campgrounds.fyiIndependent · federal campgrounds · no paid placements
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USFSStanislaus National Forest · California

Dardanelle Campground

Dardanelle Campground is situated in a mixed conifer forest along the banks of the Stanislaus River.
Sites0all reservable
Elev.5,761ft
Comf.May-Oct6 months
Max rigtents
Electricnonesites
From Sacramento2h39real road time
The honest read
Synthesized from
RIDB · Open-Meteo
OSM · OSRM
Updated 2026-05-27

At 5,761 ft, Dardanelle Campground has a 6-month comfortable window (May-Oct). Winter nights average around 27°F, so the shoulder seasons turn cold fast. Within about 4 miles: 1 named hiking route, 2 peaks.

The campground at a glance

01 · CHARACTER
QuietCoolRoomyShadeRV-fitReserv.

Reads strongest on quiet and cool nights. Softest on cool nights.

Six axes, each scored relative to every other federal campground in the region: quiet (miles to a major road), cool (elevation), roomy (average site spacing), shade, RV-fit (longest rig), and how reservable it is. All six come from data, nothing hand-tuned.

When to go

02 · CLIMATE
JFMAMJJASOND
avg highavg lowfrost-freedriest · Jul
May-Oct
Comfortable window: nights stay above 35°F, days below 90°F.
92%
Of summer weekend-days are dry.
Jun 9
Last spring frost; first fall frost Oct 17.
55°F
Average July low. Bring a fleece.

Getting there

03 · ACCESS
01
Sacramento
119 mi
2h39
02
Fresno
144 mi
3h12
03
San Francisco
190 mi
4h13
04
Los Angeles
402 mi
8h56
05
San Diego
542 mi
12h03
By drive time
Sacramento · 2h39Fresno · 3h12San Francisco · 4h13Los Angeles · 8h56San Diego · 12h03Camp

Routed road time (OSRM). Nearest major highway 13.7 mi away.

What's within four miles

05 · TRAILS · PEAKS · WATER

Trails & Peaks

Named hiking routes
1
Trail segments
11
Peaks
2
Viewpoints
2

Water & Access

To nearest major road
13.7 mi
Method

We synthesize public data layers: RIDB and Recreation.gov facility and site records, Open-Meteo climate normals, OpenStreetMap roads, trails, and water, OSRM drive times, and USGS elevation. We take no bookings, no ads, and no paid placements. Independence is the entire point.

Check availability on Recreation.gov →