Gualala, CA is a great camping destination for adventurers of all types. Gualala is an adventure-filled destination for those who love the outdoorsy camper lifestyle. But it's also great for those who prefer to spend time near the city, exploring and sightseeing. Get the dirt on all the best camping near Gualala. Browse campgrounds by amenities, site types, and more.
"we enjoyed having a full kitchen available and the community entertainment like s’mores around the campfire. bocce ball courts definitely needed some TLC."
"The beach is about a mile hike, you can ride your bike though on the road outside the KOA or drive and the beach is closer. Point Arena lighthouse is a close drive away."
$35 / night
"Bathrooms were not usable in my opinion but I have a bathroom tent with potty so it didn’t bother us."
"I would recommend the sites in the high 30's as they are more secluded."
"With a good location you can take some walks to the Salmon River. The pull thru was long but is very narrow. Time you are setup, the camp side of the site is very small."
"Best friendly and helpful staff. Very clean sites and restrooms."
$50 - $100 / night
"Great spot in the middle of town. walking distance from all shops and bars while still on the river. Friendly staff, friendly neighbors."
"There is an access to the river and few steps away from an old small town feel. Lots of local shops and bars right outside the campsite."
"Beautiful river along with campsites surrounded by tall tress. Nice place to relax,hike, fish and or kayaking. full hookups and well maintained campground along with a decent rec center."
$79 - $360 / night
"Great restaurant just outside the property, well stocked general store, arcade, park, and oh yes beach front access where the river does a nice bend."
"We were just a few steps from the pool, which was clean, but pretty cold. It didn’t seem like it was heated. If it is, it’s not heated well."
"The Mendocino redwoods RV resort just outside of Willits on CA-20 to Fort Bragg, California, was 3 years ago a KOA resort."
"It’s a short walk from anywhere in the campground down to the lake. The water is crystal clear and there’s a little dock for jumping off of."
"We received a key to our own bathroom and shower! They had a sink to was dishes in and a place to clean our fish. We rented a motor boat for a few hours to explore the beautiful lake. Pet friendly."
$22 - $75 / night
"She answered all our questions and showed us around. We feel in love with this place! 💕 You can fish right from your camp spot if you get a spot right on the water."
"This park has two parts: most is across the street from the lake but some spots are lakeside. The lakeside spots are very tight together-and require backing in."
"3 sites are currently closed due to COVID to encourage social distancing; sites fill up quickly on weekends; no on-site camp host, but Cal Fire does come through to write receipts and pick up trash."
GuideClean and well laid out. Laundry has 3 washers and 3 dryers. Prices are high but normal for CA. It’s a bit of a walk to the nearest beach, but you can drive if you want to. Sites are all gravel with a picnic table and divided by a fence. It’s a packed place with no real views. Staff is very nice. Dogs were wondering through our site and quiet hours were not enforced.
ScoutJeanne and Roberts treehouse is a luxurious Wonderland of a campground! We had total privacy, a pool, sauna and hot tub and a cool little treehouse to sleep in (with real stairs, leading up to it), Our dogs had a great time because they were off leash… The place is completely private and fenced! We highly recommend, the treehouse… You won’t be disappointed!
TravelerMiddle creek campground was as close as we could find to free camping in Upper Lake CA. At the time of our visit 90% of the Mendocino National Forest was closed as a result of fires the past year as well as landslides due to rains.this is normally a ohv area but since all trails are closed it is quiet and peaceful.you can hear the creek running along the camp, as well as the wild turkeys . There must be over 15 different species of birds as well. Each campsite has a picnic table , fire pit as well as a bbq grill. They do have vault toilets and running water. It was $8.00 a nite but offered a discount with a America the beautiful pass
ScoutJust got back from a 2 night stay at Johnson's Beach campsite. We found the camp grounds to be so-so and not the most maintained. While we were there, we saw more than a few families come for a night and leave earlier than expected because of complaints of their sites.
If you are interested in Johnson's Beach, I'd rather do one of their glamping tents or bungalow instead.
Pros:
Good location to the beach; 2 minute walk from camp site to the beach.
Nice clean and well maintained bathrooms and showers.
5 minute walk to downtown / Safeway
Host (Chris) was nice and did his best.
Outlets at each site.
Well shaded by trees (although is also a con).
Cons:
ScoutJackson State Demonstration forest is about 6 miles from fort Bragg on hwy.20 Campground is about 3 miles down a dirt road down into the forest from the highway.
Beautiful, clean and peaceful. Plenty of trails to explore and Noyo River meanders through the center. It was self pay upon arrival and the whole place was welcoming. Nice day use area with tables and creek for playing in. No water but fire pits and grills, and picnic tables in campsites. At the sites , Trash and pit toilet areas seemed cleaned regularly and cal fire was seen a few times through our stay so it’s out there but doesn’t feel far away.
There was a massive group site that would be gorgeous for a family gathering too!
Guide3 sites are currently closed due to COVID to encourage social distancing; sites fill up quickly on weekends; no on-site camp host, but Cal Fire does come through to write receipts and pick up trash. Not sure if there's water (we brought our own). Good option if needing first come first serve sites since all of the state parks are reservation-only currently. All sites have fire ring and picnic table, also some access to the creek/river bed below to explore. Really convenient to Fort Bragg (30 min away) or Willets (30 min away). No cell service. Only possible complaint would be that you can hear the road noise, but get used to it after awhile.
LegendI’m bad about planning ahead and couldn’t reserve a campground at my usual spots also was trying to avoid the smoke in the valley from all the forest fires. This area was recommended because they are all first come first serve. I drove up on a Friday in July and was able to get a spot at Dunlap campground. The campground filled up by 5:00 Friday night and stayed full the rest of the weekend. Each camp has a picnic table, fire pit and a bbq. Dump lap has 17 spots and a vaulted toilet. There was a small creek behind the campground which was nice. It was about a 30 minute drive to fort Bragg made for an easy day trip. The campground is maintained by cal fire $20 a night. No camp host on site, cal fire crew came in once a day to check the campground. Fellow campers weren’t too loud, the birds were worse in the morning. I’m
ScoutJeanne and Robert’s Hipcamp is amazing. We had such fun there. Their treehouse site has a solar, heated pool, a sauna, and a hot tub! The Vancamp site has total privacy, and a hot tub in the redwoods. We could not have found a better place to hang out and chill! Our dogs even got to be off leash because it is all fenced!
Travelerwe enjoyed having a full kitchen available and the community entertainment like s’mores around the campfire. bocce ball courts definitely needed some TLC.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Gualala, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Gualala, CA is Manchester Beach / Mendocino Coast KOA with a 4.3-star rating from 17 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Gualala, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 17 glamping camping locations near Gualala, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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