A white Tacoma with a camper shell parked on a rise above a broad, empty basin under building cloud.

Forest Service campground

Soquel Campground

Forest Service campground in Sierra National Forest, Madera County, California. 5,262 feet.

Managed by
Forest Service Sierra National Forest
Elevation
5,262 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
21 21 standard non-electric
Longest rig
30 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Madera County

Overview

Soquel Campground consists of two loops on the banks of Willow Creek. The primitive sites are well-shaded by pine and fir trees and can accommodate small trailers and tents. Reservations for this campground are now site-specific.

Recreation

Trails can be found off Highway 41 west of the campground, including the 3.7-mile Lewis Creek National Recreation Trail and the Miami Motorcycle Trails, a network of forest roads and trails for dirt bikes and off-road vehicles.

The Shadow of the Giants, a grove of giant sequoias, is popular 1-mile hike just a short drive north of the campground.

Facilities

Each site has a dirt parking spur, picnic table, campfire ring and grill. Vault toilets are provided, but drinking water is not available. Campers must bring their own supply.

Natural Features

The Sierra National Forest, located on the western slope of the central Sierra Nevada, is known for its spectacular mountain scenery and abundant natural resources. The terrain includes rolling, oak-covered foothills, heavily forested middle elevation slopes and the starkly beautiful alpine landscape of the High Sierra.

Soquel Campground is located in the Highway 41 Corridor of the Bass Lake Ranger District. This area is known for the Nelder Grove of giant sequoias.

Nearby Attractions

Yosemite National Park is a popular day trip from the area. The historic logging train at Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad is a little closer to the campground.

Soquel Campground is just off the Sierra Vista Scenic Byway (Sky Ranch Road), an 83-mile drive past many highlights of Sierra National Forest.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • camping
  • hiking

The land around Soquel Campground

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated March 11, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.