Ponderosa Campground

Overview

As of 11/1/2026, this campground is under new management - it is now being managed directly by the Los Padres National Forest, Monterey Ranger District. The campground is CLOSED while we assess and address health and safety concerns. Thank you for your patience, we look forward to serving you soon!

Ponderosa Campground offers visitors a beautiful location to relax and enjoy nature. It runs along the seasonal Nacimiento River, which provides a variety of recreational opportunities. Swimming, fishing, wading, are seasonally available at this location!

Recreation

The Nacimiento River provides opportunities for trout fishing and wading, as well as swimming in any of the swimming holes along its course (may need to exit the campground to find). A variety of hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking trails can be accessed within a short drive from the campground.

Facilities

The campground offers sites for tent and RV camping. A maximum of two vehicles is allowed for each site. Additional vehicles are not allowed in the campground. Each site is equipped with a table and campfire ring with grill. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided. Utility hookups are not available. NO Trash bins are available. Pack in. Pack out.

Natural Features

The campground is situated next a seasonal river a source of water for wildlife as well as a variety of ponderosa pines, oak, madrone, and sycamore trees, providing ample shade in most campsites. At an elevation of 1,500 feet.

Nearby Attractions

Mission San Antonio is a short drive east of the campground. Located in the Fort Hunter Liggett Military Base, the mission is one of the oldest in California.

Camp site features

Across 23 camp sites:

  • Pets allowed: all 23 sites
  • Longest RV: 40 ft
  • Largest party: 8 people

Services within 25 miles · OpenStreetMap

Nearest dump station: 24.2 mi · Yanks RV Resort

Nearest water fill: 12.4 mi

Directions

Campground is accessible via the 101 side, the Highway 1and Nacimiento Road Access. From Monterey, Take highway 68 to the 101. Accessible through Highway 101 exit Jolon Road. From Los Angeles/South take highway 101 to the Jolon Road exit, follow until campground.

Stay Limit

Check in from 3 PM, check out by 12 PM.

Reviews

44 reviews
5 stars
3
4 stars
8
3 stars
11
2 stars
12
1 stars
10
Joseph M
Loop:Ponderosa Campground
Site:
Reviewed 3 months ago
I don’t see the use in making reservations or paying if people just take whatever spot they want anyways. Arrived to our site with someone already set up, they said they reserved another spot but didn’t like it so moved into our spot, forcing us to look for another site. No camp host on site, no services, only vault toilets. Honestly, if you just show up without reservations or paying, you can probably get away with staying for free. Only recommend as a last resort.
Hailei K
Loop:Ponderosa Campground
Site:
Reviewed 3 months ago
Tons of flies, not well kept, trash everywhere.
Anika C
Loop:Ponderosa Campground
Site:
Reviewed 3 months ago
Beautiful campground despite a few drawbacks. Creek was mostly dry when we were there with pools of standing water that meant LOTS of bugs. Mosquitos, small flies, and larger biting flies. Bug spray, citronella candles, and fans didn't do much against them and they bothered us pretty much the entire time. The site itself seemed accessible but the bathrooms were not at all. There's no way a wheelchair could have fit in any of them. We reserved sites 21 and 22 as a group of seven people and it was shaded and spacious. Beautiful nature and wildlife, lots of stellars jays and acorn woodpeckers, gorgeous stars at night. There was potable water at the entrance of the campground and at one of the bathrooms farther away from us. Vault toilets were not the worst I've seen, but definitely contributed to the amount of flies at our sites. I'm sure this would be a perfectly lovely place to stay in the spring when the creek is flowing and it is cooler with less bugs, but the heat and extremely determined bugs were unpleasant for all of us.
Alexander B
Loop:Ponderosa Campground
Site:
Reviewed 3 months ago
Bathrooms are not great, lots of non biting bugs. Trash needed to be picked up almost no water in the river in August. Weird sites be prepared to lug your stuff around.
Linda R
Loop:Ponderosa Campground
Site:
Reviewed 3 months ago
We had booked two nights but only stayed one because of the flies. Beautiful place but nowhere to swim or cool off. No nice toilets. We want our money back.
Ethan W
Loop:Ponderosa Campground
Site:
Reviewed 3 months ago
Great secluded campsite with beautiful stars. Some campsites seemed to be marked as "closed" and did not have potable water but were still available for booking on Recreation.gov. Other campers happily let us use their spigot but something to note.
Availability

See the Camp Sites section below to find detailed booking availability.

Reserve

Season dates

Peak season

May 1, 2027 – Sep 30, 2027

Reservable online

Peak season

May 1, 2028 – Sep 30, 2028

Reservable online

Camp Sites

Availability not checked yet

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