296 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Loyalton sits at the edge of the Sierra Valley, providing access to a mix of established campgrounds and dispersed camping areas in the surrounding Sierra Nevada forests. Several camping areas feature both tent and RV sites, including Cottonwood Campground, which offers vault toilets and drinking water during its April to October season. The Bear Valley Campground provides more remote tent camping opportunities in a forested setting. For dispersed camping options, Big Dog Valley offers primitive campsites without developed facilities about 7 miles southwest of Loyalton. The region includes both Forest Service managed campgrounds with basic amenities and undeveloped camping areas on public lands.
Access to camping areas varies significantly across the region, with some sites requiring high-clearance vehicles to navigate rough dirt roads. Most established campgrounds in the area operate seasonally from late April through mid-October, with winter closures due to snow and weather conditions. The Lookout Campground, located in Dog Valley, requires traversing unmaintained mountain roads that present challenges for standard vehicles. Camping permits are not generally required for established campgrounds, though reservations are recommended for weekend visits during peak summer months. As one visitor noted about Lookout Campground, "The road is one of the reasons this site generally isn't too packed... you will spend 8.5 miles on a dirt road... involving going 5MPH to navigate deeper ruts or potholes."
Campers report high satisfaction with the privacy and natural surroundings at many sites near Loyalton. The Cottonwood Campground receives positive reviews for its spacious sites and proximity to outdoor recreation opportunities. A visitor commented that it offers "very heavily wooded campground in a beautiful area. Vault toilets are available along with potable water spigots within a short walk from each site." The more remote Bear Valley Campground attracts those seeking solitude, with one camper describing it as a "hidden gem" they "looked forward to visiting all winter." Most campgrounds feature fire rings and picnic tables, though amenities are limited at dispersed sites. Cell service is spotty throughout the region, with better reception at higher elevations where visitors might get line-of-sight to nearby towns.
"Short walk across the parking lot is a gas station with small convenience store, and right next to that is the Casino. Small but with a great restaurant that cooked a really good steak."
"We will be coming back as there are few places to stop when driving to and from southern Oregon."
"Sites near Highway 89 will hear road noise during the day and the occasional vehicle at night."
"I walked the adjacent trail in the morning, which was very pretty. The pit toilets are old style and smelly, but clean."
from $20 / night
Check Availability"But most stay in other "dispersed" camping, and there aren't nearly as many vehicles as you might see, for example, in a Nevada dunes off-road park."
"First, it's quite an adventurous (read: bumpy) drive to get to it from the nearest paved road. Once you arrive, you'll be amazed at how much space there is between the sites."
from $20 - $60 / night
Check Availability"Right next to the water, and close to town. Cell phone reception. is spotty ."
"It was late and we couldn't find the owner so we ended up staying outside the park on the road. The manager got things worked out in the morning and refunded our money for the night before."
from $23 - $75 / night
Check Availability"Typical RV park with spaces closer together, so we picked a back-in space along the outside edge and it was perfect for our dogs. A hiking trail right outside of camp."
"Nestled against the Eastern Sierras, on the Cal/Nev. border. Restaurant in the casino temp."
"Right near bike trails and not to far from Town"
from $22 - $66 / night
Check Availability"Easy access to Reno."
"Right off I-80 and close to the Boomtown Casino but oh so peaceful and quiet. This campground has everything for the RV camper. It is also close to the Truckee River and great fishing."
"No hookups but there is a toilet at the entrance (about 1 mile from the highway). The first mile was gravel. Turning towards the Sheep Camp the road gets a lot rougher and narrow."
"Can probably camp next to it but better spots just beyond though road gets even rougher."
"It’s a cute RV park, it’s clean and close to a little town the bad thing is that every space is so close to each other, you have next to you their services and it’s impossible to access your storage without"
"Secured large dog area with running creek within walking distance. A number of lower RV spaces within walking pathways to creek. Most were 30 amps and upper level had some 50 amps."
"Lake is calm, but it was too windy to set up the tent. Overnight temps in the 30's for Memorial weekend. Few trees, little shade. Lots of off road vehicles and RVs, but not a lot of noise from them."
"the lake is a great swimming temp in june, the views are gorgeous, and there’s plenty of trees and shade. i was lucky to have the spot i was in because there was plenty of foliage to keep my site fairly"
from $20 / night
Check Availability
GuideThe place is really beautiful. There are many roads to explore but they are quite sandy. I tried to stay in the staging area which has very nice views of the rock formations but it is not leveled at all so I moved to the smaller staging area, closer to Reno. I really needed to have cell phone signal and it was too spotty but the moon rocks. Beautiful drive to get there too.
TravelerClean well maintained. Host and Rangers very likeable and helpful. Between Carson City, Reno, & Virginia City. $30 electricity & water.
GuideRanger explained you can't drive your vehicle to the campground
TravelerNice little Campground, not a lot of shade in the site that we were in. But we did have a Palapas, which was lovely. We cooked out everyday we had a fire several nights. The campground was pretty chill pretty quiet overall. Had water access directly across from us which was great. The dump station and water fill up on the exit was easy. Overall great first camping in our new RV.
GuideThis park is really beautiful and with good services. Good cell phone signal with Tmobile 7 days every 30. Some sites are reservation only and some others are first come first served No overflow camping
TravelerCampground was nice and quiet despite being adjacent to a casino. Showers lock up at seven except for two to cover the entire large campground. Laundry shuts down at six and opens in the morning at eight. Location was fantastic.
TravelerThis appears to be another roadside pullout in the Demonstration Forest area rather than a legal overnight campsite. Based on on-site clarification from CAL FIRE at a nearby listing, overnight camping is not permitted in this Demonstration Forest area. Only the campground run by PG&E is legal.
Traveler--- Not a legal campsite: confirmed by CAL FIRE ---
I originally stopped here with an in-progress cargo trailer conversion because this looked like an excellent roadside pullout: large, easy to access, relatively level, and long enough to maneuver a truck and trailer without drama. As a short stop, turnaround, or day-use staging spot, it is genuinely useful. However, this should not be listed or treated as an overnight campsite. While I was on-site, I was contacted by Officer Steve Garcia with CAL FIRE, who advised me that overnight camping is not permitted at this location. I had interpreted the posted seasonal“no parking” signage as suggesting that public use might be allowed outside the snow-removal season, but he clarified that the signage relates to snow removal and does not authorize overnight camping in the Demonstration Forest area. For practical details: the pullout itself is easy to enter and exit, with enough room for a modest trailer rig to get fully out of traffic and turn around. Road noise drops off substantially overnight, though traffic begins again in the morning. The area may be useful for a brief rest stop, equipment check, turnaround, or day-use pause. But as a camping location, the important information is simple: Do not plan to camp here overnight. I’m updating this review so others don’t make the same assumption I did. This is a good pullout, but it is not a legal overnight campsite.
GuideIf you are looking for Free Dispersed camping then this is the place. No hookups but there is a toilet at the entrance (about 1 mile from the highway). The first mile was gravel. Turning towards the Sheep Camp the road gets a lot rougher and narrow. I have a smaller RV with 9-10” ground clearance and we were jumping around a bit and taking a lot of trees down the side of the RV. We set up at the end of the road past the Sheep Camp and got Absolutly Overrun with an actual Sheep Herd along with their protectors (3-4 dogs who just barked as us and visited several times in the middle of the night just to remind us not to mess with their sheep). We moved closer to the bathrooms away from the sheep. We were able to get good sky views and solid Starlink connection. This was 4th of July and there was no one there the first day and only two other sites the next. Very quiet. Near the bathrooms there is a dozen sites but I think there are way more if you don’t turn at the bathroom and continue down the road you can camp more in the meadows.
Loyalton sits in the Sierra Valley at an elevation of 4,930 feet, making it a popular starting point for camping trips in the Tahoe National Forest. Summer temperatures average 80-85°F during the day and drop to 40-45°F at night, requiring campers to pack layers regardless of season. Dirt road conditions vary significantly throughout the region, with several campgrounds accessible only via unpaved forest roads that deteriorate after rainfall.
Hiking the Crystal Peak Trail: From Lookout Campground in Dog Valley, follow the trail to Crystal Peak for panoramic views. "There is a nice little aspen grove that bisects the campground and every site has a picnic table and a fire ring. You'll want four wheels drive to get up there, but I've seen passenger vehicles make it just drive slow," notes Joey P., who camps at Lookout Campground.
Fishing at nearby lakes: Stampede Reservoir near Logger Campground offers trout fishing opportunities throughout summer. "Right next to the water, and close to town. Cell phone reception is spotty," mentions Brenna D. about Logger Campground, which serves as a convenient base for fishing trips.
Botanical trail exploration: The botanical trail at Cottonwood Campground offers an educational half-mile walk along the creek. "A very easy 1/2 mile round-trip botanical trail is located at the south end of the campground. It is level, following the creek. Various markers highlight botanical references," explains S K., who visited Cottonwood Campground.
Privacy between sites: Many camping spots near Loyalton, California feature well-separated sites. "Most of the sites were pretty well spaced apart with a few exceptions. Fire pits, running water, vault toilets," reports Jason A. about Cottonwood Campground, highlighting its comfortable setup for extended stays.
Quiet weekday camping: Mid-week availability makes for peaceful experiences at several campgrounds. "Midweek in July it was, at best, 10% full," mentions Tom D. about his stay at Cottonwood Campground, reflecting the lower usage patterns common throughout the region.
Natural water features: Streams and rivers enhance many camping spots in the Loyalton area. "Most sites have lots of space between them, while a few are side-by-side with just a vehicle parking space separating them. Each has a level, wood-bordered dirt/gravel pad set up for a tent - usually placed in as quiet/remote corner of the site as possible," notes S K. about Lookout Campground.
Road conditions vary significantly: Access to many campgrounds requires navigating rough forest roads. "One of the worst roads I've ever been on...go slow," advises Amy R. about Big Dog Valley, highlighting the need for careful driving and appropriate vehicles.
Seasonal water levels affect recreation: Drought conditions impact water recreation at reservoirs. "The lake has been low last few times I've been but the fishing is normally great," reports Alyssa S. about Boca Rest Campground.
Highway noise impacts some sites: Campers should select sites carefully to minimize road noise. "No cell service and you'll definitely have road noise during the day. However, it quieted substantially for nighttime sleeping hours so we slept fine," explains Char P. about Upper Little Truckee Campground.
Limited cell service: Connectivity is inconsistent throughout the region. "Verizon cell service picked up one bar, intermittently. Enough to get out occasional status updates and check the weather, but not enough to be able to read stuff off the internet," describes a camper at Lookout Campground.
Choose campgrounds with kid-friendly amenities: Some sites cater specifically to families with children. "Kid friendly with activities and play areas. Pet park for off leash play! Clean and friendly staff!" writes Ben W. about Clio's Rivers Edge RV Park.
Watch for wildlife viewing opportunities: The region supports diverse wildlife that appeals to children. "Lake was right down the hill. Bathrooms are close if you are tent camping. Very limited cell service. Camp host was very nice and accessible," shares Marcie B. about her experience at Boca Rest Campground.
Consider lake-accessible sites for water play: Several campgrounds offer direct access to water recreation. "Beautiful campsite right next to the water. Vault bathrooms were clean. Lots of RV sites and fairly busy campground. People were respectful of quiet hours," notes Andrea M. about her family's stay at Boca Rest Campground.
RV site leveling challenges: Be prepared for uneven sites at some campgrounds. "Large rigs will not fit in this campground. We reserved a spot that said it would fit a 30' camper but we could not get our 29' 5th wheel into the space because of the angle and posts along the loop," cautions Clancy H. about Cottonwood Campground.
Full hookup options near Loyalton: RVers seeking full amenities have limited options. "Super friendly the second you drive in!! Escort you to your site and guide you in!! Ask if we need help setting up, deers roam around and so beautiful!!" shares Angela C. about her experience at Clio's Rivers Edge RV Park, one of the few full-service RV parks in the region.
Dump station locations: Plan ahead for sanitation needs as many campgrounds lack dump facilities. "All sites are full hookup, with wifi, and cable tv. Clean bathrooms, showers, and laundry," notes Steve about Gold Ranch Casino & RV Resort, which provides complete services for those needing full hookups.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Loyalton, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, Loyalton, CA offers a wide range of camping options, with 296 campgrounds and RV parks near Loyalton, CA and 27 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Loyalton, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Loyalton, CA is Bordertown Casino RV Resort with a 4.1-star rating from 13 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Loyalton, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 27 free dispersed camping spots near Loyalton, CA.
What parks are near Loyalton, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 18 parks near Loyalton, CA that allow camping, notably Martis Creek Lake and Plumas National Forest.
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