Forest camping near Merced with campfires

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94% (2161 reviews)
94% (2161 reviews)

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12 top forest campgrounds near Merced with campfires

96%
(874)

Diamond Gulch

43 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents824 acres · Groveland, CA
CLOSE TO YOSEMITE! Explore the mines and hang out on our Groveland, California ranch! We are 35 minutes to the main gate of Yosemite National Park. A great place to stay just outside of the park. We have 824 acres on a beautiful cattle ranch with two small ponds. On our property, you'll find frogs, turtles, oak trees, pine trees and stunning views of Yosemite. We have several campsites to choose from including RV camping, tent camping, and a glamping tent. Pets are welcome. Campfires are permitted as long as there is no fire ban. Potable water and toilet are available onsite. There's a golf course less than a mile away. We are also very close to town. In just a few minutes, you can drive to our local grocery store and pizza parlour. We are a 10-minute drive to Pine Mountain Lake. Beautiful Pine Mountain Lake offers golfing, dining, horseback riding, water sports and an airport. When you come to the ranch it feels like you are hundreds of miles away from civilization, but still close to everything you need. It is incredibly peaceful! This is a great place for someone who wants to escape city life and enjoy the tranquillity of nature. Much of the ranch is open wilderness for you to explore, and it's not uncommon to see deer, frogs, turtles, quail, turkeys, or other countless species of birds. Diamond Gulch Camp is the perfect place to relax if you’re a photographer, artist, family or a group of friends looking for a place to camp near Yosemite. A small portion of the property was used as a gold mine years ago, and you may find remnants of old home sites if you go exploring. We're not far from Wards Ferry Road, Groveland, Lake Don Pedro and other interesting places.
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from 
$36
 / night
97%
(573)

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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from 
$102
 / night

Private Riverfront Resort Pool Spa

1 site · Lodging2 acres · Oakhurst, CA
Welcome to your private paradise! Nestled on a riverfront property with stunning waterfalls and swimming holes, this custom 4,000 sqft home offers unparalleled luxury and serenity. Boasting 5 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms, this expansive residence features a swimming pool adorned with rock waterfalls, as well as a spa complete with its waterfall—perfect for unwinding and taking in the picturesque surroundings. Step inside and be greeted by a grand spiral staircase leading to a family room and wet bar, ideal for entertaining guests and enjoying quality time with loved ones. For those who enjoy staying active, a private tennis court awaits, providing endless opportunities for recreation and fitness. Outside, breathtaking views abound, offering a feast for the eyes in every direction. Whether you're relaxing on the patio, taking a dip in the pool, or exploring the private campground area, you'll find tranquility at every turn. Conveniently located near Yosemite Park and Bass Lake, adventure awaits just beyond your doorstep. Whether you're hiking through majestic forests, boating on pristine lakes, or simply soaking in the natural beauty of the area, this property offers the perfect home base for all your outdoor pursuits. Escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and experience the ultimate in luxury and relaxation at your private resort. Welcome home.
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$1,496.25
 / night
100%
(46)

"See Across California"

6 sites · Lodging2672 acres · Sonora, CA
We do not know the history very well. Fires have ravaged the country there for years and left many of the hills in recent secondary brush growth from the last fires. Up on top of the property where you drive in, pastures and older oaks are established. The old homestead cabin and root cellar are pre 1900, but the property has lots of 1849+ gold rush stream mounds and mines which we do not know much about at all. We purchased the ranch in 2001 from a Swiss rancher, Otto Gilser who had the property from the 1950s. There are acorn grinding pits in the big rocks below the frog pond from the first nation people who first lived there. Bob and Zane McDow, who lease the grazing rights and live on the property are the real deal, incredibly colorful locals, great story tellers with a ton of hilarious and hair raising tales to tell. Bob is a cowboy who still can do it all, raises cattle, horses, goats, ropes, brands and rides, hunter and fisherman, bulldozer sculptor, chain saw master, master house, cabin, barn, fence, gate, water systems builder, and a hard drinker, dancer and partier... he knows Yosemite and the back country like no other. Bob still runs cattle on 6-9 ranches at once and moves them with the feed. Bob and Zane are treasures and if you get to have a conversation with them you are lucky!
Potable water
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from 
$249
 / night

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Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field
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