Balazen

I arrived around 7pm on Friday assuming I would have trouble finding a spot (May weekend, COVID restrictions, reservations needed a lot of places), but instead got a terrific waterfront spot (site 1 facing the lake). This site, unlike many others in the campground, is relatively private and is very spacious. The central pull-through area is not private at all, but the waterfront sites are very nice. The site wouldn't be great for a trailer, as the parking is limited. The campground was at least 3/4 full, but was very quiet, even though I was close to the (clean) bathrooms. The camp host was very friendly. The beach was essentially empty the next morning and the area is just beautiful. There is a "dog" part of the beach and a "no dogs" part to protect nesting plovers. I really appreciate that effort , and the ranger I met said the on-leash requirement is not enforced if the dogs are in the right area, under voice command, and there aren't a bunch of people around. I did see an unpleasant number of uncollected dog poops on the trail to the beach, which sucks - bad dog parents can ruin it for everyone! There were no tent campers in the tent-only area, so I could also throw the ball for the dog. The dog and I both loved it!

I do not usually stay at private campgrounds, and I'm really not a fan of the parking lot style and high density of most of them. However, I was driving north through Utah on a July afternoon that was hotter than the sun, and at 9pm in Cedar City, I decided that I'd suck it up and pay for a place with electricity so I could try out the A/C unit on my van. I got the very last spot in the campground, and the spot wasn't big. However, I was not directly adjacent to any neighbor's doors or picnic table, the office person was incredibly nice, and my A/C worked deliciously well, so it was a pretty pleasant experience. There was a little run for the dog, which was better than nothing. I'd have to be pretty desperate to stay at a place like this again, but hey, that happens sometimes, and this place did not suck. Even though it was Kamping On Asphalt, it addressed my needs!

This area is scenic if you get the right spot. I was here in early May, weather was cool and clear, and there were only a couple of other campers. I found a pretty level spot on a rise so my view of both mountains and river was great. The downsides are that there is deep sand everywhere; I had to abandon the first spot I chose because I thought I'd get stuck in the sand. And the sand meant a lot of dirt in my van from me and the dog coming and going in. The dog loved the area, but he sure dug up a LOT of human waste. Pack it out, people!! But the moonrise was spectacular and the area is very quiet. Next time I'll try one of the dispersed sites in the trees a little further down the highway, but this was ok...

Great campground for early March midweek, because it’s not crowded at all, and as others have noted, it’s set in beautiful redwoods. It doesn’t get 5 stars simply because if full, the campground aesthetics wouldn’t make up for the closeness of most sites. Sites can be a little muddy if it has rained recently. Toilets are clean and flush, which is nice. Sites are shady so it’s a little challenging to charge solar panels. Not many places to run a dog around. The road is extremely close, though it quiets down at night. The campsites farthest from the road are actually less desirable, because you can see a bunch of buildings from them.

The very best thing about this campground is its proximity to the wonderful trails and features of this state park. The Avenue of the Giants drive is beyond inspiring, as is the Founders Grove and other walks. This is a special place, and it is therefore well worth staying in this pretty, central campground.

Other reviewers have covered most of it - many sites are very large and extremely private, some are smaller and/or more open/adjacent, particularly near the river, and it’s very shady so not much charge with your solar panels.

That all being said, early March is a fantastic time to be here, especially mid-week; it is uncrowded and extremely pleasant in any site. Camp host is great. There is a 25’ size limit, but that is kind of a good thing, in that you don’t see so much of the TV-watching, microwaving, generator-running crowd. The campground is so large that you have lots of space to walk the dog, and they can run free by the river (the rangers are chill when it’s not crowded). There are a couple of roads to walk the dog, but not many, and that is the only drawback. The forest and river are just beautiful. Essentially no Verizon/cell service, but an occasional text. Also - a free dump station in this campground. Overall, I loved it! I will definitely be back here.

Yes, this campground is right on the road to the reservoir, and the road is busy until after dark on a July weekend evening (but it does get quiet). But it wasn't so busy that a bull moose didn't walk down to the campground at dusk. The river is great and accessible, there is plenty of hiking nearby, and the campers weren't the party crowd that seemed to be going further up the canyon. The campground is super dog friendly, the hosts are just terrific, and it's great for being so close to Bozeman. You can't really expect the full wilderness experience when you're 20 minutes from town and there's a reservoir that's open for recreation 6 miles up the road. Many of the sites are close together (but site 9 has total privacy on one side), and the campground isn't terribly shady, but I was perfectly happy with my stay. Are there nicer campgrounds? Sure, but if your expectations are properly aligned, this place is great!

I've stayed here twice, both times as I was on my way elsewhere. Colusa is a nice little town, quiet, and not so far off of interstate 5. The campground is a bit old and well-used but ok, clean enough, and has a dump station. Very little privacy between sites (and potentially none in the back RV lot), but the sites are paved and level. My most recent stay was the day after it re-opened from its COVID-19 hiatus so understandably not a lot of maintenance had been done. The campground was not full either time that I stayed, and the camp host kindly let me stay in one of their empty "premium" sites nearer to the bathroom even though I only paid the "back lot" price. There have been a lot of flying insects each time I've stayed (March and June), and it's been warm, so bug screens are a must!

The campground gets 4 stars not for aesthetics or location, but because of its convenience, level sites, relative emptiness (in my experience, though a weekend in fishing season might be different), flexibility and helpfulness of the camp host, and cleanliness (and I am fussy about that, particularly in these times of plague...). It's good for a stopover, not for an outdoors experience.

This is one of the very few open places to camp during the COVID-19 lockdown, and it stands out both for its natural beauty and wildlife (in early May), and the fact that there are pristine, maintained vault toilets available on the point. There is a donation box at the entrance (which I think everyone should use) but is free if you want. Incredible number and diversity of birds, clouds of mostly non-biting insects, and very few other campers. As others mention, it's a pretty rutted road coming in in spots, and is very dusty indeed, but it's generally level and fine for most vehicles. The lake shore is rocky, and a little hard on dog paws, but it didn't stop mine from leaping in and having a great time (making for a very dirty van later...). Brink a kayak or paddleboard - the lake is like glass in the morning. The lake level is low, so no fishermen, but I suspect it gets crowded at other times, which would reduce this location's charm. If uncrowded, a fantastic private site next to the lake is found by turning left just before the main plateau at the road terminus. If crowded, that spot would probably get a lot of traffic with people on the way to the lake. It looks like a lot of sites aren't very level

I stopped here for one night and snagged the last spot in the campground (it was the double site, but the camp host gave me the single price). This place is great - the camp host keeps it immaculate, the sites are mostly level and very private, it's a short walk to the viewpoint for Lower Mesa Falls and a great trail going downstream. There is no view of the river from the campsites, and no river access, but the trail is very close for viewing. There is a significant cliff next to the trail (if, hypothetically, you were to have your dog off-leash on the trail...), but it is uncrowded and good for wildlife viewing. The prior review mentions the potential of walking to Upper Mesa Falls, but I don't think you can do that, at least not on a trail. There is a great visitor center and viewing area for Upper Mesa Falls that you can drive to, and a (very lightly used) short trail from Upper Mesa to Lower Mesa Falls, but it does not intersect with the trail from this campground. It is worth doing, as it is lovely and gets you much closer to Lower Mesa Falls.

I met some friends here in mid July; we had a single family site, but got their trailer, truck, and my van in with no problem ($7 extra vehicle charge). This site was adjacent to the river, and the view was partially blocked by rocks, but the site was really nice and super well-maintained, very private. The river is fast here, so watch the dogs.... Many spots in the campground have great privacy; the end spot A021 is the one to get if you can plan ahead, but all are nice paved spots in the A and B loop. Ours wasn't super level, but we managed. Campground was pretty full, but quiet at night. The secret in this campground, especially if you are tent or van camping, is the C loop, the walk up sites. They were not full, even mid-July. C Loop has some really fantastic sites (dirt, not paved, but beautiful and most are private). The campground isn't that far from the road, but there is really no road noise. It's close to bike and hiking trails in Harriman state park, and a terrific kayak/float from Harriman down to the campsite (just as the rapids start). River level varied a bit day to day, but was great for the kayaks. It's also day-trip-able (is that a word?) to Yellowstone and Tetons. I got a few sporadic texts, but there is basically no cell service here. Regardless, I will be back!