Join the fun near Stanislaus National Forest. With tons of outdoor activities and scenic camping, this is an excellent vacation spot for all kinds of travelers. There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. Find the best campgrounds near Stanislaus National Forest, CA. Read reviews from campers like you and find your perfect campsite.
$40 / night
"This is a nice campground on Pinecrest Lake near Sonora Pass in Stanislaus National Forest."
"Pinecrest was an amazing place at the edge of the Stanislaus national forest. The community is great, the campground and bathrooms were very well maintained. It was a 10min walk to the lake."
$25 - $70 / night
"I think this is my favorite California State Park. It is situated in the Calaveras Big Trees Giant Sequoia Grove."
"Pros - you are in the middle of the Sequoias, near hiking, kayaking, etc. Beautiful river nearby; pretty easy in and out for small-ish RVs. Hard to beat the location."
$32 / night
"About a 1/4 mile walk or drive to Pinecrest Lake. Store has food, ice, drinks close by. Steam Donkey bar and restaurant next to store.
A great spot to get relief from main Pinecrest CG crowds."
"Close to town and Dodge Ridge. There isn't really any cell signal, which is a good thing. The site is somewhat primitive, but we really enjoyed it. There is a lot of shade and that is a plus."
$16 / night
"It's about a 3 hour drive from my home in the Bay Area, the Utica/ Union Reservoirs are right off the 4 highway and Spicer Reservoir Rd (roughly 20 miles north of Arnold, CA)."
"Lots of trails to ride your bike and walk."
"Bear valley is my favorite place to go camping, the most you get close to the top of the mountain, the most curvy the road is, so be prepare."
$16 / night
"Even the farthest spot is just a minute walk to the water. But there are only a handful of spots, so make sure you get here as early as you can to secure a spot."
"You can find beautiful, isolated sites on the islands all around the lake. Great hammock camping!"
"There were a couple of other spots taken, but it was off the beaten path and very quiet. I was able to watch the sunset from some rocks across the road."
"Thousand Trails Membership allows me to stay 21 days free. Just 5 miles outside of Yosemite Entrance or Catch the bus right here at the campground. Campfires allowed. Lots of activities for the kids."
"Whip out your wallet and empty on it on the check-in desk of this thousand trails (or whatever) park."
$30 / night
"With great sites, some close to the creek, friendly camp hosts, and an abundance of nearby activities, this is a must."
"You can walk to the pot holes for a swim or cross the street to one of the most beautiful lakes. It’s close to lots of trails. Easy access. Has bear boxes and fire rings."
GuideThis is a nice campground on Pinecrest Lake near Sonora Pass in Stanislaus National Forest. There is a great hike around the lake close by, as well as swimming in the lake a marina and a convenience store. This campground is open seasonally during spring, summer and fall due to the snow in winter. It is located in gold country, so there are some great little western towns in the area.
TravelerPinecrest was an amazing place at the edge of the Stanislaus national forest. The community is great, the campground and bathrooms were very well maintained. It was a 10min walk to the lake. If you’re into fishing, there are trout in the area with some nice fishing spots labeled on the paper map. Even boat rentals to get into the open water. The hike around the lake was beautiful too, roughly 2-3 hr hike with some great views. Amazing place to camp.
TravelerDispersed camping, with several campsites available. Historically this was the location of a pack station supplying goods to the silver mines over the pass. Many opportunities for fishing and hiking here. It is rustic, with no freshwater or garbage service. Located in the Stanislaus National Forest.
ScoutGot to see great big Sequoia trees in Calvaras big trees State Park and then camped for Free in the Stanislaus National Forest. It's right off the road but if you need a place to stay and don't mind no amenities it's great
ScoutThis place is barely worth the fee. Overall the grounds are neglected, bathrooms are sketchy, and sites are crammed together. Traffic noise from CA108 is also a bumr. But it is 5500' up in the beautiful Stanislaus National Forest, so it's got that going for it... 2.5/5
LegendWe stayed here for one night to stage before entering Yosemite National Park. The Stanislaus National Forest. They have a great ranger station with detailed maps of the logging roads and campsites. We camped just on the logging road next to Diamond O. The trees burned a few years back during the big Yosemite Fire. So, it not the most scenic site but we had the area to ourselves and we’re happy to get a place so close to Yosemite. No facilities here and you need a permit from the ranger station for some of these sites. The area is popular for dispersed campers in waiting to get a spot in Yosemite National Park.
GuideThree Links Camp is a private campground just below Stanislaus National Forest on 108. The campground has dorms for families/groups (a building with bunk beds and a bathroom) and tent and full-hookup RV sites. The campground was beautiful and my kids had a blast walking around all the buildings (hall, chapel, cabins/dorms) and on baseball field, disc golf course, and basketball court! There’s also a pool, but it was closed for the season. They’re open year-round, so we might return for a snow visit! The hosts were nice, the rates are affordable, and there is cell service (ATT) and WiFi if you don’t want to unplug completely.
I feel like I should note the owners are new and not the ones who were there for the review below mine. They’ve done a lot of work to better the campsite!
GuideWith a pool, petting zoo, a corral where they have a fire and s'mores followed by a movie, this is a great place to camp with the kids.
The showers are free and usually clean although on Saturday evening the campground was full and the bathrooms were dirty and out of TP.
There are tent sites, RV sites and cabins so something for everyone.
There were A LOT of stray cats on the property which kind of drove our dog crazy. But at least the campground is pet friendly.
If you plan to go into Yosemite NP, it's a long drive so plan accordingly. Our family really enjoys Rainbow Pools and Yosemite Pine's proximity to Rainbow Pools is part of why we stay here. The kids can jump and swim there and that's all they really want to do anyway so being close to that is key for us. So many of the places in the park where we used to get in the water do not allow swimming anymore.
ScoutWe love how clean it is, and the staff is friendly. The surrounding areas are woodsy and our dogs love the dog park!
Discover the joy of camping with your furry friends near Stanislaus National Forest in California, where several campgrounds welcome pets and offer a range of amenities and activities for an unforgettable outdoor experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Stanislaus National Forest is Pinecrest Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 17 reviews.
TheDyrt.com has all 200 dog-friendly camping locations near Stanislaus National Forest, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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