The best camping near Great Valley Grasslands State Park
Discover the most magical spots to pitch your tent or park your rig on your next Great Valley Grasslands State Park adventure.
Discover the native grasslands and wildlife of Great Valley Grasslands SP.
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Community favorites near Great Valley Grasslands State Park
Top-rated campgrounds reviewed by the Hipcamp community.
Top-rated campgrounds near Great Valley Grasslands State Park
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Cole Ranch
10 sites · RVs, Tents5 acres · Waterford, CA
"I firmly believe that Nature brings solace in all troubles." -Anne Frank-
Serene, quiet acreage on the Tuolumne River, with views of the snow capped Sierra Nevadas on a clear day. Scores of wildlife sightings, including river otters, eagles, wild turkeys, beavers, and many more. Perfect for swimming, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, or just relaxing. Like to fish? Fishing at Cole Ranch is a Love/Hate thing. If you Love to Fish, you will Hate to leave. Gateway to Yosemite National Park, the Mother Lode region, hiking trails, and spelunking opportunities. All sites have access to our community outdoor kitchen, which has a refrigerator, coffee bar, sink, BBQ's, and stoves. Also available is our bathrooms, quite possibly the cleanest campground bathrooms in the 13 western states, which include flushable toilets, two sinks, and warm showers. Book your visit now. (Group bookings must be approved by host. Group bookings that have not been pre-approved may be cancelled.)
(Cole Ranch is a working ranch. Occasional noise from common ranching activities may be heard.) Check back here periodically for advisories on river conditions.
###EXCITING NEWS### We are working hard to open at least THREE new campsites. These new sites will be more secluded and private than current sites, each with its own path to the river. Contact Barry, coleranch23@icloud.com, for more information.
**ADVISORY**
4/18/24
River is currently running about 3' above normal. Except for Fisherman's Hideout, all sites remain open. Fisherman's Hideout is currently under water, but should be open some time in May. Fishing is great right now, but water activities will be limited. Will update as changes occur.
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Wood Colony Haven
1 site · RV10 acres · Modesto, CA
West of Modesto, in California's San Joaquin Valley, you’ll find an area rich in agriculture known as Wood Colony. Established in 1869, this soil has been farmed through generations and filled with history. Wood Colony Haven sits on just under 10 acres of land, surrounded by beautiful walnut and almond orchards as well as grazing ground for our livestock. We are situated in the “Golden Triangle” as our ranch is conveniently situated with easy access to major highways and freeways such as I-5, 99, and 132. With less than 2 hours in proximity to both the mountains and the ocean, Wood Colony offers the best centralized location for any activity!
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Song of the Ancients
15 sites · RVs, Tents40 acres · Paicines, CA
Come and enjoy the beginning of Spring! The world is green and flowers are starting to blanket the hillsides. The days are bright and sunny and comfortably warm. The nights are cool and crisp and filled with the song of coyote and their frog chorus'. Bring your family and friends outside and laze around in the hammock or put your feet up on the side of the campfire, throw your head back and loose yourself in the galaxies above. You can pitch any where from 1 to 15 or more tents at each campsite. Our campsites are RV friendly but remember we are off grid so we do not have blackwater facilities or electricity for RVs. We do have garden hoses to fill up the RV water tanks.
We are the same latitude of Carmel (but a world away), Between Hollister and the Monterey - Salinas metro area and Los Banos and the San Joaquin Valley, close to the vast San Francisco Bay Area; which includes Berkeley, Oakland, Walnut Creek and all the East, North, and South Bay to Pinnacles National Monument and the town of Paicines. You can spend the day in San Juan Bautista at the Mission and Shops or breakfast or lunch at Flapjacks in Tres Pinos, Monterey at the Aquarium, walk on the beach at Moss Landing, hike at Pinnacles, Fremont Peak, Griswold Mountains, or Panoche Hills. Then back home to sit in a quiet world under the stars. You can also...do nothing. Read a book doze in the shade drift off in a hammock or walk and discover the land and discover your place in this world.
Pitch your tent or park your camper amid the ancient Blue Oaks of California. Warm yourself by your campfire as you drink in the dark skies. Shake the dust off your work worn spirit. Let the celebration begin.
Dance to the music in your heart sing along with the songs of the ancients. Regenerate. A place to breathe and to hear yourself breathe. A sacred place in the shade of the blue oaks. It's time to take time. Time to play and enjoy with friends and family. A place to bask in opulent starlight and absorb the sounds of darkness.
A quiet place to clear your soul and revive your spirit. As the air softens and relaxes listen closely to the ancients singing in the oaks. Lend your voice to the Song of the Ancients and let Coyote sing you to sleep.
What we provide is: outdoor hot shower, flush toilet, water from a faucet, and at your campsite a fire pit and grill to cook on, picnic table with benches, and the blue oak savanna. Firewood for $15/bundle, fire starters -first two free in the winter then $0.50/each. Our firewood is sustainably harvested from downed trees and branches. We sell it for a neighbor. No healthy live trees are harmed in order to produce firewood. No native trees are felled in order to plant fast growing hardwood for fire or anything else!
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Red Dragonfly Ranch
16 sites · RVs, Tents38 acres · Groveland, CA
In 2020 Red Dragonfly Ranch was opened and named in honor of the previous owners sister who would visit her in a form of a Red Dragonfly.
June 2022 Red Dragonfly Ranch was purchased and is now ran by the Goldstein family. We wanted to keep the name to continue to honor her sister and the unique continued presence of red dragonflies on the property. As a family ran campsite you will meet a few of us and we are all here to help in any way. Our goal is to make a Hip Camp that our campers can fully enjoy and have the property be the destination of choice when visiting Yosemite or the gold country of the Sierra’s. The Red Dragonfly Ranch is conveniently located. We are only 30 minutes from the entrance to Yosemite and only minutes away from the beautiful town of Groveland " The Gateway to Yosemite" and all the hidden gems in between.
There are chickens who lay eggs daily and we are working on maintaining the many raised beds, our goal is being able to have our campers feel free to pick fresh herbs, fruits and veggies for their pleasure. There is a year round spring fed creek to cool off in and shade is plentiful.
Rv's are welcome , but we are boondocking only.
Follow us on instagram @red_dragonfly_ranch
Please shoot us a message if you have any questions.
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Wondernut Farm
4 sites · Lodging37 acres · Big Oak Flat, CA
Wondernut Farm is an upstart, entirely off grid, working farm-stead being built from the ground up. We breed milking goats and sheep, heritage pigs, and are in the process of converting to a grade A dairy and creamery! We use organic practices, management intensive rotational grazing, and dryland pasture management. We sell our animals locally so that others can have their own milking and meat animals. Our 110 year old hay barn and the roof of the former lumber mill were all we had to work with in getting off the ground.
Being first and foremost a functional farm, we can't help but offer a somewhat warts-and-all look into everything it takes to be working to our goals. Our hearts are, and always will be, educational and local community focused, and we work closely with farmers and friends alike in better understanding our innovative animal husbandry, power, pasture and water systems. Whenever we have time, we'll afford the same time and opportunities to interested hip-campers.
Our location is stunning and historic, and the beauty of the wild, natural landscape is powerful, yet offers easy access to both Yosemite Valley and the San Francisco Bay area. The area features excellent road and mountain biking in the immediate vicinity, vast access to hiking and backpacking trails, a huge variety of rock climbing in the area, the best whitewater rafting in California on the Tuolumne River, with some tasty places to eat or drink coffee in the nearby town of Groveland, just 10 minutes away.
Accommodations at the farm are certainly rustic, and private but not secluded, with occasionally heavily project-exploded shared kitchen and living space, showers, and airy flush toilets.
Do be advised that animals are pooping, hammers are hammering, sometimes we need to look into a health or animal injury related issue. Sometimes there is blood in an animal birth or slaughter, and our working guardian dogs have been known to be noisy some nights. Water and electricity are both very limited (though we reuse all our water), waste must be carefully sorted into a number of different categories, and there is always evidence of ump-teen projects unfolding at once. The most difficult condition during much of the summer are nuisance flies, which are always gone at night. We have almost no mosquitoes or ticks.
Depending on the exact situation and time of year, guests may have the opportunities to snuggle with baby animals and run our herd to or from pasture, and maybe even get their hands dirty picking veggies in the garden.
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Potato Hill Group
3 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents100 acres · Mariposa, CA
Located in the historic Whitlock Mining district north of the town of Mariposa. The district is east of the Mother Lode gold belt and includes the Colorado, Sherlock Creek, and Whiskey Flat areas. The area was placer-mined soon after the beginning of the gold rush, and lode mining began shortly afterward. A number of mines were active here during the 1930s, and a few, such as the Diltz and Schroeder mines, have been intermittently prospected in recent years.
Placer and Lode mining began in 1849. 49er's Lafayette Bunnell, Champlin Spencer, Thomas Whitlock and John Sherlock and a monte dealer from Quartzburg have all been credited with being the sole discoverer of the rich gold deposits.
Over 70 lode mines such as the Buffalo Champion 2, Colorado, Diltz, Geary, Golden Key, King Solomon, Landrum, Nutmeg, Our Chance, Permit, Schroeder, Spread Eagle and Whitlock have been recorded in the district since the 1850's. With several of them operating stamp mills, including a 20 stamp battery at the Whitlock Mine, post offices opened in the towns of Colorado in 1858 and Whitlock in 1899.
It is reported up to 5,000 settlers occupied the area, including Potato Hill. The name derived from the potato crops planted on it's slopes. Iy is, however, rumored the name came from gold nuggets the size of a potato.
The mining towns of Whitlock, Colorado, and Sherlock no longer exists.
Learn more about this land:
Under the stars next to Oaks, Pines, Manzanita, and Willows in Gold Country. Take a trip to the Merced River, Yosemite National Park or just relax away from the lights and sounds of the city.
You may encounter deer, wild turkey, hawks, woodpeckers and possibly spy a bear or bobcat. We are off the beaten path and offer a tranquil and peaceful experience on private land. The creeks run pretty full in the wet season and dry up mid-summer. There are several sites to choose from and all offer space.
The roads are unpaved and rocky mountainous terrain can be difficult in the winter. AWD or 4WD vehicles are recommended during the wet and snow seasons. Low profile vehicles are not advisable.
Minutes from the Merced River Recreation Area, 34 miles (53 minutes) to Yosemite and 12 miles to the Historic town of Mariposa.
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McGrady Livestock and Arena
8 sites · RVs5 acres · Hollister, CA
Update- Oct 1, 2023. We have scaled back for the winter season. There is no porta-pottie currently available. We are open to all fully self contained vans and RV's, but tent camping or car camping is not currently an option.
This has been our home for 20+ years, and we are happy to share our beloved San Benito County with you.
Learn more about this land:
Private and secure camping and overnights. Ten minutes from Casa de Fruta and the Renaissance Faire of Northern CA. Easy access to Pinnacles National Monument, Henry Coe Park, Mt. Madonna or Fremont Peak in San Juan Bautista. Mountain bikes and hiking trails, road bikes, pet friendly options. Less than 1 hour to Monterey, Laguna Seca raceway, Carmel Valley, Santa Cruz or Silicon Valley. ACTRA roping on Saturdays and practice during the week. Visit our baby cows, horses, and Poppet the Corgi. Generators are ok and we have non-potable water available as well as a clean porta-potty. Horses are welcome, we have pens and paddocks available for extra fee. For the safety of your pets and our livestock, dogs must be leashed, tethered or kenneled during your visit.
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Windsor Family Farm
2 sites · Lodging1 acre · San Martin, CA
We are a small farm in Silicon Valley. We are basically a petting zoo and kid-friendly destination! You can stay in our "Flying Pig" cabin (sleeps up to 5), or our "Room with a view of a Ewe" (sleeps 3)....or bring friends 'n' family - and reserve both :-)
We provide a continental breakfast for free or you can add on a hot breakfast. Wake up to sheep and goats outside your door with a view of the pasture.
Please PLEASE read further for more information!
and read again just before you come :-)
** To assure you of our cleanliness standards,
I clean and air out the cabin, clean the restroom thoroughly,
wash bedding and towels and sanitize surfaces.
The guest restroom (outside entry in the main house) is shared with other guests. I clean it every day, between every group or guest.
One mile away is Harvey Bear County Park, with trails for bikes, horses or walking. We are 5 minutes from the Gilroy Outlets, yet a world away from the hustle and bustle! Come, relax and enjoy nature! Enjoy Gilroy Gardens (seasonally) or go hiking at a nearby State or County Park. Or just relax at the Farm.
We will make this a special day for you! Let us know if you are celebrating an event :-). Currently we only have one listing so you get VIP treatment!
**Starting Jan 2024, we will have the "Room with a view of a Ewe" as a separate listing.
CHECK-IN is after 4:00pm and please give us a 30 min heads-up before your arrival. CHECK OUT is 10am, unless previous arrangements have been made.
Please be as specific as you can regarding your arrival time (so I can make the temp in there as comfortable as possible, turn on lights as needed, etc.)
** We are a "Bed and Breakfast";
most days we have other day-guests and events here, so please respect the arrival and check-out times. If you stay 2 nights, please be aware that you most likely won't have the whole farm to yourselves during the day.
This is an animal farm. If you love new animal experiences, this is the place for you! If you are scared of or allergic to cats or dogs, this might not be the place for you! If you can't handle new smells and sounds, this might not be the place for you. You will feed and enjoy the animals; please respect their space, no chasing and no going into their enclosures.
There is dirt, dust and various country critters.
If you are adventurous and love animals and want a unique experience, come check us out!
Restroom available in the main house (short walk from the cabin).
Small fridge and microwave next to the restroom.
There is no kitchen/oven/stove available.
Gas Fire pit available ; there is no BBQ.
We are exceptionally cautious with camp fires. If it is particularly hot and windy, there will be no fires. We now have a gas fire pit where you can create smores or just enjoy the campfire ambiance.
Price is $175 for the Flying Pig (up to 5 total). And $99 for the Room with a view of a Ewe :-) (up to 3 total).
Another option (as an add-on): you can pitch a tent for $50.
"The Flying Pig" has a queen bed, bunk beds twin size, and a loft with a twin mattress, all bedding included.
You are not just paying for a place to sleep; you are paying for an experience and the enjoyment of our property :-).
We serve a continental breakfast (free) or hot breakfast ($25/cabin) between 8-9am.
(we can accommodate vegetarian and dairy free diets; let us know before you come).
We provide bedding and towels. There is A/C and a plug-in heater in The Flying Pig. Please do not bring additional things to plug in except for chargers for phone/electronic devices.
We are approximately 1 1/2 hours south of San Francisco,
30 min south of San Jose (without traffic).
Gilroy Gardens is 15 min away; Harvey Bear County park is 1 mile away; Monterey and Santa Cruz and the Pinnacles National Park are approximately 1 hour away.
We recommend bringing dinner or eating before arrival to maximize your evening.
In the area: Amazing experience available at the Royal T Ranch nearby, but must book well in advance. They have a camel, ostriches, emus, a cow, mini horses, etc. Also Gilroy Gardens is just 15 minutes away.
Contact us for more info.
If you want to celebrate a birthday and bring friends for the evening, there is an additional fee for parties. (Please contact us about this).
If you want to bring a few friends just to enjoy the evening, we now have that as an add-on.
SPECIAL PACKAGES :-). Must be PRE-ordered and paid thru Hipcamp or upon arrival
~
*smore's kit (Everything -- including use of our gas fire pit -- that you will need to create amazing roasted marshmallows and smores sandwiches!) $20
*Child Birthday package: small gift and special treat $10
*use of fire pit (propane expense) $10
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$99
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Booked 1 time
10000 Ranch
3 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents5 acres · Gilroy, CA
Quiet 5-acre grassland awaits you, complete with a pond, a garden, a paved platform with chairs and a table, and a fire pit. The property is secure with a gated lock. The pond attracts frequent visits from wild geese, ducks, and cranes, while a flock of peacocks and turkeys are also regular visitors. Keep an eye out for eagles and turkey vultures soaring overhead, and marvel at the graceful deer effortlessly leaping over the property fence.
Local attractions abound, including wineries, Gilroy Gardens, and the Gilroy Premium Outlet.
Located on the famous Gilroy Wine Trail boasting over 30 family-owned wineries, 10000 Ranch offers easy access to Stefania Wine (stefaniawine.com), just a short walk away, and Kirigin Cellars (kirigincellars.com) a short distance away. Enjoy live outdoor music and a friendly atmosphere at Cottage Creek Vineyards (cottagecreekvineyard.com).
Gilroy Gardens (gilroygardens.org) is less than 7 miles away, promising an unforgettable day for the whole family followed by a relaxing camping night—a memory to cherish.
Only 5 miles away, Gilroy Premium Outlet beckons with its vast selection of famous goods at deeply discounted prices. With so much to explore, why not extend your shopping spree into the next morning?
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Managed Mischief Micro Farm
3 sites · RVs2 acres · Gilroy, CA
We are here in Gilroy Ca, on a rural 2 acres just outside of town, further up our road is Coyote Lake to go boating and fishing and Harvey Bear park to go hiking and horse riding. Santa Cruz is a 45 min drive West over hwy 152 and San Jose is 30 min North on 101 and keep going a bit more and you will be in San Francisco.
Here at home we raise several different kinds of lives stock. Goats for meat and milk, Sheep for meat and wool and eventually milk, Pigs for meat, Rabbits for meat and hide, Chickens, Ducks and Quail for meat and eggs. We have a garden and small orchard with nearly a dozen fruit trees of different kinds : loquat, a few apples, plums, apricot, peach, fig, persimmons and my favorite the pomegranate! We process everything ourselves using ancestral techniques and love to share and learn with others.
Id say the main draw back here is the traffic noise but beyond that, We are quite lucky to have very a green and Id say an oasis of a property, with multiple large palms trees surrounding the pool area and a large weeping willow tree in the main yard/sheep pasture. At the NE corner of the property is a very large oak tree, it is majestic and with the tipi door open to the East the big oak is the first thing you'll see every morning besides the suns rays!
The entire Northern property line is rowed with 60ft tall redwood trees and there are a smattering of citrus trees around to boot!
The freezer is stocked with in house meat, the BBQ is hot, the pool is cool, come relax after a day on the trails!
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Roblealto (Tall Oaks)
3 sites · RVs, Tents80 acres · Knights Ferry, CA
Do you want privacy? I'm talking about privacy where you can't even see other campers. Just nature all around you. Silence, crickets, so many stars in the dark open sky- take it in. We are only 15 minuntes out of Oakdale CA but feels like you are in the middle of nowhere. Within 30 minutes of wineries, Gold Rush towns, rivers, lakes, casinos- so many experiences! Tranquility and adventure all in one.
Yosemite- We are right on the way, (1.5 hrs to the East) and the Historic Knights Ferry (5 mins. to the West)
Three lakes (Tulloch, Don Pedro and New Melones) are within 30 minutes as well. We have so many destinations within an hour of our campground- a list is provided at each site.
Surrounded by volcanic rock, rolling hills, plateaus and cliffs high atop the Stanislaus River, this 80 acre property seems surreal in many ways. Each campsite is totally private and the 360 degree views offer delightful sunrises and sunsets, not to mention amazing stars at night.
There is active wildlife on our property, a whole family of deer are residents of the area, and cotton tail rabbits and hawks are abundant. Come stay with us.
(We are on a totally off-grid homesteading adventure here, so if you would like to see our solar/water/living/ garden set-up, we'd love to show you around!)
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Camp Your Way
20 sites · RVs, Tents5 acres · Gustine, CA
Come and camp freely on our expansive 5-acre property, where bunnies and squirrels abound! Feel free to explore the surroundings by bicycle, soaking in the serene atmosphere and the scenic views of the nearby almond orchard. Immerse yourself in the tranquility of the countryside, with majestic hills surrounding your own private retreat.
Gather with friends and loved ones to enjoy delightful barbecues and cozy bonfires under the starlit sky. For those looking to stay active, take a rejuvenating jog around our vast fenced orchard area.
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$300
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The best camping near Great Valley Grasslands State Park guide
Overview
About
Embark on an adventure through the untouched beauty of Great Valley Grasslands State Park. Here, the call of the wild is answered with rare plant and animal sightings amid the vast native grasslands. Fishermen, hikers, and nature enthusiasts find solace in the park's serene landscape, while the absence of campgrounds beckons a day filled with exploration and discovery.
When to go
The ideal time to visit Great Valley Grasslands State Park is during the spring when wildflowers burst into color and wildlife is most active. Summer brings heat, making early morning the best time for visits. Winter can be cold, and the park may experience flooding, so check conditions before planning your trip.
Know before you go
- Check the park hours, open from 8am to 5pm, to plan your visit accordingly.
- Dogs are welcome, but keep them on a leash for the safety of wildlife and fellow visitors.
- Accessibility is a priority; look out for features that accommodate all visitors.
- Remember, there are no online reservations or brochures, so prepare for your visit in advance.
- For any inquiries, the park's contact number is (209) 826-1197.
Top cities near Great Valley Grasslands State Park
- Great Valley Grasslands State Park
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