Schoolhouse Canyon Campground

Brought my son out here from Colorado without a reservation, and Chris took great care of us. He put us in a very level spot that was great for my rooftop tent situation. Can’t say enough good things about him and his staff. Everyone was very friendly. My son made quick friends with some other kids there and they had a great time. The Russian River is conveniently across the street, and the gravel beach area is great for little waders.. (River shoes are a must though). There are inner tubes and paddle boards for rent if you are so inclined.

There are plenty of water spigots near the camp sites, the bathrooms, showers, and dish sinks were all very clean. Mosquitos were not really noticeable, and the campsites are all under tall trees with plenty of cool shade and a nice sturdy picnic table. There  are heavy duty steel fire rings with grates at every site, and quality firewood is available to purchase at a reasonable price. I will definitely be coming back to this spot next time we are out this way.

Just a heads up, it’s a quiet campsite. Radios aren’t allowed, so if you are looking to party late into the night this isn’t the spot for you. We enjoyed the peace and quiet though.

Location location location…. The Schoolhouse Canyon Campground is located about 400 yards off the Russian River / 1/2 mile down the road from the Korbel Winery (amazing deli!!!) and about 5 miles from the town of Gurneville (Safeway + bakery's etc.).  Chris the owner runs the site and his family has had the propety for about 160 years starting when his ggg grandfather arrived during the gold rush of 1849.  

     Many lessons were learned over the years and Chris' attention to detail and meticulos vetting of potential disruptive guests make for a wonderful experience.   The campsite is divided into two areas, an  adults area (higher up the road) and a family area (just inside the gate when you first arrive) both areas allow for a adult friendly & a family safe visit to this canyon,  which is located under a 100 foot + high canopy of trees (see my photo below). 

     The campsites are large and include a fire ring with a flip down grill (see photo) a standard sized picnic table and most important  - it is very clean.  It is primarily designed for tent camping, but I did see several pop-up trailers.  With in a very short walking distance are hot showers ($1.25 for 6 minutes) and a place to wash your pots and pans. Also near by are spigots with fresh well water that you can safely drink and/or fill up your canister when ever you need water. Chris has fire wood onsite ($5 a bundle) and loads of inner tubes for use on the river ($5 a day).  The beach along the river is for the camps private use and their is a company the will rent you stand up paddle boards ($50 for two hours or $100 per day). 

            Chris can be difficult to reach by phone, but he will call you back - and if you don't answer his call you lose your opportunity to make a reservation as he does not have the time to call you again.

My wife son and i drove up with no reservations because we wanted to just do one night. Luckily Chris and his wife had multiple sites open for us to choose from. My brother was meeting us out there and both him and i are hammock campers so we chose site 7D it was a massive site and plenty of trees to hang from and a nice large flat area for the tent. The grounds are very beautiful and give you everything you need. They have a adults only area with a few really nice sites for those who don’t want to hear the kids playing. And the family section is very fun and all the guests were friendly. The showers and restrooms were well kept and a big plus! It’s 25cents a minute for a hot water shower but so worth it after playing in the river all day. They own a large beach across the road and is only open to schoolhouse guests so it’s not to crowded and all familiar faces. Chris had books for the kids to read at the check in and stacks of fire wood $7 a bundle if you forgot to bring your own. We will definitely be back