Looking for dispersed camping near Stanislaus National Forest? Find the best information on dispersed campgrounds near Stanislaus National Forest, including photos, reviews, and tips. You're sure to find the perfect dispersed campsite for your California camping adventure.
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.
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.
Guide
Spent (2) nights here and loved it. Enough T-Mobile service for messaging and lite web browsing. Spacious pull-out with a small rock fire pit. I believe fires are allowed as long as you have a permit.
~8min drive to Big Oak Entrance and ~40min drive to Yosemite Valley Welcome Center. Why stay at Hodgdon when you can stay here!
Scout
Pull into a spot and relax while you listen to the creek, close to the road easy access
Scout
Came on a Saturday around 4pm, there were 2 other campers other than me so it wasn’t busy at all. No service for at&t. Overall had a good stay here with my 2 dogs
Guide
This spot is national forest, and overnight camping is not allowed. We had a knock from someone with the forest service the next morning who was very kind and let us know that overnight is not allowed.
Look up lakes and forest in this area on google — not many places allow dispersed camping
Legend
Just here to tell folks the road is already closed but there are a couple small pull offs.
Scout
Free camping
Guide
Standard dispersed camping on national forest land. Paved main road with dirt roads and areas for camping branching off. Plenty of room. Some areas have beautiful views of strawberry valley!
Scout
Nothing fancy or too expansive, but a handful of spots on either side of the road. Certainly easier to settle in before it’s dark.
Guide
Drive to the back area for tree shade and level grounds. Side of road camping. Camping on Ridgeline
Scout
So disappointing this app has failed us like 5 times now on camping spots. Not the right location.
ScoutI’m motorcycle camping and the ground level was about half full, mostly RVs, so I attempted to head up Scott Lake Road.
The dirt was manageable but there are sections of large rocks difficult to pass on two wheels. I crossed several but I dropped my bike before the second circle. Defeated and exhausted from a long day’s ride, I headed back down to set up my camp among the RV set.
No shade to the lifestyle but this is an awfully long drive to watch TV at top volume.
Scout
This is a beautiful lake. I like visiting it and geometry dash breeze which is amazing. Upon reaching the lake, you will discover approximately twelve camping spots. These sites are fairly basic, each equipped with uncomplicated stone fire pits, though only around half of them seem to feature picnic tables based on my observation. Upon our arrival, all the Lakeview sites were occupied, prompting us to locate a pleasant spot towards the back to set up our camp. Unfortunately, there is a segment of the camping area that would typically be open for use but was closed off by the Department of Fish and Game(DFG) due to environmental concerns. It's regrettable as there were some appealing campsites situated beyond that wooden barrier.
Scout
There’s no legal “dispersed” camping at Luther Pass; there are 11 tent sites with a maximum stay of five days. Very nice campground, though.
GuideWooded campground, cool weather, good phone reception, many spots taken with no activity probably by locals. Lake, hiking, close shopping.
GuideAll wheel drive, okay. Large grounds, many motorbike and trails, permit required (bikes). Camped upper level. Please pack in, pack out, don't make others clean up after you.
TravelerLots of people ! come early for a spot. nice views around. lots and lots of bugs. i sleep in my car and crack the windows a little bit and i woke up to a shit ton of bugs that got in my car. even more surrounding the cars. very quiet at night, maybe i just got lucky lol.
Traveler
would be a nice spot but drove all the way here to see “no camping”
Travelerthis location was the site of a fire several years ago, this means that many of the trees have been cleared making it a good site for starlink users like me. There are some power lines and it might be prettier if it had some unburned trees, but it’s great in a pinch and private. Take echo summit road from El dorado and you will see several places to chose from. The road towards the cabins has a very tight turn that will not allow anyone over 25 feet- though i’d recommend smaller.
most likely impassable after snowfall.
RangerThis was a really nice stay close to Yosemite with really spread out spots. Couldn’t even see your neighbor and the vicinity to the park made it perfect. It’s 4 stars because you could hear the traffic from the main road from my spot
RangerAwesome spot close to Yosemite, road isn’t too bad and it’s absolutely beautiful. I wasn’t bothered . I recommend arriving a little early, we didn’t have a little trouble finding the right road.
Traveler
We recently spent a night at this campsite and found it to be perfect for a quick overnight getaway. The area is spacious and conveniently located not too far off the main road, making it easy to access without feeling too isolated.
There are plenty of sites to choose from, catering to different preferences. However, we recommend taking some time to survey the land before setting up camp, as some spots are slightly sloped.
A huge plus is the gas station just about 5 minutes down the road. It’s well-stocked with all the convenient store items you might have forgotten at home, making it easy to grab any last-minute necessities.
Overall, it was a delightful stay. Just remember, always practice Leave No Trace principles—pack out what you pack in!
GuideCool water, a nice breeze in the evening, water sounds day and night. Quiet.
Guide
Booked a last minute permit for the Pohono trail on a recent trip and had Dewey Point as one of my camp sites! Beautiful views of el cap and the valley made for an iconic back country spot !
TravelerWe went just up the road into the wildlife reserve and drove all the way up to burnside lake. Beautiful. Definitely need 4x4 and the road is super bumpy. We had a great spot that looked over the mountains. Would definitely come back. Lots of places to choose from along the way to the lake.
TravelerThis place is beautiful but it’s a designated free camp ground and has minimal spots on one side. The other side was so jammed full. We ended up squeezing in a parking space and asked the ranger for permission to use our pop up there (she was super nice about it). Trash, fire pits, bathrooms are all available there. Single lane road getting in to it was a little harry with other cars. Decent place if you need a safe space to rest.
Traveler
Pretty easy to get to and lots of spaces for dispersed sites. There was trash EVERYWHERE. Broken glass, toilet trash, bottles and cans, we were really disappointed. We found a spot pretty hidden which was rad but someone was shooting litteraly all night long which was frustrating. We probably won’t come back.
TravelerNot sure if my wife and I found the right spot or went far enough, but we found a great spot about 4 miles before silver fork camp ground. Nice and flat, right next to the stream, already had some stones for a fire ring. Easy road to get out there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Stanislaus National Forest?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Stanislaus National Forest is Bear Valley Dispersed Camping with a 3.9-star rating from 7 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Stanislaus National Forest?
TheDyrt.com has all 33 dispersed camping locations near Stanislaus National Forest, with real photos and reviews from campers.
