Sims Flat Campground

Verizon is between 1&2 bars . Watch for Poison oak - it's everywhere

This small campground is nestled between the Sacramento river and a small stream. The sound of rushing water can be heard from every campsite and there is plenty of access to the river for fishing. Some sites back up directly to the stream. There is an interpretive path that runs around the campground providing some history of the site.

Easy access since the site is only about a mile from the freeway but this means you can hear freeway noise. The site is also just across the river from the railroad tracks and the trains that come by are loud and you can feel the earth shake when they pass.

Clean flush toilets are available at two places in the park. Sites are fairly close to each other but most are paved and level. Some potholes around but not bad.

We stayed here two nights in June of 2022. With the senior discount, it was $7.50 for a night (love that). Site 4 was plenty long enough for our Imagine XLS 17MKE (just under 22') and our truck - we also love if we don't have to un-hook. The trail along the water was nice and we found a slow spot in the creek for our Labrador to cool off in. Our site was large and did have shade. The creekside sites looked very nice too. We enjoyed the suspension bridge and the bit of history here. The trains are definitely loud - mostly the screeching of the rails (but that didn't really bother us). We have stayed at the Railroad Park Campground up the road, but we liked this price a lot better! We would definitely stay here again!

This is a great little campsite (empty midweek in September) to spend a night or two, but clearly not a destination. The campground has a variety of sunny vs. shaded sites and most seemed able to fit our 24’ RV. Almost all were nicely spaced and were quite roomy with ample room for tents. We stayed in site #4 and no leveling was needed. Site #17 looked to be fully shaded and quite level, while offering the most privacy.

There’s a nice walking path along the river with a couple of river access spots. Along the path are signs giving the history of the conservation camp and sawmill that were located here at one time. There is also a several mile out and back ‘hike’ along a forest road at the entrance to the campground.

We enjoyed our quick stopover. The only cons were the trains with their whistles, rumbling, and screeching wheels during the night and the gnat-like little beasts that are determined to lodge themselves in your tear ducts.

We paid $7.50 with our senior access pass.

A good place to spend the night if driving on I-5. However, be aware that there is a train track on the other side (west) of the river and the trains are loud. The trains didn't wake me in my hard side trailer, but it might if you are in a tent. I stayed at the end of October and there were two of us there that night in the campground.

Just off I-5, so yes there is a little traffic noise - but this is not a congested part of the freeway corridor, and a minor point when you need a quick overnight on that slog. Sleeping next to a roaring stream (several inches of rain feel in the prior days) and a few night trains are rare experiences anymore - thoroughly enjoyed those sounds. Didn’t know campsite was closed for the season, but we had flat parking in the little lot. 1 bar ATT 4G. Dry camping. Site of first CCC bridge. Vault toilet and bear proof garbage needed emptying/cleaning. Would come back as it is a great midpoint for us.

We’ve been staying here for years. It’s a great place to stay if you want to fish the upper Sacramento River. It is seldom full, no reservations here-first come-first served. Today the river is high and fast. During the summer there are great places to swim.
The trains are loud, but, if you’re a train buff, that’s music!

We stopped here for an overnight heading south on I-5. Nice large sites, dirt pads but pretty level with lots of trees. Nice, short walking path around campground with a few interpretative signs. Sacramento River flows close by sounds nice and relaxing. There are train tracks nearby and trains do go by pretty frequently. I-5 is close by, but we barely noticed traffic noise. Water spigots throughout the campground and clean bathrooms. No dump station at campground. We will definitely stop here again.