Camping near Donner Memorial State Park

97% (16 reviews)

Discover the most magical spots to pitch your tent or park your rig on your next Donner Memorial adventure.

A gripping piece of history meets up with a mountain lake and spectacular mountain views.

Popular ways to camp

Community favorites near Donner Memorial State Park

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Public campgrounds in the park
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Stay at a public campground in Donner Memorial State Park

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Ridge Campground

46 sites · RVs, Tents In Donner Memorial State Park

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Splitrock Campground

41 sites · RVs, Tents In Donner Memorial State Park

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Creek Campground

136 sites · RVs, Tents In Donner Memorial State Park

Top-rated campgrounds near Donner Memorial State Park

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Coachland RV Resort

134 sites · Lodging, RVs50 acres · Truckee, CA

Coachland RV Park is situated in the picturesque Sierra Nevada mountains in Northern California and is within close proximity to all the outdoor activities, shopping, and dining that Truckee, CA has to offer. Located at an elevation of 5,996 ft., Coachland RV Park welcomes visitors year-round and is a short distance from Northstar Ski Resort and Squaw Valley. During the summer, visitors can enjoy fishing and watersports on the nearby Truckee River. All the beauty that Lake Tahoe offers is just a short drive away from Coachland RV Park.

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Finnon Lake Recreation Area

39 sites · RVs, Tents140 acres · Placerville, CA

*BOOK EARLY* The campground is closed until April 1st. **NO FIREWORKS OF ANY KIND ALLOWED***** DINER CLOSED EFFECTIVE JULY 5TH*** **TRAILERS AND RVs MUST USE ROCK CREEK ROAD** From Sacramento on Hwy 50: : At the second stop light, Spring St./Hwy 49, turn left, heading north about 1 block to the stop sign. Turn left, staying on Hwy 49, approximately 1 mile. Turn right on Hwy 193. Travel approximately 3.1 miles to Rock Creek Road. Turn right onto Rock Creek Road and travel 8.9 miles to Finnon Lake/Frank's Diner on the Left. The campground is behind the Diner. The DINER IS CLOSED. Traveling West on 50 from Tahoe: make a right on HWY 49 traveling north. Follow the above instructions. Welcome to Finnon Lake Recreation Area! Our lovely lake offers serenity in a beautifully unique setting, nestled deep into the forest. Enjoy the scenic and exhilarating drive to our hidden gem along the South Fork of the American River- this is all for you to discover. The night skies above Finnon Lake will reveal stars unseen in most parts of California. Enjoy searching for bullfrogs, and watch the flock of Canadian Geese fly in right at sunset as the horizon blends into the watercolor sky. This private lake supports the fire protection efforts of the Mosquito Fire Protection District and the firefighters of this community. The lake is managed by volunteers of the community for the benefit of the residents The primary funding source for the Finnon Lake Restoration is the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, which was signed into law in 2004 with a mission to support “efforts that improve the environmental, economic and social well-being of the Sierra Nevada Region, its communities and the residents of California,” according to its Website. Finnon Lake is also home to a popular 18-hole disc golf course and Mosquito’s only restaurant, Frank's Diner. Enjoy swimming, boating, fishing, paddling, hiking, or biking during your stay. Potable water, picnic tables, campfire rings, and toilets on site. The property can not accommodate horses. 2 dogs per site limit. Our property is located in Placerville, California. Placerville is a charming California gold rush town named after the placer gold deposits found in its riverbeds and hills in the late 1840s. PLEASE NOTE, there is construction on the Mosquito Bridge. Expect delays, RVS/trailers must use Rock Creek Road (even if your GPS says Mosquito Road). Please message me with any questions. Please see our website: finnonrecreationarea.com for full directions. NO FIREWORKS OF ANY KIND ARE ALLOWED. Smoking is only allowed in an enclosed vehicle.

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L.Davis Ranch and Olde LYFE Alpacas

1 site · RV, Tent130 acres · Washoe Valley, NV

We sit on 130 acres of primarily pasture over looking Washoe Valley and Washoe Lake. Olde LYFE Alpacas offers visits with the animals, including an organized 60 min Peaceful Walk with an alpaca where you’ll experience them up close. To book an experience, go to www.oldelyfealpacas.com. There is a small retail store on site with a variety of products made with alpaca fiber, including the most delightful alpaca socks!!

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Flyte and Sparrow natural interlude

12 sites · RVs, Tents96 acres · Reno, CA

When you come to camp here you are on a working farm in transition. Girlfarm has been a local food go to for restaurants, farm family members, and regenerative agriculture interests. Today, the farm is looking forward to a new course in agri tourism as we begin planning walking gardens, art installations in the landscape, and interactive classes. If you would like a list of grass fed meats available, veggies, or herbs just text your host before arrival. We are looking for a seasonal self contained camper who we could offer trade for camp care - text host directly. Its been a huge water season so skeeters are around we also recommend tents have a rain fly and ground cloth. Welcome It was important to choose a partner like Hipcamp to invite like minded individuals who respect both the natural environment and the idea of less is more. At any time you may encounter farming activities, building out of tiny houses for future bookings, or gardens in the process of creation. As we move toward offering the land as a place to both find solitude or chosen participation our Flyte and Sparrow experience will hopefully be a place you will want to return to as your own tradition.

Twin Pines Cabin, Truckee

1 site · Lodging1 acre · Truckee, CA

Indulge in the ultimate mountain and lake retreat right in the heart of Truckee! Location, Location, Location: Revel in the perfect setting, just 5 minutes from downtown and a mere 5 minutes from the stunning Donner Lake. For your winter adventures, it's a quick 12-minute drive to Northstar and a scenic 16-minute journey to Palisades (Squaw). Newly Remodeled: Our cozy 4-bed, 2-bath cabin accommodates 10 guests comfortably. Enjoy updated amenities, a convenient washer/dryer, central heating for warmth, a delightful gas fireplace, and additional entertainment with a pool table and shuffleboard. Whether you're seeking outdoor thrills or a peaceful escape, this cabin offers the ideal blend of comfort and convenience for your Truckee getaway.

61%

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Big Yeti Tiny Village

8 sites · RVs, Tents1 acre · Washington, CA

As you know Hipcamp lets you book and enjoy your travel plans seamlessly, So....We make every effort to be open year round, even in a blizzard. Please make sure you are equipped completely for your perfect stay over. This is a Mountain Location please check local weather conditions before you arrive. This is located 25 minutes from Truckee. Emigrant Gap has some hidden GEMS. The State park at the end of the road hosts the North Fork of the North Fork of the American River and its water Fall. Bowman Lake and Yuba Gap reservoir are one exit away. This small camping area backs up to 100,000 acres of Tahoe National forest. You can walk to a restaurant with regular bathrooms and wifi. Here we have out door compost toilet and cold out door shower. ATM we are nothing special. Lots of cool things to do minutes from here, but we mainly boast a safe place to park on your journey. Historic and epic rock climbing is minutes from your campsite. Also there are 4 ski destinations less then 20 minutes from us. fishing lakes can be hiked to. Quads, snow mobiles, xcountry skiing, hiking, downhill and horse back riding can all happen without getting back on the freeway. September 1, 2023. In and effort to make stayovers more comfortable, Site 4 and 5 are being removed and site 6 is being modified to host a full time 34Ft RV available for nightly use.

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Lake Lane Waterfront Camping

8 sites · RVs1 acre · Nevada City, CA

Our lake property is situated directly adjacent to Scott's Flat Reservoir without any other properties between you and the lake! Enjoy the surrounding fir, cedar, and madrone trees as you watch the sunset over the water! Our property consists of 2 separate lots. The upper lot includes water, power, sewer hookups, WiFi and off street parking. The lower lot (closest to the water) does not have any hookups but has plenty of room for tent campsites. PREMIUM RV: "Lakeview Terrace": This RV Site is the larger of the 2 RV Sites. It offers a lot more open space for camp set up (table, chairs, cooking, etc.) This is the property where we keep our family's 5th wheel year round (as seen in some pictures, although we make it policy NOT to visit when RV Site #2 is booked in order to protect your privacy). STANDARD RV: "Starling's Nest": This is the smaller of the 2 RV Sites. The entire space is approximately 60'x15'. Depending on the size of your RV/Camper there is room enough to accommodate additional campsite set up. Full hookups (city water, electrical outlet (110), and sewer connection) are available beside the gravel parking pad and WiFi is provided. The lake view is filtered because of the many trees but there is easy access to the water via trails from the property or along Lake Lane. NOTE: Per Hipcamp restrictions this site is only available as an "add on" to the Premium RV: "Lakeview Terrace" to accommodate multi-family camping. LAKESIDE TENT CAMPSITES: "Halcyon Cove" consists of 3 separate tent campsites and guests are able to set up camp wherever they like on a first come basis. There is over 1/2 acre of land adjacent to the lakeshore. City water is provided but no power or sewer hookups at this time. NOTE: Per Hipcamp restrictions these sites are only available as an "add on" to the Premium RV: "Lakeview Terrace" to accommodate multi-family camping. Come see one of the most beautiful waterfront lake spots in the Sierras.

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Bright Bear Camp in Tahoe NF

5 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents2 acres · Nevada City, CA

Bright Bear Camp is a private two-acre property bordering Tahoe National Forest. We are located at 4300' elevation down a mostly dirt road along the beautiful Bear River and Bear Valley. This is a very peaceful spot among the trees with a small meadow and creek on the property. As our name suggests, bears are occasionally in the area so keep an eye out. You may also see the spotted owls that live nearby - listen closely for their calls (https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Spotted_Owl/overview). There is much to explore in the area and more with only a short drive to the South Yuba River, Emerald Pools, Lake Spaulding, Donner Pass, Donner Lake, and Truckee.

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Sugarpine Slopes at Grouse Ridge

6 sites · RVs, Tents40 acres · Nevada City, CA

It is on this property that I saw my first grouse. Also look for warblers-notably Audubon's and the Hermit Warblers- along with the White-headed Woodpecker. You will likely hear a Pileated Woodpecker and if you are lucky you will see one Learn more about this land: Welcome to Sugarpine Slopes. The Sugarpine has the longest cones in the world and many birds and mammals like the pine nuts and use the tree for habitat. This is a spring through fall place only. There is no winter access. The property is at 5800 feet. Depending on the weather the road may close from Nov 15th to May 15th. The road on the property is a dirt road. All wheel drive or 4WD vehicles recommended although the lower section could be accessed by most vehicles. Shorter trailers allowed at Site A. Site 3 can also accommodate a small teardrop-style trailer The property is totally undeveloped at this time. It is a wildlife corridor for deer and bear (keep all food contained), the mountain quail and the blue grouse. Keep your eyes open for the Hermit Warbler, Audubon's Warbler, and our gorgeous visitor from the tropics the Western Tanager. You are likely to hear the Pileated Woodpecker and if you are lucky you will see it and its red crest in an undulating flight through the trees. The property has a lovely west facing slope which climbs gradually at first then more steeply to the top of the property. We have drive-in camping on the lower section. There is one walk-in site at the top of the property. There is wonderful hiking nearby with several trailheads in the area within approximately 4 miles. More information can be provided upon request.

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Windsong Ridge Village

5 sites · RVs, Tents25 acres · North San Juan, CA

Welcome to Windsong Ridge, an evolving homestead on 25 acres of oak, pine, and manzanita woodland about 30 minutes outside of the historic gold rush towns of Grass Valley and Nevada City in Nevada County, CA. The property overlooks the iconic South Yuba River canyon and is 100% solar-powered and off grid with excellent cell coverage (Verizon and T-Mobile). Come be serenaded by the wind chimes throughout the property. Enjoy sitting by a fire and you may hear the coyotes in the distance after a day of swimming, hiking, paddling, site-seeing or attending one of the many festivals held throughout the year in town. We are at 1800 feet, therefore the summers are hot (sometimes in the triple digits), and winters are mild (snow is a surprising event at this elevation). We have developed an RV/tent site called Manzanita Rock Meadow (includes a wood-burning chiminea, composting toilet, trash, grill, and tables), with a pad for a van, RV and/or tent and plenty of room to spread out and set up camp. Hike the adjacent trails on public lands or enjoy hiking trails in the state park along the Yuba River. Bring your kayak or paddle board to Englebright Lake at any time of year. In less than two hours, you can visit Truckee, Lake Tahoe, or the Sierra Buttes/Lakes Basin areas and much more. In town you will find a variety excellent restaurants, farmers markets, live entertainment and wildly popular events throughout the year. We’ll be happy to help you plan your visit! (Start by checking out https://www.nevadacountygold.com/) We keep bags of instant light charcoal available for sale if you need it for $5. A bundle of firewood is available for $5 as well.

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Camp Shady Meadow

32 sites · RVs, Tents33 acres · Blairsden, CA

There are so many fun activities available in the nearby Blairsden/Graeagle area (golfing, biking, hiking, fishing, autumn foliage...just to name a few). We have added two beautiful glamping tents to our already unique RV, travel trailer, and tent sites. The glamping tents are complete with carpet, a comfortable queen size mattress, luxurious linens, two homemade benches, and two camping chairs to enjoy a cool evening campfire with a view of the mountains. Please note: these glamping tents are for adults only; no children or pets. Thank you for understanding!

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Sierra Sol Camp

11 sites · Lodging18 acres · Camptonville, CA

Welcome to Sierra Sol Camp! We have 9 different sites available to book as well as the option to book the entire property. Please scroll down to see all of the available options. Here are the sites we offer: -Sierra Sol Diva Den (cabin) -Water Tower (cabin) -Daisy Belle (canvas tent) -Rise and Shine (canvas tent) -Sierra Sol Camp Lotus (cabin) -Sierra Sol Vintage Trailer (onsite trailer) -Sierra Shipping Container Retreat (cabin) -Sierra Sol Main Cabin (cabin) -Sierra Sol Camp Whole Property (all sites) The Sierra Sol Camp project has been hosting community events and friend gathering for years. We take great pride in extending a warm and welcoming space for all our visitors and extending the invitation to campers was a great next step. We have listings ranging from yurts to shipping containers, an old water tower converted to a mini suit to a vintage trailer and canvas tents. The diva den was my old music studio and the main cabin is our family cabin. This is a magical and sacred space filled with a ton of memories please come join our community and nook in the sierras and make some more. We are based in between the middle fork of the Yuba river right where it meets up with Oregon Creek. If you like a long walk it is 2.5 miles down the dirt road to Oregon Creek and the middle fork of the Yuba. Driving takes 5 to 10 mins. The other direction is the largest lake in our county Bullards Bar Reservoir and Emerald Cove Marina. We are 1 mile down Marysville Rd. from a launch called dark day. There is a trailhead at the top of overflow boat parking for a public swimming hole on the lake. On our property, we have a main house with its own private facilities such as a kitchen, shower, and bath. On the land, we have 9 total unique cabin and canvas tent structures converted into boutique-like campsites. We have an epic outdoor entertaining kitchen and patio with an outdoor pizza oven and a little dog rinse behind the outdoor shower. The bathhouse is right across the way and provides a private but shared guest shower house, tub and sink. The sauna and fenced-in dog area are near the shipping container site. The sauna has just been remodelled with a shower and bathtub right outside the sauna house. Like anywhere in the woods there is an hour at sunset when you may have mosquitoes down near the sites in the spring and some of the summers depending on the year. We have a natural spray for that or fans in the kitchen. Off the path, you may find poison oak in the thick of the woods. So please stay on the marked trails.

The best camping near Donner Memorial State Park guide

Overview

About

We've all heard of the Donner Party. They're the pioneers who were stuck in the mountainous Donner Pass during the winter. You remember: They ended up eating their dead (ewww).

Well, here's where you can learn the real story. The Emigrant Trail Museum is fascinating. It helps you understand just what it meant to people in the past to come to California.

Exhibits also tell the stories of the Native-American Washoe tribe. You can also learn about the building of the transcontinental railroad, primarily by Chinese immigrants.

And when you're done with history, splash right into Donner Lake. This beautiful lake welcomes kayaker, windsurfers, and swimmers. You'll have to leave the park's boundaries if you need a boat ramp (and the fishing is only so-so).

Eight miles of hiking trails let you explore this patch of the Sierras. Three campgrounds are available (all with metal lockers to protect food from black bears).

Notable campgrounds

Ridge Campground: Offers a serene camping experience with easy access to hiking trails and lake views.
Splitrock Campground: Secluded spots nestled among towering pines, ideal for a peaceful retreat.
Creek Campground: Enjoy the soothing sounds of the nearby creek and the lush surroundings.

Tips for snagging a campsite

Book early, as sites can be reserved up to six months in advance and fill up quickly.
Be flexible with your dates to increase your chances of securing a spot.
Check for cancellations regularly, as plans change and spots may open up.
Explore nearby camping options to ensure you have a backup plan.

When to go

The best time to visit Donner Memorial State Park is during the summer for warm days and cool nights, perfect for camping and hiking. Winter offers a snowy wonderland for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Be mindful of seasonal closures and weather conditions before planning your trip.

Know before you go

Always check the park's current conditions and closures before visiting.
Remember to store food and toiletries in bear-resistant lockers provided at campsites.
Pets are welcome on certain trails and areas, but must remain on a leash at all times.
Day-use areas offer picnic spots and restrooms, with some facilities closed outside of peak season.
For safety, familiarize yourself with the park's rules and regulations, including fire restrictions.