Stanislaus National Forest
Dispersed camping is generally allowed
On national forest and grassland, camping outside developed campgrounds is generally permitted unless an area is posted closed or a local order says otherwise. Stay on existing surfaces, camp away from water and trailheads, and check the forest's current orders before you go — fire restrictions change through the season.
Rules change with fire season and local order. Checked 2026-08-05. Confirm on the managing office’s official page
- Area
- 1,704 sq mi
- Managed by
- Forest Service
- Campgrounds
- 65
- Longest rig
- 52 ft
Where the land is, and what fits
The official Forest Service boundary with every campground we hold inside it. Tell it how long your rig is and the map keeps only what takes it — public land rarely matches the shape people picture, and neither does what you can actually get into.
Official unit boundary · USDA Forest Service · 65 campgrounds shown
- Backpacker's Walk-In CampgroundReservations accepted
- Baker CampgroundApril – Early October · First-come, first-served
- Beardsley Dam CampgroundApril – October · First-come, first-served
- Big Meadow CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Big Meadow Group CampgroundReservations accepted
- Black Springs OHV AreaApril 15 – December 15
- Bloomfield CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Boulder Flat CampgroundJune – October · First-come, first-served
- Brightman Flat CampgroundMay – October · First-come, first-served
- Cascade Creek CampgroundMay – October · First-come, first-served
- Cherry Valley Campgroundto 24 ft · 45 sitesMay – September · Reservations accepted
- Clark Fork CampgroundMay – October · First-come, first-served
- Clark Fork Horse CampMay – October · First-come, first-served
- Crandall / Deer CreekApril – December
- Dardanelle CampgroundMay – October · First-come, first-served
- Deadman CampgroundApril – October · First-come, first-served
- Dimond O Campgroundto 48 ft · 26 sites · Pull-throughMay – September · Reservations accepted
- Eagle Meadow Horse CampMay · First-come, first-served
- Eureka Valley CampgroundApril – October · First-come, first-served
- Fence Creek CampgroundMay – October · First-come, first-served
- Fraser Flat CampgroundApril – October · First-come, first-served
- Hermit Valley CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Herring Creek CampgroundMay – December · First-come, first-served
- Herring Reservoir CampgroundMay – December · First-come, first-served
- Highland Lakes CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Hull Creek / Trout CreekMay – December 15 · First-come, first-served
- Hull Creek CampgroundMay – December · First-come, first-served
- Hunter CreekApril 15 – December 15
- Interface OHV AreaSeason not published
- Kerrick Corral Horse CampMay – December · First-come, first-served
- Lake Alpine Campground (West Shore)to 52 ft · 25 sitesLate June or early July · First-come, first-served
- Lodgepole CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Lodgepole Group CampgroundReservations accepted
- Lost Claim Campgroundto 15 ft · 10 sitesMay – September · Reservations accepted
- Lumsden Bridge CampgroundReservations accepted
- Lumsden CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Meadowview Campgroundto 49 ft · 100 sitesMay – October · First-come, first-served
- Mill Creek CampgroundMay – October · First-come, first-served
- Moore Creek CampgroundSeason not published
- Mosquito Lakes CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Niagara Creek CampgroundMay – October · First-come, first-served
- Niagara OHV CampgroundMay – December · First-come, first-served
- Pacific Valley CampgroundCampground will remain open as long as weather allows. · First-come, first-served
- Pigeon Flat CampgroundMay – October · First-come, first-served
- Pine Marten CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Pine Valley Horse CampMay – December · First-come, first-served
- Pinecrest Campgroundto 48 ft · 196 sitesApril – October · Reservations accepted
- Pines CampgroundReservations accepted
- Pines Group CampgroundApril – September · Reservations accepted
- River Ranch - Hacienda CampgroundMay 1 · Reservations accepted
- Sand Bar Flat CampgroundApril – December · First-come, first-served
- Sand Flat CampgroundMay – October · First-come, first-served
- Sand Flat Campground (4wd only)First-come, first-served
- Silver Valley CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Silvertip CampgroundSummer – Late fall · First-come, first-served
- South Fork CampgroundReservations accepted
- Spicer Reservoir CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Spicer Reservoir Group CampgroundReservations accepted
- Stanislaus River CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Sweetwater CampgroundReservations accepted
- TeleLi puLaya (Black Oak) CampgroundApril – October · First-come, first-served
- Union East CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Union West CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Utica Reservoir CampgroundsFirst-come, first-served
- Wakalu Hep Yo (Wild River) CampgroundMay – Late fall · First-come, first-served
Stanislaus National Forest
Stanislaus National Forest is a U.S. national forest which manages 898,099 acres of land in four counties in the Sierra Nevada in Northern California. It was established on February 22, 1897, making it one of the oldest national forests. It was named after the Stanislaus River.
Extract from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA. Agency description not published.
No vehicles past these lines
Designated wilderness is closed to every wheeled vehicle, including bicycles. You can walk in and camp; you cannot drive or park a rig inside one.
- Carson-Iceberg Wilderness159,070 acres
- Emigrant Wilderness112,782 acres
Byways through this country
Places worth pulling over
National parks close enough to pair
Drive to Stanislaus the long way
Byway plans the road in, not just the destination — real places along the way, weighted to what you like, with nothing invented.