Best Tent Camping near Shaver Lake, CA

As a solo traveler, seeking a camping spot in the mountains near Shaver Lake, Dorabelle Campground was recommended to me by a long time local. I made a reservation after looking over maps to ensure walking distance to lake for swimming and fishing. A fairly close rest room was important too. I reserved a corner space with a nearby toilet and water spigot. I was please to find the walk to the lake was less than 5 minutes. What really impressed me was 1. Very friendly check in kiosk (who gave me fresh grapes) . 2. Very clean, including the restrooms . 3. My campsite was large , clean, with sunny and shade spots and separated from other sites by trees . The cove is wonderful for swimming and mostly kayaks/SUP with plenty of beach space, water temp was perfect . Happy campers all, one lady let me use her kayak. The cost to camp is very reasonable at 35$ for a big tent site compared to the larger more commercial campground up the road. Yes, smaller with narrow one way roads, but quiet at night, easy access from Shaver Lake businesses and food and nicely kept sites. I’ve been camping for 50 years and I haven’t come home and raved about a campground in a long time ! A four star rating for lack of showers/place to wash dishes.

Before my trip here, I was worried about the lack of reviews. It was the first time my in-laws were going to be out in the wild!

However, I enjoyed this campground. It was a perfect place for stargazing! Reservations for the sites are non-specific. I'm thankful my big family got a double site (#14). It was huge. My family and I were in awe of the view the entire drive there. Bring dramamine and roll your windows down if you get motion sickness. I loved how spaced out each site was from each other. A lot of bats love to fly around at night. No cell service for some providers, but AT&T had service. Bring plenty of water for drinking, cooking, washing, etc.

This campground is about 1.5-2 hours from Shaver Lake, about 15 minutes from Edison Lake, 20 minutes from Mono Hot Springs(they have a store with ice), a short walk to the small creek. I'm not sure if you can swim in the creek--I wouldn't--but I saw an employee adding nets of fish inside. 

FYI: A bear cub even walked through the campground searching for food one afternoon. Throw your trash away and don't leave food out. When dumping your trash, please lift the entire lid. During my stay here, the front half was stuffed and the back half was empty.

Great location right in the valley. Amenities were nice (showers, laundry, food). The three-sided cinder block enclosure was a bit rustic and dirty. Would have felt cleaner actually camping in a tent where you can control what comes in and out of your personal space. Hiked several days in the park and took in sunset from Glacier Point (while doing the 4 mile hike earlier in the day from the valley floor up to the point). Beautiful!

If you’re looking to camp in California, Sequoia National Park should be one of your top destinations. They have cabin and tent camping. I have stayed in both. There are trails galore and GIGANTIC trees bigger than your car. This beautiful setting is worth visiting year round and I recommend camping during the less touristy times in early Spring and Fall. You are near lakes, waterfalls, and an array of bodies of water. I recommend coming up the back end up the park for an easier ascent rather than via the 198. The 198 takes you up a steep, but beautiful, hair pin turn ridden road. If you get car sick easily, take the route through Fresno.

I really enjoyed tent camping here. I’m not a fan of the trailer camping because it’s all cement and everyone is close together, but it’s doable if need be. When tent camping, you’re under beautiful trees which I love!

We had a nice open camping spot. It was at the edge of Yosemite Valley. The only downside to the spot was everyone else had a RV and had there generators on at 6am. We are not RV people so we don’t know why they need to run them. Next time we will camp in a tent only area. This area had no showers.

The tent camping sites were pretty small. Beautiful, but our site was pretty far away from the bathroom, water, and creek.

4x4 or high clearance coming in. Long dirt road with dips and rocks. Water only flowing in winter months. Lots of tent camping spots along with 8 back in spots. Really amazing views 360 degrees. No service with Verizon.

This is a pretty campground. Lots of pines but no real vistas. Also no real level flat ground for tent camping. Sites are smallish & close together. Running water and flush toilets. 1 medium bear box per site. No showers.

Clean Campground and site. The site we stayed at had a nice fire ring, was flat, had a picnic table and it was close to running water. We tent camped, but it looked like there were plenty of RV spots too. Nice and quiet too.

It's a nice campsite. A bit of trash scattered around the tent spots. Excellente toilets and showers, but not so great out of hours check-in. Also 70+USD for a tent site with no hookup in November is a rip-off.

Tent camping and some RV sites available. Went at the very end of the season so cold at night but beautiful during the day! Various homes nearby. Lake was beautiful and the leaves were changing in time for winter. Very clean. Flushable toilets and running water. Walking distance from town.

Visited in Fall, beautiful time, All the trees were changing, it was beautiful.  The campground was nice, the spaces were separated, we tent camped.  Store a few minute walk down the road, along with place to rent boats for the lake.  Very calm and peaceful area.  Because of the beauty and seclusion, wonderful time. one of the best campgrounds/locations I've ever been to.

We tent camped two nights here. Our site was roomy but not very level; turned out wonderfully though as it rained one entire day and no water pooled near our tent. Fresh/clean water was available. Bathrooms clean. Muir Grove is a hidden gem of a hike to a serene grove of sequoias, accessed at the end of the campground near the group sites. Fairly easy 4 miles round trip, hiked with 6 children, youngest hiker is 6; well worth it!