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Camping near Firebaugh, CA

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    SUMMARY PRESENTED BYT-Mobile

    Firebaugh, California provides several camping options within 30 minutes of Interstate 5, making it a convenient stopover for travelers. Tumey Hills Box Canyon offers free dispersed camping on BLM land about 20 miles southwest of town, while Mercey Hot Springs provides established camping with tent sites, RV spots, and cabins just 15 miles from Firebaugh. Los Banos Creek Campground in the San Luis Reservoir State Recreation Area offers waterfront camping for both tents and RVs with reservable sites. The region supports various camping styles from primitive dispersed sites to developed campgrounds with full hookups.

    Many primitive camping areas near Firebaugh have limited amenities and require visitors to pack in essential supplies. "This is a completely off-the-grid resort that has good energy and tranquil atmosphere," noted one camper about Mercey Hot Springs. Road conditions at locations like Tumey Hills can be challenging, with a mix of paved and well-graded dirt roads leading to camping areas. Summer temperatures in this region regularly exceed 100°F, making spring and fall more comfortable camping seasons. Cell service is spotty throughout much of the area, particularly in canyon areas and distant BLM lands. Campgrounds within the state recreation areas have specific check-in procedures, with gates that often close at sundown.

    Campers frequently mention the peaceful atmosphere at less-developed sites around Firebaugh, particularly at Los Banos Creek Reservoir. A visitor described it as "really quiet campground nestled into the hills with a beautiful reservoir," highlighting the water access available from most sites. Several reviews indicate Tumey Hills experiences regular target shooting activity during daylight hours, which some find disruptive. "Gun range, lots of people shooting. Wouldn't be my first choice. Easy overnight spot," one camper reported. Mixed-use campgrounds like Mercey Hot Springs provide unique amenities, including mineral hot tubs available for 24-hour access. The more developed RV parks near Chowchilla offer amenities like swimming pools, golf course access, and full hookups, though they tend to be considerably more expensive than the primitive camping areas.

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    Best Campgrounds near Firebaugh (55)

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      1. Tumey Hills Box Canyon

      3.4(11)20mi from Firebaugh

      "Close by amenities gas stations, mcdonald’s & freeway about 10 mins out"

      "Took us about 15 min to drive to where we camped. There is no water or bathrooms so bring a jug from Lowe’s with a spicket!"

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      2. Pinnacles Campground — Pinnacles National Park

      4.1(100)48mi from Firebaugh134 sitesRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "Per my rating system, this is very close to being 5 stars, meaning it's worth planning a trip from out of state just to visit this park and surrounding national/state forest for 3 days or more  The only"

      "It’s a beautiful park and has the largest population of California Condors in the world. The campground is situated about 2.3 miles from the main trailheads. There's tent and RV campsites."

      from $44 - $164 / night

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      3. The Lakes RV & Golf Resort

      4.5(4)23mi from FirebaughRVs, Tents

      "There is a high fence surrounding the property and it is secured by electronic hand held devices that you receive when you check in. The lake and swimming pool are beautiful and restful."

      "Surrounded by a pond. Cable & wifi. Decent laundry room. Perfect place if you're a golfer. We stayed here multiple nights. My kids loved the pool."

      from $42 - $1500 / night

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      4. Madera District Fair RV Campgrounds

      5.0(2)23mi from FirebaughRVs
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      5. Mercey Hot Springs

      4.7(3)24mi from FirebaughRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "If you’re doing the long drive from the Bay Area to LA, a nice place to stay is Mercey Hot Springs.  It takes about 20 minutes to get there from the freeway and is in the middle of nowhere.  "

      "Friendly staff, great facilities away from the grind"

      from $70 - $185 / night

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      6. Los Banos Creek Campground — San Luis Reservoir State Recreation Area

      4.1(7)28mi from FirebaughRVs, Tents

      "Campsites are mostly at the water’s edge of the small-ish reservoir that’s main attraction (at least this time of year) appears to be fishing."

      "Not to mention the water was only a few steps away. Very small campground which made it not feel crowded. Portable Potty bathrooms which were not to bad and well maintained."

      from $20 / night

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      7. Arena RV Park

      3.0(2)22mi from FirebaughRVs, Tents, Glamping

      "Close to hwy but far enough that road noise isn't onerous. Train passes through once at night time, bring earplugs. Clean, tidy, well kept campground."

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      8. Medeiros Primitive Campsites — San Luis Reservoir State Recreation Area

      4.4(10)35mi from FirebaughRVs, Tents

      "There are porta potties throughout and a handicap accessible pit toilet near the entrance. There are dumpsters but no recycling bins (weird for a California state facility)."

      "Lovely roadside stop, could be a bit cleaner."

      from $20 / night

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      9. Laguna Mountain Campground

      4.9(14)39mi from FirebaughRVs, Tents

      "It is difficult to find BLM camping in California and this is a gem! The road is in prone to mudslides and looked like is was recently cleared of mud in multiple spots."

      "Laguna mountain road trail is very strenuous The last leg of the trail(primitive trail) is not easy to follow. Someone has marked the trail with stacked rocks."

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      10. Hidden View Campground — Hensley Lake

      4.3(10)36mi from Firebaugh57 sitesRVs, Tents

      "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

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    Recent Camping Photos near Firebaugh, CA

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    Recent Reviews near Firebaugh, CA

    311 Reviews of 55 Firebaugh Campgrounds

    • DThe Dyrt Pro User
      Aug. 19, 2026

      Medeiros Primitive Campsites — San Luis Reservoir State Recreation Area

      Great peaceful place to stay

      We got a site at the water with a table and fire pit.  The place was busy but there were plenty of places to park.  The people were friendly and the park host even asked if I had discounts available.  Which I did and my stay was just $10 a night.  1/2 price!  Great!  Who knew getting old would give me a bunch of discounts!  There are Senior and Handicapped discounts available.  The water smelled a bit fishy, but that was fine with me.  There were campers that were fishing and swimming in the water.  Way too cold for me as I'm from Palm Springs and used to 110 degrees with water temps in the 90's.

    • jill H.The Dyrt Pro User
      Aug. 9, 2026

      Mercey Hot Springs

      Desert Oasis

      Friendly staff, great facilities away from the grind

    • Margaret R.
      Aug. 1, 2026

      Merced River Resort

      Beware rat infested

      Stayed at this camp for a few months,then storages my basically new fifth wheel through the winter. When the hauler went to pick it up,there was significant damage done in which he took date and location stamped photos of while still parked next to the same RV we parked it by. When it arrived,it was even worse we had an active rat infestation that cost me over$3k repairs to all of my water lines and gas lines they had chewed through. Not including the mattresses,bedding ect we had to replace. I contacted the park,they ask for the photos and then said get an estimate and they would pay for repairs. It took me over a month to get an estimate,in which I had to pay for. For them then to decide they were not responsible now. Please do not store your nice items at this place! They do not care about you or your stuff. My insurance will be suing for all damages now.

    • Jeff J.
      Jun. 29, 2026

      Park of the Sierras - Escapee Park

      Beautiful Park Excellent Value

      Wow what a beautiful park with large sites that have space a privacy…. Not your typical RV parking lot. You do have to be an Escapees member but easy to sign up if you aren’t… you can also add it to tour existing Harvest Host membership as they merged with Escapees… Very friendly people with nice pickelball court, dog park, clubhouse and events…

    • A
      Jun. 29, 2026

      RandCher Vineyards

      Best Vineyard Sunset

      Peaceful! Beautiful vineyard setting with plenty of fantastic photo ops, expansive level concrete pad and electric hookups (take your long extension), water available, picnic tables with umbrellas and large shade structures. Nice breezy evenings. Plenty of space and clearance for even the largest RV rigs. Convenient access and would be great for overnighters heading towards Sequoia/Kings Canyon or Yosemite National Parks. The hosts are very communicative & responsive. This location is Caruthers, CA- we live nearby CSUFresno (about 30 minutes away) but used this convenient opportunity as a test-outing as first time rv owners. A great experience to try out our rig and hook-ups. Dog friendly too (on leash). Summer bonus: the Caruthers fair is coming soon! Would highly recommend this location to fellow campers.

    • Kristin
      Jun. 22, 2026

      Merced River Resort

      Merced River access

      Perfect spot with river access gor fishing. Friendliest people ive met so far. They actually like my bloodhounds ❤️ that right there says alot. Clean pool clean bathrooms and showers. Only bad thing is showers close at 8pm

    • Grant M.The Dyrt Pro User
      Jun. 14, 2026

      Upper Sweetwater Laguna Mountain Campground

      Worth the drive, a Pinnacles stop

      The winding road to get here is definitely out of the way, and the bumpy drive left one of our passengers feeling pretty carsick. That said, it was absolutely worth it.

      I have to give this place a 5-star review. When it comes to dispersed camping, I’m used to rough clearings and overgrown roads, but this site was exceptionally well maintained. It had fenced campsites, a bathroom, covered pavilions, picnic tables, and fire pits. There was a burn ban in effect during our visit, so we couldn’t use the fire pits, but I was still impressed by the overall setup.

      One thing I really appreciated was the balance of sun and shade. I was able to park in full sun for my solar panels while still enjoying shade under the pavilion and surrounding trees. Cell reception was also good.

      We visited on a Saturday in June and were surprised by how uncrowded it was. Only a few other campers were there. It was also reassuring to see several other dispersed camping areas along the drive in, providing additional options if this site happened to be full.

      In dry conditions, I think a two-wheel-drive vehicle can make it here. The roads are bumpy but generally well maintained. We saw several two-wheel-drive cars at the campsite. That said, there are a few sandy uphill sections where traction could become an issue, so you’ll still want to drive carefully.

      The bugs were a little annoying, with both flies and mosquitoes present, but that’s something you can encounter almost anywhere depending on the season.

      Overall, this is one of the nicest dispersed camping areas we’ve stayed at and a place I would gladly return to.

    Guide to Firebaugh

    Dispersed camping near Firebaugh, California includes several options ranging from free primitive sites to established campgrounds with amenities. Tumey Hills Box Canyon provides free dispersed camping on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land approximately 10 miles southwest of Firebaugh. The area features primitive sites with no hookups, water, or established facilities, though one portable toilet is available. Mercey Hot Springs offers a more developed experience with tent sites, RV spaces with electric and water hookups, and cabin accommodations located about 15 miles southwest of Firebaugh.

    Road access to Tumey Hills requires navigating partially paved and graded dirt roads, making high-clearance vehicles advisable during wet conditions. The climate typically features hot, dry summers and mild winters, with limited shade throughout the region. "Another beautiful spot ruined by people who can't pickup after themselves," notes one visitor about Tumey Hills, highlighting the importance of practicing Leave No Trace principles. Cell service remains limited or non-existent at most sites, particularly in canyon areas. Campers should prepare for self-sufficient stays with all necessary water, as drinking water is unavailable at dispersed sites.

    The camping experience around Firebaugh varies significantly between locations. Mercey Hot Springs receives positive reviews for its mineral pools and peaceful atmosphere, with one visitor describing it as "a completely off the grid resort that has good energy and tranquil atmosphere." In contrast, Tumey Hills users frequently mention target shooting activity, with one camper reporting "gun shell casings everywhere" and another describing it as functioning primarily as "a shooting range" rather than a traditional campground. Los Banos Creek Campground, located within 30 minutes of Firebaugh, offers a different experience with waterfront sites and reservoir access. A visitor characterized it as a "small, private, waterfront" location ideal for families, noting that "the water was nice and cool for swimming or just floating."

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What are the regulations for overnight parking at Firebaugh rest areas?

    California rest areas, including those near Firebaugh, generally limit stays to 8 hours within a 24-hour period, prohibiting overnight parking for camping purposes. For proper overnight accommodations, consider Thousand Trails San Benito which provides full RV hookups about 45 minutes from Firebaugh. Alternatively, Harris Ranch offers a convenient overnight parking option for those traveling through the area. Always look for posted regulations at specific rest areas, as enforcement varies, and commercial vehicles have different rules than passenger vehicles.

    Is free camping allowed along the San Joaquin River near Firebaugh?

    Free camping directly along the San Joaquin River near Firebaugh is generally not permitted. However, Tumey Hills Box Canyon offers free BLM dispersed camping not far from Firebaugh. For those willing to drive a bit farther, Condon Peak Campground provides free camping in the coast range about 45 minutes southwest of Firebaugh. This remote site is perfect for those looking to escape civilization, but note there's no cell service in the area. Always check current BLM regulations before camping, as rules can change seasonally.

    Where are the best camping spots near Firebaugh, CA?

    Several excellent camping options exist near Firebaugh. San Luis Reservoir State Recreation Area offers developed camping with lake views and basic amenities about 30 minutes west. For those seeking a more remote experience, Laguna Mountain Campground provides beautiful BLM camping in the Diablo Range. This hidden gem features primitive sites and stunning views, though be aware the access road can be challenging, especially after rain when the clay-like mud becomes problematic. The campground is typically accessible year-round but conditions vary seasonally.

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