The city of Rocklin sits in Placer County and is part of the Sacramento metropolitan area. It has a population of 68,823 as of a 2019 California Department of Finance estimate. Native American Nisenan of the Maidu had permanent villages in the area before being displaced by fur trappers and miners in the early and mid-1800s. The transcontinental railroad played a role in Rocklin's development and history before it became incorporated in 1893.
Downtown Quarry Park is a community gathering spot that offers open space, trails, and wildlife viewing. It also holds events like concerts and Quarry Park Adventures with zip lines, rock climbing, and more. Folsom Lake offers access to various water sports, and Whitney Oaks Golf Club is a public course where you can get a round or two in during your stay.
The historic Fletcher House is home to the Rocklin Museum, showcasing the history of rocks, railroads, and ranches through artifacts and exhibits. Many historical sites are worth visiting, including Rocklin's Railroad Depot and several quarries. There is a Bass Pro Shop where you can gear up for the action on the water or hit the 27 stores in Rocklin Commons.
The Chef's Table off Lonetree Boulevard offers vegetarian-friendly American cuisine with vegan options. Lucille's Smokehouse Bar-B-Que is another American eatery within a bar setting. Sunset Boulevard is home to Via Roma Pizzeria, and the Anatolian Table serves Mediterranean, Turkish, and other Middle Eastern dishes. Finally, if you are looking for Mexican and Latin foods, try Mezcalito Oaxacan Cuisine.
Campgrounds Near Rocklin, California
Sac West RV Park is a nearby facility with 129 pull-through sites equipped with necessities like full RV hookups, 30 and 50-amp power, cell reception, cable, Wi-Fi, showers, and laundry facilities. The pull-through sites offer big rig access that Class A motor home drivers will appreciate, and Good Sam discounts are available.
Nearby Loomis RV Park is another facility that provides the big rig access needed for long RVs. The pull-through sites include full hookups, 30 and 50-amp power options, cell reception, and showers. Guests also have access to a hot tub and a pool. Loomis RV Park is pet-friendly, but there are breed restrictions.
Sac West RV Park and Campground has breakfast and lunch delivery options available from the 24-Karat Grill and a heated pool. When you stay at one of the 129 pull-through spaces, you have full hookups, 30 and 50-amp power, cable TV, and Wi-Fi. The pet-friendly facility has a dog park and a playground for the kids.
State Parks Near Rocklin, California
Folsom Lake State Recreation Area is nine miles southeast of Rocklin. Guests flock here to enjoy Folsom Lake and Natoma Lake, making water activities popular. You can boat, fish, swim, or relax on the shore while taking in the sun. There is a 32-mile-long bike path between Folsom Lake and Old Sacramento that you can ride, run, or walk. During your stay, you might come across black-tailed deer, beavers, coyotes, ducks, gray foxes, and raccoons. The Beal's Point Campground has 36 sites that can accommodate RVs up to 31 feet in length, and the Peninsula Campground has 100 sites for motorhomes up to 24 feet.
A 67-mile road trip northeast of Rocklin will put you at the gates of Malakoff Diggins State Park, nestled within the rugged foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. You can start at the visitor center and museum, where you will learn how hydraulic gold mining shaped the orange and white colored cliffs in the area. There are sluice channels and other artifacts scattered around the park that you will come across as you hike the 20-mile-long network of trails. Wildlife spotting opportunities include bobcats, black bears, black-tailed deer, coyotes, gray foxes, jackrabbits, mountain lions, mule deer, and ringtail cats. The Chute Hill Campground has 30 spaces but no RV hookups. Several nearby campgrounds with RV amenities are available, though.
Brannan Island State Recreation Area is 58 miles southwest of Rocklin, near Rio Vista, California. This park in the San Joaquin Delta offers an endless maze of rivers and streams to explore. You will have access to day-use areas and a designated campground with 140 sites, including 12 RV sites in the Olympic Loop. Various locations in the park are ideal for boating, fishing, or swimming. There is a 10-lane boat ramp to help get your boat out on the water and a fishing pier and beach in the Seven Mile Slough Area. Anglers might prefer the calmer waters of the non-peak seasons between fall and early spring.
National Sites Near Rocklin, California
The Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial is 92 miles southwest of Rocklin, near Concord, California. It commemorates the deadliest home-front disaster of the Second World War. Two navy ships exploded on July 17, 1944, killing 320 civilians and sailors. The memorial is open for ranger-led tours Thursday through Saturday each week. It is advisable to call and make reservations two weeks ahead of time to secure your spots on the tour date you desire.
The California National Historic Trail stretches over 5,000 miles within portions of ten states, including California itself. One of the trail branches runs south of Rocklin, terminating near Stutter's Fort. Another branch runs north of the city, ending near Camp Far West Reservoir. You can hike portions of the California National Historic Trail, and visitor centers offer information about the trails and those that used them to reach the West Coast. Several sites along the trails are points of interest in themselves, and several roadways run adjacent to this historic trail that provides RVers with scenic drives.
An 88-mile road trip southwest of Rocklin will put you in Martinez, California, and at the John Muir National Historic Site. It celebrates the life and work of America's foremost naturalists, located in the home where he worked, wrote, and raised his family. Start your exploration with a 20-minute orientation video, then take a guided smartphone tour of the Muir/Strentzel house. Several moderate-intensity trails lead from the site, including the 2.9-mile Mount Wanda Trailhead and the 4.9-mile Bay Area Ridge Trail. Martinez offers RVers amenities like food, gas, and shopping nearby.
National Forests Near Rocklin, California
The Eldorado National Forest is less than an hour and a half east of Rocklin, covering 500,000 acres of wooded landscape between Placerville and Lake Tahoe. Elevations reaching 10,000 feet means you can find snow up to ten feet deep between December and May. Camping and hiking are popular activities here. Guided rafting trips take guests down rapids within the forest, and there are bodies of water for canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and other activities. If hiking is your thing, try the six-mile in and out Lake Margaret Trail or the 7.5-mile Thunder Mountain Summit Trail, rated up to moderate intensity.
Tahoe National Forest is a three-hour road trip northeast of Rocklin, with more than 371,495 acres of wilderness to explore. The nearby towns of Nevada City and Truckee offer RVers food, gas, groceries, and other shopping before or after they leave the forest. Camping, hiking, and fishing are the top activities here. There are 1,500 miles of creeks and streams within Tahoe National Forest, many of them natural trout hatcheries. Wildlife viewers will enjoy seeing and photographing beavers, black bears, bobcats, deer, gray foxes, and several bird species.
Lake Tahoe Basin Management Area is two hours east of Rocklin and contains 154,851 acres of evergreen forest surrounding Lake Tahoe. The lake makes water sports the top activity here, providing ideal conditions for boating, fishing, paddle boarding, sailing, swimming, and waterskiing. You can spend lots of time viewing and photographing the fauna and flora, use your phone app to find geocaches, and star gaze when the sun goes down. Lake Tahoe KOA and Coachland are two of the many campsites near the forest where you can stay in your RV.
