RV Parks In Clearlake, California

For lakeside camping, Clear Lake State Park near Kelseyville is the anchor, with four campgrounds including the 65-site Kelsey Creek loop right on the water, a boat launch, and slips for campers, though it has no hookups. For full or partial hookups, the private Clear Lake Campground sits on Cache Creek, the only outlet of the lake, with water, sewer, and 30-amp sites, and Clearlake Resort offers full-hookup RV sites and cabins on the shore with monthly options. Together they cover what most visitors come for: a spot on the water near nationally ranked bass fishing, with a choice of rustic state park or hookup convenience.

Some do, but the big state park does not. The private options are where you find hookups: Clearlake Resort offers full-hookup RV sites on the lakeshore, and Clear Lake Campground on Cache Creek has most sites with water, sewer, and 30-amp electric. Clear Lake State Park, the main public campground, has no electric or water hookups at its sites at all, relying on a dump station instead, though it makes up for it with a prime lakeside location and a boat launch. So if you want full hookups, book a private resort; if you are happy to dry camp on the water near the best bass fishing in the country, the state park is the pick.

Plan on roughly $30 to $70 a night depending on hookups and how close you are to the water. The private parks with hookups, like Clearlake Resort and Clear Lake Campground, sit in the middle of that range, with monthly rates at the resorts bringing the per-night cost down for longer fishing stays. Clear Lake State Park is cheaper for its no-hookup lakeside sites, generally in the $30s, plus the California state-park day-use or vehicle fee. Lake County is one of the more affordable lake destinations in Northern California, well below comparable Sierra or coastal spots, which is part of its appeal for anglers and budget RVers.

For summer weekends and any bass-tournament dates, reserve well ahead, because Clear Lake is a nationally known fishery and the lakeside sites at Clear Lake State Park fill fast from mid-May through mid-September. Book Kelsey Creek on ReserveCalifornia as early as the window allows. The spring bass spawn also draws crowds, so weekends in spring book up too. Midweek and the off-season are much easier, often with same-week availability. The private resorts can be more flexible and are worth a call when the state park is full, especially if you want full hookups for a longer stay.

It depends on your priority. For boating, swimming, and warm-weather lake time, summer is peak, but it is hot, busy, and squarely in wildfire season, so watch air-quality alerts. For fishing, spring is legendary thanks to the bass spawn, and fall offers excellent fishing with cooler temperatures and thinner crowds, which makes fall our overall value pick. Winter is mild at lake level and very quiet, good for anglers who do not mind rain. So come in spring or fall for the best mix of fishing, comfortable weather, and easier reservations, and summer if you want full-on lake recreation.

Yes, with a little planning. The private resorts like Clearlake Resort handle bigger rigs with full hookups, and they are the easy choice for a 40-footer that wants power and sewer. Clear Lake State Park has some sites that fit larger rigs but no hookups, and the sizes vary by loop, so check the listed lengths before booking. The bigger consideration is getting there: the highways that ring the lake, CA-29 and CA-20, are fine, but the approaches over the hills from the Napa Valley and from I-5 are winding with grades, so take them slowly and use low gear on the descents if you are towing or driving something large.

There are some, though the prime lakeside spots run on reservations. The surrounding Mendocino National Forest and BLM lands north and east of the lake offer first-come and dispersed camping for self-contained rigs, which is the budget and flexibility play. Around the lake itself, Clear Lake State Park and the private parks release some first-come sites midweek and in the shoulder seasons, but weekends, especially in summer and during the spring bass spawn, fill up. For the best chance at a first-come lakeside site, travel midweek or off-season; for free camping, head up into the national forest and come prepared to be self-sufficient.

Clear Lake State Park near Kelseyville is the marquee public campground on the lake, with four campgrounds: Kelsey Creek, Cole Creek, and the Lower and Upper Bayview loops. Kelsey Creek has 65 lakeside sites with easy access to trails and fishing and stays open year-round. There are no electric or water hookups, but there is a dump station, a boat launch, and boat slips reserved for campers, which is a big draw for anglers. You can fish for bass, catfish, crappie, bluegill, and Sacramento perch right from the park. Reserve through ReserveCalifornia, and book mid-May through mid-September well ahead.

On Clear Lake the trade-off is hookups versus a state-park setting. Clear Lake State Park gives you a beautiful lakeside location, a boat launch, slips for campers, and a lower price, but no hookups, so you dry camp and use the dump station. The private parks and resorts, like Clearlake Resort and Clear Lake Campground, give you water, sewer, and electric, plus monthly rates and resort amenities, but they cost a bit more and feel less natural. We book the state park when we want to dry camp right on the water near the fishing, and a private resort when we want full hookups, a longer stay, or the convenience of power for the air conditioning in summer heat.

Fishing is the headline. Professional anglers rank Clear Lake as the top bass lake in the country, and it also produces catfish, crappie, bluegill, and Sacramento perch, so bring the rods and the boat. Beyond fishing, the lake is excellent for boating, kayaking, paddleboarding, and swimming, and Clear Lake State Park has trails, a visitor center, and great birding. Lake County has quietly become a respected high-elevation wine region, so tasting rooms make a good off-the-water afternoon. The whole area is laid-back and affordable compared with the coast or the Sierra, which is a big part of why RVers and anglers keep coming back.

Clearlake sits on the southeast shore of Clear Lake in Lake County, about two hours north of San Francisco and Sacramento. The highways that ring the lake, CA-29 and CA-20, connect the towns, and CA-53 links Clearlake itself to CA-20. The catch for big rigs is the approach: the routes in over the hills from the Napa Valley to the south and from Interstate 5 to the east are winding, with real grades and curves, so take them slowly, use low gear on descents, and avoid rushing. Once you are in the lake basin the driving is easy. Fuel and groceries are available in the lakeside towns, so plan a resupply stop on the way in.

Yes, several are. The Kelsey Creek campground at Clear Lake State Park stays open year-round, and the private resorts like Clearlake Resort run through winter as well, so off-season camping is doable. Winters at lake level are mild and wet rather than snowy, with highs in the 50s and rain rather than freeze, so it is comfortable enough for hardy anglers and very quiet, with the lake nearly to yourself. The note of caution is that Clear Lake Campground on Cache Creek runs a seasonal April-to-November schedule, so confirm dates if you are targeting a specific park. For winter, the state park and the year-round resorts are your options.

It is an excellent and underrated one. Clearlake sits right on the shore of the largest natural lake entirely within California, and the lake is nationally ranked for bass, so for anglers it is a destination in its own right, with lakeside camping, boat launches, and slips for campers at the state park. Beyond fishing, you are positioned to explore Lake Countys growing wine region, hike and bird at the state park, and enjoy boating and paddling all summer. Prices are noticeably lower than comparable Sierra or coastal lakes, the pace is relaxed, and a full-hookup or lakeside site here makes a comfortable, affordable base for a fishing trip or a quiet Northern California lake getaway.

For lakeside camping, Clear Lake State Park near Kelseyville is the anchor, with four campgrounds including the 65-site Kelsey Creek loop right on the water, a boat launch, and slips for campers, though it has no hookups. For full or partial hookups, the private Clear Lake Campground sits on Cache Creek, the only outlet of the lake, with water, sewer, and 30-amp sites, and Clearlake Resort offers full-hookup RV sites and cabins on the shore with monthly options. Together they cover what most visitors come for: a spot on the water near nationally ranked bass fishing, with a choice of rustic state park or hookup convenience.

Some do, but the big state park does not. The private options are where you find hookups: Clearlake Resort offers full-hookup RV sites on the lakeshore, and Clear Lake Campground on Cache Creek has most sites with water, sewer, and 30-amp electric. Clear Lake State Park, the main public campground, has no electric or water hookups at its sites at all, relying on a dump station instead, though it makes up for it with a prime lakeside location and a boat launch. So if you want full hookups, book a private resort; if you are happy to dry camp on the water near the best bass fishing in the country, the state park is the pick.

Plan on roughly $30 to $70 a night depending on hookups and how close you are to the water. The private parks with hookups, like Clearlake Resort and Clear Lake Campground, sit in the middle of that range, with monthly rates at the resorts bringing the per-night cost down for longer fishing stays. Clear Lake State Park is cheaper for its no-hookup lakeside sites, generally in the $30s, plus the California state-park day-use or vehicle fee. Lake County is one of the more affordable lake destinations in Northern California, well below comparable Sierra or coastal spots, which is part of its appeal for anglers and budget RVers.

For summer weekends and any bass-tournament dates, reserve well ahead, because Clear Lake is a nationally known fishery and the lakeside sites at Clear Lake State Park fill fast from mid-May through mid-September. Book Kelsey Creek on ReserveCalifornia as early as the window allows. The spring bass spawn also draws crowds, so weekends in spring book up too. Midweek and the off-season are much easier, often with same-week availability. The private resorts can be more flexible and are worth a call when the state park is full, especially if you want full hookups for a longer stay.

It depends on your priority. For boating, swimming, and warm-weather lake time, summer is peak, but it is hot, busy, and squarely in wildfire season, so watch air-quality alerts. For fishing, spring is legendary thanks to the bass spawn, and fall offers excellent fishing with cooler temperatures and thinner crowds, which makes fall our overall value pick. Winter is mild at lake level and very quiet, good for anglers who do not mind rain. So come in spring or fall for the best mix of fishing, comfortable weather, and easier reservations, and summer if you want full-on lake recreation.

Yes, with a little planning. The private resorts like Clearlake Resort handle bigger rigs with full hookups, and they are the easy choice for a 40-footer that wants power and sewer. Clear Lake State Park has some sites that fit larger rigs but no hookups, and the sizes vary by loop, so check the listed lengths before booking. The bigger consideration is getting there: the highways that ring the lake, CA-29 and CA-20, are fine, but the approaches over the hills from the Napa Valley and from I-5 are winding with grades, so take them slowly and use low gear on the descents if you are towing or driving something large.

There are some, though the prime lakeside spots run on reservations. The surrounding Mendocino National Forest and BLM lands north and east of the lake offer first-come and dispersed camping for self-contained rigs, which is the budget and flexibility play. Around the lake itself, Clear Lake State Park and the private parks release some first-come sites midweek and in the shoulder seasons, but weekends, especially in summer and during the spring bass spawn, fill up. For the best chance at a first-come lakeside site, travel midweek or off-season; for free camping, head up into the national forest and come prepared to be self-sufficient.

Clear Lake State Park near Kelseyville is the marquee public campground on the lake, with four campgrounds: Kelsey Creek, Cole Creek, and the Lower and Upper Bayview loops. Kelsey Creek has 65 lakeside sites with easy access to trails and fishing and stays open year-round. There are no electric or water hookups, but there is a dump station, a boat launch, and boat slips reserved for campers, which is a big draw for anglers. You can fish for bass, catfish, crappie, bluegill, and Sacramento perch right from the park. Reserve through ReserveCalifornia, and book mid-May through mid-September well ahead.

On Clear Lake the trade-off is hookups versus a state-park setting. Clear Lake State Park gives you a beautiful lakeside location, a boat launch, slips for campers, and a lower price, but no hookups, so you dry camp and use the dump station. The private parks and resorts, like Clearlake Resort and Clear Lake Campground, give you water, sewer, and electric, plus monthly rates and resort amenities, but they cost a bit more and feel less natural. We book the state park when we want to dry camp right on the water near the fishing, and a private resort when we want full hookups, a longer stay, or the convenience of power for the air conditioning in summer heat.

Fishing is the headline. Professional anglers rank Clear Lake as the top bass lake in the country, and it also produces catfish, crappie, bluegill, and Sacramento perch, so bring the rods and the boat. Beyond fishing, the lake is excellent for boating, kayaking, paddleboarding, and swimming, and Clear Lake State Park has trails, a visitor center, and great birding. Lake County has quietly become a respected high-elevation wine region, so tasting rooms make a good off-the-water afternoon. The whole area is laid-back and affordable compared with the coast or the Sierra, which is a big part of why RVers and anglers keep coming back.

Clearlake sits on the southeast shore of Clear Lake in Lake County, about two hours north of San Francisco and Sacramento. The highways that ring the lake, CA-29 and CA-20, connect the towns, and CA-53 links Clearlake itself to CA-20. The catch for big rigs is the approach: the routes in over the hills from the Napa Valley to the south and from Interstate 5 to the east are winding, with real grades and curves, so take them slowly, use low gear on descents, and avoid rushing. Once you are in the lake basin the driving is easy. Fuel and groceries are available in the lakeside towns, so plan a resupply stop on the way in.

Yes, several are. The Kelsey Creek campground at Clear Lake State Park stays open year-round, and the private resorts like Clearlake Resort run through winter as well, so off-season camping is doable. Winters at lake level are mild and wet rather than snowy, with highs in the 50s and rain rather than freeze, so it is comfortable enough for hardy anglers and very quiet, with the lake nearly to yourself. The note of caution is that Clear Lake Campground on Cache Creek runs a seasonal April-to-November schedule, so confirm dates if you are targeting a specific park. For winter, the state park and the year-round resorts are your options.

It is an excellent and underrated one. Clearlake sits right on the shore of the largest natural lake entirely within California, and the lake is nationally ranked for bass, so for anglers it is a destination in its own right, with lakeside camping, boat launches, and slips for campers at the state park. Beyond fishing, you are positioned to explore Lake Countys growing wine region, hike and bird at the state park, and enjoy boating and paddling all summer. Prices are noticeably lower than comparable Sierra or coastal lakes, the pace is relaxed, and a full-hookup or lakeside site here makes a comfortable, affordable base for a fishing trip or a quiet Northern California lake getaway.

Yes — there are free RV waste disposal options available near Clearlake.