Looking for an adventure where you can explore Sonora and then fall asleep in your tent? Find the best information on tent camping near Sonora, including sites, reviews, and tips for getting the most out of your camping experience. You're sure to find the perfect campsite for your California tent camping excursion.
North Grove (sites 27-59)
$25 - $70 / night
Lake Camanche Resort features 550+ tent camping sites spread out over hundreds of acres which are available year-round at both North and South Shores.
Many sites offer immediate lake access while others are just a short walk away. Campsite amenities include bbqs, tables, water, hot showers, restrooms and laundry facilities. Primitive sites are just a short drive away to restrooms & showers. Ask you reservation agent for which sites provide shade.
All of our sites feature some of California’s best natural and native species of trees, plants and flowers. Looking for alcohol-free camping? Both shores also feature alcohol-free campgrounds, perfect for those in search of a more family-friendly camping experience.
$50 / night
Dispersed camping takes a lot more effort than camping in a developed campground, but for those with an adventurous spirit, it can be a lot of fun.
Here are some important points to remember about dispersed camping:
The maximum length of stay in a forest ranger district is 21 days per year. Please practice good outdoor ethics about camping, travel and behavior while visiting. Dispersed campers are allowed to park within one vehicle length (including any tow vehicle) of a National Forest transportation route and walk into camp. Dispersed camping is not permitted in developed campgrounds and day use areas. Other areas closed to dispersed camping include historical and archaeological sites. Also, be certain that you are within the boundaries of the National Forest before setting up camp. To prevent resource damage please keep your campsite within 150 feet from a roadway. Dispersed camping is not allowed in these areas: within one mile of Pinecrest Basin along 7N83, Clark Fork Road along Hwy 108 between Clark Fork Road and Kennedy Meadows Road Leave No Trace Camping – Camp so no one notices you while you are there, and no one even knows you were there after you leave. Please respect nature and other visitors by keeping noise to a minimum. Always pack out whatever you pack in. No permanent structures are to be constructed to an area, such as building rock-lined fire pits, trenches around tents, or carving into trees. Human waste should be deposited in a hole dug 6 - 10 inches deep and then covered with organic soil. Vehicles are not permitted off of roads, but if you can safely park your vehicle adjacent and parallel to the road and are not blocking the roadway, you may park and camp. Most sites will have a parking spot nearby while other sites may not. Because the footprint of a vehicle can have a large impact to soils, please do not create new “parking spot” for a campsite. Please park in designated or already impacted spots. If you are going to an area where others have camped before, pick a site that has been used before. Plants, soil and wildlife are impacted by new campsites so using existing ones will minimize your impact in the forest. We want you to learn some of the many reasons to enjoy the quiet and solitude of dispersed camping, it’s up to you to LEAVE NO TRACE.
Army veteran and outdoor enthusiast that loves to share my passion for the wilderness!
One hour from Yosemite's West Gate, we have plenty of room, extra camping gear and amenities, and lots of peace and quiet! ATVs and guided tours are also possible upon request. Four-wheel drive is required for RVs and campers, and we can assist with your arrival. Please call or email ahead.
$50 - $150 / night
Get back to nature at Rancho Seco Recreational Area. A short 25-minute drive from downtown Sacramento, you’ll find the 400-acre park that makes up the Rancho Seco Recreational Area. Take a short vacation and enjoy bird watching, boating, camping, fishing, hiking and even a sanctuary for rescued exotic animals and wildlife. Camp in comfort with recreation and concession buildings, shade structures, laundry facility, boathouse, and newly renovated restrooms and showers. This Rancho Seco camping destination offers RV sites, tent camping sites, and group sites, some with gorgeous lake views.
Many people enjoy the solitude and primitive experience of camping away from developed campgrounds and other campers. Dispersed camping is the term used for camping anywhere in the National Forest OUTSIDE of a designated campground. Dispersed camping means no services like trash removal, and few or no facilities such as tables and fire pits, are provided.
Dispersed camping takes a lot more effort than camping in a developed campground, but for those with an adventurous spirit, it can be a lot of fun.
Here are some important points to remember about dispersed camping:
The maximum length of stay in a forest ranger district is 21 days per year. Please practice good outdoor ethics about camping, travel and behavior while visiting. Dispersed campers are allowed to park within one vehicle length (including any tow vehicle) of a National Forest transportation route and walk into camp. Dispersed camping is not permitted in developed campgrounds and day use areas. Other areas closed to dispersed camping include historical and archaeological sites. Also, be certain that you are within the boundaries of the National Forest before setting up camp. To prevent resource damage please keep your campsite within 150 feet from a roadway. Dispersed camping is not allowed in these areas: within one mile of Pinecrest Basin along 7N83, Clark Fork Road along Hwy 108 between Clark Fork Road and Kennedy Meadows Road Leave No Trace Camping – Camp so no one notices you while you are there, and no one even knows you were there after you leave. Please respect nature and other visitors by keeping noise to a minimum. Always pack out whatever you pack in. No permanent structures are to be constructed to an area, such as building rock-lined fire pits, trenches around tents, or carving into trees. Human waste should be deposited in a hole dug 6 - 10 inches deep and then covered with organic soil. Vehicles are not permitted off of roads, but if you can safely park your vehicle adjacent and parallel to the road and are not blocking the roadway, you may park and camp. Most sites will have a parking spot nearby while other sites may not. Because the footprint of a vehicle can have a large impact to soils, please do not create new “parking spot” for a campsite. Please park in designated or already impacted spots. If you are going to an area where others have camped before, pick a site that has been used before. Plants, soil and wildlife are impacted by new campsites so using existing ones will minimize your impact in the forest.
Remember your OUTDOOR ETHICS when enjoying your public lands. Please RECREATE RESPONSIBLY. Overview At the end of Briceburg River Road and 4.5 miles from the suspension bridge within the BLM, Merced River Recreation Area is the Railroad Flat Campground. Popular with gold prospectors and hikers alike, there is always interesting campfire talk in this campground. It also serves as the trailhead for the BLM, Merced River Trail. The Merced River Trail is a spectacular wildflower walk in spring, has great scenery, fine fishing, and amazing swimming during other times of the year. Know Before You Go Camping Camping is first come, first served. No reservations available. There are 9 campsites available. Maximum 8 people and two vehicles per site. Quiet Hours: After 10 PM (No loud music, generators, etc.) There is a self-pay system available to pay for sites. A campsite is rented ONLY once it has been paid in full, pay-stub is properly completed and attached to campsite post, and site is occupied by campers (tent up). All sites have a picnic table, grill, and food storage lockers. No potable water available at the campsites. There is potable water available__by the information kiosk, across the Briceburg Bridge. Facilities Parking Area Restrooms Dumpsters Recycling Cans Campfires Seasonal fire restrictions apply. Fires must be in a metal fire ring. No fires on the beach! Warnings There are no lifeguards on duty at the Merced River! Please wear a life jacket. The Merced River is undammed, and the flow changes dramatically. SWIMMING IS ONLY RECOMMENDED BELOW 700 CFS. Trailers/RV's over 18 feet are not recommended crossing the suspension bridge. Dogs must be on a leash. No discharging of fireworks or firearms. Helpful Links: River flow is posted on-line at: www.dreamflows.com Return To: Merced River Recreation Management Area Visit: Mother Lode Field Office Recreation Passes: America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass ADA Access: At least 90% of all campsites are ADA accessible
Traveler
Good tent camping. The Merced river runs along the east side of thr Park. I think there are beaches but can't confirm it (see pics).21 tent sites ,showers, bathrooms, lost of tables and water for the sights to share. The camp does need to catch up with maintenance in he facility though,lighting and cleaning. No camp host while we were there, that could be why?
Scout
Wow, let's say we had a nightmare ishhorrible experience. We rented a tent camp site for 2 nights. We were given an RV Slab camping site. It had the tiniest barbecue grill available. The water that was coming out of all the faucets, was red and brown. People weren't allowed to shower that night. Once night fall came, the camp's site was infested with roaches Everywhere, they went in all our grocery bags and under them. Went into and under all our boxes that we had. The roaches hid under our tents also. There also seemed to be a termite infestation. We had to cut our camping trip short after spending over a thousand dollars on supplies, food, the Camping site and parking fees The workers that drove by, especially Travis, were nice and Welcoming. Dogs have to be on a leash at all times. If you want to go into the lake with your dog, You have to walk very far away if you didn't rent one of the tent sites at the lake front area. Had to fumigate my vehicle when I got home with all my stuff in it. I pray none of the bugs will be in my stuff at home. I heard many other guests screeching and shouting, omg theres cockroaches every where. Good to know, we weren't the only ones disappointed. The owner Jake refused to refund me, or my two guests that wasted their 50 dollars in parking fees, although the trip was cut short due to the conditions. Jake offered for us to stay another night. Will never be back. Beware.
Guide
We were tent camping and were nervous about not having a reservation around Yosemite so we reserved a site here for a tent site by the river. The price was high but were willing to pay for a confirmed place to stay during June 2021. When we got there they were under major construction and told us the area by the river was closed. They put us in the area on the hill. The sites were small and full of dirt. We got more dirty there than several of the more remote places we stayed before and after our stay there. The campground was decent though, and everyone we spoke with was nice. Three stars was value for the price. We found several first-come first served campgrounds around there for much less (of course they only had vault toilets).
ScoutWe tent camped on the river here and really enjoyed our stay. We floated on the river in tubes, visited Nearby Rainbow Pools, went into Yosemite Valley a couple of days, the park is about 5-10 mins from the entrance to Yosemite but we didn’t mind we enjoyed the drive into the valley and used it as an opportunity to spot wildlife. We had two young kids (6 &8) and the campground restrooms and showers were perfect after a long day hiking, they were well maintained, good water pressure. These restrooms were located at the ponderosa tent sites, we had some family also camping in RVS along the river and I can’t speak for those restrooms. No cell service & WiFi is unlikely to work so prepare to be unplugged..they do give you printed directions to the closest area to get a signal depending on your carrier. The staff was very friendly and helpful! We will definitely be back one day. Side note: we came during COVID so reservations to Yosemite National park were required, therefore the park and surrounding campgrounds were not as packed as they normally would be. (This was heavenly).
Guide
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!
Traveler
Our group stayed in a tent campsite for one night in August 2016. This was our first campsite for a 2 week national parks road trip.
My biggest gripe with this campground is that it is not stated anywhere on their site that you cannot park your car in your campsite. At least for us, we had to park down a hill and walk up to our site. We spent our entire evening and the next morning walking back and forth, back and forth, back and forth anytime we needed something from the car. Having the car in the site is so so much better and all the other campgrounds we stayed at were set up that way.
Additionally, the entire campground was incredibly dusty, more so than any other campground we stayed at during our trip. The bathrooms/showers were not very well maintained (quite dirty and dusty) although the stalls did all have toilet paper. It was also quite a walk from our tent site which was located in the back part of the campgrounds.
Staff were generally helpful and they have everything you'd need in their office/general store (ice, firewood, snacks, etc).
Overall, we were happy to have found a campground nearish Yosemite at the last min since most things book up really quickly inside the park, but I'm happy we didn't stay here more than one night.
Guide
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.
Scout
We’ve been coming here for over 25 years. It’s about an hour from Sonora or Groveland, although the latter is generally a steep no trailer road. Paved roads and site parking. Water taps every few sites. Fire rings and bear boxes. Large vault outhouses. Fishing and recreation on lake with some boat in areas to camp. Water levels vary. Forested but large fires have ravaged much of the adjacent area in the past few years. Campground host,fees. We’ve only had a bear in camp a couple of times. Sometimes we’ve been the only ones in camp, but it’s often full on holidays and some weekends. Only open May-Sept.
Ranger
Got one of the furthest sites tent camping. Could see all the stars. They also provide bear boxes for each site.
Traveler
The man made pond is nice for the kids. It has a slide they can use. Rv areas are clean. Tent camping is okay!
Guide
This is a beautiful campground. At the end of the road. Parking is along a ridge, and tent camping is down the hill. RV camping has no hookups, but plenty of space.
GuideBeautiful tent camping above the Yosemite valley. Close enough to drive into the valley but far enough to not be surrounded by people at all times. Make sure to bring hammocks! Great trees to lounge in!
Scout
Tons of Gold Rush history here, nice rv glamping featuring showers and a boat launch at first camp, more primitive tent camping up the road at second camp (my fave). I've been camping here for years, it's my favorite in the world!
Guide
I would stay here again and again. The tent sites have a large covered area for shade and the park has a pool for a refreshing little swim. Showers are included with the campground fee.
TravelerGreat option if your looking for full rv hookups. If you’re tent camping, this might not be the best place. Bathrooms were very unclean but the park gets the job done as a place to sleep while visiting Yosemite. No Verizon or T-Mobile coverage. Wifi available for purchase.
Guide
Most site are for tent camping. The sites for trailers are not level do be prepared. There is drinking water throughout the park. Trailers longer than 26, it is a tight squeeze. No cell service at all, no where. Very quiet and not far from the lake. Bathrooms are clean.
Traveler
Very close to park entrance. Tent sites are small and gravel. However the hosts are friendly, there are showers, clean bathrooms, good wifi, and you can use the resort pool. Great place to relax after a long day of hiking in Yosemite.
Legend
Love this campground because of it’s close proximity to the Stanislaus River. There are 28 first come first serve RV and Tent sites. There are interesting granite rock formations in and around the campground. Potable water, fire rings, picnic tables and garbage receptacles round out the amenities.
ScoutThe river is fun for tubing and evening chill. Close drive into the park but tent sites were crammed and the womens restroom became unusable with overflowing toilets. Get there early to pick your spot! Some good shade unless they are all taken so come prepared with your own. Had to use the one toilet in the men’s restroom.
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.
Scout
We have been going to camanche Lake for years . Low cell service but very nice place to tent camp. Last year, they gave us our spot we set up, then was told they made a mistake and made us move spots, but the new spot was closer to the water and that made the kids happy. Kinda a hassle, but it worked out. We love it at this lake.
GuideThe tent sites were right on top of each other and there was nowhere to park. You had to climb a steep hill to get to them with your car and again to the actual spot. The people were awesome, the facilities were clean and the pool was refreshing. They have WiFi that works great, a store with ice, snacks, and food.
Traveler
This campground was awesome. We went in the middle of summer without reservations and we were able to get a tent site. This camp site is at the head of the Upper Falls trail so you can get an early start and see some great sunrise scenes. Plenty of toilets and water sources at the camp site, just bring your filter.
Guide
site: right on river was a huge plus! semi-private, decent sized site. some sites seemed more private than others. some tree cover. a bit loud for tent camping quiet, but it’s expected with such a full campground. amenities: quite clean for the amount of people using facilities. attractions: the views from my site were amazing. shuttle stop near campground. I would go camping here again if we wanted to be in the heart of the park.
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
GuideNarrow drive and sharp turns in the campground so we didn't camp with our RV but we did tent camp. There were smaller RVs there and plenty of camper vans. The sites are spacious and in the pines. Great location in the valley. Can walk everywhere or bike everywhere in the valley. AT&T service occasionally let a text go through but completely unreliable. No wifi. We had to put on quite a bit of bug spray at night and early in the morning, but other than that the bugs weren't an issue.
Guide
We stayed here while visiting Yosemite. It is about a 45 minute drive from the Campground into Yosemite via Hwy 49 / 120. The sites are spacious and clean. We went in April and during the week so the campground was not crowded at all. It is hard to find a level driving pad, but we were tenting it and the tent sites themselves are pretty level. there were some nice walking trails around the lake, watch out for the poison oak. The lake was a good temperature and from what I heard, good fishing. Bring bug spray, the mosquitoes are very hungry.
Tent camping near Sonora, California, offers a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in nature while enjoying the beauty of the Sierra Nevada. With a variety of campgrounds featuring essential amenities and stunning surroundings, outdoor enthusiasts will find plenty to explore.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Sonora, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Sonora, CA is North Grove Campground — Calaveras Big Trees State Park with a 4.7-star rating from 21 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Sonora, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 53 tent camping locations near Sonora, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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