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Best Campgrounds near Nicolaus, CA

454 Reviews

Campgrounds near Nicolaus, California range from lakeside RV resorts to state recreation areas with mixed-use facilities. Thousand Trails Lake Minden offers year-round camping with cabin accommodations and RV sites, located directly in Nicolaus. Within a 30-mile radius, campers can access additional options including SacWest RV Park & Campground in West Sacramento and Beals Point Campground at Folsom Lake State Recreation Area, which provides tent camping alongside RV facilities. Most campgrounds in this agricultural region feature water proximity, with several offering direct lake or river access.

The Sacramento Valley climate shapes the camping experience, with hot, dry summers and mild, occasionally rainy winters. Many campgrounds remain open year-round, though summer temperatures regularly exceed 90°F from June through September. "Last trip we caught 3 bass and 12 bluegills. This trip we caught a personal record size bass. Great place for fishing all day," noted one visitor about Lake Minden. Water levels at nearby lakes and rivers fluctuate seasonally, with Folsom Lake often experiencing significant drawdown during drought years. Most established campgrounds provide water hookups and restroom facilities, though amenities vary considerably between private resorts and public recreation areas. Reservations are strongly recommended during summer months and holiday weekends when waterfront sites fill quickly.

Fishing opportunities represent a significant draw for campers in the Nicolaus area, with multiple reviews highlighting successful catches at Lake Minden and other nearby water bodies. Campgrounds with full hookups tend to attract longer-stay RV campers, while tent campers often prefer the more natural settings at state recreation areas like Folsom Lake. Several visitors mentioned the convenience of having Sacramento-area amenities within driving distance while still enjoying outdoor recreation. Noise levels vary significantly between campgrounds, with those near highways or urban areas experiencing more ambient sound. Camp Far West North Shore, approximately 15 miles northeast of Nicolaus, receives praise for its lakeside setting and relative seclusion during off-peak seasons, though it becomes considerably busier during summer months when watercraft activity increases.

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Detours Nearby

Ascension Ranch

Ascension Ranch

49 min away

Camp Lotus

Camp Lotus

59 min away

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Best Camping Sites Near Nicolaus, California (155)

    1. Thousand Trails Lake Minden

    10 Reviews
    Nicolaus, CA
    0 miles
    Website
    +1 (888) 707-1477

    "If you are okay with that they have a lot of sites right next to the water. The sites away from the water are quieter."

    "Thousand Trails Lake Minden

    Tiny Park, Giant Heart

    We spent three weeks at Lake Minden and, to be honest, judged it too quickly."

    2. Beals Point Campground — Folsom Lake State Recreation Area

    32 Reviews
    Granite Bay, CA
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (916) 791-1531

    $33 - $58 / night

    "As with most of California everything is dry. The lake is very low and a half mile walk from park to get to. The sites are surrounded by dry tall grass and spaced out nicely."

    "As full timers- we thought we hit the jackpot for the area in order to be near the towns we wanted to explore and also have service for good wifi."

    3. SacWest RV Park & Campground

    17 Reviews
    West Sacramento Vmf, CA
    23 miles
    Website
    +1 (916) 371-6771

    $52 - $100 / night

    "Great little campsite with a 50s vibe right outside the city of Sacramento. The bathrooms and showers are clean the staff are friendly and helpful."

    "We stayed at the side close to the highway so it was a bit noisy but not too bad. The people were friendly! It was a bit too pricey though."

    4. Peninsula Campground — Folsom Lake State Recreation Area

    16 Reviews
    Granite Bay, CA
    27 miles
    Website
    +1 (916) 988-0215

    $33 / night

    "Very quite camping spot very clean.coin operated showers😭 lake is very close by."

    "Folsom lake is a great place to take the boat, beals point has a snack bar, life guards and equipment rentals, there are plenty of places you can drive or boat to get away from the crowds if you prefer"

    5. Cal Expo RV Park

    10 Reviews
    Sacramento, CA
    23 miles
    Website
    +1 (916) 263-3187

    $50 - $1000 / night

    "Great Bike paths adjacent along the river into Downtown or up to Folsom. All Full hook up sites on gravel or asphalt, daily, weekly, monthly rates."

    "...then you want a good location for your home base. Cal Expo definitely has the centralized location for exploring Old Sac, Cal Expo, State Capitol, the rivers and beyond."

    6. Camp Far West North Shore

    3 Reviews
    Beale Air Force Base, CA
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (530) 633-0803

    "We visited Camp Far West for one night on a quick trip looking for somewhere remote, nearby, and slightly warmer during the winter months.  It was green and beautiful. "

    7. Yolo County Fair RV Park

    4 Reviews
    Davis, CA
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (530) 402-2222

    "This place is in a great location with easy access from I 5. Plenty of room and easy on-line registration. My only complaint is the non-existent WiFi."

    8. Sacramento Shade RV Park

    4 Reviews
    Rio Linda, CA
    21 miles
    Website
    +1 (916) 922-0814

    "Also while setting up, every person that walked by said hi and welcome! We have never experienced that much friendliness in a campground."

    9. Collins Lake Recreation Area

    22 Reviews
    Oregon House, CA
    33 miles
    Website
    +1 (530) 692-1600

    "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."

    10. Sycamore Ranch RV Park

    6 Reviews
    Smartsville, CA
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (530) 741-1190

    "This is such a beautiful piece of California."

    "There is a boat launch, and a pretty county park is adjacent."

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Recent Camping Photos near Nicolaus, CA

247 Photos of 155 Nicolaus Campgrounds

Recent Reviews near Nicolaus, CA

454 Reviews of 155 Nicolaus Campgrounds

  • S
    Aug. 28, 2025

    smittle creek

    Hidden Gem

    This sweet little spot is a paddle boarding and fishing dream. Primitive site where Smittle Creek flows into Lake Berryessa.

  • RThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 24, 2025

    White Cloud

    Beautiful but LOUD

    Awesome spots to camp, it’s just insanely close to the 20 so you’ll hear non-stop traffic.

  • HThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 21, 2025

    Scotts Flat Lake

    Pricey but nice

    Paid $68 for a tent site with no hookups. Showers take quarters too. Price is a bit steep IMO but the site was nice, a quick walk to the lake to cool off.

  • John L.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 20, 2025

    Collins Lake Recreation Area

    Family Friendly Campgrounds

    This is our second time camping at Collins Lake, and we loved it just as much as the first! We stayed at site 60A Lake Front View, which had stunning water views and a spacious setup 🤩👌🏽. The site gets a lot of sun in the morning and afternoon, so bring a popup canopy for shade—it made a big difference for us! Overall, the campground is clean, peaceful, and perfect for a relaxing getaway. Highly recommend!

  • B. Douglas J.
    Aug. 7, 2025

    Sycamore Ranch RV Park

    One of our favorite campgrounds

    We live just up the road (Nevada City) yet we ignored this campground for years thinking it was full of trailer trash. But years ago Yuba County did a great job of cleaning this place up and putting in hookups and paving the campground and adding irrigation systems that keep the grass green all year long.

    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. There are turtles and otters in the creek to check out as well. 

    The camp host (Jan The Man) is the best camp host ever!

    Weekdays are the best when there are few people but on weekends it does fill up. We did camp one time and some folks were having a karaoke party late into the night (somehow I suspect they will never be back). Usually everyone's respectful and its a great place to be.

  • John L.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 7, 2025

    Collins Lake Recreation Area

    Collins Lake was awesome!

    Great campground! Our first stay at Collins Lake was fantastic. The lake views were beautiful, the campsites were clean and spacious, and the staff was friendly. Plenty of activities for the family, like fishing and hiking. We’ll definitely be back!

  • Random E.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 21, 2025

    Dutch Flat RV Resort

    One of the Few Reasonable Places Left In California

    I stayed at Dutch Flat RV for a year (Aug 24-Jul 25). it is a nice campground with some beautiful hikes starting at the campground.  

    Good mix of vacation and working residents. Everyone pretty much stays to themselves but are quite friendly. 

    The management and owners are super friendly and helpful.  

    I know the owners are in the process of improving many aspects of the site.

  • Shiva S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 21, 2025

    Steele Canyon (formerly Lupine Shores)

    Great place to visit

    I came to check out the more calm waters in the canyon for my paddleboard. The site was great layout and I had a really enjoyable time out on the water. Other boaters where very respectful of the no wake zones.The campsites on the bluff of the hill can get windy so be prepared for that. Regardless, I'll be back.

  • R D.
    Jul. 4, 2025

    Mineral Bar Campground — Auburn State Recreation Area

    Bad experiences but good potential

    First of all, this campground is so beautiful, and has so much potential to be a great place to stay. Or, if you love chaos, public intoxication, public displays of domestic violence, riffraff, and grumpy rangers, then maybe it already is a great place to stay. The last night I stayed here happened to be the last night that I was unhoused before I moved to Yosemite for a seasonal job, and I had the creepiest experience of all time. But first let me explain the campground. It's divided into two main parts. The six sites near the river stay open year round. These are the worst sites. They're tiny, stacked on top of each other, are right next to the highway, and offer zero shade. In my opinion, this whole area would be better off turned into two group sites. The better section of the campground are the back twelve sites which are only open from April to October. Snagging one of these creekside sites during the off season would be ideal. All of the campsites are within 100 yards of the North Fork American River. One of my favorite hiking trails of all time, Stevens Trail in Colfax, is just a few miles away. This is a moderately difficult hike 4 miles down to the river and then back up with fantastic views, waterfalls, and wildflowers. There is also a waterfall across the street from the Mineral Bar campground behind the boat launch. Bears are common in this area and I've personally seen a few crossing the road on my way to and from the campground. There are bear lockers provided for food and scented items. There are four vault toilets which are power washed daily. There is only space for one car per site but there is extra parking across the road. There are lots of hiking, mountain biking, fishing, and off road vehicle sites nearby. Your overnight camping fee includes day use at any CA state park the next day. The downside to camping here is that the clientele are some of the wildest riffraff of all time. This has been one of the quietest but also the noisest place I've ever camped. Last time I was here I kept hearing a pipe clinking right outside my tent at 3am. I was the only one there besides a huge family 5 sites away. I heard someone walk away, back a car up next to my site, walk back to my site, and start smoking again. It freaked me out so much I ended up blinding him with my flashlight while bolting to my car. I slept at a friend's house in Folsom and came back for my things the next day. So there are some weirdos around here for sure but the environment is very pretty.

Guide to Nicolaus

Camping near Nicolaus, California, offers a variety of experiences for outdoor lovers. From serene lakes to family-friendly campgrounds, there’s something for everyone.

What to do:

  • Water activities: Folsom Lake is perfect for swimming, kayaking, and fishing. One camper mentioned, “The lake was stocked with fish, and ice cream at the store is a must” at Collins Lake Recreation Area.
  • Biking and hiking: The American River Bikeway is great for biking and walking. A visitor at Beals Point Campground noted, “The paved American River Bikeway was good for walking, running, and horseback riding.”
  • Wildlife watching: Many campgrounds, like Thousand Trails Lake of the Springs, have deer roaming around. One camper shared, “Each day a family of deer came through our site and were so tame they ate fruit right out of the kids' hands.”

What campers like:

  • Clean facilities: Campers appreciate well-maintained restrooms and showers. A review for Collins Lake Recreation Area stated, “The facilities are clean, and the staff is very nice.”
  • Friendly staff: Many visitors mention the helpfulness of campground staff. One camper at SacWest RV Park & Campground said, “Hospitality and professionalism—that’s how you can describe this place!”
  • Scenic views: Campgrounds like Peninsula Campground offer beautiful landscapes. A reviewer remarked, “Some of my favorite campsites. Awesome in spring where the flowers and grass are POPPING.”

What you should know:

  • Reservations are recommended: Many campgrounds fill up quickly, especially during peak season. A camper at Cal Expo RV Park noted, “This would be a great stop for a few days, but it is just a parking lot with no frills.”
  • Limited amenities at some sites: Not all campgrounds have full hookups or stores nearby. A visitor at Lake Minden RV Resort mentioned, “There was absolutely no space between the trailers, to the point I hit my head on my neighbor's slide out while setting up.”
  • Seasonal access: Some campgrounds, like Lake Clementine Boat In, are only open from May to September. A reviewer said, “The access road is about six miles of curvy, hilly, and narrow pavement.”

Tips for camping with families:

  • Kid-friendly activities: Look for campgrounds with playgrounds and swimming areas. One parent at SacWest RV Park & Campground said, “Lots of things to do for kids: great playgrounds, swimming pool, more than 100 ducks going around!”
  • Plan for meals: Some campgrounds have markets nearby, while others do not. A camper at Thousand Trails Ponderosa mentioned, “The store on the grounds was well stocked.”
  • Bring outdoor games: Having games can keep kids entertained. A visitor at Beals Point Campground suggested, “The sites are clean, and easy access to the lake beach swim area.”

Tips from RVers:

  • Check site sizes: Some campgrounds have tight spaces. A reviewer at Lake Minden RV Resort warned, “There was no mention of the WIFI being out, but you got to only find that out when you got there.”
  • Look for pull-through sites: These can make parking easier. A camper at Cal Expo RV Park noted, “Easy pull-thru site. Would stay again, but for a shorter time.”
  • Bring extra supplies: Some campgrounds may not have everything you need. A visitor at Collins Lake Recreation Area mentioned, “Dogs aren’t allowed on the beaches, so we didn’t go down to the lake, which would have been nice to cool off.”

Camping near Nicolaus, California, has its perks and quirks, but with a little planning, you can have a great time outdoors!

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find camping in Nicolaus, CA?

While Nicolaus itself has limited camping options, several excellent campgrounds are located within a short drive. Beals Point Campground — Folsom Lake State Recreation Area offers lakeside camping with spacious sites surrounded by trees, though the lake level can be low depending on the season. For riverside camping, American River Resort provides easy access to the river and is just a half-mile walk from town amenities. Both locations are within reasonable driving distance from Nicolaus and make good base camps for exploring the region.

What amenities are available at Nicolaus campgrounds?

Campgrounds near Nicolaus offer various amenities to enhance your stay. Coloma Resort features beautiful riverside surroundings with easy access to hiking trails, plus shower facilities that are well-maintained though somewhat dated. Mineral Bar Campground — Auburn State Recreation Area provides access to swimming holes, fishing spots, hiking paths, and gold prospecting opportunities. Most campgrounds in the region typically include fire pits, picnic tables, and clean bathroom facilities. Some locations offer additional amenities like beach access, bear boxes for food storage, and proximity to local shopping and dining options.

Are there RV camping sites in Nicolaus?

Yes, there are several RV-friendly options near Nicolaus. Yolo County Fair RV Park offers drive-in access with water hookups and is big-rig friendly. Sacramento Shade RV Park provides multiple access options including drive-in for RVs, with water, toilets, and big-rig accommodation. Giant Gap also has sites large enough for RVs with the added bonus of lake views and access to lake trails. Most RV sites in the area typically charge around $30-45 per night, and many require reservations, especially during peak season.

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