’s less traffic than Shaver. We caught several brown trout and had a great time with the kids.
Dark skies, quiet, dogs can swim in lake
Tons of sites, some more secluded than others, with rings for fires. The location is great as it’s a 6 minute drive from the Mariposa South Entrance to Yosemite. Love being surrounded by pine trees! If you plan accordingly you can snag a secluded spot which makes the experience even better!
Al's is a great stop during the long trek across South Dakota. Full Hookups close to I-90. Pool and inexpensive laundry. Good Wifi
We stayed at site 67. When bookibg, we were worried it was too close to neighboring sites but it turned out ok. The flattest spot for our giant tent was down the hill and it felt very private. All the sites in our section (66, 67, 68) had sloped parking spots. If you have an RV or sleep in your car, be sure to bring levelers.
The only water was a large sink outside of the bathroom. You could screw a hose to the faucet if needed.
The bathroom was close but not too close. The women’s has 2 stalls and a sink. Bring your own hand soap and hand towel.
We weren’t at the site much during the day so I can’t say for certain if it stays shady during the day but there are many trees. We never needed our canopy.
Azalea allows dogs and the barking echos quite loudly through the campground.
We had a great three night, four day trip. The site we stayed at was more secluded than most sites at the campground. It was great weather and also convenient to water play access.
We stayed a week here, at first it was good, nice enough place. Our spot was a lot of sand. The bathrooms were full of cobwebs and spiders. The website looks promising, offering a pool, jacuzzi and restaurant. There is no restaurant, the pool doesnt get covered so its filthy, and the "jacuzzi" was filled with algae.
We came on a friday night, the quiet time is not enforced. The river was nice, however the entire length of it was taken up by boats. We hardly found a spot to swim in. We were located in site 10, at the very end in a cul de sac type lay out. Its a gated park so you need a code to enter. We locked our bikes up every single night and the one and only night we forgot, 2 out of our 4 bikes got stolen (mine and my partners, the kids were left) We asked for the surveillance as our site was in direct view of the camera and the office had told us their cameras all of a sudden stopped working around midnight but were working again that morning. Such a strange coincidence! They didnt seem apologetic. We had permanent residence come to talk to us and said they've never had theft issues, if you looked around most people had their personal belongings out every night. The place was very suspicious, I'd check out other options but also if staying a quick night it would be ok. Its right off the highway and really easy to get back on the road. We found a little lizard, and little frogs. However there is cockroaches running everywhere.
The people we met there, and the residents were so awesome, which is why it got 2 stars. The staff however, not so much.
Do not leave belongings unattended!!
Excellent spot 7 min from the Yosemite South Wawona Entrance. Im staying at a dispersed camping spot in late July and there is level, paved parking with tent camping spots. Thankful they had porti-pottys (due to an event, not normal) and bear-proof trash receptacles as bears did visit while camping here! No water access, however you can fill up bottles from the drinking fountains at the Mariposa Grove Welcome Center right past the park entrance. ENJOY!
We enjoyed the beautiful views, friendly animals, and cooler weather from typical Central Valley CA heat!
Camping near Clovis, California offers diverse experiences from the 400-foot elevation of the valley floor to pine-covered mountain destinations reaching 5,000+ feet. Temperature variations can be extreme, with summer valley temperatures frequently exceeding 100°F while mountain campsites remain 15-20 degrees cooler. Many recreational areas feature drought-affected water levels that fluctuate seasonally, affecting both accessibility and water activities.
Fishing opportunities: At Pine Flat Campground, the lake provides excellent angling options. "We fished a lot but didn't catch anything," noted a camper, though others report better luck with "outstanding fishing in the spring."
Water recreation: Millerton Lake State Recreation Area offers multiple water activities. "Great place to wakeboard, jet ski, fish, and BBQ," writes Christopher H., while Christina C. mentions "Beautiful nice clear water" for jet skiing.
Hiking networks: Trails connect various recreation areas to natural landmarks, towns, and scenic viewpoints. At Dorabelle Campground, visitors appreciate the "multiple hiking trails from campground to museum, town or around the lake," creating connectivity between different destinations.
Privacy levels: Campsites vary widely in seclusion. A visitor to Lost Lake Campground noted that "spots are close by to each other but usually respectful neighbors," while another mentioned it's "usually mostly empty and good privacy."
Cost value: Many campgrounds offer affordable options with varied amenities. At Hidden View Campground, campers can "use your national park pass for 50% off such a quiet place," while Lost Lake Campground offers reasonable rates at "$5 dollars day pass, $25 total for camping."
Water access: Proximity to water features heavily in positive reviews. A Camp Edison visitor mentioned, "We try to get a campsite next to the water. We also reserve a boat so we can explore the lake," noting this has become "an annual trip that we plan on taking for life."
Wildlife considerations: Ground squirrels can be problematic at certain sites. At Millerton Lake, one camper warned they "heard stories of cars and RV's being towed out because they chewed through wiring. Thankfully we escaped with just damage from them entering the RV and getting into plastic containers of food."
Access challenges: Many campgrounds have narrow entrance roads. At Dorabelle Campground, visitors note "tight roads throughout the site, wouldn't recommend a large trailer," which requires planning ahead with appropriate vehicles.
Bathroom facilities: Quality varies significantly across locations. While some campers report "bathrooms are the cleanest I've ever seen at a campground" at Dorabelle, others note that at Hidden View Campground, the "Male bathroom has a toilet and shower and was clean. Female bathroom has the same but was disgusting!"
Lake swimming spots: Shallow, protected areas work best for families with children. At Dorabelle Campground, "the cove is perfect for relaxing with kids" and "the cove is wonderful for swimming and mostly kayaks/SUP with plenty of beach space."
Playground access: Several campgrounds feature dedicated play areas. At Lost Lake Campground, families appreciate that there's a "playground for kids" and one visitor noted there are "a few playgrounds in the middle of the campgrounds and option to play an activity or two."
Site selection strategy: Corner sites often provide more space and privacy. At Dorabelle, one camper "reserved a corner space with a nearby toilet and water spigot" and found that "my campsite was large, clean, with sunny and shade spots and separated from other sites by trees."
Hookup availability: Full-service sites are limited but available. At Riverbend RV Park, RVers enjoy "FHU with large pull through spots" that include "grass, dog park, lots of kids play areas, adults game areas, fishing pond, creek and river."
Site levelness: Many mountain campgrounds have uneven terrain. At Camp Edison, one camper mentioned "the site wasn't level but was manageable," indicating the need for leveling blocks or jacks.
Dump station access: On-site waste disposal varies by location. Riverbend RV Park allows visitors to "dump the RV" during their stay, while others may need to plan for off-site dumping. As one visitor noted, "There is a dump station on site and also a 'honey wagon' that will come to your site and pump out your waste water, if you desire."
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the best camping locations near Clovis, CA?
The best camping near Clovis includes several standout locations in the Sierra National Forest. Texas Flats offers a true wilderness feel with ample space for large groups, massive fire pits, and a natural playground setting. For a peaceful forest experience, Upper Billy Creek Campground provides beautiful sites with the soothing sounds of a creek flowing behind campsites. The hosts are accommodating even for late arrivals. Those willing to drive a bit further can experience the majestic sequoias at Princess, an excellent all-purpose campground with nearly 100 sites suitable for both RVs and tents, set among sequoia stumps from historical logging.
How much do camping sites around Clovis typically cost?
Camping costs near Clovis vary based on amenities and location. Private options like High Sierra RV Park charge around $39 per night for RV sites with bathroom access, though some sites may require tricky maneuvering for larger rigs. For more budget-friendly options, public campgrounds in national forests generally range from $15-25 per night. At Riverbend RV Park near Sanger, expect to pay standard RV park rates with full hookups. Most national park campgrounds in the broader region (Kings Canyon, Yosemite) typically charge $20-35 per night, with some primitive sites available for less.
What lake campgrounds are available near Clovis for weekend trips?
Pine Flat Campground offers excellent lakeside camping with natural sounds of frogs at night and birds in the morning. It's ideal for fishing enthusiasts, with opportunities for both fly fishing and catfishing. While summers can get quite warm, the lake provides welcome relief. Another great option is Wishon Bass Lake, which features sites with flat tent spots surrounded by tall, beautiful trees. Closer to Clovis, Millerton Lake State Recreation Area Campground provides developed camping with water and toilets just a short drive away. For those seeking a quieter experience, Fresno County Lost Lake Recreation Area offers both boat-in and drive-in access.
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