Turner Falls Park

Camping areas are vast, but dirty with limited amenities. Have to fill up water at RV area. Scrambling and water areas are great though, lots of fun.

Turner Falls is one of the most beautiful parks in the state, unfortunately, it's owned by the City of Davis and they're a little bit greedy when it comes to admission. Keep in mind when you're thinking about booking that your reservation price will also include the park access for each person/vehicle in your party. It's a little bit convoluted but they do disclose it if you dig around on their website.

Collings Castle is an extremely cool and pretty unique hike, especially if you're into abandoned places. It can get pretty crowded but there are plenty of nooks and crannies in the maze of buildings that you can duck into. Some folks think it may be haunted and I don't usually buy into stuff like that - but anyone who built a castle during the Great Depression probably had a few skeletons in their closet. 

The falls are obviously stunning but the caves are a must-visit if you can find them. There are tons of secrets to find and natural mazes. Despite my issues with the ownership, Turner Falls is always worth a trip.

Honestly, great camping spots, you do need to get there early to grab a good spot, but it was great to use the all trails app to hike all around and visit the falls. The showers and rest rooms were really dirty, but in all honesty you’re there to camp.

The camping is primitive and we had access to a small natural pool area near falls. However, the rains messed up our tent and the bathrooms didn’t work.

I really enjoyed this park. Very accessible on a motorcycle. Nice campground area suitable for tents. Plenty of picnic tables and storm shelters and restrooms.

As everyone else has said, crowds here are the worst. Not only does it just get busy: the crowds here are particular crude, litter, loud, and generally unpleasant (drunk). Don’t go on weekends. It simply won’t be worth it. Sneak a day off and go middle of the week.

Apart from humans the park itself is a wonder. Diverse plant life, awesome views, COLD water. Be sure to take the time to explore “the castle” it is Huge and if you can make it to the top you’ll be rewarded with a view. Be careful which rocks in the water you choose to sit on in the shallow fast moving water parts, many are covered with thousands of little tiny leeches!!!

Had a great time here with my son. Place was a bit flooded and off season, but we had a blast adventuring on the trails and in the water. Great time!

I agree with the others. It’s trashed and it is PACKED. The tent sites are a little too close together for my liking. Like on top of each other. I think your best bet would be to stay on the outer edge sites and not in the middle for sure. I’d also reserve online bc they are always full. I’ve heard of people being turned away that just show up to camp. It is EXPENSIVE also. You have to pay for your campsite and then also pay a fee per person. Tent camping is only $12.50 but then add on $16 per adult and $9 per child..... it’s ridiculous. There’s a lot of other places I would rather stay that are way less crowded and way cheaper. I’d suggest staying elsewhere and stopping in for the day if you want to go. ALSO you have to have a coast guard approved life jacket for everyone under the age of 12! So keep that in mind. Pets are not allowed at the falls either.

I camped here in November and was not at all prepared for how cold it was at night. We arrived after dark and set up and went to sleep right away. The sites are pretty spread out but there were no restrooms, only porta pottys.

Completely primitive. There are showers and flushing toilets available, but for the most part you're accessing portables. The previous review regarding rules, or a lack thereof, is relatively accurate. It would be a fun place to spend a couple days if you were lucky enough to pick days the park isn't very crowded. It is quite a shame the level of preservation and care allotted to the environment. People couldn't be bothered to properly dispose of their waste, female hygiene products were in the water at the falls, soiled diapers stuffed into bushes, and waste was everywhere except in the bathrooms which were surprisingly clean. This place is definitely for the "party" camper.

Overall horrible, just horrible. To begin with, we were overcharged and had to deal with a rude employee. This place has no rules, guidelines, structure or organization. It's trashy, overcrowded and very unsafe! Did I mention how horrible this place is?!? I do NOT recommend this place at all! The only good reviews on here mention how beautiful the place is, which is true, but still not worth it with the staff and attitude they have and most importantly how UNSAFE it is. Spend your money elsewhere, anywhere but here.

Busy as can be lots of people. If you like to camp and be secluded this isn’t the park. There are a couple great spots but the go fast. We got here on Wednesday and most of the secluded spots were taken. I’m guessing for the anticipation of the holiday weekend. I ended up grabbing the same spot as last time the only thing different was we had the boys with us 🤗

I’m gonna be honest I like the feeling of people driving by and hearing the comments on my campsite set up. It’s very pleasing. But I do prefer seclusion with covid-19 going on.

Seen some deer after we got rained out and spent a whole day in the tent with the family.

This place is overflowing in the summer. Filled to capacity with a mile long line sometimes. I don’t recommend it unless you love crowds.

However, this is a nice destination for a weekend winter camping trip. Lots of hiking, great scenery, and my favorite part, they stock the creek with trout!

It’s $15+tax to fish 12.50 to tent camp $6 entry fee if not fishing. I went in on a Friday night, camped Friday and Saturday, left on sunday, fished on Saturday and it’s was $55-ish.

While you are in the area try the fried pies at Arbuckle Mountain Fried Pies (coconut cream) and the best bbq you’ve ever eaten at Smokin Joe’s (smoked hot wings are my favorite.

Pros: Beatiful scenery, several trails, caves, an old concrete castle to climb.

Cons: cost, litter, facilities aren’t great, can’t cut trees for firewood

Good place for day trip. Try to visit on weekday if possible, the weekend draws crowds which take away from the scenery and positive experience.

We had a nice time there and weather helped out, not 110F, though there is a big BUT.

Portapotties were in great shape. They were cleaned every day and mostly restocked with toilet paper. Blue Moose did a great job

The on-site built restroom/shower house were terrible.

Every trail we hiked was struned with trash.

9am Saturday they closed the park to new arrivals. 5000 person capacity.

The overnight camping fees are a little ridiculous. We stayed Friday, Saturday, and left on Sunday 10am (must leave RV spot by noon). We arrived after 4pm to avoid the day fees on Friday. We had to pay for the Sunday day fees whether we stayed all-day or not.

Two adults, one 30amp RV spot for two days and two nights = $150!!

If you have the luxury of checking this place out on a weekday as opposed to weekend you will be a lot more pleased with your stay during late Spring or Summer. The campground is very popular because it has a lot of room to spread out and with campsites only $12.50 per night for primitive camping the price is right for most.

Turner Falls is a popular swimming spot so naturally the campground instantly has a built in following of people who come out. A lot of families but also a lot of younger thrill seekers just wanting to get their feet wet. By coming during the week you avoid a bit more of the party type crowd and get more of the fun.

They do also have spaces for RVs however that wasn't ever where I personally was staying so my knowledge of that area is a bit more limited. It always seemed a bit more claustrophobic than the primitive tent area.

When I was there last I noticed an influx of security from previous visits, I am sure it is because the busy campground tends to entice those summer style parties and they want to keep the incidents down to a minimum.

The area I stayed in was well shaded and had no real amenities. It is the furthest from the falls itself but has creek swimming and more hiking. I enjoyed it because being a bit away from the falls it was a bit more quiet than the closer sites. It was still accessible to the action without having to be in the middle of it all. This was considered to be the "Green" area according to the maps at the park.

A short walk into the "Blue" area and you could find restrooms and showers. I was just off Butterly Road which is literally right up from this zone. I will say however, this section of road is more heavily trafficked than others because it is the main road into the primitive camp area. I noticed that a lot of people were coming and going in the attempt to turn around because they had passed the Blue section somehow so it made for a little more noise than I had anticipated even on a regular day, I can only imagine what it would be like on a weekend.

TIPS:

• Arrive early on weekends for any type of site.
• Check park maps for the best route to your destination, they are placed throughout the park and clearly marked.
• Drink Responsibly! There are plenty of patrols out for safety but also to make sure you aren't getting unruly so if you are bringing the party to Turner Falls don't get out of line.

UPDATE (10/2/18)*****

This park and its flow of water along the river which is sits experienced abnormal flooding which closed the park as swells of water engulfed much of the lower pool area including roads and some buildings. At the time I visited again to witness the powerful waters of the flood I took the attached videos and photos. Signs were posted that the park would remain closed until further notice, so if attempting to camp here in late 2018 make sure you check the website or call. (Photos taken from upper vantage point where zip line is located just past camping area)

Turner falls is gorgeous park with plenty of room for everyone to swim and lots to explore. There is also a castle you can explore but the park has gone a little downhill. People have spray painted all over the place and there is trash everywhere.

The campsites are awesome for someone who enjoys spread out and more secluded sites away from others. You can find some that are fairly spread out and hidden if you look hard enough.

Somewhat overcrowded on weekends, beautiful on weekdays. Crystal clear water

This is one of my favorite places! Great family friendly camping!!

I camped at Turner Falls with my family and children, including a 3 year old and a 12 year old. We came during the winter season late October, and temperatures were comfortable during the day but cold at night. Renting a "shelter" gave us plenty of room to store our belongings and come inside during the cold winds. The top 1/2 of the walls are open with wood crosshatching across. We ended up tacking plastic across the openings to keep the wind out. I highly recommend doing that and bringing an electric heater if you want to sleep comfortably in the shelter. If you have a cold-weather tent with 20° rated sleeping bags, you could sleep in the tent grounds instead.

The scenery and hikes are beautiful and just challenging enough to keep everyone excited. Find the caves for a harder rock climbing experience. But even the most hard-to-reach caves were accessible for my 12 year old with some help. The Mountain Trail and Firebreak Trail are smoother for a great run or jog. Even though it was too cold for swimming, hiking along the water was still enjoyable. My biggest drawback was the broken glass everywhere. They do allow glass bottles on site, and there were bottles caps and shards of glass on several of the rocks we climbed. Be aware where you place your hands.

Bathrooms were not open so Porta-Potties were placed by the camp sites. They were clean and maintained. There was 1 main bathroom and shower house open on Level 1. It was clean and heated.

July 28-July 31Bachelor Party

The Good:

Beautifullandscape, friendly people, crystal clear, ice cold water to swim in.

The Bad:

Extremely busy. Little privacy anywhere in the park. Chiggers are horrible this time of year. Unable to cut firewood for ourselves.

3/5 Overall Experience

Turner Falls is amazing place that has a lot of hiking great waterfall and swimming. Remember make sure that you buy your tickets ahead of time because it gets so packed on the weekends nobody can get in. Visit www.turnerfallapark.net inside the park amazing views and large decks

Spending my first time camping here on Memorial Day weekend probably wasn't the best choice for a get away. Got in late in the evening and drove around to try to find a secluded, quiet place to set up. It took a while to find. The park was full of people having a good time and partying. Really fun atmosphere. Set up camp on top of hill to be able to catch the sunrise and it was worth it. There are plenty of spots to camp, and plenty of places with shade further back in the park. There are spots to hook up RV's and cabins available. The park also offers quite a few stores to stop and get supplies along with food, and a place to do laundry. Hiking can definitely all be done in one day, and the river and the falls were beautiful. Seems like a great family campground with good scenery.

Hiking is must-do with caves and waterfalls. Swimming along the falls is also quite memorable (bring water shoes, though not required). They have screened-in shelters for eating and camping, which tells you bugs can be an issue here. Other camping options include cabins, full RV hookup, and tent sites. None of these are along the water, but you can walk to the falls on a trail. None of the sites are shady or have great privacy. Camp store, restaurants, souvenir shop. Busy but well-deserved popularity. Enough to do to spend a whole weekend. Not far from Chickasaw Park and Cultural center.

Turner falls is a must do experience, even if you dont like water! Dont forget to stop down the street for fried pies

Turner falls was very fun and I had no complaints what so ever. The water's were comfortable and clean. Lots of surprises around every corner. Hidden caves and even a castle which my children enjoyed very much. Decent places to eat that were kid friendly was near by. Lots of hiking and photo oppurtunities. The slides wading pools and Sandy beaches were a nice break from buay everyday life!

We found this place accidently and it ended up being absolutley amazing. I will plan many trips here in order to spend more time. We didn't get to camp but the water was clean and beautiful and the bathrooms were clean. We couldn't believe the gem we stumbled on. Please do yourself a favor and visit this place.

The water is crystal blue, cold and refreshing. Parents be warned, children under 12 have to wear a life vest at all times near the water. I feel very safe here though as police are constantly patrolling the area and campgrounds. Affordable cabins. Alcohol is allowed at your campsite only. Bring good shoes and bring water booties for the slippery rocks for sure! There is a lot to explore though so I would give yourself the entire weekend...or week if possible. The campsites are affordable, but the price to get in is $12 adults, $6 children, in addition to your campsite.

Amazing! Blue, clean,clear water. The falls are awesome but exploring is where you'll find the true gems! The caves are great to cool off in while hiking! The views are spectacular!! Walking upstream to avoid the crowd at the falls is well worth it! Go explore and you will be rewarded with natural beauty for the effort.

Pretty good area to camp in. It is obviously near Turner Falls, which can be really beautiful if it isn't dried up. The sites are first come first serve, and they price them by vehicle. You also have to pay to enter the park, which is kind of silly. When we went it wasn't too hard to find a site, because we came on a Thursday, but it did fill up fast. Some of our neighbors were also playing very loud music. Not the best place to camp, but not bad.