We went on a camping trip to Gualala River Redwoods Park in Gualala, CA. We stayed at site 226.
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The Campsite
Our campsite (#226) was easy to park our 20 foot trailer. The site was a pull-through site so getting the trailer situated took only a few minutes. We had one of the larger sites at the campground so fitting the trailer and truck was no problem and left plenty of space for exploring.
The campground itself is situated next to the Gualala river and is filled with redwood trees. The whole area was beautiful and our campsite was no exception. We weren’t along the river but our site did back up to the cathedral tree path. It created a beautiful backdrop to our site. It did also bring people walking through our site who didn’t understand where the trail went but that felt worth it for the beautiful views and large site.
Even though our site wasn’t on the river I didn’t feel like we were missing out. There were a couple of paths that anyone was able to take to access the river. All of the river sites that we saw did have a view of the river but you couldn’t walk there directly from the site. So, it didn’t feel like we were missing out because we had our own beautiful view and can use the same path to the river as the people with the riverfront sites.
Every site at the Gualala River Redwoods Park had electric and water hook-ups. And there were two dump stations on the way out of the park. The downside is the dump stations are only slightly off of the main road so it would be easy for traffic to back up for everyone while the dump stations were busy.
The campground did not have a good cell signal. I had basically no service the entire time. They did however have a coffee cart with decent tasting coffee which was a nice surprise.
The Best Campsites
This campground is large. There are over 120 sites. Some spaces are small or close together. Here are the sites that were our favorites:
- Site 16
- This site was on the river. It was one of the largest river sites. The table was situated to the left of the parking pad so it would work well for a trailer backed in so the door would be situated on the ideal camp side.
- Site 216
- Because of the placement of the trees this felt like one of the more secluded sites. It was also situated well for a trailer with the table on the left of the parking pad.
- Sites 218 & 220
- These two sites would be great reserved together. They are tucked back a bit so it might be harder to get a trailer in there but a trailer our size (20 feet) would be able to fit. Because they are side-by-side and tucked back a bit it would be a good place for a group of two families.
- Site 226
- This was the site we stayed at during our visit. It was beautiful, large, and it was a pull-through site making parking a breeze.
- Site 226 & 228
- Combining sites 226 with 228 would be one of the best setups the park has to offer. Site 228 is smaller than 226 but the two sites share a common area that is pretty secluded from the other campsites. They would be great spaces for two groups of friends to reserve together.
The Weather
We were there in August and we had perfect weather. There are so many redwood trees that you have shade just about everywhere.
The Activities
There was a path right behind our campsite that led to the cathedral tree. It was short but an enjoyable site to see. The path there was a nice dirt path that the kids enjoyed riding their bikes over.
There was also an area in the center of the campground with a store, coffee cart, and lots of activities for the kids. There was a playground, basketball hoop, ping pong, horseshoes, and volleyball. The playground area also had a large redwood stump that the kids loved climbing on.
And then there was the river. The Gualala river was on two edges of the campground. And it was only a few steps away. We didn’t spend nearly as much time at the river as our kids would have liked. If we visit again I’m sure that will be different next time.
The Dog-Friendly Hiking
All of the trails at the Gualala River Redwoods campground were dog-friendly. There weren’t any major hiking trails but mostly just trails to get around the campground. It was still nice to have them dog-friendly.
We didn’t make it over there but we had considered going to Gualala Point Regional Park which is only a six minute drive from the campground. That trail is right along the ocean and all dog-friendly.
The Beer
There really aren’t any local breweries around this campground. Bring some beer with you to enjoy at camp.
The Recap
Gualala River Redwoods Park was a fun campground to visit. We liked our site and the space we had to explore, we enjoyed seeing the redwoods, the river, and the kids especially liked getting to play at the playground. We would not hesitate to go back.
Campground Details:
Gualala River Redwood Park
46001 Gualala Rd, Gualala, CA 95445
Can reserve online at gualalapark.com. Reservations open 1 year ahead. Campground is open seasonally from May – September.
