P
Paula S.
Guide
GuideLake Solano County Park
Friendly staff, nice sites
We enjoyed our stay here while visiting Napa. Extended our stay. Peacocks on the property and rogue goats. Boat launch was not operable on our side of the park.
Camping near Elk Grove, CA
161 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Search destinations
Add dates
SUMMARY PRESENTED BY
Campgrounds near Elk Grove, California range from fully developed RV parks with hookups to tent camping along lakes and rivers. Within a 30-minute drive, campers can access facilities like SacWest RV Park & Campground in West Sacramento, which accommodates tents, RVs, and cabins, or Rancho Seco Recreation Area in Herald with similar accommodation types. The Sacramento region features several campgrounds with lakefront or riverside locations, including Sherwood Harbor Marina & RV Park along the Sacramento River and Folsom Lake State Recreation Area's Beals Point Campground, which offers year-round camping about 20 miles northeast of Elk Grove.
Seasonal conditions significantly impact camping in the region, with many visitors noting the effects of California's dry climate and varying lake levels. Water levels at some reservoirs like Folsom Lake can recede considerably during drought periods, changing the proximity of campsites to shorelines. Summer temperatures frequently exceed 90°F, while spring and fall offer milder conditions. Most developed campgrounds require reservations, especially during peak summer weekends and holidays. Several campgrounds provide hookups for RVs, though amenities vary significantly between locations. As one visitor to Beals Point Campground noted, "Nice campground. As with most of California everything is dry. The lake is very low and a half mile walk from park to get to."
The campgrounds near Elk Grove receive mixed reviews regarding privacy and spacing between sites. Facilities like Laguna Del Sol in Wilton and Rancho Seco Recreation Area earn higher ratings for their amenities and recreation opportunities. Water-based activities form a central attraction at many sites, with fishing, boating, and swimming available at locations like Folsom Lake and Lake Camanche. Several campgrounds provide direct water access, walking trails, and picnic areas. Campers frequently mention wildlife sightings as highlights of their stays. "We had a family of deer pretty much monitoring my whole trip plus they couldn't seem to wait until I went to bed to come check out my camping gear," reported a visitor at Acorn Campground. Clean restrooms and shower facilities are consistently mentioned as important factors in positive reviews, while road noise affects some locations closer to highways.
Best Campgrounds near Elk Grove (161)
1. SacWest RV Park & Campground
"Great little campsite with a 50s vibe right outside the city of Sacramento. The bathrooms and showers are clean the staff are friendly and helpful."
"We stayed at the side close to the highway so it was a bit noisy but not too bad. The people were friendly! It was a bit too pricey though."
from $58 - $100 / night
Check Availability2. Rancho Seco Recreation Area
"The campsites are spacious and you don't feel over crowded if there is a family next to you. It's pet friendly."
"I pitched a tent in site 43 right next to the lake. Excellent place."
3. Cal Expo RV Park
"Great Bike paths adjacent along the river into Downtown or up to Folsom. All Full hook up sites on gravel or asphalt, daily, weekly, monthly rates."
"then you want a good location for your home base. Cal Expo definitely has the centralized location for exploring Old Sac, Cal Expo, State Capitol, the rivers and beyond."
from $50 - $1000 / night
Check Availability4. Beals Point Campground — Folsom Lake State Recreation Area
"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."
"As full timers- we thought we hit the jackpot for the area in order to be near the towns we wanted to explore and also have service for good wifi."
from $33 - $58 / night
Check Availability5. Sherwood Harbor Marina & RV Park
"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."
"Everything you need to “get away” is here and big city amenities a short drive away."
6. Laguna Del Sol - CLOTHING OPTIONAL
"Four swimming pools
- Three social pools
- Volleyball courts
- Pickleball
- Hiking/walking trails <-- our favorite.
- Tennis And others."
"Everything you could ask for as amenities go in a beautiful location. Don't forget your sun screen."
7. Holiday Mobile Village & RV Park
8. Flag City RV Resort
"They have a huge fenced dog area in the drainage bowl behind the office that also has solar panels on the outskirts. We did not use the area due to the recent rain."
"Convenient rest stop, has a small pool, is close to stores, highway, mostly facilitates larger size RVs, and generally clean and quiet."
from $95 - $990 / night
Check Availability9. Sacramento Shade RV Park
"Also while setting up, every person that walked by said hi and welcome! We have never experienced that much friendliness in a campground."
10. Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Tower Park
"Loved the access to rhe Delta. Only negative was it is more of A nightly party. So if you want quite. Not your place maybe in fall and winter"
"Positives Amenities! I love how everything was themed, from the street names to the signs. Two nice playgrounds, ball courts, pool and hot tub."
Drive Time
- 11 min from Sacramento, CA
- 32 min from Stockton, CA
- 51 min from Yuba City, CA
- 1 hr 5 min from Napa, CA
Recent Camping Photos near Elk Grove, CA
138 Photos of 161 Elk Grove Campgrounds
Justin H.
The Hirst Horse Ranch
Steve M.
Sherwood Harbor Marina & RV Park
Angel S.
Rancho Seco Recreation Area
Craig & Linda L.
Delta Shores Resort and Marina
Syd D.
Beals Point Campground — Folsom Lake State Recreation Area
john W.
Sandy Beach County Park
Rubén D.
Willow Campground — Brannan Island State Recreation Area
Issa F.
Brannan Island State Recreation Area
Kimmee P.
Lake Amador Resort
Larry W.
Lake Camanche
T L.
Peninsula Campground — Folsom Lake State Recreation Area
Fawad A.
Ascension Ranch
Recent Reviews near Elk Grove, CA
598 Reviews of 161 Elk Grove Campgrounds
Eric T.
ScoutDelta Shores Resort and Marina
Very Friendly
Showers are clean, lots of play area, for kids.boating
Kevin G.ScoutFrench Camp Recreational Vehicle Park
Pleased With French Camp
Everything was great, but just make sure you don’t park on the grass because of the sprinklers.
- MMelinda S.Scout
Sherman Island Regional Park
Kite Surfers Dream
This location is perfect for people who are looking for the wind. Everyone is pretty respectful of one another. First come first serve $45/night. Not well maintained the road was flooded and it hadn’t rained in weeks in the area. Not well maintained. Must have self contained camper: van, rv, trailer. Tight quarters, it’s like a parking lot of vehicles camping right next to one another. There is a boat launch.
DJ Jazzy W.GuideWillow Campground — Brannan Island State Recreation Area
Can not wait to come back. p.s. Hot showers.
Popped in and only a few campers there. A bridge away from towns. Hot showers. Squirrels galore. Ill be back.
Lee D.
LegendBeals Point Campground — Folsom Lake State Recreation Area
Lake fun near Sacramento
General: 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!
Douglas S.LegendSly Guard Cabin
Typical of the campground you find in downtown Valdez Alaska
I invite you to take a look at the pictures. This is a simple gravel parking lot with hookups. There's nothing special about this location.
- CCarley C.
Travelersmittle creek
Definitely not a spot
Tons of signs that say no camping no parking no trespassing. There was a fence and it was locked. Definitely don’t come here
- MMaria Luiza P.Scout
Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Tower Park
I’m so sad
We had been looking forward to this camping trip, but unfortunately our experience at Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park in Lodi was very disappointing. Before our trip, I paid the Lock Fee($40) specifically to guarantee the campsite we had selected. However, when we arrived, we were assigned to a completely different site. After setting up our trailer, we went back to the office to ask about it. Instead of correcting the mistake, another employee told us that we didn’t even have a reservation and that we needed to leave the campground. We had to search through our emails, show our reservation confirmation, and even provide proof of payment from our bank before they finally found our reservation. Only then were we moved to the campsite we had originally reserved and paid extra to secure. Unfortunately, the worst part happened on our last night. We were camping with friends, and between us we had two electric bikes—one worth nearly$5,000 and another worth over$1,000. We went to bed around 2:30 a.m., and everything was still there. When we came out of our trailers around 8:30 a.m., both bikes had been stolen. We immediately called the police. The responding officer told us that just two weeks earlier, another camper had all of the sound equipment stolen from their vehicle at the same campground. What disappointed us most is that the campground doesn’t appear to have adequate security measures, such as surveillance cameras, and there was no warning at check-in that thefts had recently occurred. Had we known there was an increased risk, we would have taken additional precautions with our valuables. When families choose a campground like this, they expect a safe, relaxing environment where they can enjoy nature without worrying that expensive belongings will disappear overnight. The campground has great amenities and is a fun place for families, but our experience with the reservation issues and the lack of security left us extremely disappointed. I hope management takes these concerns seriously, improves security, and is more transparent with guests so other families don’t have the same experience we did.
Guide to Elk Grove
Camping spots near Elk Grove, California range from urban RV parks to nature-focused campgrounds along waterways. Located in Sacramento County with summer temperatures regularly reaching 90-100°F, the region experiences a Mediterranean climate with dry summers and mild, wet winters. Water levels at many nearby camping destinations fluctuate significantly throughout the year, affecting shoreline access and water recreation opportunities.
What to do
Fishing opportunities: At Rancho Seco Recreation Area, campers can enjoy fishing in the small lake. "The campground are awesome and you can camp right on the water. They have boat rentals and a fishing derby every year too," notes one visitor.
Cycling access: Campers staying at Cal Expo RV Park benefit from direct trail connections. "There is direct access to the bike path which goes for miles and miles and connects to other trails which made our stay really great," reports one reviewer who appreciated the urban recreation option.
Farm activities: The Hirst Horse Ranch offers unique agricultural experiences not found at traditional campgrounds. "My boys played on swings, trampolines, and forts. They also helped milk the cow, picked strawberries, fed the chickens and road on a horse," explains a family who visited this smaller camping location.
What campers like
Swimming options: SacWest RV Park & Campground receives positive feedback for its aquatic amenities. "Loved the pool. Had pizza delivered right to the spot," mentioned one camper, while another noted, "Great playgrounds, swimming pool, more than 100 ducks going around!"
Wildlife viewing: Many campgrounds in the area offer opportunities to observe local fauna. At Beals Point Campground, "There is also quite a large squirrel population, which the campgrounds ask you not to feed, because the population will get even bigger upsetting the balance of everything there."
Riverside locations: Waterfront camping spots are highly valued. "Beautiful spaces to park your RV with a view of the river and small local marina. Everything you need to 'get away' is here and big city amenities a short drive away," writes a visitor to Sherwood Harbor Marina & RV Park.
What you should know
Site privacy varies: Campgrounds offer different levels of seclusion between sites. "The sites are surrounded by dry tall grass and spaced out nicely. It can be a little noisy with the close proximity to the road. But park is clean with lots of trees," notes a Beals Point Campground reviewer.
Water level fluctuations: Lake levels change dramatically throughout the year. One camper at Cal Expo RV Park mentioned, "River was dry in july," highlighting the seasonal nature of water access in the region.
Unexpected noises: Urban campgrounds may experience more disruption than expected. A Flag City RV Resort visitor noted, "A maverik next door that can be noisy-as any gas station can be- but even closer to it it's not too much."
Tips for camping with families
Look for dedicated play areas: Several campgrounds feature kid-friendly facilities. A SacWest visitor highlighted, "Lots of things to do for kids: great playgrounds, swimming pool, more than 100 ducks going around!"
Consider spaciousness: Families need room to spread out. At Rancho Seco Recreation Area, a camper noted, "Enjoyed camping here several times as a family and with a group. Beautiful lake to canoe/kayak about. Sites along lake are best."
Check for food storage requirements: Wildlife may be a concern. One camper warned, "Make sure you put your food away at night raccoons will get your food and snacks," after their experience at Rancho Seco Recreation Area.
Tips from RVers
Look for concrete pads: Level, solid parking surfaces make setup easier. A visitor to Sacramento Shade RV Park mentioned, "The sites are a little tight but not bad at all and each one has a privacy fence and small concrete pad."
Check hookup locations: The placement of utilities can require extra equipment. At Flag City RV Resort, "The utilities are on the back quarter of the pad. We needed 15' of sewer hose. The water pressure was okay at about 40 psi."
Consider value vs. amenities: Price points vary significantly between basic and resort-style facilities. "In this case, $62.00 for nice lava rock and clean concrete sidewalks and roads is a bit over priced. We stayed in Spaceport near Edwards, had the same amenities for $20.00 but with gravel and dirt," reported one Flag City RV Resort camper.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the best camping locations near Elk Grove?
Where are the best camping locations near Elk Grove?
Beals Point Campground — Folsom Lake State Recreation Area offers nicely spaced sites with good shade trees, clean facilities, and easy access to swimming areas. Despite being near urban areas, it maintains a secluded feel with convenient access to nearby stores. For a unique historical experience, Indian Grinding Rock State Historical Park Campground provides a well-shaded camping area with just 23 sites, making it less crowded. Located about 3 hours from the Bay Area, it's perfect for a weekend getaway with access to beautiful open spaces and historical exhibits. The best time to visit these campgrounds is spring through fall, though summer can be quite hot.
Are there any campgrounds with bathroom facilities near Elk Grove?
Are there any campgrounds with bathroom facilities near Elk Grove?
Several campgrounds near Elk Grove offer clean bathroom facilities. Lake Camanche maintains well-kept bathrooms with hot water, though some sites may not have showers immediately adjacent (the Riverview area has showers within walking distance). American River Resort features clean bathrooms with private showers, making it comfortable for overnight stays. Most campgrounds in the area provide restroom facilities within a short walking distance from campsites, typically 2-5 minutes. If bathroom quality is a priority, consider calling ahead to confirm current conditions, as maintenance can vary seasonally, especially during drought periods when water conservation measures might be in effect.
Are there any free or low-cost camping options near Elk Grove?
Are there any free or low-cost camping options near Elk Grove?
Acorn Campground offers reasonably priced camping at $20 per night, with discounts available for Golden Age Pass holders who can stay for just $10 per night (maximum 15 days per month). This makes it one of the more affordable options in the area. The campground is clean, well-maintained, and located on New Hogan Reservoir. For those seeking budget options, Rancho Seco Recreation Area near Herald provides more economical camping compared to private resorts in the region. While truly free camping is limited near Elk Grove, these options represent good value, especially during weekdays and non-peak seasons when rates may be lower.
What RV camping options are available near Elk Grove?
What RV camping options are available near Elk Grove?
The Elk Grove area offers several RV-friendly options. Skyline Wilderness Park just outside Napa accommodates numerous RVs with dedicated RV sections separate from tent camping areas. For those needing full hookups, Flag City RV Resort near Lodi offers big-rig-friendly sites with modern amenities. Many campgrounds around Elk Grove can accommodate larger rigs, though site availability varies. Acorn Campground has some sites for larger RVs, though it's primarily designed for smaller trailers. When making reservations, confirm site lengths, hookup options (water, electric, sewer), and dump station availability. Most RV parks in the area require reservations, especially during peak summer months and weekends.
Keep Exploring