Homestead Knolls Campground

General: One of three campgrounds as part of the Calamas Reservoir State Recreation Area. Homestead Knolls has 83 sites, all with electricity; two of them are handicap accessible and about half are reservable. 

Site Quality: All had paved driveways and appeared level. We were granted a handicap site as it was after 5 pm and this one was close to the restrooms (heavy rain was forecasted for the night). There had already been some rain and some of the sites had some flooding. It was pretty quiet on a Sunday night in early June (with crappy weather) but we were told that on weekends (especially holiday weekends), the campground fills up. Each site has a picnic table and fire pit/grill. 

Restrooms: One bathhouse with flush toilets, and showers. Showers take quarters. When we were there, the quarter machine was broken but the host had quarters. We were told the reason they charge for showers is to discourage teenage girls from taking long showers after being at the beach! The bathrooms were clean but dated. We didn’t use the shower so cannot comment on it. There were also vault toilets located throughout the campground and day-use area; the one I used was very clean. 

Activities: Primary activities are boating, fishing, and water skiing. We don’t do any of these and were just passing through with only one more night before returning home from a three-month road trip. There was also a sign for a nature trail, but the raindrops were beginning to fall so we were not able to explore it. There is a playground, but it was dated. If you have kids who would like to use the playground, I recommend Sites 26, 28, 30 and 40, 42, and 44 (conversely, stay away from these sites if you do not want to be close to kids on the playground)! 

Overall, this is a decent campground but at $42 per night (including a $12 out-of-state pass), we would try and find other places to camp, especially since we do not have a boat or fish.

Beautiful campground! Nice boat ramp but can be tricky to load if windy. Book in advance as this site is very popular and always full!

Homestead Knolls is a small campground near a small, beautiful white sand beach with gradual increase in depth, perfect for swimming with family. Boat ramp is nearby. You can find all essentials at a nearby gas station.