Are you in need of a campground near Walnut Grove, CA? There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your California camping adventure.
"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."
$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."
$30 / night
"We didn’t have a reservation, but got 1 upon arrival around 2pm. Our site had nearby bathrooms, showers & trash. It included picnic table, fire pit, food storage boxes, & is very spacious."
$5 - $55 / night
"It got really cold at night (32 degrees), but my fault for not checking the weather. Beautiful views. Nice landscape. Spacious sites. There was no one else in the cluster of 6 spots that I stayed at."
"Our favorite spot to take the kids to the lake. If your looking for something calm this is the spot at Lake Berryessa."
$75 - $200 / night
"A few low spots. Cleared 12' barely with minor scrapes. Good parking and turn around. Lots of opportunities for horse riders in area. Pets on leash."
$75 - $120 / night
"Tilden Park is perfect for anyone whose interested in wildlife and hiking in perfect climates. Tilden offers a lake in the middle to swim in and fish. The campsites have lots of fire pits."
"Tilden is great for anyone looking for a close park right outside of the Berkeley/San Fran area. It is a rather large park area that overlooks Berkeley."
$75 / night
"The Sibley backpack camp is a small, primitive hike-in site for a maximum of 15 campers (although this would be super cramped in my opinion, unless it a bunch of small kids), a moderate 0.2 mile walk from"
Scoutgreat campsite! be careful driving up the windy road and watch for the many cyclists. going up/down with you.
driving in was very easy; parking is right next to the site. the campsite itself was beautiful - panoramic views of the east bay area. i could recognize walnut creek, lafayette, danville and san ramon through the binoculars. site was clean, but the ground itself was very rocky. irritating that there wasn't really any level spots to set up the tent, so sleeping on a slant was a real treat (sarcasm). weather was very mild during the day; not too hot, nor too cold. nights were bearable in the high 50s, and by late night (cuz i kept waking up because of slanted sleeping), but felt like low 40s and slightly windy. make sure you bring thermals and a warm sleeping bag. sleeping pad is a definite must on the sharp rocks; be careful when stepping around in the tent with just socks on.
drought meant that flushing toilets were all locked.. as were the showers.. but from what i heard the "chemical toilets" (aka porta-potties) were an adequate substitute. water access had been shut off as well, so make sure you bring plenty of your own for washing and drinking.
critters - we didn't encounter any during our stay. no racoons, bears, mice, rats.. nada. just a ton of pincher bugs everywhere. not even many flies! we had those spinning fly deterrent things, though. maybe those really DO work?
ALSO because of the drought - NO WOOD FIRES ALLOWED. total/complete bummer to camp without a campfire. gas stoves and lanterns were permitted, though.
GuideWe hiked up to Juniper campground from the Clayton side. The sites in the teens have less overhead shade but more privacy than those of higher numbers. The sites closest to the driving road/entrance/overlook will have the potential to be downwind of the bathroom, unfortunately.
The campground is a dry campground - as in no alcohol.
That said, we loved our site #15, and enjoyed the privacy it provided, plus the views (if you stand on the table or are tall). We didn't encounter critters. We had some trouble staking down on the rocky dirt.
This is a good campground to explore the rest of the summit areas, plus Rock City.
GuideWe (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!!!
GuideBeautiful 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.
TravelerA few low spots. Cleared 12' barely with minor scrapes. Good parking and turn around. Lots of opportunities for horse riders in area. Pets on leash.
GuideHad a great 1 night stay at Juniper! We didn’t have a reservation, but got 1 upon arrival around 2pm. Our site had nearby bathrooms, showers & trash. It included picnic table, fire pit, food storage boxes, & is very spacious.
The weather in May was really nice imo. Not too cold at night with layers, & starts warming up quick in the morning. Bugs weren’t too bad. Heard coyotes howling night and day which was neat. No raccoons. Saw some lizards.
Just a heads up the drive is windy, I got carsick on the way down. Will be returning & hopefully trying some hikes next time!
LegendGeneral: 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!
RangerGetting there: Super easy, look for the tallest mountain in the area, drive towards it, boom you're there. It was expensive to enter the park... I think around $10 per vehicle, someone correct me if i'm wrong.
Campsites: The campsites are a decent size and fairly spaced out. All the campsites provide a old broken down picnic table, a bear box, a grill, and a fire pit. There are shared restrooms with plumbing to use.
The Park: Awesome. Big. Crowded. No dogs allowed.
What to do: Hike Diablo there are TONS of trails. Go rock climbing or bouldering in Rock City. Drive, hike to the top and check out the observation deck.
*will add my pics later.
GuideWe 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.
Tent camping near Walnut Grove, California, offers a variety of scenic locations where nature lovers can enjoy the great outdoors. With options for fishing, hiking, and relaxing by the water, there’s something for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Walnut Grove, CA is Delta Bay RV Resort with a 5-star rating from 2 reviews.
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