The Russian River region around Guerneville sits within a Mediterranean climate zone, receiving 40-50 inches of rainfall annually, primarily from November to March. Most camping options sit among coastal redwood groves at elevations between 50-300 feet, providing natural shade during summer when temperatures regularly reach 80-90°F. Winter camping requires preparation for nighttime temperatures that can drop to the 30s.
What to do
River activities: Access to the Russian River provides swimming, kayaking, and canoeing opportunities at multiple points. At Duncans Mills Campground, visitors can enjoy complimentary canoe usage. According to a camper, "This place is great! Beautiful river along with campsites surrounded by tall trees. Nice place to relax, hike, fish and or kayaking."
Hiking trails: Sugarloaf Ridge State Park Campground offers extensive trail networks with varied difficulty levels. "There's great hiking, an observatory, and often nature events throughout the summer (docent led hikes for example). The volunteers who run the place do a fantastic job with everything, from keeping the site clean, to providing tons of info for budding naturalists," noted one visitor.
Wine country exploration: The region's proximity to Sonoma County wineries creates opportunities for day trips. A reviewer at Ritchey Creek Campground — Bothe-Napa Valley State Park shared: "Great place to stay at when visiting the Napa wine valley that is halfway between St Helena and Calistoga, two nice tourist towns."
What campers like
Easy town access: Many campsites provide convenient access to nearby towns. At Johnson's Beach, a camper noted, "If you enjoy Guerneville and want a simple campsite where you can easily walk to every bar, restaurant, and the redwoods, this is the spot. Clean toilets, warm showers, river access, electrical outlets, what's not to like?"
Overnight options for non-campers: The region offers alternatives for those who prefer not to tent camp. A visitor to Sugarloaf Ridge State Park Campground observed, "We camp here as often as we can. It's a lovely campsite with most sites being under tree canopies, with a large meadow in the center, which is great for frisbee, or other games. The campsite is only a few minutes from Kenwood and many many wineries, but feels more remote than it is."
Beach access: River beaches provide popular gathering spots for recreation. At River Bend Resort, a reviewer mentioned, "This place has it all. 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. There is every type of camp spot, river front RV, tent, back your overland rig and camp off your tailgate."
What you should know
Seasonal considerations: Area campgrounds experience significant changes across seasons. At Samuel P. Taylor State Park Campground, one camper noted, "It can get warm in the summer, but the cool moist ocean fog comes in and blankets the area in the evenings, which can really cool it down."
Site selection matters: Not all campsites provide equal experiences. "We found a great trail close by at Lake Hennessey. If you're a wine drinker, during non-COVID times you can catch a wine bus from here! There's a pool for warm summer days and some awesome trails," mentioned a visitor at Ritchey Creek Campground.
Weekend crowds: The region's proximity to the Bay Area creates busy weekends, especially in summer. A reviewer at Samuel P. Taylor described, "Camped here for three nights over Fourth of July holiday... Because of the holiday and the proximity to Oakland/San Fran, the campground was in FULL EFFECT with a gang of variant families camp site hopping."
Tips for camping with families
Swimming options: River access points vary in suitability for children. A visitor to River Bend Resort explained, "The private beach is great for kids (and adults). Easy swimming without a strong current. Lots of shallows but a deep swimming hole are for adults too."
Activity centers: Some campgrounds offer organized activities for children. At Spring Lake Regional Park, one parent shared, "It is very forgiving here and close to everything in case you didn't pack enough food or propane or fire starter. The camp host is amazing. The bathrooms are clean with free cold showers or quarters for hot showers. They have fire pits at every location, firewood to buy on site, it is very kid friendly with a fun loop for the kids to bike or scooter around plus easy access to the lake."
Natural exploration: Wildlife viewing opportunities abound. At Sugarloaf Ridge, a camper reported, "We spent one afternoon just strolling on the strip and checking out stores. The campground is small. Some sites are sunny and has no shade at all but some are cool and shady. Also, Chris, who manages the site is pretty awesome and nice."
Tips from RVers
Hookup availability: Available services vary significantly between campgrounds. At San Francisco North-Petaluma KOA, an RVer mentioned, "Had a pull through FHU site. Pretty narrow. Seems like a common theme. Great things for kids to be entertained by and enjoy for sure."
Site sizing concerns: Some campgrounds have limited space for larger rigs. A visitor to Samuel P. Taylor noted, "It's a bit too tight for large trailer or RV camping (unless you are an expert at maneuvering through tight spaces)."
Amenities: Full-service RV options exist, though often at premium rates. At River Bend Resort, a camper observed, "Super expensive and the actual sites aren't great. We camped in our van in the rv area and it's really just a big parking lot right by the highway."
