The Absolute Best Camping Near Fresno

Written by Cindy Rasmussen
Published: September 17, 2022
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For some of the best camping near Fresno, CA, you can choose from campgrounds that offer traditional wooded campsites by the lake or other extreme luxury RV sites with resort-like amenities. You don’t need to go far to find excellent camping options so that you can be close to all the sights of Fresno, like the Chaffee Zoo, the Underground Gardens and Island Waterpark. Read on to find out about the absolute best camping near Fresno.

1) Millerton Lake State Recreation Area

Millerton Lake is known for its bald eagle population, and they host Eagle watching boat tours in the winter.

©Gary C. Tognoni/Shutterstock.com

The Millerton Lake State Recreation Area is just north of downtown Fresno surrounding the beautiful Millerton Lake. The lake is a popular recreational lake with 47 miles of shoreline with several different campground areas, including some boat camping! Enjoy swimming at Hillis Beach, boating, fishing (large and smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, bluegills, and catfish), or paddle boarding. There are miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding. One of the campgrounds has facilities for horse camping as well. Millerton Lake is known for its bald eagle population, and they host Eagle watching boat tours in the winter.

The campgrounds at Millerton are all on the north shore, with 148 campsites nestled in the wooded pines. Twenty-seven sites have electrical hookups, and they all have a picnic table and a fire ring. Drinking water is located nearby for all of the sites. For a fun adventure, you can load up your boat with all your camping gear and head out to Temperance Flat, where there are 24 campsites reachable only by boat, and North Finegold has room for 15 boats for overnight docking to stay in your boat. You can see why Millerton is one of the absolute best places to camp near Fresno.

LocationNorth of downtown Fresno, in Friant, CA
Distance from Fresno35 min (26 miles)
RV/Tent sites148 sites, 27 with electricity
Boat-in campsites24 sites
Boat Camping docked boats15 dock spots
Picnic Tables at each siteYes
Fire Pit at each siteYes
AmenitiesRestrooms,
Pet FriendlyYes
ReservationsYes, Boat-in sites are first come first serve
What makes it one of the bestMany options of sites with lake views!

2) Island Park Campground

The park is on the edge of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, with the Sierra Nevada Mountains as the backdrop.

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Another popular lakeside campground is the Island Park Campground just east of Fresno on Pine Flat Lake. The park is on the edge of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, with the Sierra Nevada Mountains as the backdrop. Camping on the lake with mountains in the background sounds very peaceful! The park offers miles of hiking trails, with the quarter-mile Blue Oaks Trail being an easy hike right from the campground. If you hike quietly and keep your eyes peeled, you might see a bobcat or red-tailed hawk living along the lake’s shores. Of course, there are all the lake activities like swimming, boating, and fishing, with spotted bass and rainbow trout being some of the favorites with anglers.

The campground has 94 RV’s and tent sites, with 5 with electric and water hookups and 25 with electric. A group campsite is available for large groups, including a volleyball court and horseshoe pit. Grill up some burgers, play some volleyball, then hit the beach, sounds like a fun camping trip.

LocationEast of Fresno in Sanger, CA
Distance from Fresno45 min (35 miles)
RV/Tent sites94 sites (25 with electric, 5 with water/electric)
Picnic Tables at each siteYes
Fire Pit at each siteYes
AmenitiesRestrooms, water, electric
Pet FriendlyYes
ReservationsYes
What makes it one of the bestLake camping with mountain views!

3) Lost Lake Recreation Area Campground

The park is home to mule deer, squirrels, cottontails, and many migratory birds that use the lake and river areas as stopovers.

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The Lost Lake Recreation Area is north of Fresno, near Millerton Lake. The park is on the San Joaquin River, perfect for kayaking, canoeing, and fishing. There are access points along the river where you can put your canoe/kayak. There is also a small 38-acre man-made lake with a nature study area which is great for wildlife watching. The park is home to mule deer, squirrels, cottontails, and many migratory birds that use the lake and river areas as stopovers.

The campground is at the park’s north end and has 37 campsites. Although the campsites do not have hookups, restrooms and water are nearby. Each campsite does have a picnic table and fire ring for evening campfires after a day on the river.

LocationNorth of Fresno in Friant, CA
Distance from Fresno30 min (20 miles)
RV/Tent sites37
Picnic Tables at each siteYes
Fire Pit at each siteYes
AmenitiesRestrooms, water, river access
Pet FriendlyYes
ReservationsYes
What makes it one of the bestRiverfront camping only 30 minutes from Fresno.

4) Visalia/Sequoia National Park KOA

Located about 35 miles SE of Fresno, the KOA makes a great home base for visiting Fresno, Sequoia and King’s Canyon National Parks.

©arkanto/Shutterstock.com

For a resort-like camping experience, the Visalia/Sequoia KOA is one of the absolute best places to camp near Fresno. Located about 35 miles SE of Fresno, the KOA makes a great home base for visiting Fresno, Sequoia and King’s Canyon National Parks. It is one thing to see pictures of the giant sequoia trees, but it is another thing to be staring up at some of the world’s largest trees. Although it is rare to encounter these potentially dangerous animals, be aware that mountain lions and black bears do live in the park. Always keep your distance from animals in the wild.

There won’t be bears or mountain lions at the KOA, where you can settle in after a day of exploring. The campground has full hookup sites for RV’s, a tent camping area, and cabin rentals (with air conditioning). The resort-like amenities include a swimming pool, Game Room, Gift Shop, and Exercise Room. Everything you need is right there, but you are also in Visalia for restaurants and shopping.

LocationSE of Fresno, in Visalia
Distance from38 min (35 miles)
RV sitesYes, with full hookups, pull thru
Tent sitesYes, separate tent camping area
CabinsYes, some basic cabins, others with private bathrooms
Picnic Tables at each siteYes
Fire Pit at each siteYes
AmenitiesRestrooms, showers, laundry, swimming pool, game room, gift shop, exercise room
Pet FriendlyYes, Kamp K9 dog area
ReservationsYes
What makes it one of the bestSome of the best amenities!

5) New Horizons Mobile/RV Park

The New Horizons RV park is also close to the Forestiere Underground Gardens, created by Baldassare Forestiere in the early 1900s.

©Jessica Small/Shutterstock.com

If you want to stay right in Fresno, you can camp at the New Horizons Mobile/RV Park. It is located in the NW corner of the city and is only 2 ½ miles from the Chaffee Zoo! The zoo is a popular attraction in Fresno with the “Roo Walkabout” (kangaroo exhibit), Stingray Bay, and the new “Kingdoms of Asia” featuring Malayan Tigers, Komodo Dragons, and Sloth bears (opening in early 2023). The New Horizons RV park is also close to the Forestiere Underground Gardens, created by Baldassare Forestiere in the early 1900s. You can explore the network of rooms and tunnels of the vast gardens that still have fruit trees and grapevines today.

The RV park has 64 sites with full hookups and can accommodate small and large RV’s. There is a swimming pool with a covered outdoor living room nearby and a rec room with a billiards table. Play a bocce ball or horseshoe game before enjoying a BBQ at your campsite. A lovely RV park right in Fresno!

LocationRight in Fresno in the NW corner
Distance from18 min (12 miles)
RV sites64 sites
Tent sitesNo, not available
Picnic Tables at each siteYes
Fire Pit at each siteYes
AmenitiesRestrooms, laundry, swimming pool, rec room
Pet FriendlyYes
ReservationsYes
What makes it one of the bestRight in Fresno, near the zoo and Underground Gardens.

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About the Author

I'm a Wildlife Conservation Author and Journalist, raising awareness about conservation by teaching others about the amazing animals we share the planet with. I graduated from the University of Minnesota-Morris with a degree in Elementary Education and I am a former teacher. When I am not writing I love going to my kids' soccer games, watching movies, taking on DIY projects and running with our giant Labradoodle "Tango".

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Sources
  1. New Horizons Mobile/RV Park, Available here: https://newhorizonsrvpark.com/
  2. Visalia/Sequoia National Park KOA, Available here: https://koa.com/campgrounds/visalia/
  3. Lost Lake Recreation Area Campground, Available here: https://www.co.fresno.ca.us/departments/public-works-planning/divisions-of-public-works-and-planning/resources-and-parks-division/parks/lost-lake-recreation-area
  4. Island Park Campground, Available here: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233521?tab=info
  5. Millerton Lake State Recreation Area, Available here: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=587