258 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
The Loma Rica area in northern California provides several established campgrounds along the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, with options ranging from lakeside settings to forested retreats. Collins Lake Recreation Area offers tent, RV, and cabin camping with full hookups and lake access, while Sycamore Ranch RV Park provides similar amenities along the Yuba River. Lake of the Springs RV Resort in nearby Oregon House features tent sites, RV hookups, cabins, and yurts within a wooded setting. The region combines developed facilities with natural settings, typically situated within 30-40 minutes of Loma Rica proper.
Road conditions vary significantly between campgrounds, with some requiring careful navigation on unpaved sections. Many campgrounds remain open year-round, though seasonal considerations affect water levels at Collins Lake and other reservoirs in the area. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 90°F, making water-adjacent sites particularly desirable during peak season. Most established campgrounds require reservations, especially during weekends and holidays from late spring through early fall. Vault toilets are common at public sites, while private campgrounds typically offer shower facilities and hookups. A visitor noted that Sycamore Ranch is "such a beautiful piece of California. It is clean and well maintained" with "lots of kids to play with and the caretaker and his family were super welcoming and professional."
Camping experiences in the area frequently center around water recreation, with Collins Lake and nearby reservoirs providing fishing, swimming, and boating opportunities. Sites along the Yuba River offer accessible water recreation with moderate privacy between campsites. Many campgrounds provide picnic tables, fire rings, and drinking water, though amenities vary significantly between public and private facilities. Campers report particularly enjoying the combination of developed amenities with natural settings. According to one review, Collins Lake offers "beautiful campground and lake. Fishing there was wonderful lakeside and great hikes." Sites with water and electric hookups are abundant, making the area particularly suitable for RV camping, though tent campers can find suitable options throughout the region. Campgrounds closer to Oregon House tend to offer more shade and forest settings compared to those in lower elevations.
"This campground is above Marysville California."
"They were both lake front campsites, which meant the water or shoreline was right at our "front door" from our 27' travel trailer."
"This is such a beautiful piece of California."
"There is a boat launch, and a pretty county park is adjacent."
"They said it would be okay as long as I had the gear to sleep outside in a tent as well. The place was quiet and we had no issues."
"Very nice campground, but cell coverage is nonexistent outside of one small area."
"If you are looking for a small campground with full hookups, on the lake, close to Table Mountain and Feather Falls, this is for you."
"Really enjoyed this campground which is part of the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area. The staff where we checked in were helpful with all of our questions about the area."
from $45 / night
Check Availability"Right behind a casino, but a really nice park. Excellent bathrooms and showers. A pool area and dog park. Good Wi-Fi and amenities."
"Every time we’ve been into the store the customer service was superb and security drives around at all time to check the place out. 🤩 The amenities were great but some surprise bonus’ were the big game"
"There are trails for hiking or mountain biking. You are minutes from Bullards Bar which is one of the most beautiful lakes around. I definitely suggest a day trip to the lake."
"It’s mixed RV and tent with no RV power so the generators are loud and you’ll be surrounded by them."
from $24 - $48 / night
Check Availability"Location is great especially if you have a boat to launch or just enjoy being at the river. Campsites were nicely laid out. Being in the summer, busy as you might expect."
"It was quiet and private, but close to the hosts so they visited when I had questions about the best spots for swimming and hiking nearby."
"Had a fire in the fire pit and enjoyed the quiet(except for the coyotes in the distance!). Galen, our host, was always available to answer questions and to bring extra firewood."
from $55 / night
"We decided this time around to reserve one of their cabins. We stayed at the Diamond P cabin which has the best view of the lake within this group of cabins."
"Nice quiet lake. Good campsites. Good general store and even a little restaurant and ice cream shack."
from $40 - $100 / night
Check Availability"Just know that here on The Dyrt, the location on the map for some reason shows it as being many miles away from Kidder Ct: it’s marked as if it is at Higgins Corner, halfway to Auburn?"
"Super clean and friendly Not congested and close to many hiking trails Easy drive and close to Nevada City.
Especially nice during Christmas Season. Feels like walking back in time."
LegendThe campsites are on both sides of the forest service road. We were never able to locate site 1 so it must have been eliminated.
If you enjoy camping and OHV riding then this should be on your list of campgrounds to visit.
LegendDeanes campground was empty when we visited. There are sites that provide ample space and our 26’ toy hauler would fit in with no trouble.
Vault toilet was clean and most of the camp sites were well maintained.
Of the three campgrounds in this area, Deanes was my favorite.
LegendThis campground is situated between the creek and meadow. At 6100 feet it offers some relief from the valley heat.
When we visited there were three sites, 4-6, which were the nicest of all the sites.
Site 6 is close to the meadow and when we visited this campground there were two deer enjoying the tall grass in the meadow.
Site 5 is closest to the creek and the creek sounds are enjoyable and relaxing.
Site 4 is the largest of all the sites and site 3 is not only small but the road to access the site is in poor condition which makes access difficult.
ScoutWe stayed on a Tuesday night in July and we think there was only one other camper in the campground. We aren’t sure because we arrived at 10:00 pm and didn’t see anyone but then saw them the next morning while touring the entire campground. Paved pads that were somewhat level, concrete picnic tables that were pretty clean, clean bathrooms and showers that required tokens. Pretty nice overall with some campsites arranged for groups of campers while others had good spacing. We stayed in site 28. The fire pit was very tall(36”) and about 75% full of ashes but we did not have a campfire. Mid-July was pretty warm with a low at night of 72. Overall a nice campground that is on the hills and above the lake. Some sites have lake views.
LegendGeneral: Beals Point is one of two locations on Folsom Lake for camping. Large campground with a mix of electric and non-electric campsites plus some group sites.
Site Quality: Drives are paved and mostly level. We camped in a little “cul-de-sac” with just four sites. While these sites back up to the American River Bike Trail (aka Jedediah Smith Recreation Trail), it was overgrown, and I did not see direct access to the trail as we did the last time we were here.
Bath/Shower: Typical CA state park layout– all-gender units with toilet and sink (but no soap, towels, or dryers) and showers. Unlike other CA state parks, these take quarters instead of tokens. The units could use a little TLC, but what was most disheartening was how other campers had trashed them– toilet paper (and worse) scattered all over the insides. Obviously not the fault of the campground.
Activities/Amenities: Folsom Lake is the draw, and people were fishing, kayaking, and swimming. The 32-mile paved multi-use American River Bike Trail is easily accessible. There is a snack bar/concession stand for beach rentals, but it was not open when we were there.
Our stay here this time was over a weekend; it was completely full, and it reminded us once again that we prefer to camp during the week and shoulder seasons when campgrounds are less crowded!
GuideThis appears to be another roadside pullout in the Demonstration Forest area rather than a legal overnight campsite. Based on on-site clarification from CAL FIRE at a nearby listing, overnight camping is not permitted in this Demonstration Forest area. Only the campground run by PG&E is legal.
Guide--- Not a legal campsite: confirmed by CAL FIRE ---
I originally stopped here with an in-progress cargo trailer conversion because this looked like an excellent roadside pullout: large, easy to access, relatively level, and long enough to maneuver a truck and trailer without drama. As a short stop, turnaround, or day-use staging spot, it is genuinely useful. However, this should not be listed or treated as an overnight campsite. While I was on-site, I was contacted by Officer Steve Garcia with CAL FIRE, who advised me that overnight camping is not permitted at this location. I had interpreted the posted seasonal“no parking” signage as suggesting that public use might be allowed outside the snow-removal season, but he clarified that the signage relates to snow removal and does not authorize overnight camping in the Demonstration Forest area. For practical details: the pullout itself is easy to enter and exit, with enough room for a modest trailer rig to get fully out of traffic and turn around. Road noise drops off substantially overnight, though traffic begins again in the morning. The area may be useful for a brief rest stop, equipment check, turnaround, or day-use pause. But as a camping location, the important information is simple: Do not plan to camp here overnight. I’m updating this review so others don’t make the same assumption I did. This is a good pullout, but it is not a legal overnight campsite.
GuideIndian Valley. Site 5. I love this campground and this area of California. It is not directly situated on the Hwy, and abuts the Yuba River, which is clear and gorgeous and draws a lot of birds and wildlife. A small, quiet family campground with an excellent local host couple. Vault toilets are kept clean. Site 5 has a large open space to the right and a beautiful view to the scenery beyond the river. The vault toilet was close, and now and then I could smell an odor, but it was not constant, nor terrible.
ScoutClean sharp fun to be there. Lots of staff roaming around and helping. Bring your BBQ
The region surrounding Loma Rica features several reservoir camping options with water recreation as the main draw. Sites typically sit at 1,200-1,800 feet elevation in oak woodland terrain, providing moderate summer shade with daytime temperatures regularly exceeding 95°F from June through September. Most campgrounds remain accessible year-round, though fall and winter camping comes with significant temperature drops and occasional rain closures on unpaved access roads.
Fishing and boating at Collins Lake: Visitors enjoy ample fishing opportunities at Collins Lake Recreation Area, where the reservoir is regularly stocked. "Great Lake and RV Park. We stayed in spot 110 with a lakefront view," reports Daniel S. The lake supports multiple water activities beyond fishing, with boat rentals available on-site.
Swimming and paddling at Yuba River: The Yuba River offers accessible water recreation spots near camping areas. Sycamore Ranch RV Park provides access to creek and river swimming. Chris reports, "I took advantage of the water and after getting shuttled up to the bridge kayaked down the Yuba and up dry creek all the way to our campsite!"
Wildlife viewing at local campgrounds: Many sites offer opportunities to observe local wildlife. At Sycamore Ranch, campers report seeing "a river otter playing in the creek" and numerous bird species. B. Douglas J. notes, "My favorite thing about this campground is the birds! I use the Merlin app to identify the birds here and so far this place holds my record of around 18 birds not including the more silent ones we saw."
Lakeside camping spots: Waterfront sites are highly valued for convenience and views. Ed E. from Collins Lake Recreation Area explains, "Both campsites, #66 and #116 had power, water and sewage. They were both lake front campsites, which meant the water or shoreline was right at our 'front door' from our 27' travel trailer."
Clean, well-maintained facilities: Campgrounds in the region typically offer well-kept grounds and facilities. Julie M. from Sycamore Ranch RV Park notes, "Very clean campground with a helpful host. Bathrooms/showers for paid guest have a code to get in."
Secluded options for privacy: Some campers prefer more isolated settings. Manzanita Rock Meadow provides a private alternative to larger campgrounds. Aaron E. shares, "The spot was clean with lots of room to spread out. Our dogs loved it! We really enjoyed making a fire in the Chiminea, and enjoying the string lights that went on at sunset."
Water level variations: Reservoir levels fluctuate significantly by season. At Schoolhouse Campground on Bullard's Bar Reservoir, one camper notes, "The reservoir is gorgeous to look out at but the bank all the way around is very steep. From the campground there is no easy access to the water."
Summer crowds and noise levels: Peak summer weekends bring substantial crowds to popular sites. Steven H. observed at Collins Lake, "Not a bad campsite, but was surrounded by RVs and people walking around."
Cell service limitations: Connectivity varies widely between campgrounds. At Lake of the Springs, Nicole R. mentions, "No cell service in any of the loops and WiFi isn't great." Similarly, at River Reflections RV Park, one reviewer noted, "Cell service is spotty at best and unfortunately WIFI was not working properly."
Look for swim-friendly areas: Some campgrounds offer better swimming access than others. At Bidwell Canyon Campground, Debbie R. notes that fishing is "wonderful lakeside and great hikes. Registration area and cafe has ice cream available and souvenir store."
Consider campground noise levels: Family-friendly sites offer quieter atmospheres. Veronica N. recommends Collins Lake as it's "Quiet at night and not rowdy during the day. Great place for family camping. They also have boat rentals."
Check for amenities and activities: Features like playgrounds and organized activities enhance family camping. Lake Francis Resort provides varied accommodation options and activities. Michael M. shares, "Nice quiet lake. Good campsites. Good general store and even a little restaurant and ice cream shack."
Site sizes and access considerations: RV sites vary significantly in size and accessibility. At Lake of the Springs, Eric P. advises, "From what I could tell when driving around the majority of the sites were level; we had 4 spots and all were easy to back in." However, he cautions that "there wasn't a single day when some campsite didn't have electrical issues."
Hookup availability: Full service sites are available but limited. At Collins Lake, Ed E. notes, "They do have a nice dump station row just outside the camping sites, so it is not necessary to have RV sewage at your campsite, which saves you a few $."
Off-season advantages: Camping outside peak summer months offers quieter experiences. Betty K. advises about Lake of the Springs, "A bit out in middle of nowhere! But once inside park it's really nice if you can get a full hook up spot.... those are limited!"
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Loma Rica, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, Loma Rica, CA offers a wide range of camping options, with 258 campgrounds and RV parks near Loma Rica, CA and 9 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Loma Rica, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Loma Rica, CA is Collins Lake Recreation Area with a 4.6-star rating from 26 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Loma Rica, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 9 free dispersed camping spots near Loma Rica, CA.
Keep Exploring
