Looking for the best campgrounds near Mendocino National Forest, CA? There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. Discover great camping spots near Mendocino National Forest, reviewed by campers like you.
$45 - $260 / night
"There are many sites next to the ocean."
"PROS
→ Campground is adjacent to the beach. You can hear the ocean and sometimes catch peeks of the ocean from the campground.
→ Campsites have bear lockers."
$5 / night
"Was 0.75 miles away from water (we have been in a drought?) but beautiful spacious campsite. Even with annoying neighbors, you can have peace and quiet."
"The local store is about a 10 minute drive away and during the summer has ice beer and provides firewood for sale (during winter no ice but plenty of snow)."
$8 / night
"Middle creek campground was as close as we could find to free camping in Upper Lake CA."
"Beautiful location, campground was easily accessible going up Elk Mountain Road. Camped in Site 11, pull through, no hook ups, nice picnic table, grill and fire pit. Vault toilets, no showers."
"The lake is amazing for swimming!"
"As you pass thru a off road vehicle area on way up to campsite.
Lett's Lake was closed due to a prior fire. But the upside is that the Forrest service has provided free stacks of wood."
$45 - $140 / night
"Clean bathrooms, drinking water was right next to our site."
"While this campground is set off from the highway it is very busy on weekends from tourists out for the day. Lush setting with the hike and bike area located near showers and restrooms."
$49 - $69 / night
"Casino nearby has multiple restaurants and entertainment, including golf. Cheap gas for California. Little bit of a hike to clean restrooms. Quiet. Convenient location for traveling down I-5."
"Conveniently located just off I-5, far enough away from the noise. Casino, restaurants, doggy daycare and golf just next door. Sites are level 75 ft pull through sites. We will stay again."
"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."
"Jackson 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."
"Next to a stream and surrounded by hills. The only tough part is getting across the stream to some of the hikes."
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
TravelerGreat free campground! We've stayed here many times. It's open, grassy level and quiet. Next to a stream and surrounded by hills. The only tough part is getting across the stream to some of the hikes. It's a hot spot for horses which of course have no stream problems, so the only negative is fly's sometimes. But just keep your screen door closed (& fly swatter handy). We always manage to level out in our 23" Winnebago View. There is lots of open space so no crowding. There is a rural road near by but traffic noise isn't a problem. Perhaps I should say it's awful so fewer people come and it's not discovered.
LegendWe stayed one night here in early October, after exploring the Mendocino area on a campervan road trip. Campsite was quiet and secluded, lots of trees so was pretty quiet and private. Clean bathrooms, drinking water was right next to our site. There were hiking trails right nearby, but sadly we arrived fairly late and were leaving the next morning so we didn't get to do much exploring. Area was pretty damp so a little chilly because of that. there were giant yellow banana slugs all over, which was pretty neat to see. Site had a picnic table and fire ring. Lots of open sites when we arrived (mid week in early Fall), no reservation needed. Convenient to explore Mendocino/Fort Bragg area, we took a walk around Mendocino and visited the glass beach. I would like to go back and explore the hiking there!
http://adventuresneaker.com/2017/03/23/california-road-trip-days-7-8-9-bodie-historic-ghost-town-lake-tahoe-russian-gulch-state-park/
RangerLarge pull-thru sites with vegetation in between. Casino nearby has multiple restaurants and entertainment, including golf. Cheap gas for California. Little bit of a hike to clean restrooms. Quiet. Convenient location for traveling down I-5.
RangerWhile this campground is set off from the highway it is very busy on weekends from tourists out for the day. Lush setting with the hike and bike area located near showers and restrooms. Campsite includes a table and fire pit. Within walking distance of the beach and a short drive to coastal towns.
GuideI’ve been camping cross country for the last month with my husband. We’re from New York, and like to think we’re not easily rattled or intimidated. This was the first time on our trip that we were both scared.
The forest service website says this campground is not open for camping, just dirt bike and horse riding, so I had found a campground further into the National Forest to camp at. When we drove by Middle Creek, we could see the sites from the road and a few of them had tents and we could see some folks, the campground was pretty clearly operating to some extent. We just wanted somewhere to stay overnight on our way into SF so we doubled back and found a site, paid the $8 and had a snack. We explored our corner of the campground a little- pretty clean, a fine campground. No visible host.
Lots of wasps and flies, like standing right next to a dumpster. There was a woman who seemed to be experiencing homelessness and/or mental illness occupying multiple sites. She pretty clearly was stealing from sites people weren’t present at, right in front of us. She also had a dog that didn’t seem to be hers.
The man at the campsite next to us didn’t have a tent or anything, just paid then sat in his truck screaming and cackling and breaking stuff loudly and pounding beers.
We left without spending the night. The police need to go take a look out there.
RangerThis campground is a hidden jewel. There are many sites next to the ocean. This campground delivers a stay next to the beautiful coastal waters which allows the camper to view whale migration, sea lions swimming and a quick visit to glass beach and the adjacent lighthouse. Ft Bragg is a nice little town to visit have dinner and drinks.
Ranger[Internet. Verizon via iPhone 12: 5 mbps down and 0.16 mbps up with 56 ms ping. T-Mobile via Nighthawk MR-1100 - 3 mbps down and 0.05 up with 106 ms ping. Our booster marginally improved the speeds.]
PROS
→ Campground is adjacent to the beach. You can hear the ocean and sometimes catch peeks of the ocean from the campground.
→ Campsites have bear lockers. → Campground is pretty in the glow of sunlight. → There’s a trail to the beach and Laguna Point isn’t far.
→ The camp hosts are easy to approach in that they have an alert button you can press outside their rig and they will come outside. No wondering how to get their attention! We bought our shower tokens from the camp host.
→ This campground is protected by a buffer of coastal trees. It’s not nearly as windy at the campground as it is on the beach.
CONS
→ Showers require tokens. This seems pretty standard in California State Parks but it’s successful at deterring us from showering every night. One token gives 4 minutes of showering. Each token is $1. It’s not a lot for one-off trips but we are on a 6-week camping trip.
→ The dump station has a mandatory fee of $10. You pay with a credit card. When payment is approved, the cap to the dump hole unlocks. We didn’t use it. Again, it was successful at deterring us from using it. With pay showers we’d normal shower in the van and just run to the dump station daily to empty the tank but we didn’t. We paid for the showers. I know they are cost mitigating but it’s a factor when deciding on this campground especially if you camp a lot like us. (We are on a 6-week camping trip up the coast).
→ The shower water temperature is finicky in the women’s bathroom. When it’s just one person showering, it’s nice and hot. When two showers are going, the water temperature drops a bit. To me the temperature is important because it’s still 50° to 60° right now and I only get 8 minutes with the water. I need those 8 minutes to be comfortable not make me move faster than Speedy Gonzalez. For me this isn’t a huge concern but it is for my partner so that’s why I’m detailing it out.
→ Firewood is $10.
—————————— 4-stars - The campground is clean, enjoyable and has the camping vibe. Docking a star due to the extra fees and the water temperature. For weekend warriors I’d wager this is a 5-star campground!
[Rig. Mercedes Sprinter. 22 feet]
Dump station? - Yes, mandatory $10 Water fill? - Yes, free Clean site? - Yes Clean bathroom? - Yes Flush toilet? - Yes Showers? - Yes, token operated Laundry? - No Dish washing sink? - No
GuideTake Forrest Route N17 off of Spouts Spring Rd.
What a sweet surprise after spending an hour on an unimproved wash board road.. This is an ideal Campground for those with OHV's. As you pass thru a off road vehicle area on way up to campsite.
Lett's Lake was closed due to a prior fire. But the upside is that the Forrest service has provided free stacks of wood.
Bring lots of water and drive a well running car. You don't want to get stuck out here!
Horse camping near Mendocino National Forest in California offers a unique blend of scenic trails and equestrian-friendly amenities, making it a perfect getaway for horse enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Mendocino National Forest?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Mendocino National Forest is Mackerricher State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 1463 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Mendocino National Forest?
TheDyrt.com has all 10 equestrian camping locations near Mendocino National Forest, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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