Best Tent Camping near Sloughhouse, CA

Tent campers visiting Sloughhouse, California have several established campgrounds within a reasonable driving distance. Rancho Seco Recreation Area offers tent sites with some situated directly along the shoreline of a small lake, providing water access for paddling and swimming. Lake Camanche also features tent-specific areas with lakeside options, though availability varies with seasonal water levels. Both locations maintain developed facilities while still providing a nature-focused camping experience within 30-45 minutes of Sloughhouse.

Most tent sites at these campgrounds include basic amenities such as picnic tables, fire rings, and nearby water spigots. Rancho Seco's tent pads are set on level ground with good spacing between sites, though some campers note finding fishing hooks on the ground, requiring caution with children and pets. Bathroom facilities vary in quality across locations - Lake Camanche maintains clean restrooms with hot water, while Rancho Seco receives mixed reviews about facility maintenance. As one camper shared, "The grounds are very attractive and very well maintained, but restrooms and showers are old and filthy." During summer months, insect activity increases substantially at dusk.

Areas farther from developed campgrounds offer more seclusion for tent campers seeking a quieter experience. The Top of Arnold dispersed camping area in Stanislaus National Forest provides free, primitive tent sites for those willing to drive about an hour east of Sloughhouse. These sites lack facilities but offer a more authentic backcountry experience. Walk-in tent sites at Camp Nauvoo provide a middle ground between developed and primitive camping, with basic amenities while maintaining a more natural setting. Tent campers should note that summer temperatures in this region regularly exceed 90°F, making spring and fall the most comfortable seasons for overnight stays, particularly at lower-elevation campgrounds closer to Sloughhouse.

Best Tent Sites Near Sloughhouse, California (25)

    1. Rancho Seco Recreation Area

    15 Reviews
    Herald, CA
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (209) 748-2318

    "About 50 tent only sites, some just feet from the lake. RV sites are farther from the lake on mostly level gravel pads with picnic table, fire rings, and a trash can at each site."

    "I pitched a tent in site 43 right next to the lake. Excellent place."

    2. Lake Camanche

    18 Reviews
    Wallace, CA
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (209) 763-5121

    $50 / night

    "Wicked August heat, BUT there’s the lake! 5 Stars — were it not for the SLOBS who preceded us!!"

    "I come here with my family every year around 4th of July. I would book way ahead for busy holidays like that. 
    The water level really varies on the year."

    3. Camp Nauvoo

    3 Reviews
    Diamond Springs, CA
    26 miles
    Website
    +1 (916) 207-9441

    $65 - $300 / night

    4. Lake Clementine Boat In — Auburn State Recreation Area

    7 Reviews
    Cool, CA
    32 miles
    Website
    +1 (530) 885-4527

    $38 / night

    "The parking area is at the top of the hill, and you set up your tent below. Most of the sites that have a “driveway” were not level, except for Sites 5 and 6."

    "Place the cash ($28 a night) in the envelope and put it in the post that’s on the parking entrance."

    5. OARS American River Outpost Campground (Rafting Guests Only)

    1 Review
    Coloma, CA
    27 miles
    Website
    +1 (530) 626-5600

    $30 - $99 / night

    "If you have some extra time, be sure to check out Marshall Gold Discovery Park, home of Sutter's Mill, and the nearby wine country."

    6. Jenkinson Campground—Sly Park Recreation Area

    5 Reviews
    Pollock Pines, CA
    39 miles
    Website
    +1 (530) 644-2545

    "The sites were mostly all at a slant so it was a bit uncomfortable in terms of the sleep situation."

    "We brought our paddle board and we’re walking distance to the lake front. Lake was quiet, trails well maintained and facilities were cleaned regularly. Will definitely stay here again."

    7. Delta Bay RV Resort

    2 Reviews
    Rio Vista, CA
    35 miles
    +1 (916) 777-5588

    8. Camp Far West North Shore

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

    "I did feel the camping spots need some maintenance because the fire pits and bbqs are non functioning, we had to build our own fire ring. And the broken glass....... man it was everywhere!"

    "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. "

    9. Mother Lode River Center

    Be the first to review!
    Coloma, CA
    27 miles
    Website
    +1 (530) 626-4187

    $20 - $150 / night

    10. Top of Arnold - FR 5N56 Dispersed

    4 Reviews
    Arnold, CA
    47 miles
    Website
    +1 (209) 532-3671

    "There is no showers not for the week but for the real man not recommended for women in small kids, but absolutely amazing and beautiful place."

    "Some noise from chainsaws in the distance one day, and some target practice, but neither lasted long. 2 bars LTE of Verizon."

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Tent Camping Reviews near Sloughhouse, CA

524 Reviews of 25 Sloughhouse Campgrounds


  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 25, 2023

    Lake Clementine Boat In — Auburn State Recreation Area

    Off-season peaceful stay

    General: Normally, there are 18 designated sites that are reservable only from May 1– October 15. What we didn’t know until we arrived was that only Sites 1-7 were open after this date; fortunately, only two other sites were occupied when we arrived at 5:30 pm on a Monday in late October. The access road is about six miles of curvy, hilly, and narrow (sometimes only one lane) pavement. There is a sign prohibiting trailers; our 18-foot camper van did fine but anything much larger would definitely be challenged. 

    Site Quality: Many of the sites are more suitable for tent campers. The parking area is at the top of the hill, and you set up your tent below. Most of the sites that have a “driveway” were not level, except for Sites 5 and 6. We lucked out with Site 6 – it was large and level and directly across from the vault toilets. A fire pit/grill, large concrete picnic table, and bear box complete the site (although there was a fire ban in effect).

    Bath: Only one vault toilet was open, and it was very clean. It was cleaned again the next morning. 

    Activities: This campground is located on the North Fork of the American River. In season, this campground would be very popular with rafters; there is a raft launch and takeout area close to the campsites. The river was crystal clear and beautiful.

    This was a small but beautiful campground. We were surprised that we had a semi-decent cell signal ranging from 1 to 2 bars (Verizon).

  • Rosina A.
    Jun. 1, 2022

    Beals Point Campground — Folsom Lake State Recreation Area

    Folsom Lake Penninsula

    Beautiful sunsets. No showers. Bathrooms are clean. Some sites are rather small and have little flat ground. Pics on website are tough to see when booking. Lake to most sites is a drive, but there are a few campsites on the lake. Many sites are on hill, you walk up the hill or down a hill with stairs. Lake has day use area, but also a dock area for camping folks. Lots of mosquitoes. They have a fire are to cook, no fire ring, have a bear box and picnic table. Some sites have plenty of shade while others are just plain sun so be prepared.

    Water is nice temperature and super clean! Nice to kayak, paddle, boat (they have boat ramps), fish, swim. Beach areas are rocks with weeds, but pretty.

  • Larry W.
    Aug. 28, 2020

    Sugar Barge RV Resort & Marina

    Quiet, NO other tenters!

    We (party of 4) were there primarily because we rented a boat from their Marina. That went well! This is an RV campground & full-complement resort on Bethel Island, San Joaquin River Delta. Many RVers appear to be long-term or full-time residents.

    The tent-area was a clearing, fully backed up to the levee, with some shade and a water spigot. Appears to be only 4 “sites,” which are defined by picnic tables, GENEROUSLY spaced, no fire rings AND the Delta is h.o.t.! It’s also on the far edge of the property, so car traffic was MINIMUM — and NO generators were heard, even though the RV section is huge!!!

    The rest rooms were in the Marina building, a short walk. We would DEFINITELY return for boating and tenting!!!

  • Kate A.The Dyrt PRO User
    Feb. 20, 2021

    Thousand Trails Ponderosa

    Great location, but plan ahead

    This is a well maintained RV and tent camping resort. It’s great for kids that want to ride bikes around the sites- but be careful of the river, it’s swift. The RV and tent sites are in two separate areas, with more updated amenities available for RVs like hot showers. Shared pool site. Lots of great trails to weave through the campground on a mountain bike.

    One downside- it can be hot. Not a lot of tree cover for the RV sites- make sure you bring shade with you. Luckily, there’s a nice cool river to swim in!

    Fires are restricted sometimes in the summer. Some sites require a membership.

    Local grocery and pizza, frozen yogurt available within walking distance.

    Lots of great fishing, floating, and kayak accessibly. Bring tubes and life vests. Poles and bait.

  • Jordie G.
    May. 23, 2023

    Pine Cone - Sly Park Recreation Area

    Excellent campsite, terrible booking website

    Beautiful view of the lake, level plot, toilets, picnic table, potable water, fire ring, grill, recycling stations and large dumpsters. Dog friendly too. This campsite has everything you need to enjoy a nice evening by the lake. However, booking online or by phone is a pain in the ass. If you toussle around with the website, you'll see what I mean. We were also unable to reach anyone by phone.

    They do not do walk-ins for campsites on Fridays or Saturdays. We came on a Sunday and were able to set up camp and leave our stuff to hit the grocery store in Pollock Pines. I think it was $45 for the night but very well worth camping in an established zone for the first time in a week! We drove into our site in a Ford E-350 and next to us was a converted schoolbus. Many SUVs as well. The camp host was on premises as well.

    At the time of this review, the store across the check-in gate, Sly Park Resort, was closed until further notice.

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 9, 2022

    Acorn Campground

    Peaceful stay on a weekday in May!

    General: 132-site Corps of Engineers campground on New Hogan Lake. No hookups. 

    Site Quality: Varies. Most are back-in, but some are pull-through. Most sites are generous in size, providing some privacy. More than a few are not level (do not pick Site 107 if you need anything close to level!). We had reserved Site 80 but ended up taking Site 100. Pads are all paved but narrow; large RVs might be challenged navigating these driveways. A picnic table, lantern hook, fire ring, and grill complete the site. 

    Bathhouse: They really could use some TLC. No soap or towels and not all the showers were functional. I chose not to try the functional one as it had seen better days!

    Activities: We saw several boats on the lake and there is fishing. Not sure about other activities as we just enjoyed relaxing at our campsite by the lake! 

    We were there on a Thursday in early May, and it was fairly quiet. No ranger or other camp host that we saw. However, on the weekends and in the summer, it looks like it would be a much different story (but we prefer the off-season!). Yes, the bathrooms may have been janky, but who are we to complain when it costs just$10 (with the Golden Access Pass). Beware of goose poop– it is everywhere! And while you definitely won’t hear road-noise, you will hear honking geese!

  • Steve E.
    Apr. 12, 2021

    Indian Grinding Rock State Historical Park Campground

    Bring your frisbee, beware of the roadside noise

    We tent camped in this state campground for two nights. The campground is well shaded (good luck with solar).  It's small with only 23 sites. Perfect weekend getaway for Northern California families, about 3 hours from Bay Area.

    Next to a beautiful state operated historical park with lots of open space, tall ancient oak trees and two easy trails. Open space great for games, frisbee, soccer, or setup a volleyball net. Grass is mowed. Many shaded picnic tables. We enjoyed hiking the South trail, which is about 1/2 a mile with nature markers matching to an information guide. Kids will enjoy going inside the roundhouses (teepee like structures). Stop by the free museum. The ranger was very knowledgeable and engaged the kids well covering the history of artifacts.

    Pros

    - Very clean bathrooms. They were cleaned and sterilized twice a day according to the ranger. Flush toilets. Hot water showers, requiring coins (change machine).  

    - Campsite host on site. There are also rangers nearby at the park. 

    - Sites reservable

    - Very close to Black Chasm Cavern, which is a paid guided tour cavern. Kids can search for fossils and minerals in the water trough next to gift shop. Just buy a bag of dirt. 

    - Two trails: a short South trail near the campsite and a longer North trail.

    - ADA site and many accessible areas & bathroom 

    - Campfire rings and tables at campsites. Each site appeared to have a flat tent spot available. 

    Cons

    - You can hear cars and trucks going by at night on nearby Pine Grove Volcano Rd. Not too bad, but does take away the ambiance of being in the outdoors. This is why I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

    - Some of the sites are close together. They are closer than appear on camp map.  Another reason for 4 out of 5 stars. 

    - Dogs cannot go on trails. They can only go to open fields at historical park and campground, which is plenty for dog walking. 

    - Water spigots are shared among multiple sites (not one per site). No hookups. 

    Our family would definitely go again.

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 21, 2023

    Beals Point Campground — Folsom Lake State Recreation Area

    Many recreational activities

    General: 69-site campground in two sections – one with electric hookups and one without. 

    Site Quality: We stayed in the non-hookup section. Site 36 was in a small spur with just four sites and direct access to the American River Bikeway. Although better suited for tents, the site worked fine for our camper van. The fire pit and picnic table were located quite a distance from the short paved camper pad, creating a sense of privacy.

    Bath/Shower house: The building closest to us had three toilet/sink combos, one toilet only (there was an outside sink) and two showers. No soap, paper towels, or air dryers in any of the toilet rooms. Showers took quarters – two to turn it on and although I did not time it, two quarters gave a decent amount of time for the shower. Good hot water and a bench but no hooks. 

    Activities: Folsom Lake with all water-related activities. In addition to biking, the paved American River Bikeway was good for walking, running, and horseback riding. The grass was very dry, and I was surprised to see there was not a fire ban, as we’ve seen in almost every other campground not located on the coast. Four stars for the abundant recreation activities.

  • j
    Jun. 4, 2021

    Sandy Beach County Park

    Small yet spacious campground with views of the Sacramento river

    Camped 4 nights at site 32 during the week.  A nice shaded site with river view, but not very level.  All sites are pull throughs with electric, water, a stationary picnic table and fire ring.  Online reservations are required and must be made a minimum of 2-weeks in advance.  Campground was nearly empty and had big grassy areas between sites.  Senior rate of $20.  Flush toilets and showers were spartan but cleaned daily.  Campground is adjacent to public beach, boat ramp/dock, and picnic area.  As expected it was very windy most of the time so you need to stake everything down.  Wind was strong enough to knock over our wine glass, twice!  We could hear humming from wind turbines that were just over the hill from the campground, but otherwise quiet.


Guide to Sloughhouse

Tent camping near Sloughhouse, California offers options ranging from 30 minutes to over an hour's drive. The region sits at the junction of valley and foothills, with summer temperatures regularly exceeding 95°F in July and August. Winter camping is available but temperatures can drop to the 30s at night, especially at higher elevation sites in the Stanislaus National Forest.

What to do

Swimming and paddling: Lake Camanche provides opportunities for water recreation with a swim beach and rentals. "The water isn't freezing, it's usually pretty warm. The lake isn't huge, but makes for great boating," notes one camper at Lake Camanche.

Fishing for beginners: Rancho Seco Recreation Area offers shoreline fishing with less boat traffic than larger lakes. A camper reports, "Nice quiet campground good fishing lake to fish just make sure you put your food away at night raccoons will get your food and snacks."

Hiking trails: Jenkinson Campground features well-maintained paths around Sly Park Lake. "The trails are perfectly maintained and you can go around the whole lake in 9 miles. The hike to the waterfall is wonderful and depending where you start depends on length," shares a visitor at Jenkinson Campground—Sly Park Recreation Area.

Whitewater rafting: OARS American River Outpost offers guided trips near Lotus. "This was our first time whitewater rafting, and it was a great experience. The guides were knowledgeable and friendly, and we really enjoyed the BBQ on site," says a guest at OARS American River Outpost Campground.

What campers like

Lakeside sites: Several campgrounds offer tent spots directly on the water. "I pitched a tent in site 43 right next to the lake. Excellent place," writes a camper at Rancho Seco Recreation Area.

Off-season solitude: Winter and spring camping provides more privacy at popular sites. "We stayed at the lake for one night, mid-week, off season. We were only one of a few handful of RVs in the RV section of the campground. I could imagine it being a loud party-scene in the summer. But in the early spring, it was full of bird songs and a gorgeous sunset," explains a visitor to Lake Camanche.

Tiny house rentals: Alternative camping options exist beyond traditional tents. "They have a lot of cute tiny houses in this campground. You can bring your own tiny house, or rent one for the weekend," reports a visitor to Delta Bay RV Resort.

Oak tree shade: Camp Far West North Shore features mature oak trees that provide shelter from summer heat. "We must have come at the best time of year because everything was so green and beautiful. The Oak trees that grow here are truly majestic," notes a camper at Camp Far West North Shore.

What you should know

Fire restrictions: Regulations vary by location and season. At Top of Arnold, "Be sure to obtain a fire permit from Cal fire and check fire restrictions in the area have a bucket full of water and a shovel next to your fire at all times," advises one camper.

Site selection strategy: Most campgrounds have varying site quality. "We camped during the off season (November) so we had our pick of the campsites, which was a great considering the spots are right next to each other," reports a visitor at Lake Clementine.

Weekday vs weekend crowding: Most locations experience significant fluctuations in use. "Weekends are filled up and busy, but during the week days it's nice and quiet," says a camper at Lake Clementine Boat In.

Road conditions: Some dispersed camping areas require careful driving. "The dirt road up is full of ruts and potholes, but my Toyota Yaris made it up," shares a camper at Top of Arnold.

Tips for camping with families

Ground hazards: Check tent sites carefully before setting up. "In our campground we found multiple fish hooks and one happen to pierce my sandal. We have a 3 year old and brought our dog so imagine how dangerous that can be," cautions a visitor to Rancho Seco.

Kid-friendly amenities: Some locations offer features specifically for children. "Good for a weekend stay. We don't have boat and did not rent one, but the kids had a great time with just the floaties," relates a camper at Lake Camanche.

Educational opportunities: Camp Nauvoo combines outdoor recreation with learning. "The owners of this campground have made it their mission that you have a wonderful experience if you are a newbie or seasoned camper. Great sites for families and romantic sites for couples," explains a visitor.

Insect preparation: Evening bug activity increases during warm months. "Another issue is that I do not know if this is because of the weather but the whole park is infested with ground beetles that would just land all over you and your food. We couldn't stay up pass sunset to enjoy the fire and s'mores," notes a Rancho Seco camper.

Tips from RVers

Winter camping options: Some campgrounds remain accessible year-round. "We camped twice at this campground on the South Shore. The lake has a North Shore Campground as well. We were the only ones camping on Christmas Weekend," shares an RV camper at Lake Camanche.

Level site availability: Many sites aren't designed for larger vehicles. "The sites were mostly all at a slant so it was a bit uncomfortable in terms of the sleep situation. There may have been some that were on normal level ground but from what we experienced and the ones we mainly saw they were not," advises a visitor to Jenkinson Campground.

Site spacing concerns: Proximity to neighbors varies by location. "Many of the sites are more suitable for tent campers. The parking area is at the top of the hill, and you set up your tent below," explains a camper at Lake Clementine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Sloughhouse, CA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Sloughhouse, CA is Rancho Seco Recreation Area with a 4.3-star rating from 15 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Sloughhouse, CA?

TheDyrt.com has all 25 tent camping locations near Sloughhouse, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.