Rancho Seco Recreational Area

Arthur McCauley

Too Hot

James

We camped at Rancho Seco Recreation Area Campground site 6 in a 36’ 5th wheel camper. This was a back in site and they are more perpendicular to the road than angled but there was enough room to maneuver that it wasn’t too difficult. I was able to back in and be completely off the road when I unhooked but some sites were short enough that they required the tow vehicle to be in the road when unhooking. Check in at the gate was easy. It was about a 20-minute drive from Hwy 99 to the gate. The roads in the campground are asphalt and in good shape. The sites are gravel. My site sloped down considerably by the connections so I had to use quite a few leveling blocks. I might have been able to park angled or diagonally in the site and avoided the leveling blocks. There was a lot of room between campers on either side of me. My site had no shade. I didn’t know that there are pull through sites farther down the road when I made reservations. They are closer together than my site but they are shady. I had 2-3 bars of cell service with AT&T and I could receive 46 OTA channels on the TV. We checked in on a Sunday afternoon. It seems weekends are busy around the swim beach and picnic area. There was continuous traffic on the road. Arriving Monday seems like a good idea. Once that area closes the place is completely quiet and peaceful. About the only noise were the cows across the road mooing. Monday morning was a maintenance frenzy with the staff utility carts coming and going everywhere doing clean up and yard maintenance etc. During my 4-night stay I’d have to say I saw more staff maintenance going on here than any other place I’ve stayed. Each site had it’s own full size garbage can and they were emptied twice daily. This was a very clean place. I would definitely return to Rancho Seco if I were in the area again. It cost me $40 a night plus an $8 reservation fee. The staff is friendly and they keep the place clean and well maintained. They only allow electric motors or self-propelled boats on the lake so it’s nice and quiet. I only wish it had been a little less windy so I could have enjoyed a campfire in the evening.

Mariana Morris

Well the camp ground is very pretty, that is about the only upside to the park this far. When you get to the campground, the staff checking you in have sparkling personalities, then hand you rules to read, one of which states the beach (the only small spot on the lake you can swim) closes at dusk. Finally unpacked we walked to the lake with all our gear around 5:45, get onto the lake there is another sparkling personality telling through a mega speaker BEACH CLOSED, BEACH CLOSES AT 6. There is no where stated nor were we told when we arrive that the beach would close at 6. Even the people who came around 4 for just day use were shocked. The RV spots are mostly gravel while the tent sites are nice with grass. The next day when the beach was actually open, we set up a site and put up our eazy-up then were told no pop ups on this side of the beach, again NOT POSTED ANYWHERE, and no reason as to why. Other spots (where there were trees) still had them up??? Still have 2 more nights on our reservation but this is definitely the first and last time visiting.

Gerard Oneto

Fantastic park. Great fishing Employee were friendly and helpful.