Mill Valley Campground

Mendocino National Forest — lakeside

Location: Stonyford, CA, CA

Price: From $5 per night

Rating: 4 out of 5 (0 reviews)

Season: May through October

This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site. Once on-site, you are able to pay for your campsite(s) by scanning a QR code using the Recreation.gov mobile app, and the Scan and Pay feature.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/mill-valley-campground to be notified when sites open up.

Extremely affordable at $5/night with clean, spacious sites and basic amenities including fire rings and picnic tables. Google reviewers consistently rated it 5 stars, praising the scenic drive and peaceful atmosphere.

Wildlife alert: North American River Otter, Sonoma Chipmunk, Douglas' Squirrel, Mountain Quail, Mallard, Northern Rubber Boa, California Whiptail, and Western Fence Lizard documented in the area.

Insider tips for Mill Valley Campground: First-come, first-served only—arrive in person to claim a site Use Recreation.gov mobile app Scan and Pay feature on-site to pay for your site Download the Recreation.gov app before arrival since the area is remote Arrive early as it's a federal campground with limited sites (only 1 site total)

Skip Mill Valley Campground if: You need hookups—none are available. You want to reserve ahead—only first-come, first-served. You're visiting November through April—seasonal closure.

Best time to visit Mill Valley Campground: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Nearby campgrounds: Letts Lake Campground (Stonyford, CA), Dixie Glade Campground (Stonyford, CA), Mill Creek - Mendocino National Forest (Stonyford, CA), North Fork - Mendocino National Forest (Stonyford, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Mill Valley Campground

Cell signal at Mill Valley Campground (Stonyford, CA): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

CamperWatch›CA›Mill Valley Campground
Mill Valley Campground — photo 1
Mendocino National Forest — lakesideLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Mill Valley Campground

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Stonyford, CA, CA★ 4 (0 reviews)From $5/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site. Once on-site, you are able to pay for your campsite(s) by scanning a QR code using the Recreation.gov mobile app, and the Scan and Pay feature.

Best for:FamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need hookups—none are available✕ You want to reserve ahead—only first-come, first-served✕ You're visiting November through April—seasonal closure

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

First-come, first-served only

arrive in person to claim a site

Use Recreation.gov mobile app Scan and Pay feature on-site to pay for your site

Download the Recreation.gov app before arrival since the area is remote

Arrive early as it's a federal campground with limited sites (only 1 site total)

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: North American River Otter, Sonoma Chipmunk, Douglas' Squirrel, Mountain Quail, Mallard, Northern Rubber Boa, California Whiptail, and Western Fence Lizard documented in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
N/A· Mendocino National Forest
Getting there →

Located 17 miles west of Stonyford and one mile from Letts Lake off of the 17N02.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Mendocino National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Mendocino National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Mill Valley Campground cost per night?+
Mill Valley Campground costs $5 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Mill Valley Campground open?+
Mill Valley Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Mill Valley Campground have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Mill Valley Campground?+
Mill Valley Campground is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Mill Valley Campground?+
Mill Valley Campground is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Mill Valley Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Mill Valley Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Mill Valley Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Mill Valley Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$5 /night★ 4 (0)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Mill Valley Campground cost per night?+
What season is Mill Valley Campground open?+
Does Mill Valley Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

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