- Stanislaus National Forest
The best camping in Stanislaus National Forest, CA
93% (173)
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Read millions of real reviews from campers like you—so you know what to expect.Stories from the community
Jack
4 days ago
Weekend Trip to Nolla A-Frames Near Yosemite
I was looking for a last minute escape to the mountains to clear my head but didn’t want to deal with a) my own tent or gear, b) a big campground with tons of other people, c) pretentious “glamping” tents, or d) a soulless “cabin” for family reunions. Bonus points for cool design. Liza and Tom’s site was perfect!
Tucked up in the woods so it feels remote but easily accessible from the road and just a few minutes drive to cell service and food options. I was in cabin 2 next to a friendly couple in cabin 3, but when I was inside it felt like I was all alone.
The A-frame itself is a cool minimalist Scandinavian design, with comfy beds and an incredible floor to ceiling window to watch the sunset and pick out constellations after dark.
Outhouse/toilet was comfy, clean and didn’t smell at all. Showers were modern and clean with fresh towels (they’re across the main road so best to drive). I can’t wait to come back for a longer stay!
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Sascha
4 days ago
With pets
We loved our stay! It was everything we were hoping for. The A-Frames were very comfortable for the two of us and our 130lb dog. The camp site itself was very quiet and private. Really easy access to the park and nice to have the option of using the showers at their sister property if needed.
We're planning on coming back and staying again!
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Sabina
6 days ago
Tent
My husband and I had an amazing stay at this campsite! The bathrooms were extremely clean and well-maintained, with two separate restrooms each equipped with a sink. The showers had reliably hot water.
The campsite itself came with a picnic table and benches, a fire ring (with propane available to rent for an additional fee), and a nicely leveled area perfect for setting up tents. There were convenient small water stations nearby.
The views were beautiful, and the site was very easy to find thanks to the clear and detailed instructions from Leeza and Tom. They were incredibly responsive and diligent hosts, making the entire process—from locating the site to settling in—smooth and stress-free.
The location is also excellent: just about 40–50 minutes from the Yosemite entrance, making it a convenient and affordable option for exploring the park. For our first time camping in a car and visiting Yosemite, this was the ideal spot.
We really enjoyed our stay and are already planning to return. Perfect for a one-night weekend getaway from the city. Highly recommended! 🌲✨
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Mia
1 week ago
Tent
Group trip
Amazing and attentive hosts, Jeremy is awesome! Super friendly animals on the property and great views of the lake. Highly recommend, hosted our large group with ease. Will be returning!!
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Nayeli
1 week ago
Weekend Trip to Nolla A-Frames Near Yosemite
We decided last minute on a stay near Yosemite and this place was conveniently near the highway leading to the West entrance but still private and secluded. The views at night with the stars were beautiful!!! We did stay after a snowstorm so it was cold but bundled up with our own extra blankets and sleeping bags and were cozy! Really cozy and very nice to have extra blankets and the charger.
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Ruth
2 weeks ago
29 ft Class C
With kids
Very quiet, basic campsite. We loved it!
The road to the campsite is narrow and a bit bumpy, but we made it with our 28ft motorhome.
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Zachary
2 weeks ago
With pets
Everything was excellent! It was exactly what we needed! Definitely still a work in progress but what has been completed is very cool!
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jan owen
2 weeks ago
Tent
Group trip
I was great. It's a family friendly. The property owner Mac was very accommodating. There's even a gas station just 5mins away.
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Lynn
3 weeks ago
32 ft travel trailer
With pets
The entire camp was amazing…very clean facilities, easy access to roomy campsites, and huge docks to sit out over the lake…trees for shade and full hookups! Loved our visit and the sunset colors over the lake were epic
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Chiqui
3 weeks ago
With kids
Indescribable 10 out 10....definitely going back soon! WE MISS THE DOGS 🐕
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Enkhjin
3 weeks ago
Tent
Highly recommended!
We loved this camping so much. Aaron was so friendly host. All the wines were really tasty and cute. Thank you so much Aaron, we would love to come back again!
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Alex
3 weeks ago
With pets
Loved staying at the yurt! Audrey’s directions were very clear and she was very communicative when we had a question about the lighting. I would highly recommend staying here for a fun adventure!
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Heather
3 weeks ago
Tent
With pets
Such a beautiful spot right above Gold Wall. Arrived just on time to catch the incredible sunset! Michele was extremely responsive. Really looking forward to returning and spending more time.
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Jonathan
3 weeks ago
Weekend Trip to Water front on Topaz Lake
I loved tent camping at Topaz Lake. Make sure to pack a bunch of warm blankets if you go in early November. Pam was a great host and super helpful and responsive. The location is close to groceries, Reno, and a bunch of national parks. Highly recommend visiting and checking this place out. Best part of the trip was not just the amazing view of the lake but also how clean the facilities are. Really good spot.
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Rosalina
3 weeks ago
24 ft Class C
It was such a peaceful place. It's super clean and we just loved the beautiful nights with endless firewood!
Thank you for such a great experience!
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Jesse
3 weeks ago
1 night at Nolla A-Frames Near Yosemite
The A-frame cabin was a beautiful, scenic stay within convenient distance from Yosemite. I found it easy to check in, and the hosts provide useful guidance for finding the cabin.
Cell service is spotty, so be sure to plan ahead. I found it easy to find, but be aware that you'll want to plan ahead.
The view out the cabin window was stunning, and I found all accommodations - bed, desk, lamp, battery, and shower - very comfortable. I will always remember the stars and moonlight.
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Nicholas
3 weeks ago
Tent
Group trip
Mac was super welcoming and gave us great insight on the area. Shared some great conversations and enjoyed staying at the campground. We stayed off season but we had a great time using the facilities and enjoying Yosemite!
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marilyn
3 weeks ago
With kids
Gorgeously rugged property, amazing views, awesome host, super fun hipcamp.
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Bharath Raj
3 weeks ago
Weekend Trip to Gold Wall Ranch & Vineyard
“We had a great time at this place. The views were beautiful in the morning and even more stunning at sunset. The bathroom was clean, and the overall space was very nice. Highly recommend!”
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Garrett
3 weeks ago
Tent
Very peaceful and close to everything there is to do, if you want to go for a hike natural bridges is 15 minutes away
See moreTop public campgrounds in the park
Stay at a public campground in Stanislaus National Forest
Top-rated campgrounds
The best camping in Stanislaus National Forest, CA guide
Overview
About
You must know about Stanislaus. Must. It is absolutely epic. With virtually the same appeal as the nearby Yosemite minus the crowds, Stanislaus is perched up in the high Sierra landscape. It stretches across 4 counties, has 78 lakes, 800 miles of rivers and streams, instagram-worthy swimming holes and waterfalls, lava tubes, caves, granite walls, and of course the amazing mountainscape. Sound cool yet? Yeah, you should probably pack your bags. We certainly are.
Notable campgrounds
- Best for amenities and families: The Pinecrest Campground at Pinecrest Lake offers plenty of amenities, including bike rentals and a sandy beach.
- Best for water access: The Utica/Union Reservoirs Campground offers four campgrounds across two lakes ideal for paddling.
- Best for large RVs and accessibility: The Lake Alpine Campgrounds offers space for RVs up to 50 feet and ADA-accessible sites.
Tips for snagging a campsite
- Most campgrounds are first-come, first-served. Arrive early to grab a campsite.
- For campgrounds that can be reserved, reserve a site as soon as possible, up to six months in advance for regular campsites and 12 months for groups.
- Be sure to check on seasonal opening and closing dates, which vary by campground.
When to go
Most developed campgrounds are open from May to October and fill up early over the summer, especially on weekends. Visit in the spring for wildflowers. Although some lakes are open for year-round fishing, trout season generally runs from late April to mid November. Some OHV trails are only open from April 15 to December 15. All floaters and rafters must have a permit between May 1 and October 15. Winter activities at the two ski resorts and four sno-parks in the forest are snow dependent.
Know before you go
- Wilderness permits are required for overnight trips into the Emigrant, Carson-Iceberg, and Mokelumne wilderness areas. Online permits are only available for certain trips and at certain times of the year.
- Campfire permits are required outside of developed campgrounds. Campfire wood is available for free below 9,000 feet. Be aware of fire restrictions.
- Permits are required for forest products, such as firewood for home and mushrooms. Christmas trees may not be cut from the forest.
- Anglers 16 and older must have a fishing license. Additional regulations apply for wild and scenic rivers.
Nearby attractions
Experience the thrill of whitewater rafting and relaxing fishing sessions when camping near Tuolumne River. With ruggedly beautiful landscapes and diverse wildlife, the Tuolumne River camping experience is truly one for the outdoor enthusiast’s bucket list.
93%
173 ratings · 51 reviews
Recommends
· July 2025
A little slice of River heaven
Tent · With pets · Group trip ·
Pigeon Flat Campground
This is a walk-in campground, meaning you cannot drive directly to your site. That being said, it’s worth the effort! There are maybe 6-7 sites, and no 1 is the biggest and best. 4 sites are right along the river and you can’t even hear the traffic from highway 108 when you are on the river. We stayed for 3 nights, but most folks used it as a one night stopover perhaps on the way to backpacking? We had a huge shady area next to camp where we posted up for two days along the river with hammocks, books and snacks and were never more satisfied! We did the short trail at the parking lot to see the geologic wonder of the Giant Columns which was very interesting. Lots of birds to see (osprey especially), not many bugs, fires allowed in the pits even in mid July. If you’re up for hauling your gear down a dirt path, this place is golden and much calmer than the nearby big campgrounds
Shannon H.
16 reviews
Recommends
· July 2025
Perfect little spot by the Pinecrest Lake
15 ft RV · With pets ·
Pinecrest Campground
we lucked out with a spot right by the lake, which made it even better with the nice cold breeze! the park ranger/host was also super cool and friendly—really added to the good vibes. would definitely come back! 🌲💛
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Axl Rose S.
2 reviews
Didn’t get in.
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Jeanne T.
6 reviews
Secluded space, flat, plenty of shade, the creek and the small waterfalls are just beautiful, less than 30 min from the south entrance of Yosemite.
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Patrizia R.
2 reviews
Recommends
· September 2023
Perfect campground
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M M.
2 years on Hipcamp
August 2023
Toilets are full to the brim and the camp host is a psychopath thief.
Beware of this guy, he is not whom he appears and has no problem stealing and deceiving you.
NOT RECOMMENDED AT THIS TIME !
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Leroy M.
2 years on Hipcamp
July 2021
I have a reserved spot for one night. One of the reviewers left a message 4 years ago that there were some walk up spots. Does anyone know if that is still true? Thanks! Rich
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Richard S.
4 years on Hipcamp
June 2021
Question: so, you don’t actually backpack to this campground? Do you just park your car outside the campground and walk in? So it’s car camping…without the car in your immediate camp spot?
Mel G.
4 years on Hipcamp
May 2021
Good stuff!
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Jaume A.
4 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· April 2021
I hesitate to review this campsite because one of it's positives is that it's reasonably bookable! But I do love this campground. The sites are perfectly located, near to Lake Alpine but not on it (which is where the people who want to party tend to be). A groomed trail (a little under a mile) leads from the campground to the lake. Two things to be aware of -- you will need to be bear-safe with your food storage, and bears regularly ramble through the sites (like Yosemite).
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Vickie J.
5 years on Hipcamp
Not recommend
· September 2020
Already left a review, but wasn't given the choice to recommend or not. Definitely a NO unless you like the adventure of quickly coming up with a 'Plan B' when campsites are full on a Thursday or when you realize you don't have enough water to make it through the week (hand pump was broken). Must love difficult roads, mosquitos, intense hail storms in August, total 'roughing it' to like this place. Yes it is beautiful, but there are much better places to go.
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Jan L.
5 years on Hipcamp
September 2020
experienced campers - I do not recommend this place. Thought this was going to be the perfect beautiful get away for our extended weekend. What we found was a run-down campground in serious need of repairs. Picnic tables smashed into the mud or legs broken off, the water pump out of service, the outhouse broken down and not venting properly.... We were grateful we got there early in the week as the place was packed out by Thursday afternoon; I felt badly for all the campers driving in Thursday night through Saturday looking for a place to camp. This place is remote with 6 miles of bad road to get to it, and the nearest cell-service a 1.25 hour drive away (or hike to the top of a nearby peak. Heaven forbid if you have an emergency.
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Jan L.
5 years on Hipcamp
September 2020
Difficult to get to and no amenities other than broken down pit toilets and snow-crushed picnic tables. The water pump is broken, so pack in all water. We experienced the most violent, frightening thunder/hail storm of our lives up there in July. It's high and unprotected, and the only refuge from the storm was the car. It's beautiful, but be prepared to literally be one with nature and all the elements can throw at you.
Holly B.
5 years on Hipcamp
Not recommend
· August 2020
Stayed with husband and young daughter on July 31st. Campsite was nice and spacious. Area is very pretty and wooded. Unfortunately there was a group in site 37 that stayed up until 3:30am partying with loud music. The campground hosts did not make any attempt to quiet the group. We complained the next morning and were told that one of the managers had not felt well, fell asleep and did not do rounds. I was sorry the manager hadn’t felt well, but there were two people managing the campground so I didn’t understand why one of them couldn’t do rounds. People talking past quiet hours is not an issue for me, I bring ear plugs in case there is a lot of chatter, but blasting music until 3:30am is unacceptable. It was terrible experience.
Jennifer S.
5 years on Hipcamp
Not recommend
· July 2020
Beautiful spot with a ton of potential. Unfortunately the camp host doesn't seem to have much pride in their land. The entire campground was littered in garbage. You couldn't walk more than 6 ft without seeing garbage. We had to spend 20 min walking our site picking up trash before we could unload our truck. The bathrooms work, but are disgusting.
Cheryl E.
9 years on Hipcamp
September 2019
Awesome campsite, lots of different sites to choose from. The river is healthy and the water is flowing fast as of Sept 2019.
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Jordan B.
6 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· August 2019
Great spot and campsites are spread out. The river is a 3-4 minute walk from most sites.
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Jordan B.
6 years on Hipcamp
April 2019
I forgot to add there is a trail to the Lake from Cherry Valley Campground. It's about a 1/2 mile to the lake. There is also a very cool waterfall next to that trail. The trail does get steep in spots especially in dryer years. That shouldn't be the case this year!! Once upon a time, there was a rope swing at the end of the trail. The lake is quite cool early in the season with it getting much warmer by August.
I can not emphasize enough that we are stewards of these places. Show respect and clean up after yourself. If you are wilderness camping, make sure to research field sanitation. So many people go up here and have no idea of what do to with their waste!
Be advised people do target shoot up here. Hopefully, they follow the rules
Don A.
6 years on Hipcamp
April 2019
The Cherry Valley Campground does take reservations and it has "hosts" who collect fees and empty trash. There are bears so use the bear lockers!! No kidding!!!!
I haven't camped in the camp ground for 20 years because I prefer to wilderness camp. If that's for you, I suggest Jawbone Falls which isn't far from Cherry Lake. I camp, next to Jawbone Creek. It is a pack your trash out situation. Seriously. That means your brass as well!!!
From Tuolumne take forest road 1N04 to forest road 2N22. Take 2N22 all the way until it Ts into 2N08Y. Turn right and the falls are to your right about 1 mile. Make sure you clean up after yourself!! I, personally, clean up as much trash as I can bring back with me. Honor the native people who lived there.
Don A.
6 years on Hipcamp
April 2019
I've been camping up here for over 35 years!! Here's what you need to know:
The campground gets full on holidays. On the spillway side of the damn there are lots of free camping spots and port-a-poties
If you have the equipment, you can wilderness camp anywhere. No camping next to the lake unless you have a boat. Campsites in the campground cost like 20 bucks. If you like campgrounds, it's nice campground. Lake access is limited to the boat ramp area and on the opposite side of the damn. The shore is very rocky and steep. There is an island in the lake if you have a boat. There are no stores or gas stations so you need to gas up at Buck Meadow on hwy 120 or the Black Oak Casino if you come up from Sonora. Very little cellular reception
Don A.
6 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· April 2019
It's named Mosquito Lakes for a reason, bring bug spray!
Chris H.
7 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· January 2019
Pack in all your own water, food, and firewood. There are no services for miles.
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Mandy S.
6 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· September 2018
Great campsite for the weekend. Very kid friendly and an awesome place to swim in the summer
Nora V.
4 reviews
July 2018
Great little out of the spot away from the busy campsites. Its situated along OHV trails which is nice if you use them however the dust is pretty bad. Campsites look roomy and not compacted next to each other.
The walk to the reservoir is about .5 miles from camp and is a very easy walk. Be sure to use some bug spray before venturing out. The mosquitoes are relentless and are all over this time of year "July-September".
In all great little spot for the OHV families and plenty of trails to visit.
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Brandon T.
7 years on Hipcamp
June 2018
Nice quiet campground away from the crowds at the lake. Hosts were very friendly, informative, and kept the facilities clean. One can either walk about 15-20min to the lake or drive out there in about 5 minutes. Definitely a lot of activities from swimming, fishing, hiking and off road trails nearby. There are also a couple of places from Bear valley to the Lake Alpine Lodge that rent out equipment. Coin operated Showers and Laundromat located at Lake Alpine lodge. Only downside was it was closer to the road than expected.
Jonathan V.
7 years on Hipcamp
April 2018
We started camping here years ago and it used to be our goto camp ground. It used to be very nice. In the past 5 years it has gone down hill steadily! Extremely crowded and camp hosts do not enforce max people per campsite. It suppose to be 6 people per site. There are consistently 12-15 people per site on the weekends. They also do not enforce noisy campers past 10pm. The past 3 years it has been so bad we won't return!
Julie P.
7 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· October 2017
Bring your bathing suit! Awesome swimming hole behind the bottom campsites.
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Kristin S.
8 years on Hipcamp
September 2017
This is a fine little campground located right on the Stanislaus River. There are two walking campsites, 1 & 2, that are great if you're tent camping and don't mind walking with your gear down into the sites. These two sites are right on the river and fairly secluded from the rest of the campground. The rest of the sites are good but the river side one's are wonderful but hard to get I'm sure. Three out houses are clean and there is water. Your 1/3 mile from the Kennedy Meadows resort with showers and a restaurant which I hear is good.
B Douglas J.
4 reviews
Recommends
· July 2017
bears
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Zan S.
2 reviews
Mixed feelings
· June 2017
It is very crowded with kids and teenagers.
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Katie C.
8 years on Hipcamp