Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Modesto, CA has a lot to offer. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in. Experience some of the most stunning views that California camping has to offer. Get the dirt on all the best camping near Modesto. Browse campgrounds by amenities, site types, and more.
$30 - $200 / night
"over night & day sites, hot showers and indoor restrooms surrounded by beautiful nature."
"We were lucky to have a spot at the dead center of the top of the mountain looking out at the lake (site 13) with a big shade tree."
"There are sites on the lake with shade provided over the tables. It was mid week and was not crowded at all. The lake is gorgeous and at night there were several deer walking thru the site."
$20 / night
"The lake has receded quite a but that one of the docks is about 100 yards from the actual lake now (California drought). The campsite was well maintained."
"There was no formal check-in system to the campground, and finding the location of campgrounds 120-130+ was confusing because of the signage. Otherwise, a very serene lake and good site."
"Bathrooms were very unclean but the park gets the job done as a place to sleep while visiting Yosemite. No Verizon or T-Mobile coverage. Wifi available for purchase."
"With a pool, petting zoo, a corral where they have a fire and s'mores followed by a movie, this is a great place to camp with the kids."
$50 / night
"Easy access to the lake. Campground is well maintained. Bathrooms are always clean and with hot water. No shower at this site. But there’s one close by at the Riverview, walking distance."
"Wicked August heat, BUT there’s the lake!
5 Stars — were it not for the SLOBS who preceded us!!"
$30 - $40 / night
"My family and I stayed at Lake McSwain Campgrounds for a weekend during a mountain bike race at Exchequer."
"There are free warm showers and the bathrooms are fairly clean. If you are staying in a tent make sure to layer up and bring lots of blankets because nights can get very cold."
$150 / night
"It is very dry, the Lake New Malones was down quite a bit. We swam in the lake the water was great. However, we did not bother with the Kayaks. It’s really not a kayak lake more of a speed boat lake."
"New Melones was not a top destination but it was close to a very special place for us, Natural Bridges."
"Positives
- Amenities! I love how everything was themed, from the street names to the signs. Two nice playgrounds, ball courts, pool and hot tub."
"We went for Christmas in July and Santa was there for pictures, we go for Halloween and there is trick or treating through the whole place, a haunted house and a decor and costume contest."
$34 / night
"The lake is closed to any and all water-craft because the water level is too low. It is very clean and well maintained for the most part. Cell phone service for Xfinity/Verizon is spotty at best."
"Campsites are along the beautiful Coyote lake. The lakeside sites are mostly shaded as are the sites along the road. Sites 43, 44 and 45 would be the most secluded."
$30 - $89 / night
"We arrived in the dark. We had reserved a site with a small two person tent already set up for us."
"Has water, portable toilets and heated showers. Campsite has Some shade from the sun. Also has a couple glamping tents aswell."
ScoutWe stayed here for the night prior to a Hetch Hetchy backpacking trip. We arrived in the dark. We had reserved a site with a small two person tent already set up for us. It was a bit hard to find in the dark, but the camping area is fenced in under an oak grove so eventually we found the stump with our name on it next to the tent. In the future, I think I’ll just bring my own tent and deal with the small hassle of setting it up—the tent provided was fine, but definitely would not have been a good choice if there had been rain. And you could tell it is essentially set up 24/7—some tiny insects living inside etc. The campsites themselves were sufficiently spacious and the host has nice fire pits with fire wood provided for each site, plus picnic tables. Basic portapotties plus some running water for bathrooms. Fellow campers were an interesting mix of folks from all over, though I wish the owner had quiet hours posted and communicated—our immediate tent neighbors sat out chatting and laughing until nearly 1am which was annoying. The coyotes and owls at night were lovely.
LegendNot expensive and has bathrooms, garbage, fire pits and picnic tables but no privacy and unfriendly camping ground covered with gravel and few level places to comfortably pitch a tent. Many families here but some partiers till midnight and an idiot who ran his generator all night during quiet hours
TravelerI wanted somewhere not too far to go and stay when my 5-6 year-old had 5 days off from school. This was perfect in so many ways.
Positives
- Amenities! I love how everything was themed, from the street names to the signs. Two nice playgrounds, ball courts, pool and hot tub. Watching your kids play red light/green light on the jumping pillow put a smile on every parent's face.
- Seasonal programming (weekends only). For October, we did an outdoor movie, magic pumpkins, costume contest, trick or treating, hay ride, and haunted house. My daughter loved everything except the haunted house, which she said was "too scary!"
- Clean, comfortable facilities. Lots of ways to stay. We car camped and found the hook ups really easy to use. Water, drain, 3 types of electricity, picnic table and firepit at every site. We used their bathrooms and showers and was impressed by how clean they were. Most of the time we had them completely to ourselves and they were even climate controlled.
- Restaurant. I cooked breakfast and lunch most days at the campsite, but for dinner we splashed out at the kid-friendly Waterfront Grille. Friendly staff, good food (lobster and prime rib, yum!), amazing views of the sunset.
Negatives
- Water park was closed. Call ahead to see if it is open when you want to go. I heard that it is never open because of some issue with permits or drought. If so, the promotional video is misleading and I almost deducted a star for this.
- Expensive. For camping, it is expensive, but think of it more as a theme park/resort, than true camping. We saved on the cabin and RV, and spent on the optional activities and the fancy meals.
Bottom line, I would totally go back and stay as long as I could. I hear it is super crowded in the summer, but it would be worth it if the water park is open.
ScoutGreat campground accessible for most campers but large RVs might struggle. Has water, portable toilets and heated showers. Campsite has Some shade from the sun. Also has a couple glamping tents aswell.
GuideFirst time up and it's so nice and peaceful. Stayed in the cabin that sleeps 6. Super nice, close to the bathrooms. There's a community outdoors kitchen with stove and sink. Small hiking trail that had some horse nearby that cam and said hi to us. Will definitely be coming back. Love that this place is open all year long
TravelerGreat option if your looking for full rv hookups. If you’re tent camping, this might not be the best place. Bathrooms were very unclean but the park gets the job done as a place to sleep while visiting Yosemite. No Verizon or T-Mobile coverage. Wifi available for purchase.
TravelerIt was a nice campground to go to. Lots of wildlife and hiking. Dogs are allowed. The lake is closed to any and all water-craft because the water level is too low. It is very clean and well maintained for the most part. Cell phone service for Xfinity/Verizon is spotty at best. There is weak wifi.
However, here's where it loses a star:
I arrived on a Friday late afternoon. Set up my tent. People were fairly loud until about 11pm. Bathrooms were really nice and clean…at first. Saturday, in came the crowd. Loud, obnoxious, and inconsiderate way past midnight. There was no reinforcement of quiet hours past 10pm. The toilets were clogged by 9pm at both restrooms. Men's restrooms have ONLY ONE STALL. And they were clogged beyond belief. I cannot understand why people do not know how to flush a toilet in public. Do they do this crap at home? Anyway, Sunday morning past 9am, still clogged up. Lines waiting to use the compromised restrooms as well. Ridiculous. Unfortunately, that's what ruined my experience. People just being completely selfish in a public campground and staff not be able to keep up with their antics. Maybe there shouldn't be so many sites for so few facilities. Just a thought.
For SUV tents, check out campsite pics on other sites before booking. SUV tents are usually limited to one entrance/exit point on the tent. Usually the driver's side. Each campsite is different. The one I reserved had only one pic that basically showed me nothing. I only could back in to set up my tent on the grass. Both the picnic table and firepit were facing the passenger side way far from the parking spot (as you can see in the second pic) opposite the entrance to my tent. So something to consider.
TravelerThese were quite decent campgrounds, kind of close together but decent sized sites. We were lucky to have a spot at the dead center of the top of the mountain looking out at the lake (site 13) with a big shade tree. Since we got there on a Saturday night, we were surprised to see that the campsite directly to our left and directly to our right were empty. By Sunday night, every campsite within sight was vacated so we had a lot of freedom to do what we wanted without having to worry about disturbing other people. Deer are fearless & majestic, several “packs” walked through our campsite all throughout Sunday night when everyone else was gone. They walked up to us to smell our campfire & our food (we were making s’mores). There’s a campfire spot, a water source, a picnic table, & a grill set up at each site (for the most part), with trashes nearby.
The Lake was nice! We went swimming in the swimming area and there were a surprising amount of people there via Covid. We went in the little shop briefly but from what I could tell they had a lot of useful things campers may need varying from firewood, ice, snacks. fast food, alcohol, & camping/fishing supplies. You can have 2 cars at your campsite but we only had one, the second would be an additional charge. You can bring pets but also for a charge. If you have campsites like 1-20 you’ll have to walk clear across the campgrounds to get to the water or make a quick drive down with your party. We just drove which was better for us after having swam.
Only complaint is the porta-potties. We went from Saturday to Monday & by the end of Sunday there was no more toilet paper, high-piled waste, & when I called to try to inform them to restock the toilet paper no one answered. I brought my own toilet paper so that wasn’t the worst situation but definitely bring some just in case! Master that sumo squat to hover over that thing!
RangerThe campground has nice views, but wow, what a scary drive up a curvy mountainous road to get to it. Most of the campground is clay dirt, so it's quite dusty and the RV spots are not paved. They had a pool, but it was filled with rowdy children so we didn't go in. The campground also has a pet wash we wanted to use, but it wasn't working. There is also a random petting zoo, and I felt bad for the animals because it was quite small. Their redeeming factor were the buses to Yosemite. Although it was over an hour each way, we were thankful to have them since we only had our RV.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Modesto, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Modesto, CA is McConnell State Recreation Area Campground with a 3.5-star rating from 6 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Modesto, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 21 glamping camping locations near Modesto, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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