State Parks near Carson City, NV

Auburn State Recreation Area is located on the western edge of California near the state’s border with Nevada. This 42,377-acre area was once a sought-after place for gold panning and still is thanks to its abundance of minerals. During the 1950s, a dam was to be built on the grounds, but this plan was soon abandoned due to fears of its construction causing an earthquake.

Numerous people still flock to Auburn State Recreation Area to enjoy its beautiful scenery or to attend one of its many endurance races. The area tends to have very mild temperatures year-round, with summers being cool and winters being somewhat warm.

The spectacular and majestic giant sequoias bring tourists from around the world to Calaveras Big Trees State Park northeast of Arnold and Stockton, California. The park was established in 1931 to preserve the giant sequoias, including the Discovery Tree, or Big Stump, the first sequoia discovered by Augustus T. Dowd in 1852. Bring your own motorhome or book an RV in San Joaquin County and discover the majesty of these amazing trees.

While camping at Calaveras Big Trees State Park take some time and explore Lodi, the home of the World of Wonders Science Museum, where you can stock on camping supplies before you head into the park for the weekend. Tracy offers great restaurants and shopping for all …

If you’re looking for a fascinating blend of history and nature during your RV camping adventure in northern Nevada, schedule a stop at Dayton State Park. This small 160-acre park on the outskirts of Dayton, along the Carson River, was once a Paiute fishing camp. It was also the site of the first gold discovery in Nevada in 1849. Prospectors favored California’s gold rush instead, but just a few years later, one of the largest silver deposits in the world was discovered in nearby Virginia City. Dayton quickly boomed and hosted the largest of the region’s 21 stamp mills used to extract silver from the rocks mined nearby.

Dayton’s population started to decline around the turn of the 20th …

Long before the European settlers arrived, the region was used by Washoe Native Americans, who are known to have lived and hunted in the Great Basin (the area near Tahoe Lake) for at least 6,000 years. Due to the harsh terrain and arid conditions, the settlers nicknamed it Devil’s Valley. It was used primarily for cattle grazing for much of the 19th century. Around the turn of the century, alarmed by development creeping in, the US Forest Service began purchasing land and started the process of turning it into a federally-managed park. It was initially established as Desolation Valley Primitive Area in 1939 and later recategorized as Desolation Wilderness in 1964.

The small town of South Lake Tahoe, CA, …

In the northeast of California, near Lake Tahoe, is Donner Memorial State Park. This park is near the border shared between California and Nevada, between the Tahoe National Forest and the cities of Carson City and Reno, in Nevada. Donner Memorial State Park marks the site of the ill-fated Donner Party, a group of explorers who were trapped by weather during the winter of 1846-1847. When you book an RV in Nevada County, you’ll be able to see this park and more during your trip.

Contained within the park are both the Emigrant Trail Museum and the Pioneer Monument, both of which are dedicated to travelers who braved the Emigrant Trail through the mountains. This park covers over …

Lake Tahoe is a popular tourist destination, and almost two miles of the western shore is in Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point State Park near Tahoma, California. The park has about 1,000 hectares of densely forested mountains. Carson City, Nevada is less than an hour and a half from the park, and Sacramento is just over two hours away.

No need to worry if you don't own a motorhome — you can still enjoy camping at Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point State Park. Book an RV in El Dorado County and spend time visiting nearby attractions on your Ed Z'Berg Sugar Pine Point State Park camping adventure. Drop in and visit Tahoe City to stock up on camping supplies before …

Gushing waterfalls, lakeview campsites, and a Norwegian-styled mansion are just a few of the treasures awaiting South Lake Tahoe campers. Originally sold to California by lumberman Harvey West in 1953, Emerald Bay State Park was promptly designated a National Natural Landmark in 1969. Right on the crest of California’s Sierra Nevada, South Lake Tahoe is neighboring cities with contemporary Truckee and is about half an hour’s drive away from the lush landscapes of the El Dorado National Forest.

Located in one of a handful of cities on the historic Lake Tahoe, the park features California’s first ever maritime heritage underwater trail for divers to explore and interact with. Prefer to be in the woods? Numerous nature trails swirl around …

Folsom Lake State Recreation Area surrounds California’s Folsom Lake and sprawls at the base of the Sierra Nevada foothills. Book an RV in Sacramento County and set a course for the Recreation Area, which can be reached from either Highway 50 or I-80. Located near the town of Folsom, the recreation area sits approximately 30 minutes away from Sacramento, the Golden State capital. 

The park’s two reservoirs, Folsom Lake and Lake Natoma, are the sites for diverse activities and events held throughout the year, including sailboat regattas, rowing competitions, fishing tournaments, horseback endurance rides, foot races, and more. In addition to its scenic beauty, Folsom Lake State Recreation Area also has historical significance. It became one of the …

Hugging Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, Grover Hot Springs State Park sits outside the town of Markleeville. The park is 553 acres and lies approximately 35 miles away from South Lake Tahoe. It was designated in 1959 and is a popular destination for the great outdoor lovers. The park is named for its two hot springs, which are its major attractions. One of the hot spring pool water temperatures is slightly over 100 degrees while the other one is kept at about 70 degrees. The hot springs get their waters from mineral springs located within the alpine valley, which is then treated and piped to the pool complexes. Besides the pools, the park has many wonderful natural attractions, including …

As its name suggests, Hidden Falls Regional Park isn't the easiest state park to track down in California, but it's worth the effort. Tucked away in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the park is around a half an hour drive from both Auburn and Lincoln. It's under an hour's drive away from Sacramento, too, making it the perfect motorhome camping escape from the stresses of city life.

Camping near Hidden Falls Regional Park is all about exploring the great outdoors, whether that be through hiking, horseback riding, or an afternoon of fishing. In 2013, the protected area was enlarged, and the 1,200-acre space now incorporates plenty of open woodland, breath-taking gorges, tranquil creeks, and majestic waterfalls. …

Lake Oroville State Recreation Area lies in Butte County in Northern California. Located about seven miles from Oroville and approximately 25 miles north of Marysville, Lake Oroville State Recreation Area covers 29,447 acres. This state park was designated in 1967, and Lake Oroville is the primary attraction. Spanning 15, 500 acres, this is considered one of the largest lakes in California and offers 167 miles of shorelines and a maximum depth of 695 feet.

For the great outdoor lovers, Lake Oroville State Recreation Area offers a wide array of recreation. The most popular activities include hiking, horseback riding, wildlife watching, hunting, and picnicking. With the park surrounding a lake, nature lovers can easily engage in water sports such as …

Situated in the scenic pine woods of the Sierra Nevada foothills, 26 miles away from Nevada City and 30 miles away from Colfax, Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park protects over 3,000 acres of land. The park is also home to one of the biggest hydraulic gold mines in the state, which makes it an embodiment of a California Gold Rush history lesson.

Blair Lake, hiking trails, volcanic rocks, and diverse wildlife and vegetation make the park one of the favorite places for RV campers, mountaineers, anglers, geologists, and ecologists. Another interesting fact about the park is that the surrounding area used to be the home of the Nisenan tribe, which was tragically ravaged by the malaria epidemic back in …