Campsite #35 at Hirz Bay Campground, CA

Make a Reservation
$46

Group Site #35

7 reviews
12 people
40 ft Back-In
2 poor
35
5/28
6/5
Campsite #35 Features: Back-In parking, RV Site, Tent Site, Trailer Site, Pets Allowed

Campsite Reviews (7)

2.0 out of 5

5 star
14%
4 star
0%
3 star
29%
2 star
43%
1 star
14%

@CrowL65FFC8146 · Camped on May 14, 2024 at Campsite #35
It was all so promising.. Driving into the campsite up Gilman was beautiful. The bathroom was clean & our Campsite (#35) was set beautifully against the lake. We had no lake access but the view was nice. We camped on the lower level of the site because it was more private & had great views. We set up camp, made a fire, & cooked a great dinner. Finished with toasted marshmallows around the fire for a while after sunset. While closing up camp & heading to the bear proof garbage cans I heard something large moving in the brush, I couldn't see anything with my headlamp. We put all the food in the alleged bear proof locker, put out the fire, & headed down the slope to our camp. After getting into the tent, less than a half hour later we hear a chain clanking much like the chain to the bear locker. Naively we assumed that noise was our neighbors securing their bear locker, we later found out how wrong we were. Next we hear something very large running & stumbling down the slope near our camp, the bear was very large & carried our medium sized cooler in its mouth, making it look tiny in comparison. The bear was about 400 pounds & about 5 yards from our tent. We could hear its panting. My partner and I decided to stay the night, and perhaps that was foolish. The bear came back to the bear locker two to three times, & sniffed near our tent. There were also so many other creatures we couldn't see but could hear scurrying around the tent too. Moments after sunrise we looked at the damage, the bear had eaten $120 of groceries. Yogi bear ate well that night, haha. That bear was pretty clean despite it all. the peanut butter container & pyrex of salad dressing was licked clean and intact save for a large puncture in the lids. We packed up camp & high tailed it outta there. Key take awayS: The Bear lockers don't work, store your food in the car. There will be bears. Most people camp in vehicles. Tent camping felt vulnerable. signage was insufficient. stayed only 1 of our 3 days.
@KirkH9636555 · Camped on Aug 9, 2022 at Campsite #35
It was beautiful - we had several deer walk through our campsite.
@LoganW5538085 · Camped on Jun 24, 2022 at Campsite #35
Why tf would y'all reserve a site with down trees in the middle of the site, debris everywhere,broken benches, broken nut on the bear locker (essentially broken bear locker). Overall trashed campsite had to pick an open one that was semi better down the road.
@MikeS615 · Camped on Aug 5, 2021 at Campsite #35
This was an awesome campground but unfortunately I have to give it 3 stars for two main factors, bees and bears. We had site 35 and when we arrived, it must have been on a yellow jacket nest or something. Hundreds of bees in the site, swarming all our food, it was relentless. We made the decision to move to another site and it was a little better but they still bothered us the entire weekend. The campground host was aware of the issue too, as a maintenance worker was attacked in a different site earlier in the week. It was frustrating that they knew about it but didn't bother to put up traps or anything in the sites. Secondly, the bear. There is a very persistent bear that patrols the campground at night. He came to our site 3 nights in a row and it was a big bear. Tried to get into the bear box, hitting coolers, etc. It didn't pay any attention to us or our tents but it was still annoying and somewhat stressful knowing it would come by every night. The campground itself is great. Really nice sites, very large, and good privacy. I would love to stay at this site again but something has to be done about the bee situation before I would consider going back.
@MikeS6104174 · Camped on Aug 5, 2021 at Campsite #35
This was an awesome campground but unfortunately I have to give it 3 stars for two main factors, bees and bears. We had site 35 and when we arrived, it must have been on a yellow jacket nest or something. Hundreds of bees in the site, swarming all our food, it was relentless. We made the decision to move to another site and it was a little better but they still bothered us the entire weekend. The campground host was aware of the issue too, as a maintenance worker was attacked in a different site earlier in the week. It was frustrating that they knew about it but didn't bother to put up traps or anything in the sites. Secondly, the bear. There is a very persistent bear that patrols the campground at night. He came to our site 3 nights in a row and it was a big bear. Tried to get into the bear box, hitting coolers, etc. It didn't pay any attention to us or our tents but it was still annoying and somewhat stressful knowing it would come by every night. The campground itself is great. Really nice sites, very large, and good privacy. I would love to stay at this site again but something has to be done about the bee situation before I would consider going back.
@RachaelA724 · Camped on Aug 1, 2021 at Campsite #35
We stayed in group site 35 which was perfectly set up, shaded, and close proximity to bathrooms and trash/recycle. However there was poison oak EVERYWHERE and every single meal and snack was ruined by HOARDS of yellow jackets. Two of our party of 4 were stung and our dog was chased out of the campsite on multiple occasions by them. We bought two bee traps and filled them twice daily with dead bodies but it didn’t stop or slow the onslaught anytime a crumb of food was visible. Our bear locker was broken but we managed to damage it shut each night which ended up being such good luck as we had bear visits all night every night and they know how to test those locker doors. They were easily frightened by voices and flashlights but it would be nice if they fixed those or added a second box to the larger sites as we had ours stuffed full for 4 people and the sites normally say they house up to 8 people…
Very low lake levels- but we expected that due to the drought and we’re just happy to be able to get away.
Sans bees and the ridiculous 106 temps that hit while we were there we would have really enjoyed this site!
@RachaelA562464 · Camped on Aug 1, 2021 at Campsite #35
We stayed in group site 35 which was perfectly set up, shaded, and close proximity to bathrooms and trash/recycle. However there was poison oak EVERYWHERE and every single meal and snack was ruined by HOARDS of yellow jackets. Two of our party of 4 were stung and our dog was chased out of the campsite on multiple occasions by them. We bought two bee traps and filled them twice daily with dead bodies but it didn’t stop or slow the onslaught anytime a crumb of food was visible. Our bear locker was broken but we managed to damage it shut each night which ended up being such good luck as we had bear visits all night every night and they know how to test those locker doors. They were easily frightened by voices and flashlights but it would be nice if they fixed those or added a second box to the larger sites as we had ours stuffed full for 4 people and the sites normally say they house up to 8 people…
Very low lake levels- but we expected that due to the drought and we’re just happy to be able to get away.
Sans bees and the ridiculous 106 temps that hit while we were there we would have really enjoyed this site!

Campsite Photos and Videos

Map Settings
Reset
Satellite View
Satellite
Wildfires
Wildfires
National Forests
National Forests
National Parks
National Parks
Air Quality
Air Quality
Bureau of Land Management
BLM
Motor Vehicle Use Maps
OHV MVUM
Love's Travel Stop
Love's
D
Dump Stations
W
Water
LP
Propane
P
RV Parking
Walmart Supercenter
Super Walmart
Cracker Barrel
Cracker Barrel
Bass Pro Shop
Bass Pro Shops
 
Rating:
Price*:
Length:
Amps:
Elev:
feet
Temp:
°F
Down:
Up:
*Earn our Leave No Trace badge to see our free camping sites.