The best dog-friendly campgrounds near Merced, California

Looking to go camping near Merced, California with your furry friend? Look no further than Hipcamp. With over 2300 options in the area, you're sure to find the perfect spot for you and your pet. And with campsites like The Enchanted Forest Retreat (743 reviews), Camp Nauvoo (546 reviews), and The Meadows at Isleton (514 reviews) topping the list, you know you'll be in good hands. Plus, you can enjoy popular amenities like toilets, showers, and pet-friendly areas. So whether you're into paddling, snow sports, or whitewater paddling, Hipcamp has got you covered. Average price per night is $65, with options as low as $10. Happy camping!

94% (3.8K) • 243 campsites

Top-rated campgrounds near Merced

Looking to go camping near Merced, California with your furry friend? Look no further than Hipcamp. With over 2300 options in the area, you're sure to find the perfect spot for you and your pet. And with campsites like The Enchanted Forest Retreat (743 reviews), Camp Nauvoo (546 reviews), and The Meadows at Isleton (514 reviews) topping the list, you know you'll be in good hands. Plus, you can enjoy popular amenities like toilets, showers, and pet-friendly areas. So whether you're into paddling, snow sports, or whitewater paddling, Hipcamp has got you covered. Average price per night is $65, with options as low as $10. Happy camping!

94% (3.8K) • 243 campsites

Top-rated campgrounds near Merced

1. Chowchilla Golfside RV Retreat

18mi from Merced · 1 site · RV

Welcome to your peaceful RV getaway inside a private, gated golf-course resort community in Chowchilla, CA. This pull-through RV lot sits on approximately 2,300 sq ft (about 0.05 acres) and is perfect for short or long-term stays. The resort is known for its safety, quiet atmosphere, and friendly neighbors, making it an ideal spot for travelers, retirees, full-timers, or anyone needing a relaxing place to park and unwind. Ask resort employees about your golf credit! ✔ Pull-through access for easy parking ✔ Full hookup potential (electric, sewer, and water depending on rig) ✔ Secure gated community with paved roads ✔ Great location near the clubhouse, golf course, pool, and walking areas Guests can enjoy peaceful mornings, beautiful sunsets, golf course scenery, and close proximity to the resort amenities. Whether you’re passing through the Central Valley or settling in for a while, this spot provides comfort, convenience, and a safe place to call home. Looking forward to hosting you — feel free to reach out with any questions!

2. Fairgrounds Farmhouse

100%

(3)

31mi from Merced · 1 site · Lodging

Have your own private Farmhouse Cabin at the Fairgrounds and take a camping break with modern comforts! Conveniently located close to Yosemite National Park and Bass Lake, in Oldtown Mariposa, with fun shopping, dining and lots of great special events. * Walk to Fairgrounds * 5 min drive to Downtown * 30 miles to Bass Lake * 35 miles to Yosemite National Park: - Drive alongside the Merced River - Visit the Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, Glacier Point, and endless hikes to explore Escape to this spacious Farmhouse Retreat that provides both privacy and the convenience of being centrally located. The home is the perfect getaway for large or multiple families looking to spend quality time together. Feel tucked away in the beauty of nature while being close to it all. This updated Farmhouse has all the comforts and luxury that will make creating those lasting memories a pleasure. Enjoy the amenities listed below and make yourself at home. OUTSIDE: *Drive-up into a private, spacious driveway with plenty of available parking for your cars or trucks and anything else you're hauling *Complimentary EV 20 amps charger for our guests. GATHERING SPACES & ENTERTAINMENT: * Enjoy our 2180 sq. ft. Farmhouse with multiple gathering areas * Comfy living room with leather couches to sink into * 75" Roku enabled TV to stream your favorite shows after a day of hiking * Or enjoy a quiet evening with puzzles, card games and books for your enjoyment * Every member of the family will feel included with separate yard spaces * Take a break and sit back on the Adirondacks and enjoy the mountain & farm views * Play a round of ring toss or corn hole * Make your way downstairs to the lower level where you can have a little friendly competition with a game of billiards or air hockey in the game room * Enjoy the game rooms 65" Roku enabled TV * The game room opens up to a second backyard space where you can swing your heart away on the play structure for the young or just young at heart GOURMET KITCHEN & PATIO DECK: * Create family meals to remember with a spacious kitchen * Kitchen island that seats 4 * Dining table that seats 8 * Beautiful sideboard buffet that holds wine glasses for all your meals * Take your morning coffee on the bistro table outside the kitchen door and enjoy the butterfly bush and tranquil surroundings * Coffee maker and French press for our coffee lovers, as well as tea's to enjoy * Fully equipped kitchen with most appliances you could need * T-fal Platinum Unlimited Cookware Set * Outdoor dining set for 6 on the patio deck along with extra bench seating * Vintage wagon wheel table (seats 4-6) for games or as extra seating for the kiddos during mealtimes * Grill up some burgers on the BBQ deck and enjoy some outdoor time ROOMS: * King bed in Master bedroom * Private bathroom in master with shower * His/her closets in Master * Eye masks offered in Master * Balcony off Master bedroom onto deck * Queen bed in 2nd bedroom * His/hers closets in second bedroom * Private sink in second bedroom * Bunk bed (twin over full) in 3rd bedroom * Pull-out queen sofa in game room * Pull-out twin sofa in office * Dedicated workspace * USB ports in every bedroom * Laundry room with extra-large washer/dryer * Soap and shower dispensers in every bath and shower * Keep in mind we run on septic. So please do not flush ANYTHING that is not toilet paper. DO NOT FLUSH "FLUSHABLE" WIPES, PLEASE! OUR GUESTS LOVE: -the open and inviting floor plan -separate game spaces for all ages -private but centrally located location

3. Big Table Ranch

100%

(3)

34mi from Merced · 1 site · Lodging

In Sierra Foothills, 45 mins to Yosemite. near McClure Lake and Don Pedro. Super great for dogs and kids!! Base price is for 6 guests, $250-350(winter/summer) nightly, $35 extra per night per person in addition. 3 dogs (and cats) are included. Chat us up if you have more. 3 bedroom, 3.5 bath. Speak with us for larger groups. 2200' elevation. 4WD not needed. Summer- 85-100 degrees. Winter 35-55. Private use - 5 acres. Larger groups welcome. People relocating from fires with more pets welcome! Guest House with well stocked kitchen (2 fridges, stove/double oven, dishwasher, back deck bbq, sundries), smart tv, fireplace (we have tons of wood), air conditioning and free wifi (works perfectly 99% of the time). Home is one floor with front and back porches. Our unique property is an old working ranch with 35 acres of meadows, an old cabin, barn, natural springs, an inground pool, hot tub and swimming cistern. Our guest house is near the road and easily accessible but still very private. Roads are flat and parking easy. You have full and private access to the house, hot tub and pool areas. Near the pools: outdoor shower, sink, lounge chairs, covered and sunny areas. Our pools are not heated (and do not have the ability to be heated) and are covered in the winter months (November to April). Extra large living and dining room. 2 couches, 2 large dining room tables, smart tv, bluetooth speaker, games, pub table. Bedroom 1: 1 queen with private bathroom(shower) Bedroom 2: 1 queen and 1 twin bunkbed Bedroom 3: 1 queen and 1 twin bunkbed Bathrooms 1&2: sink, shower and toilet Bathroom 3: sink and toilet We provide all bedding, towels, kitchen basics and paper goods. The ranch is solar-powered (not off-grid) with an artesian well and septic system. Please use biodegradable products for your showers and washing. Our property is great for dogs. Up to 3 at no extra costs. If you want to bring more chat us up. The 5 acres around the guest house are fenced but in front and at the driveway it's open. We have horses, deer, turkeys, barn cats... roaming around and we have farm dogs enclosed at our house. Our base price is for 6 guests, $35 extra per night per person in addition. When writing us, Let us know that you have read the full description of our space. Thanks

4. Luxury in the Wilderness, CA

39mi from Merced · 1 site · Lodging

Escape into the wilderness at our newly renovated 3-br, 2,700 sq ft Kowana Valley Lodge. Once a Gold Rush era cottage and homestead, the Lodge is perched uphill next to a running creek and features 100% off-grid systems to provide the comforts of home in the middle of the Stanislaus National Forest. Imagine dark skies filled with STARS, a running creek, the stillness of the forest, and the smell of nature. Visit as a stand-alone retreat or as a base camp for excursions into Yosemite National Park. The space Kowana Valley Lodge is a custom-built 2,700 sq ft lodge nestled in the middle of the Stanislaus National Forest. With 3 bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms, 2 studies, a chef's kitchen, a fire pit area, and a rec room with a ping pong table, Kowana Valley Lodge is well-equipped to host a large family or group of friends. Guests will also have access to explore the entire 300-acre property (a trail map is provided at the Lodge), along with miles and miles of dirt roads and national forest land that surround us! Guest access The Lodge is equipped with a smart lock allowing you access via a temporary code. The access gate to the property will be left open throughout your stay. There is no cell service in the area. Internet service via Starlink is provided as a Wifi connection. For your safety, please enable Wifi calling on your cell phone and download offline maps via Google Maps, onX, or your preferred navigation mobile app. *You must drive ~4 miles of dirt and gravel road to reach Kowana Valley Lodge. The road is not steep but is narrow at spots and dusty when dry. Access with a 2WD vehicle is not a problem. **The closest medical facility is at least 40 minutes away in Groveland, so be aware and be prepared for those with underlying medical conditions or needs.**

5. El Captain’s View 4X4 ONLY Yosemite

71%

(17)

39mi from Merced · 2 sites · Tents, RVs

80 majestic acres of mountain top with a bird's eye view of El Capitan in Yosemite! No frills, no extras, just you and nature. 4x4 access only. Surrounded by over 500,000 acres of land owned by the U.S. Forest Service, there are no houses or stores (45 Minute drive). Far below in elevation is the Merced River and its many swimming and fishing holes (45 Minute drive). Look to the west to see the coastal mountains. Gaze across the Yosemite Valley to the East at iconic El Capitan in the distance. Take a drive into the Yosemite National Park (1 hour drive). Escape the hustle and bustle and federal laws of Yosemite at night (420 friendly). Inclusive. Views in every direction. Breathtaking sunsets. Incredible wildlife. Freedom. America the Beautiful!

Recent reviews from the Hipcamp community

N

Natalie

August 2025

Tent

1 night at El Captain’s View 4X4 ONLY Yosemite

Fantastically beautiful site! A four wheel drive car is absolutely necessary on this narrow off road path leading to the site. Note this is not a negative: it was totally fun to ramble up the road and was a sizable part of our adventure. In early August the site was calm and temperate. Even at the summit with a near 360° view, we had calm winds and a nice spot for our rented Jeep and tent. There were views in every direction for miles and miles. We simultaneously saw the sunset and a near full moon rise on the opposite side. If you’re interested in getting into Yosemite, note that it’s almost two hours from this site to the park, so plan accordingly. As a last note, we’d suggest the owner put up some more signage for actually where to park. Even with the instructions, we circled the area two complete times before we found where to park. A simple “go the orange flag” would solve this. Otherwise we highly recommend this as a peaceful spot with spectacular views, totally removed from the world.

El Capitan, Yosemite, View from Campsite

T

Timari

August 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to El Captain’s View 4X4 ONLY Yosemite

Overall we had a great experience staying at this spot! There are great views. The roads are long getting there and there is a couple of tough sections, wouldn’t recommend doing it in the dark and ground clearance was needed at times. The camp spot was not very clearly marked but we found a fire ring and decided to set up next to it.

G

G.

May 2025

With pets

Weekend Trip to Big Table Ranch

Our stay at the Big Table Ranch Guest House was wonderful! The hosts responded quickly to our questions and the home and surrounding property are absolutely beautiful and relaxing. We wish we could have stayed longer! We are looking forward to staying at Big Table Ranch again soon!