Looking for a rustic and comfortable horse camping experience near Ripon? Finding a place to camp in California with your horse is easier than ever. Search nearby equestrian campsites or find top-rated spots from other campers.
Del Valle campgrounds will be closed until further notice, due to storm damage.
Deep in a valley framed by oak-covered hills, with sailboats and sailboards skimming over its waters, Del Valle is like a lakeside resort only 10 miles south of Livermore.
The centerpiece of the park is a lake five miles long with a variety of water-oriented recreation, from swimming to windsurfing and boating, surrounded by 4,395 acres of beautiful land for hiking, horseback riding, and nature study. Del Valle also is the eastern gateway to the Ohlone Wilderness Trail, 28 miles of scenic back-country trail.
Family Campground: The Del Valle Family Campground has 150 sites (two accessible), 21 of them with water and sewage, and electrical hook-ups (120 volt, 50 and 30 amp). The sites are served by centrally located toilets and shower facilities.
Group camps: There are several group campsites for groups of 11 people or more.
Equestrian camps: The Little Chaparral horse camp area has 4 small paddocks. The reservation of one paddock includes space for 1-2 horses, 4 people maximum, and parking for one trailer and rig only. Equestrian groups should reserve the Caballo Loco equestrian group camp as Little Chaparral is not designed for group use. Please note that horses are not allowed in developed areas of the park.
Modesto Reservoir Regional Park is located at 18143 Reservoir Rd., a few miles from the town of Waterford, just off Highway 132. It offers over 3,200 acres of land and 2,800 acres of reservoir for recreation and camping.
$40 - $60 / night
Please note: Tent Camping is by reservation only.
Here at Lake Amador we have a large campground consisting of 113 sites located on a 100 acre portion of the facility that is surrounded by shade giving Oaks. Most campsites have running potable water, some have electricity and many sites are located on the waters edge when the lake is full. There are hot showers and flush toilets located throughout the campground and some sites located by swim pond also have free WIFI access!
Lake Amador also has a 73 site Deluxe RV Park on a private peninsula. All sites located in the RV Park have Full hookups and FREE WIFI. Some sites are reserved year round for residents and as vacation spots. All open RV sites are first come first served so call prior to your visit to check availability.
At the Lake Amador Clubhouse we offer food and fun. There you will find both air conditioning and a large fireplace so no matter the weather outside you can always find refuge inside. While there you can utilize the FREE WIFI, play pool, horse shoes, foosball, watch TV or even play Checkers, Chess, or Cribbage on our custom gaming tables. The Clubhouse features a well stocked Beer Bar as well as The Tackle Box Café where you can get a delicious Breakfast and Lunch on the weekends. Now if supplies are all your after you’ll be happy to know we also have a fully stocked general store with any essentials you may have forgotten at home.
$25 - $45 / night
Coe Ranch Campground
$20 / night
Glory Hole Recreation Area is located at New Melones Lake on the Stanislaus River. The 12,500 surface-acre lake is the fourth largest reservoir in California and is situated along the edge of the Mother Lode, the rich gold vein that prompted the California Gold Rush of 1849. At an elevation of 1100 feet, the diverse and resource-abundant Foothill Oak Woodlands hug the 100 miles of shoreline. Popular activities on and around the large, yet uncrowded lake include fishing, boating, water skiing, wake boarding, jet skiing, sailing, swimming, kayaking, canoeing, wildlife viewing, rock climbing, hiking, biking, horseback riding and picknicking. The New Melones Visitor Center offers year-round interpretive events and a museum highlighting natural and cultural resources.
Hiking, fishing, wakeboarding, waterskiing, boating, sailing and road and mountain biking are just a few of the activities available in Glory Hole Recreation Area. Camping is also permitted in designated campsites. Equestrian trails are also present in the Peoria Wildlife Mitigation Area and open for the general public. Other interesting sites include Natural Bridges, which can be accessed from Parrott's Ferry Road and has a nice hiking trail and a creek that flows through a marble cave. The Table Mountain Trail provides visitors an opportunity to hike to the top of an extensive lava flow which occurred over nine million years ago.
New Melones Lake is located in Northern California between the historic gold rush towns of Sonora and Angels Camp. The terrain varies from rolling hills to steep marble cliffs, and the vegetation consists of oaks, Ponderosa pines, chamise and buckbrush shrubs. Visitors can experience the beauty of New Melones by hiking the many trails in the Tuttletown and Glory Hole Recreation Areas. The climate is Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. For those who wish to venture outside the main recreation areas, there are many unique places to visit. Overall, the geography is quite varied and provides many opportunities for all types of recreation.
For facility specific information, please call (209) 459-7290.
Glory Hole Recreation Area is surrounded by many places of natural beauty including Natural Bridges, Camp Nine, Yosemite National Park, Stanislaus National Forest, Moaning Caverns, Big Trees State Park and Columbia State Park. Angels Camp Museum, Calaveras County Museum and Sonora Military Museum also provide great opportunities for learning interesting information about the area. Surrounding communities are popular vacation and retirement destinations and provide necessary services and shopping opportunities. Golfing, snow skiing, river rafting, commercial caves, historical railroad and Native American museums are close by as well.
All site changes and cancellations need to be done through the Recreation.gov website.
$22 / night
Monument RV Park has 99 spacious sites near four small fishing ponds and the lake. Recently renovated this park is located at South Shore featuring full hook-ups including 30 and 50 amp electrical service, picnic tables, and fire rings.
Monument RV Park is less than a quarter-mile from the front gate down Camanche Drive on the left just before the trout pond
Fish the stocked trout pond
Lakeside sites for those campers with boats
Short ride to marina and store
Miner’s Camp RV Park (Long-Term stay available) is nestled in the hillside and sits above the campgrounds. This park can be rented for up to 14 days or six months and is a short walk away from basketball, volleyball, and tennis courts. There are no fire rings available inside Miner’s Camp.
Miner’s Camp RV Campground is located off of Bret Harte Drive close to the tennis and basketball courts
Short walk or ride to beaches, marina, store, or amphitheater
Long terms stay are 6 months at a time-10 day out before return
All sites are full hookups featuring 30-50 amp electrical service, picnic tables, and can accommodate up to 55′ long.
Showers and laundry facilities are located nearby. All RV’s staying within Monument and Miner’s Camp must be self-contained. Self-contained RV’s may also camp at North Shore. We also feature 20 undeveloped primitive sites (on-water) that can accommodate a tent or a self-contained RV.
Guide
Nice bathrooms no tokens needed, hot water, clean sink for dishes. Lotsa shaded oak spaces. Good trails.
Traveler
Amador is a laid back camping spot that never disappoints. Great for families. Not a party destination but you can still have a great time! They have a water hole with a fun slide, which is all kept nice and clean with tables you can sit at. I would recommend a pop up tent for shade if you go to the water hole. There is also a old school playground for the kids. The staff is super friendly and always there to help. I take my kids at least 3-4 times a year and enjoy any of the seasons. There is Frisbee golf as well.
Ranger
I had a very different take on this place than the others. The RV spot was a fair distance from the neighboring spots, it was low-density, quite, all good qualities, but there was very little see or do near the loop. There were no hikes suitable for young kids as far as I could tell. There was a little store for ice cream and camping supplies and dump station on the loop. HOWEVER, WARNING: the road around the campground looks wide but there are boulders every 10 feet or so making it insanely hard to back into our spot - and we had only a 22ft trailer! I can't see myself coming back here. The maps do accurately depict the relatively narrow space you have for back in spots. Once we were in, it was fine. The pedestal and sewer set-up was just fine. No issues there. It's just not worth the hassle.
As for the park/water part of the park, well, it was covered in garbage from the day-trippers. It was packed and only accessible by driving to it. Truly not a place I wanted to BBQ or picnic at. Cars, people, dogs, loud music, and garbage. A gross diaper on the shore. We took a very nice hike starting at the dog run. That was beautiful, but not worth the trip.
I didn't bother to photograph our site. There were all adequate, just avoid back in site here. There are so many better places to visit. I checked this off the list, no reason to return. I don't believe there was reception either from the campsite.
Last thing, we peaked in on the cabins in our loop. They looks very nice and maintained.
ScoutWe enjoyed our first visit and will definitely come back! The park is a mix of old RV’s that folks have long term stays and open spots for visitors. Some nice spots and some tight spots. We stayed in site 62 with 41 foot MH. There was no room for a tow vehicle and we did not put our awnings out. We enjoyed fishing from the bank and had some good luck with power bait. The resort is very clean and quiet!
ScoutGreat lake and fishy, clean sites, bathrooms are great. All around awesome camping
Scout
A good RV park @ fairground with lot of RVs $42 for 30-AMP though we don’t need it. Good Wifi & clean toilet/shower Friendly staff
Guide
Nice place lil shade open and close to water
Guide
Stopped on a road trip passing through, was able to get a nice spot. No one else was in the campground, so it was definitely quiet. Bathrooms and showers were available. Camp host was friendly. They also sell ice which was nice to grab for the cooler. Nice stay, saw a lot of bunnies and a bobcat on the way out.
Guide
We were there for 1 night. The view at campsite 57 is gorgeous! However, be prepared for the heat. It can reach up to 110F in summer. It is toasting even with shade. Restroom and showers need maintenance.
Scout
site #8 should NOT be a site. It is situated just feet from the holding tanks for the vault toilets. Somebody did not think through this site. Breathe in the fresh scent of raw sewage as you attempt to enjoy food being swarmed by all the flies in camp that had previously been sitting on said sewage. Drift off to dreamland as your tent is filled with and subsequently sharpens your awareness of the state of the bathrooms.
Seriously, this was bad. This is a review that came at the end of a 5 week camping trip where we stayed in 9 different campgrounds. We are lifelong campers. I have NEVER left a bad review of a campground. This was bad. Again, almost every site in this campground is great and has lots of privacy. Site #08 is a mistake and should be used for additional parking at most.
ScoutFinally got to break in our roof tent so decided to check this out. Our site was awkwardly slanted (so I thought we would trip and fall into the lake) but on the lake so that was nice. 4 wheel drive recommended since I saw people struggling to get in and out of sites. Lots of mosquitoes. Bring Raid and repellent. Friendly staff at cafe/registration and dog friendly. Water was murky so we didn't bother going in but lots of fishermen and we could see fish in the water. Okay overall. Maybe will stay at a different site next time.
GuideNice campground on the lake. We stayed in the dry camping area which was right on the lake. We noted that the sites were very close together with no privacy, but that was ok since there were few people there. The showers worked well and didn’t require coins, and there was a dump station up front by the fish cleaning station. Note that there’s a gate that closes so that you can’t enter - we just barely made it by the 9pm Friday closing time (I think this time varies by day of the week).
Scout
Nice place quiet lots of places for big RVs pull through spots and back in spots they have spots for family reunions have showers store boat ramp nice place to camp North Shore is not for RVs it's for tent camping the South Shore has hookups 30 50 amp service full hookups all around a good place good people quiet time is 9:00 p.m. till 7:00 a.m. I believe doesn't mean you can't be up just no loud music no carrying on to disturb the other people lake is almost full
ScoutTypical evening park. Everyone on top of one another. Good electricity and decent wifi.
Traveler
This was our first time here. It was quiet and the sites were clean. There is no shower and only a couple outhouses so it’s definitely only if you want to use your camper/rv bathroom. The hookups worked good but the sewer hookup is elevated so you will probably want sewer hose supports to lift your hose. There is a fishing pond directly next to the campground and access to the lake just a few minutes away.
GuidePerfect stop before dropping off rental RV in SF and clean, top up propane etc.
ScoutGreat location and full hook ups. Open year round, planning on coming back during the Winter!
Ranger
We have been there three times, twice for day trips when our kids were camping there and one time where our son's and daughter's family and us were camping there for three days weekend. Full hookups were use and enjoyed by all each time. On the T-Island sites you right on the water. Which is were we go. Both our kids family have Kayaks so that makes getting on the water great. Nice bathroom.
TravelerGreat place for a quick getaway with some friends or family. Enjoyed walking around and taking in the views. Saw some deer, rabbits, and hummingbirds. Enjoyed hanging out by the lake.
Staff is very friendly. Bathrooms were clean.
Scout
We starter visiting Modesto Resivor in the sixties. My father would hail all of our gear out to one of the many islands, and let the kids and dogs run free. Now that we are older, we camp on the shore line. Rustic tent camping near the water-skiing course is my favorite. Quite nights and darker stargazing. Blonde Beach is where your likely to find us Jetskiing.
TravelerThe Fairview RV Park is a great Bay Area location easy to find right off hwy 680, in the Alameda county fairgrounds. The staff are all pleasant to work with and the park and facilities are clean. I will always go back when in that area.
TravelerWe hit Del Valle throughout the year, it's really close for us, but makes you feel like you're out in the cuts. Pretty much ZERO cell service, which is a good thing, helps you to disconnect. The lake is enjoyable, just wish the water level would rise.
ScoutHad an amazing overnight stay! Since it was a Sunday night hardly anyone on T Island. Rangers were so helpful!
RangerThey offer senior and military discounts. Both tent and RV full hookups around a lake. The only real problem is there are a few months during the year that they restrict the human contact with the lake water due to all the waterfowl poop in water. Many Geese that use their winter homes.
TravelerWe camp here with our travel trailer at the start of each season, to check out all our systems. If you are visiting and want to go to San Francisco, I think this is one of the closest RV parks to the city.
Sites are grassy, some with trees, and pretty close together.
If the Alameda Fairgrounds are having an event, you can't beat this location, it's on the property.
RangerNice campsites full hookups
LegendAfter time spent here at this oasis in the middle of Eastbay, California, you’ll very much feel like part of this place with its endless trails, fantastically well-kept camping grounds and the warm hospitality given you both by the camp rangers and fellow campers you’ll come across.
From a range of activities including horseback riding, kayaking on the namesake lake as well as hiking the foothills, if you’ve come here for nature, you’ll strike gold! The amenities are basic and – key to all California Regional Parks – everything is very well maintained, easy to find and wonderful to make use of.
Happy Camping!
Horse camping in California offers a unique way to explore the great outdoors while enjoying the company of your equine friends. With a variety of campgrounds catering to horse enthusiasts, you can find the perfect spot to saddle up and enjoy nature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Ripon, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Ripon, CA is Woodward Reservoir with a 4-star rating from 16 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Ripon, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 17 equestrian camping locations near Ripon, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
