4.6281 reviewsPrice
Varies
Booking
Reservable
Sites
59 campsites
Season
Year-round
Cell
No Service
Pets
Pets Allowed
Price
Varies
Booking
Reservable
Sites
59 campsites
Season
Year-round
Cell
No Service
Pets
Pets Allowed
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Learn more about alerts →Grayton Beach State Park Campground 3
30.3316, -86.1572
We'll monitor this campground and alert you the moment sites become available.
Free to start · paid plans add 2-min scans
256,000+ sites monitored · Email alerts to start; SMS and in-app with an account
Learn more about alerts →Snorkelers and swimmers who can handle 72°F water will get the most out of this place; the spring run is short enough for a casual paddle and on-site rentals mean you don't have to haul gear. Weekday visits in March or April hit the sweet spot before summer humidity and mosquitoe
A bumpy dirt access road greets you before you even park, campsites read as dated and bare-bones, and weekend crowds compress everyone into a small area in ways that have produced more than the usual share of tense interactions between visitors, if a low-friction, easygoing atmos
Camper Report Card
Rated higher than 1% of graded campgrounds
Graded on what 127 campers actually wrote - graded on 14 things that make or break a trip. Each topic is graded against every other campground on it - A is among the best, C about average. No star ratings.
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Each topic is graded against every other campground on it; a topic campers liked never grades below C−. ± shows the 95% confidence range from the sample size.
Context for the broader area surrounding Grayton Beach State Park Campground 3, sourced from the federal Recreation.gov rec-area record.
<A HREF="http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=New+Melones+Dam">New Melones Dam</a> and Reservoir are part of the <A HREF="http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=New Melones Unit Project">Central Valley Project - New Melones Unit</a> operated by the Bureau of Reclamation. Located 60 miles upstream on the Stanislaus River from the confluence of the San Joaquin River. The reservoir has a capacity of 2.4 million acre feet of water with 100 miles of shoreline, and a water surface area of 12,500 acres. New Melones is located between the historic mining towns of Sonora and Angels Camp on Highway 49 and is nestled in the Foothill Oak Woodlands of the Sierras at the 1100 ft elevation. Summer temperatures range from 85-100F and winter range from 32-60F.Gloryhole Recreation Area has two campgrounds (Big Oak and Ironhorse) with 144 campsites, 3 day-use areas, 30 miles of hiking/biking trails, a fish cleaning station, a swim beach, and 2 boat launch ramps with parking lots. A full service marina and store complete with fuel and boat rentals are available. Tuttletown Recreation Area has 3 campgrounds (Acorn, Chamise, and Manzanita) with 161 campsites, 2 day-use areas, a boat launch ramp with parking lot, an RV dump station, and fish cleaning station. Two group campgrounds are available by reservation only.Campsites in both recreation areas have a combination of back in, pull through, and walk-in tent sites, complete with fire rings, picnic tables, shade trees, shared water, and flush toilets (with showers available in selected restrooms). Camping sites can accommodate up to 8 people with 2 vehicles, and do not have hookups. Dogs are allowed but must be kept on a leash at all times.A year-round visitor center/musem is located on Highway 49 just south of the Stanislaus River bridge and is open from 10:00-4:00 daily. Features include a variety of exhibits highlighting the area's prehistory, the gold rush era of the "submerged town" of Melones, water management and conservation. Ranger-guided nature hikes and visitor center programs are provided year round, and evening campground programs are provided during the summer months.New Melones Lake is noted for outstanding year-round fishing for both cold and warm water species, and outstanding boating. Nature viewers and birders will find a number of species common to the Foothill Oak Woodland, with an occasional Bald Eagle and Osprey. Hikers and mountain bikers will enjoy the numerous trails through the woodland areas.
From Sacramento, drive 46 miles south on I-5 to Stockton. At Stockton, east on California Highway 4 for 56 miles to Angels Camp. The Park headquarters is 8 miles south of Angels Camp along Highway 49.
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The campground welcomes visitors throughout the year, each season offering its own rewards. Spring and fall are the sweet spots, bringing comfortable temperatures and breathing room on the beach, while summer serves up bathwater-warm Gulf waters and long sunny days (along with heat, humidity, and fellow beach lovers in abundance). Winter campers enjoy a quieter, more contemplative experience—though you'll want to pack a windbreaker for breezy beach walks and cooler evenings under the pines.
Spring cited as a sweet spot with comfortable temps and strong positive review signal (spring_rating 0.98).
Reservation tips, booking windows, and free cancellation alerts.
The campground offers full-facility campsites with potable water, electric service, and some sites with sewer hookups. Facilities include flush toilets, hot showers, a dump station, picnic tables, fire rings/grills at sites, a boat/kayak launch to Western Lake, and reported Wi‑Fi at some RV sites.
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