Dinkey Creek

Campground · California · 123 bookable sites ·

Managed by the USDA Forest Service

Sierra National Forest (NF) · Open Access

123
Bookable sites
50 ft
Max rig length
up to 50
People per site
24
Accessible sites
5,714 ft
Elevation
A photo of facility DINKEY CREEK with Picnic Table, Fire Pit
Photo: Tommy Sarkisian · Recreation.gov

Overview

Dinkey Creek is spread out along the banks of its namesake creek in a thick forest of Ponderosa pines and cedars. The facility's high country setting with trees, streams and open space, make it a scenic destination for all types of visitors.

Recreation

Dinkey Creek has 2 swimming areas: The Slicks and Honeymoon Pool, both of which contain pools carved out of granite. Anglers can fish Dinkey Creek for brown and rainbow trout.

Hikers can walk the Dinkey Creek Trail. Mountain bikers also have trail access in this area.

Facilities

There is a group site that can accommodate up to 50 people. The rest are a mix of standard or tent-only single sites.

An on-site amphitheater offers educational programs on summer weekends. There is a picnic site located on large sandy flat above the creek at the north end of the campground.

All sites have paved spurs, picnic tables and fire grills; accessible sites are available. Drinking water and both vault and flush toilets are provided.

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.

Contact Info

For facility specific information, please call (559) 841-2705.

Nearby Attractions

McKinley Grove is 6 miles away. Famous for its giant Redwoods, the area offers leisurely hikes and picnicking opportunities.

Charges & Cancellations

Rules & Reservation Policies

As you make travel plans that include reservations on Recreation.gov, there are standard policies that apply to most locations of which you should be aware. Do keep in mind, however, that there are many exceptions, so it is best to review reservation information listed on individual facility pages for those policies and procedures that pertain to your specific locations.

Any location or activity requiring a permit or lottery will have unique requirements and policies. Please check individual facility pages for pertinent information for those sites.

Booking Window

For most locations, you can reserve six months in advance of your stay for individual sites and 12 months in advance for group sites. There are some exceptions, so it is best to check with each facility.

Change and Cancellation Policies and Fees

Overnight and Day Use Facilities: To ensure fairness, reservation arrival or departure dates may not be changed beyond the booking window until 18 days after booking the reservation.

Camping / Day Use: A $10.00 service fee will apply if you change or cancel your reservation (including campsites, cabins, lookouts, group facilities, etc.). The $10.00 service fee will be deducted from the refund amount.

You can cancel or change reservations through Recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777.

Tours & Tickets: You may request changes to tour dates at no cost before the arrival date. If you cancel before your tour date, you may be eligible for a refund. Cancellation fees apply. Please check the tour facility description details page for cancellation policies.

Permits: Varies by location. Please check the permit details for the permit location.

Late Cancellations

Overnight and Day Use Facilities: Late cancellations are those cancelled between 12:01 a.m. (Eastern) on the day before arrival and check out time on the day after arrival.

Individual Campsites: If a customer cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival they will be charged a $10.00 service fee and will also forfeit the first night's use fee (not to exceed the total paid for the original reservation). Cancellations for a single night's reservation will forfeit the entire use fee but no cancellation fee will apply.

Cabins / Lookouts: Customers will be charged a $10.00 cancellation fee and forfeit the first night's use fee if a cabin or lookout reservation is cancelled within 14 days of the scheduled arrival date. Cancellations for a single night's use will not be assessed a service fee.

Group Facility: If a customer cancels a group overnight facility reservation within 14 days of the scheduled arrival date they will be charged the $10.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's use fee. Cancellations for a single night's use will not be assessed a service fee.

Group Day Use Area: If a customer cancels a group day use facility reservation within 14 days of the scheduled arrival date, they will forfeit the total day use fee with no service fee charge.

No-Shows

Camping / Day Use: A camping no-show customer is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Reserved campsites and group overnight facilities will be held until check-out time on the day following your scheduled arrival. Group day-use facilities will be held until check-in time on your scheduled arrival date.

If a customer does not arrive at the campground or group facility by check-out time the day after arrival or does not cancel the reservation by the times listed under "Late Cancellations" above, the customer may be assessed a $20.00 service fee and forfeit use fees.

Tours: A tour or ticket no-show is one who does not cancel a ticket before arrival and does not arrive for the tour. Tour no-shows are not entitled to a refund.

Refunds

Customers must request refunds no later than 14 days after the scheduled departure date. Recreation.gov will not grant refund requests after 14 days of departure.

Reservation Fee: For some facilities, tours or permits an additional reservation fee is charged. For some overnight and day-use facilities, an additional non-refundable reservation fee may apply. The non-refundable reservation fee for tours and tickets is $1.00. The non-refundable reservation fee for permits varies by location.

Refunds for Bankcard Purchases: Refunds for bank card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank card.

Refunds for Check or Cash Purchases: Refunds for Recreation.gov payments made by check or money order, and cash payments at selected campgrounds will be issued a check refund. A refund will be processed within 30 days of receipt and approval. Please Note: Refund requests made during or after departure can only be processed when approved by the facility management staff based upon local policy.

Refunds for Emergency Closures: In the event of an emergency closure, the Recreation.gov team will attempt to notify users and offer alternate dates (as appropriate). If this is not possible, reservations will be cancelled and all fees paid will be refunded. Reservation fees for free tickets are non-refundable in the event of an emergency closure.

Recreation.gov Billing Information

Reservation transaction will appear on customer's credit card statements as "Recreation.gov 877-444-6777."

Changes to Policies and Procedures

Recreation.gov reserves the right, when necessary, to modify reservation policies. These policies were last updated July 

The facts

  • Season: May – October — USDA Forest Service, Aug 24, 2026
  • 123 bookable sites
  • 24 accessible sites
  • Vehicles up to 50 ft
  • Up to 50 people per site
  • Loops: B, C, DINK, E, F, G, H, I, J, K

Site types

  • 70 Standard Nonelectric
  • 52 Tent Only Nonelectric
  • 1 Group Standard Nonelectric

Amenities

  • Campfires allowed
  • Fire pits
  • Picnic tables
  • Shade
  • Pets allowed

Not recorded upstream: electric hookups, water hookups, sewer hookups, grills.

Book on Recreation.gov

123 campsites at Dinkey Creek

Check-in 2:00 PM · Check-out 12:00 PM

SiteLoopTypeEntrySurfaceAccessMax rigPeople
001BStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—30 ft6 🐾
002BStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—50 ft6♿ 🐾
003BTent Only NonelectricBack InPaved——6 🐾
004BStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—30 ft6 🐾
005BStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—35 ft6 🐾
006BStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—35 ft6 🐾
007BStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6 🐾
008BStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—25 ft6 🐾
009BStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—25 ft6 🐾
010BTent Only NonelectricBack InPaved—30 ft6 🐾
011BStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—25 ft6 🐾
012BStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—32 ft6 🐾
013BStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft10 🐾
014BStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—45 ft6 🐾
015BStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—29 ft6 🐾
016BStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—45 ft6 🐾
017BStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—50 ft6♿ 🐾
018BStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—50 ft6 🐾
019CStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—50 ft6 🐾
020CStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6 🐾
021CTent Only NonelectricBack InGravel—40 ft6 🐾
022CTent Only NonelectricBack InGravel—40 ft6 🐾
023CTent Only NonelectricBack InGravel—50 ft6 🐾
024CTent Only NonelectricBack InGravel—40 ft6 🐾
025CTent Only NonelectricBack InGravel—30 ft6 🐾
026CTent Only NonelectricBack InGravel—40 ft6 🐾
027CTent Only NonelectricBack InGravel—30 ft6 🐾
028CTent Only NonelectricBack InGravel—40 ft6 🐾
029CTent Only NonelectricBack InGravel—30 ft6 🐾
030CTent Only NonelectricBack InGravel—35 ft10 🐾
031CTent Only NonelectricBack InGravel—40 ft10♿ 🐾
032CTent Only NonelectricBack InGravel—40 ft6♿ 🐾
033CTent Only NonelectricBack InGravel—40 ft6♿ 🐾
034CTent Only NonelectricBack InGravel—40 ft6 🐾
ADINKGroup Standard NonelectricBack InPaved—25 ft50 🐾
035ETent Only NonelectricBack InGravel—30 ft6♿ 🐾
036ETent Only NonelectricBack InGravel—50 ft6 🐾
037ETent Only NonelectricBack InGravel—50 ft6 🐾
038ETent Only NonelectricBack InGravel—40 ft6 🐾
039ETent Only NonelectricBack InGravel—45 ft6♿ 🐾
040EStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6 🐾
041EStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—50 ft6 🐾
042EStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6 🐾
043EStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6♿ 🐾
044ETent Only NonelectricBack InPaved—30 ft6 🐾
045EStandard NonelectricBack InPaved——6 🐾
046EStandard NonelectricBack InPaved——6 🐾
047EStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—50 ft6 🐾
048ETent Only NonelectricBack InPavedHike In—6 🐾
049ETent Only NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6♿ 🐾
050ETent Only NonelectricBack InPavedHike In—6 🐾
051EStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6 🐾
052EStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—50 ft6 🐾
053ETent Only NonelectricBack InPaved——6 🐾
054EStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—35 ft6 🐾
055ETent Only NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6 🐾
056ETent Only NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6 🐾
057ETent Only NonelectricBack InPaved——6 🐾
058ETent Only NonelectricBack InPaved—50 ft6 🐾
059EStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—30 ft6 🐾
060EStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6 🐾
061EStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—50 ft6♿ 🐾
062FTent Only NonelectricBack InPaved——6 🐾
063FTent Only NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6 🐾
064FTent Only NonelectricBack InPaved——6 🐾
065FStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—35 ft6 🐾
066FStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—50 ft6 🐾
067FTent Only NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6 🐾
068FTent Only NonelectricBack InPaved—50 ft6 🐾
069FTent Only NonelectricBack InPaved——6 🐾
070FTent Only NonelectricBack InPaved—50 ft6♿ 🐾
071FStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6 🐾
072FTent Only NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6 🐾
073FTent Only NonelectricBack InPaved—50 ft6 🐾
074FTent Only NonelectricBack InPaved—50 ft6 🐾
075FTent Only NonelectricBack InPaved—50 ft6 🐾
076FStandard NonelectricBack InPaved——6 🐾
077GTent Only NonelectricBack InPaved—50 ft6♿ 🐾
078GStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—50 ft6 🐾
079GStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—50 ft6♿ 🐾
080GStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—35 ft6 🐾
081GStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—50 ft6 🐾
082GStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6 🐾
083GStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—50 ft6 🐾
084GTent Only NonelectricBack InPaved—30 ft6 🐾
085GTent Only NonelectricBack InPaved——6 🐾
086GStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6♿ 🐾
087GStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6 🐾
088GTent Only NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6♿ 🐾
089GStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—30 ft6 🐾
090GStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—35 ft6 🐾
091GStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—50 ft6♿ 🐾
092GStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—30 ft6♿ 🐾
093HStandard NonelectricBack InPaved——6 🐾
094HStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6♿ 🐾
095HStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—50 ft6♿ 🐾
096HStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—50 ft6 🐾
097HStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6 🐾
098HStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—30 ft6 🐾
099HStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6 🐾
100HStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft10♿ 🐾
101HStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—30 ft6 🐾
102HStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6 🐾
108IStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6 🐾
109IStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6 🐾
110IStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—50 ft6 🐾
111IStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6 🐾
112IStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6 🐾
113ITent Only NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6♿ 🐾
114JTent Only NonelectricBack InPaved——6 🐾
115JTent Only NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6 🐾
116JTent Only NonelectricBack InPaved——6 🐾
117JTent Only NonelectricBack InPaved—30 ft6 🐾
118JStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6♿ 🐾
119JTent Only NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6 🐾
120JStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6 🐾
121KStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—50 ft6 🐾
122KStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—50 ft6 🐾
123KStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—30 ft6 🐾
124KStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—30 ft6 🐾
125KStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6♿ 🐾
126KStandard NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6 🐾
127KTent Only NonelectricBack InPaved—40 ft6♿ 🐾

Getting there

From Clovis, California, travel east on Highway 168 to Shaver Lake. Turn southeast onto Dinkey Creek Road and travel 13 miles to the campground.

37.06809, -119.15703 · 37°4'5.1"N 119°9'25.3"W

Directions (Google Maps) · Directions (Apple Maps)

Typical weather

Typically 74°F in Aug, down to 43°F in Jan.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F434446505666747468584944
Low °F242326293643494944373125
Precip in8.57.86.84.02.40.70.70.10.42.33.96.8

1991–2020 averages from the nearest NOAA station, 11.6 mi away — not measured at the facility itself, and elevation can make a real difference over that distance.

Map

More photos

Member photos

Common questions about Dinkey Creek

Can you reserve a site at Dinkey Creek?
Yes, Dinkey Creek is reservable through Recreation.gov.
How many campsites does Dinkey Creek have?
123 sites.
What is the maximum RV length at Dinkey Creek?
50 ft. That is the longest vehicle the sites here are recorded as taking; individual sites may be shorter.
Are pets allowed at Dinkey Creek?
Yes, pets are allowed at Dinkey Creek.
Are campfires allowed at Dinkey Creek?
Campfires are allowed at Dinkey Creek. Check for a current fire restriction before you go.

Also listed by

Dinkey Creek also appears in other federal recreation data. Facts below are matched by name and location, not confirmed by Dinkey Creek's operator.

USDA Forest Service — data as of Aug 24, 2026

  • $44.00 Single site per night. During holidays fees increase $2 per site. $87.00 Double site per night. During holidays fees increase $4 per site. $259.00 Group site per night $10 fee for each additional vehicle.

Restrictions:

  • Maximum group size= 6 per site

Accessibility:

  • All restrooms, 27 campsites, amphitheatre, and all sites have accessible tables and fire grills.

USDA Forest Service's own page

Camping near Dinkey Creek

Comments

Contact

Recreation.gov last updated this record on 2026-03-11.

Facility information and photographs from Recreation.gov (RIDB). SpotOpened is not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.