Looking for the perfect glamping experience near Firebaugh? Glamping near Firebaugh is especially popular among campers who enjoy beds and electricity. The Dyrt makes it easy to find glamping for your Firebaugh adventure.
Pinnacles Campground is located in the unique Pinnacles National Park, 32 miles south of Hollister, California. The park encompasses 26,000 acres of spectacular rock formations and remnants of an extinct 23 million-year old volcano. Hiking and rock climbing are very popular activities in Pinnacles, as is watching for the majestic California condor overhead. Pinnacles National Park is a nesting place for the endangered soaring bird, the largest in North America.
Pinnacles National Park has more than 30 miles of trails, ranging from easy to strenuous. Many trails intersect, allowing for a short loop or a longer all-day hike. Popular destinations include Bear Gulch Reservoir, High Peaks and the Balconies area. The Bench Trail provides direct access to the park from the campground. Visitors enjoy exploring Balconies Cave and Bear Gulch Cave, which houses a large colony of Townsend's big-eared bats. Bring a flashlight! Rock climbers flock to Pinnacles for the variety of climbing routes that range from easy top-ropes to the multi-pitch climbs along Machete Ridge.
The campground is situated in a rolling landscape dotted with shady Valley Oak, Blue Oak and Coast Live Oak trees. A gentle, seasonal creek runs through the grounds. Springtime finds Pinnacles bursting with a wide variety of vivid wildflowers that line every trail and fill entire meadows with color. Deer and wild turkeys roam the area, and condors can be viewed from within the campground. The park ranges in elevation from 824 feet along South Chalone Creek to 3,304 feet atop North Chalone Peak.
$43 - $164 / night
This recreation area is part of Hensley Lake
$20 - $30 / night
Codorniz Campground on Eastman Lake is a perfect launchpad for activities like canoeing, birding and hiking. Tucked in the Sierra Nevada foothills, the area attracts abundant wildlife like bobcats, golden eagles, mountain lions, hawks and wood ducks.
Eastman Lake is the first designated Trophy Bass Fishery, by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Both young and old anglers will find fishing on Eastman lake a satisfying challenge. At the campground, visitors can try their hand at disc golf or challenge a group of friends to a game of volleyball. Horseshoe pits are also available for a little friendly competition.
The rolling hills around Eastman Lake are surrounded by tall grasses and scattered oak trees, giving way to stunning mountain views. The lake features 1,780 surface acres, fed by the cool waters of the Chowchilla River.
The Sierra National Forest is a short drive to the east of the campground.
$20 - $100 / night
A historical resort in central CA that offers 19 therapeutic hot tubs, dry sauna, geo-thermally heated mineral water swimming pool & accommodations. Offering 10 cabins, 2 airstreams, 9 tent sites, and 10 RV sites!
$70 - $185 / night
Monterey Bay RV campground and preserve is nestled in rolling hills about 14 miles south of Hollister, California. The climate is tempered by the ocean, which is only 50 miles to the west, and wildlife is abundant throughout the area. San Benito RV Resort 's modern facilities ensure convenience and comfort. The on-site live entertainment and planned activities keep things interesting. When it's time to explore the area, there are many natural attractions and activities around San Benito RV Resort , such as the Pinnacles National Monument, fresh and salt-water fishing, and golf courses. Visit the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium during your time at Thousand Trails' Monterey Bay RV campground. It's an experience that won't be forgotten! See wildlife & natural attractions from a Monterey Bay RV campground Whether you're planning a retreat for the whole family, a group of friends or a getaway for two, there's no shortage of unique activities to explore at San Benito RV & Camping Resort. Plan activities upon arrival or visit this page before your departure to plan ahead. Looking for more? Our friendly staff can fill you in on all of the great ways to make your stay a memorable experience.
$30 - $40 / night
Spanning 35 breathtaking acres of majestic oaks and manzanitas, cascading waterfalls, rolling hills and a never-ending star-spotted sky, Yosemite RV Resort is an idyllic camping getaway in the valley foothills. Hang here to enjoy the large pool, new playground, and horseshoe pits, then hit the trail, catch a falling star and adventure boldly under the Yosemite Valley sky.
Group Camping Area
$30 - $200 / night
Traveler
The Pinnacles Campground offers a variety of sections to fit the need of most every type of camper. There are two sections to the park - an east and a west side which are not connected very easily unless you hike through the Pinnacles themselves. However, the main Campground offers a ranger station and store that provides books, snacks, and information on the park. There is wifi and a pool and showers available. Sections include group sites (which were the ones I stayed at), good for families, school trips, or camps, and more family style camps, and places where you can glamp in your RV fully equipped with hook ups.
The pinnacles is unique because they are one of two spots in California where you can see the California Condors, a huge giant scavenging bird that almost became extinct. From the campsite you can watch them soar back to their roosts in the higher Pinnacles through binoculars. Truly a wonderful experience.
Cons: Watch out for the raccoons. They will eat everything you don't lock away!
Ranger
Many options to stay! Rv, bring your own tent, yurts, safari tents,, cabins. 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. Laundry on site. Clubhouse and small provisions.
Easy access to Bass Lake and Yosemite entrance as well as local Town food and markets.
RangerThis National Park is unlike many we have stayed at in that they do have showers, a swimming pool, a store, lots of amenities, getting there is the hard part as it is in a very remote part of California. The park is known for the California condors and our hike didn’t disappoint as we saw many. The hike to the high peak was crazy!
GuideThis is only my 5th National park and was beautiful. Lots of wildlife visitor's. The Park is also home to the California Condor. Bummer that we didn't see any. RV spots have electric plug in. We stayed in a 30 amp spot.
GuideGreat place to hike, spectacular views. Rock climbers will enjoy the pinnacle rock formations. Talus caves add to the wonderful hikes and offer a refreshing break from the sun. Spring and fall best, summers are hot. You may also see a California condor overhead.
Guide
Seriously love this place and wish we could go all the time! Too bad we live on the East Coast or id he here 24/7. We stayed in a cabin in January. Right near Pinnacles National Park! We had Condors above our cabin, deer around us, wild pigs crossing the roads. Its amazing!!!! My favorite part of our California trip was staying here!
LegendI have to admit, I didn't even know Pinnacles NP exsisted. I'm glad I saw the sign and venture to check it out. 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. It's a good campground with the NP visitor center located within the campground.
Note: There's only 30Amp service at the RV sites. Bring an adapter if you only have 50 or 20Amps.
TravelerWe were suggested by the ranger to take a 9.5 mile hike to see the best of the park. included high peaks trail climbing steps carved into the rock in the 30's. And going through one of their caves (balconies cave) as the other was closed for bat breeding season. 1,500 elevation gain in the first few miles but totally worth it. With a few bathrooms along the way makes it very convenient if you need to stop. Overall an amazing hike and views of California condors when you get to the top.
GuidePer 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 reason it's 4 stars instead of 5 is that Pinnacles isn't quite big enough to explore exclusively for a minimum of 3 days. You've got a solid and long day of hiking through the park (6 miles, but very intense and exposed). Then a half day of exploring the parts of the park you didn't get to on the hike And then. . well, by then you've probably seen most of what is worth seeing in the park. So hop in the car and drive to Monterey. Go to the aquarium, eat some seafood, and then drive back to Pinnacles (about 3 hours round trip, but worth it if you spend the whole day in Monterey). This is the definition of 4 stars by my system: a park definitely worth visiting if its part of a larger trip to a region. And for locals, this is a must-visit spot, a place that will be on the regular camping rotation.
The park, which is located in a tight valley in San Benito county, is a geologically unique spot nestled in oak studded rolling California coastal mountains. There are two entrances into the park, but the campground is only accessible from the Gilroy/Hollister side. If you're coming from the Bay Area, take Hwy 101 through Gilroy and then get on Hwy 25 South. As you wind your way on Hwy 25, you pass ranch land and within 10 miles of getting off the freeway, you feel like you're pretty far away from it all. That's the thing about California. Get off the main thoroughfares and out of the population centers, and things get rugged fast. In the days of trillion-dollar market caps for Silicon Valley technology companies, people often forget that California has a rich agricultural history. I've lived in California for going on 3 decades, and I sometimes wonder what the more quintessentially central California experience is: Shopping at the Apple Store in San Francisco and then dining at a fine restaurant as the fog rolls in, or buying produce from a farm stand in a valley bordered by rolling hills. It's probably both. San Benito county is a great place to experience the latter.
What makes Pinnacles geologically unique is that the park is formed from bulbous rock formations. These are somewhat reminiscent of what one would find in southern Utah, at a place like Arches. The main hike, which is a loop that begins and ends at the parking lot, takes you up the ridge line and then across the rock faces. It's an intense and fun hike. It's just under 6 miles, but it will take the entire day. Pack a lunch and plenty of water. There are no water sources on the trail. If you're lucky, you'll see condors floating in the thermal currents.
Speaking of thermal currents, Pinnacles is extremely hot in the summer. I've never come here past April. The winter is ideal for Pinnacles. But if you are in the Bay Area in the summer, it's worth checking out. But be prepared for heat.
There are two campgrounds loops: one is for RV's and the other is for tents and RV "dry camping" (i.e. no hookups). I was in the tent section, dry camping my Airstream. The RV loop is easy to get in and out of. The loop I was in was a bit trickier - "blue square" difficulty level for a 28' trailer. I had a back-in spot, but the angle of the spot made it easy to back in. The tricky part was that it was kind of narrow, with railroad ties on either side. It was a good spot, and I'd definitely take that one again. But, if you want full hookups on the RV loop, spots 50 and 51 are the ones to get. Many of the spots on the RV loop were really exposed, and it can get hot in Pinnacles, even in the winter during the day.
As I mentioned in the introduction of this post, there is a lot to do within a 2-3 hour (round trip) drive of Pinnacles. You could go up to the southern Bay Area. You can go to Monterey. You could go wine tasting in Paso Robles. This is a great place to plan a 3-4 night trip. It's always on my short list of places to go.
GuideCAMPFIRES ARE NOT ALLOWED HERE. Not even in the fire rings at each site!
We enjoyed seeing LOTS of wildlife in Pinnacles from our campsite: California quail scurrying up a hill, mule deer, and raptors of all kinds. Lots of nocturnal animal activity!
But the campsites themselves were dispersed around a parking lot -- not much more to it, and very little shade or barrier between sites. Quiet hours were not enforced at all. People were loud through the night.
Wrong name was written on our placard so we worried all night that someone would accuse us of taking their spot, even though we had reserved. and pre-paid for the one we were in. Camping host was indifferent to this error.
Great National Park, though, and seemed to be the only camping option in the area.
GuideGood spot to explore Pinnicales National Park. Typical TT resort park off the beaten path, far out but nice place, we enjoyed our stay. At the time we were there a lot of the riverfront sports were out of order. Park does have a lot of those devil spikes in the grass so beware of those with the dogs or bare feet. I did see someone bare foot walking and I was confused as how he was not stepping on them little spiked mines/ thorns then it happened and he went down having to crawl back to the road and get shoes. Pinnacles NP has lots of great hikes, bird watching is a thing out here and home to the California Condors. Near the town of Gilroy home of the garlic festival. A little out of the way but a nice scenic backroad alternate from I5 or 99 if traveling north/south.
LegendCampground Review:
Be sure to look at a map carefully and drive to the property side of the park if you plan to camp here! There are two entrances to Pinnacles and they don't connect by road. Also, we didn't have any cell phone service, but we did manage to get service with our hotspot while in the campground. The store has wifi too, but we didn't need it. The campground is plenty nice, but it doesn't have the feel of a typical National Park campground. We stayed in one of the electric sites with our RV, but there are dry camping sites as well. We had an awesome time in the park hiking and spotting California Condors. The park is absolutely worth a visit and this is by far the closest place to stay.
Product Review:
As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get to test products from time to time. At this campground, I tested the Ecovessel Boulder Insulated Water Bottle. The quality and performance of this product are both very impressive! I tested this out both with hot tea and cold water and gatorade and have been very pleased. I love the strainer feature so it keeps ice from rushing to my mouth every time I take a sip. It's also convenient for tea as well. Not to mention the color is great. I love this water bottle!
LegendThis is a large campground (and the ONLY campground) in Pinnacles National Park. It is on the East side of the park, and you can only access it from the East side. There is no road going across the park from west to east, so expect to drive south or north in order to get to the campground if you are coming from the coast (as I was). Here’s what I like about the campground: it’s kind of spread out and it seemed that each site had a little privacy, every site has its own bear box, and some sites have trees for hammocks. Here’s what I didn’t like: the entire campground’s septic system was on the fritz and not expected to be fixed anytime soon, so all modern bathrooms were closed and porta potties were in place everywhere (and they needed tI be serviced). I also didn’t like that there was only one shower house with two showers (for women, I am am assuming 2 for men) for so many campers. I also didn’t like that the host sites were tucked back behind the pool and shower house on a spur road, making it difficult to spot (I finally found them late the second day; none too helpful either). All that said, the ranger station is right at the front of the campground, and there are great trails you can hike to or take a quick drive to from the campground. The CAVES!!!! So cool! And you have to hike the Balconies. Take at least two sources of light (cell phones do not count) and plenty of water as it gets hot in the afternoon. The coolest part was seeing 5 of the 30 or so California Condors soaring on the thermals over me on the Bear Gulch Loop.
ScoutNice campground for a night. A bit outdated, but clean shower and toilets. There is also a laundryroom. Good spaces and shade Lot of noise from the airport, train and highway
GuideEasy on/off from Hwy. 99. Nice management. Spaces large and lots of shade coverage. 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.
Guide
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. Camping is $50 per person, but it gives you access to the pool and the hot tubs. There are both clothing optional hot tubs and hot tubs for bathing suits. The best campsites are the ones with no hook-ups. They are under the trees and right next to the pool. The RV sites with hook-ups are in an open field area with no tree cover. There are also airstreams and cabins available to rent. Camping gives you 24 hour access to the hot tubs. There is no food available here and the closest town is 30 minutes away so be sure to come prepared. There is also a sauna and a nice hike up in the hills. Nice quiet place. Everyone is super chill and no one really bothers you about swimming after hours.
TravelerI Van Camped at Mercey Hot Springs for 5 days. When I arrived the nights were hot so I decided to take an AC Cabin #10 where I could park right next to the cabin and slept comfortably. I moved to a RV camp site #5 when the temps at night were a more comfortable mid 60s. I love that the hot tubs are available all night long. It allows for long soaks while star gazing. The therapeutic water is magical some of the best I have found. As soon as you enter the pool or hot tubs you feel the smooth water on your skin. The hot tubs are all oversized privet bath tubs that you fill with mineral water of your desired temperature. This is a completely off the grid resorts that has good energy and tranquil atmosphere. It is very clean with clean bath rooms and showers. When I was there in June 2024 they did not have the restaurant open yet but one looks like it is in the near future. They do have snacks, cold drinks, coffee, ice cream and Ice in the front office for purchase. I took the short hike up the hill to see the solar array, while up there I discovered a most amazing triple Labyrinth circle walk that was very mindful experience. I have never seen such a neat labyrinth as this. Truly an amazing stay, I will be back.
Guide
Easy day of reservation, with the easy after hours check in. Flat paved sites. Mostly a parking lot style RV park with flat pads and full hook ups. Lots of noise from the interstate, ear plugs necessary. Crossroads area offers lots of travelers amenities such as coffee shops, restaurants and several gas stations. Rotten Robbie's gas is cheapest in town.
ScoutLarge, level sites. Very good rates for a quick stop.
GuideI have stayed at this RV park several times as a stop over for the night. It’s not the kind of place I would want to stay at much longer but it does have all the power and water connections that one needs for an RV. Most of the sites I have stayed at have the connections at the center of the site which makes it a little awkward but most of their sites are pull through. The park is adjacent to an older mobile home park but if one stays near the front of the RV park you won’t even notice this. The rate we paid was about $45 a night and we thought it was worth it versus pulling in to the nearby Anderson’s Pea soup parking lot and squatting there.
Guide
A nice campground. Lots of space between sites, some with electric and water. Nice views of where the lake should be, with volcanic outcroppings all around. Site 01 was shaded, level and easy to back our 24 foot trailer into. Unfortunately the lake was way low due to drought. Things we did not like: (1) although not far off of Highway 99, the road from Chowchilla was incredibly rough. 15 miles of poorly-patched pot holes. I went no faster than 35 mph but still bounced the rig badly. (2) a vagrant guy was wandering around for the three days we were there. He came up to our trailer once; he seemed harmless but pretty out of it, maybe just stoned. (3) a large gathering of campers in the tent area were loud and raucous well past midnight, laughing, loud music, and drunken arguments. We were worried they could break out weapons. (4) bathrooms were cleaned daily, but quickly trashed, probably by the aforementioned campers.
ScoutArmy corp ladies were knowledgeable and nice and willing to help us not only w camping but tons of info! Great staff. Campgrounds very clean
ScoutGreat campsite. Lotsa camp space. Clean grounds, restrooms showers.
GuideOur first time here, reservation required before showing up. This was the off season so everything was open and quiet. Nice bathrooms no charge. Playground for kids. They have full hook ups or you could do dry camping. Every camp has it own water so that was nice. Good price for $20
GuideWe rented sites #10 & #11 for the weekend of 6/2-6/4/23. Sites #9-11 make up the cul-de-sac so it was great for our kids to ride their bikes and scooters. It would make the perfect group site as they were a bit tucked back from the other sites. Site #12 could easily be connected to site #11 as the brush is well-cleared between the two.
These are the closest sites to the water in the campground, but unfortunately water access is pretty limited (there’s a small trail that leads down to a rocky edge, but wouldn’t be great for small children). We drove to a beach area found about a mile up the road. There is also a day-use area across the lake with some good swimming sites.
The campground was very clean and had rangers and a sheriff patrolling regularly (but not bothersome).
There is a small pit toilet right next to site #12, but there are larger bathrooms up the road with flushing toilets and showers. There is also a nice playground for the kids too.
Unfortunately site #10 does not have a shade structure but #9 does, and #11 is well shaded by trees.
We had one raccoon visitor the first night (came out of the drainage pipe under site #12) but otherwise no other wildlife. We were warned that rattle snakes are out, but we were fortunate not to see any ourselves. There is also quite a bit of brush around the campsites so be aware if you bring dogs. They are supposed to be kept on leash at all times, but our lab just brushed by some of the weeds and was littered with foxtails. So just something to be cautious of.
Although we were disappointed with not having better water access, it really is a nice campsite overall if you’re okay with driving up the road to swim.
GuideIt’s a quiet campground on a hill. You are at least 30 minutes from any stores. The lake is beautiful but the campsites with power and water do not give a view of the lake at all with the exception of 42. AT&T cell signal from 45 was non existent but T-mobile worked well enough to stream Netflix. I enjoyed my stay. Clean and the camp hosts were great.
GuideThere are few gems along the Hwy 99 route between Sacramento and Bakersfield but this is definitely one of them! Located a short 20 miles east of 99, just north of Fresno, this Army Corps of Engineers campground is stunning. Situated among rolling hills that are luscious green in the spring, this campsite is quiet and packed full of things to do. Whether you want to bike, hike, fish, boat or just sit and enjoy the peace and quiet, this is the site for you!
We're dry camping at the Wildcat site which the ranger said is rarely used. There is no one else in the whole campground!
Coyotes howled in the distance last night and it was dead quiet. Going to take the road bike out today and explore some of the roads around the Lake. Lake is full after the 2023 season.
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Firebaugh, CA is Pinnacles Campground — Pinnacles National Park with a 4-star rating from 84 reviews.
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