Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Glenn, CA

This place was a very nice spot for any overnight stay on the way up to Oregon. The woman at the front desk was friendly and helpful. There is great shade in our site (A6) and a nice table. Kudos for the large dog park, now if I can only solve for the a*holes who can't be bothered to pick up after their dogs at every dog park I've ever visited. Don't expect a ton of privacy here and the sites are all gravel and/or dirt except for strips of grass in between neighbors. With all that said we will definitely use this as an overnight stop again.

PROS:

+ FREE overnight parking for RVs, trailers, and camper vehicles.

+ Very safe and heavily traffic location. Lots of travelers here spending the evening! Signs say for Olive Pit Customers Only but we spent 2 nights here (along with a few other campers) and no one ever disturbed us.

+ Very flat, leveled, and long paved spots (great for up to 35-foot long fifth wheelers and even 50-foot rigs).

+ Huge lot with lots of available spots. Around 10 spots for larger trailers and RVs, and lots of small spots for campervans and car rooftop tent campers. We saw 4-5 other campers around us who mostly were very private and to themselves

+ Super convenient location near lots of fast food joints, a Starbucks, Rite Aid, and supermarket. The lot shares the same entrance as the Shell Station and Olive Pit Cafe & Store where you can conveniently pick up food/beer/supplies.

+ The Olive Pit has a great cafe and wine tasting room. They sell specialty items such as olives, balsamic vinegar, etc. And they have a great breakfast!

+ There is a giant dumpster for trash disposal behind the Olive Pit

+ There is also a pet area that has a small white fence around a dirted area for pets to relieve themselves.

+ Lots of palm trees in the backdrop giving the place a very California vibe.

CONS:

+ No tent camping, unless it's a car rooftop tent or a pop-up tent trailer

+ No fires/no showers/ no toilets (Although you can walk to the Shell Station to use their toilets which were super clean and well-maintained.)

+ Loud 24 hour carwash at the Shell station. Usually quiets down around 9 pm

+ Bright security lights in the parking lot. Just don't park directly under one. There are a few darker and less lit spots

We originally were going to Fouts Creek Campground but it was HOV weekend (Presidents). Lots of dirt bikes and law enforcement. National Forest pulled in officers from surrounding forests and Sheriff Depts.

With a 35' Class A our options were limited. A Ranger suggested Letts Lake. There is a narrow one lane newly paved road that goes up to Dixie Glade equestrian camp, from there it is dirt. Taking it slow, we made it to Letts Lake and parked in spot 12. It was a tight fit, but we made it.

There are two additional campgrounds at the opposite end of the lake but they are closed for winter. As there was no water or trash service there was no fee. Typically $5.00)

The lake is small with no motors allowed but easy to walk around. Pet friendly in fact all but one campsite had at least one dog.  Fire damage to the forest is substantial but new growth is already starting

Thousand Trails Lake Minden

Tiny Park, Giant Heart

We spent three weeks at Lake Minden and, to be honest, judged it too quickly. It’s one of the smaller Thousand Trails parks, and when we first rolled in, we weren’t sure it was going to be our kind of place. That changed fast.

Right off the bat, we were greeted warmly at the gate- no awkward waiting or guessing, just a “Hey there, welcome!” kind of vibe. Our assigned spot had a bad electric hookup, but moving one space over solved that and actually gave us a better view. So, win-win. 

The park, like many Thousand Trails locations, is clearly from a different era. The facilities, the grounds, even the layout- it all shows its age in the same way most of these long-standing parks do. But here’s the difference: it’s obvious they take care of what they have. You can feel the pride in the upkeep, and honestly, I’d take a clean, cared-for 50-year-old park over a neglected new one any day.

The community here is what made the trip. The staff pour real effort into the activities- they’re on time, thoughtful, and welcoming. Friday potlucks were the soul of the park. We forgot our plates and silverware more than once (parent brain), and Barbara, the activities director, always had us covered without missing a beat. That kind of care doesn’t go unnoticed.

Easter weekend took it to another level. My toddler had the time of his life painting eggs and coloring puzzles, and my wife - who’d never painted an egg before - might’ve had more fun than he did. The Easter egg hunt was packed with families and even staff with their kids. Prizes for the winners, candy in the eggs for the rest of us- my toddler’s too young for the sweets, so I had no choice but to help. That’s what dads are for, right?

There’s an ice cream social every Saturday, and it’s as delightful as it sounds. Tons of toppings, lots of conversation, and just a genuinely happy way to spend a weekend afternoon. We missed candy bar bingo this time, but it's already on the list for our return trip.

Special thanks to Gwen, the park manager, who couldn’t have been more welcoming. The assistant manager warmed up by the end of our stay, which made us feel even more like part of the community.

Facilities were surprisingly polished. The showers were spotless, stocked, and looked freshly upgraded with woodgrain tile and real stall doors. Toilets and sinks were just as clean, and even when I accidentally left my shampoo in the shower, I found it days later placed neatly on the side counter. That’s rare. Housekeeping here clearly cares.

The lodge is small- more like a retrofitted mobile trailer - but full of charm. It’s where most activities are held, and there's a cozy back room with a pool table, board games, a decent little DVD collection, and a small library. My toddler played Connect 4 like a champion (even though he mostly used it as a coin-drop game), and, tried valiantly to reach the pool balls.

Now, the lake. It’s... functional. Let’s be honest, it’s a man-made basin with some concrete leftovers that litter the sides that look like the Ghost of Swimming Pools Past. Not the prettiest, but they do stock it with fish and the docks looked newly redone- one rebuilt while we were there, looked really nice when they finished. I didn’t bring my gear, but next time, I’m sneaking out for some dad-time with a rod and reel.

There’s no pool at this park, but the grassy areas made up for it. Annual sites had a huge open field behind them where my son ran wild playing ball and chase. Minden must’ve mowed the day we arrived because the smell of cut grass hit us like nostalgia. They kept it mowed weekly, and my kid was hypnotized by the riding mower going up and down the stretch. In fact there's enough gassy area I thought a great spring/summertime regular event would be water days- think slip'n slides and mist sprinklers set up for the kids. That would be fun... and a cool relief in those hotter days.

There’s a playground with a raised soft-chip base, multiple slides, and just the right level of challenge for a toddler. He had a blast. Even the dog park, while nothing fancy (just a weed-sprouting rectangle), gave our Silky terriers a space to run a few laps. I may or may not have snuck them into the field after hours for some frisbee time. Nobody tell.

Connectivity was solid- I had full AT&T service for calls, texts, and data the entire time. It was a quiet park, minus one domestic dispute from a neighboring site that cleared up fast (and they moved out the next day). Otherwise, peaceful and calm.

Now, let’s talk about traffic flow- because this one got me. The park is built around a lake, and the road looping around it is one-way, enforced with a strict 5 mph speed limit. That’s great if you have kids or dogs and you want a calm environment. Not so great when you realize halfway to the store that you forgot your wallet. What should’ve been a quick grab turned into a 10-minute drive out, a 10-minute drive back in, and then… yep, 10 minutes out again. I’ve taken shorter road trips just to get ice cream. Lesson learned.

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Stay Summary & Scores

Restroom & Shower Facilities: ★★★★★

Exceptionally clean, stocked, and well-maintained. Modern-feeling shower stalls with privacy and woodgrain tile. Toilets and sinks equally spotless.

Lodge Amenities & Common Spaces: ★★★★☆

Compact but full of charm. Activities room, pool table, games, small library. Retrofitted mobile unit, but used thoughtfully and consistently.

Overall Cleanliness & Maintenance: ★★★★★

Top-tier. Grass is cut regularly, restrooms shine, playground looks freshly maintained, and even left-behind items are handled with care.

Recreational Activities & Family Engagement: ★★★★★

Thoughtfully organized events (especially Easter), ice cream socials, egg painting, RC airplane shows, dog races, and a family-friendly vibe across the board.

Staff Hospitality & Park Culture: ★★★★★

Gwen leads with warmth. Barbara is the MVP of activities. Assistant manager needed some time to warm up, but did. Felt truly welcomed.

Lake & Waterfront Quality: ★★☆☆☆

Man-made and a little tired. Some concrete remnants along the edge. Not great for swimming, but fish-stocked and dock area recently improved.

Pet-Friendliness: ★★★☆☆

Dog park was weedy and basic, but functional. Open spaces nearby helped. Waste bins were present and clean.

Site Utility Functionality: ★★★★☆ First electric hookup was faulty, but the second was fine. Rest of the site utilities performed without issue. Easy to park and level.

Traffic Flow & Accessibility: ★★★☆☆ 

Strict 5 mph limit is great for safety (especially with kids) but makes trips around the loop feel like slow motion. One-way loop adds time - especially painful if you forget your wallet and turn your day into a 30-minute regret. 

General Atmosphere & Community Vibe: ★★★★★ Welcoming, peaceful, and filled with community spirit. The kind of place where strangers become friends over potluck and board games.

Out of all of the campgrounds around Lake Oroville and within the state park rec area by far Bidwell is THE best..it's clean, it has cell service plus wifi if you need it, pets are ok, 2 to 3 boat launches, spots to fish, great showers and bathrooms plus the park rangers that run this specific campground are the most amazing people.. they remember you and they are always friendly and have a smile for you plus they are incredibly knowledgeable and clearly love their jobs..I love this campground and have been here many times this summer alone I will continue to come back and always recommend it to anyone and everyone