Under new (friendly, caring, family oriented) ownership! My husband and I stayed at the Dardanelle Resort this past weekend and had an absolutely wonderful time. Knowing that past reviews hadn't exactly gushed about the amenities I had my expectations in line but was very impressed to see the number of changes that have already taken place under the new ownership. Jim and his wife, along with their partners in this venture, are extremely passionate about rehabilitating this amazing jewel of a mountain destination. It's a beautiful thing to see a family working together to create a wonderful place for other families to come make memories. Here's what you can expect currently: 1. A warm welcome from accommodating hosts 2. Lovely clean bathrooms (with showers!) 3. Clean, spacious camp sites 4. Water, power, fire pits, and tables at each site 5. Well maintained common areas including swing sets, horseshoe pits, tether ball, fire pit, and a fun open air bar with outdoor heater for chilly nights 6. The store, restaurant, and bar are being stocked and revitalized 7. Beautiful views, local wildlife, peace and quiet 8. So much more..... We definitely plan to make this a frequent destination for our family and can't wait to get back! read more

We have been camping at Dardanelle Resort for many years every 3 weeks during the season. We have full hookups and a great fire pit. On site bathrooms are convenient with a private shower. The outdoor bar is fun and lively and there is live music frequently on the weekends. The food truck serves up a great egg breakfast with biscuits and gravy and burgers for dinner. The store has all the little things you forget. We love to sit at the picnic tables and play games as a family and watch the sunset. At night, we love the fire pit by the bar to hangout with other campers and friends. The owners work very hard to make sure every camper and customer is happy. We look forward to camping here for many years to come! read more

See all

Food is garbage and place was dirty , The customer service was horrible , walked away from me when I was trying to order food.

I have been coming up to Dardanelle for 20yrs now. The new owners are just as fabulous as the old ones. I promise and great time every time.

My wife and I and our two dogs recently spent two nights at cabin #9 at Dardanelle Resort. We have friends who invited us to visit them at their "off the grid" cabin at Kennedy Meadows, but since the kids were inviting others, we thought it may get too crowded, so we decided to find sleeping accommodations nearby. My wife found Dardanelle Resort online and booked a cabin. The resort in located in a beautiful spot in the Stanislaus National Forest and is across the road from a forest service campground of the same name. We checked in at the camp store and the clerk was helpful and friendly. I was glad to see that the store stocked items that guests may need, and there is also a gift shop, a restaurant open on weekends, and for the campers, there are restrooms, token operated showers, and a laundry room. The resort seemed full of people who brought their trailers and motor homes. Upon moving into our cabin, I observed that it had a lot of wear and tear, so I took numerous photographs to document that we did not cause the damage. The resort charges a $100/dog security deposit, although for some reason we were only charged $100 total. They keep 25% of it for a cleaning fee, and the posted rules state that if any dog hair is found on the bed, all of it will be forfeited. One of the teenage girls working in the store verified upon checkout that there was no dog hair on the bed, and the $75 security deposit was credited back to our credit card. After returning from Kennedy Meadows each day, we got a good night's sleep and the bed was comfortable. Like other reviewers have noted, the resort relies on a generator for electrical power. The generator is loud and runs day and night, although they may turn it off late at night. After a while, one tends to tune it out. But I thought the new generators these days, being EPA and C.A.R.B. certified, were quiet in operation. This one reminded me of the one at Boy Scout camp circa 1970. It seems different being in a room off the grid with no TV, radio, cell phone, or internet service. Our cabin didn't even have any reading material. A visitor's guide binder would have been helpful, with information about the resort and activities to do, and places of interest to explore. I love to watch HGTV and its shows about vacation rental fixer uppers. I kept thinking how it would be fun to see our cabin as the subject makeover property on one of those programs. The HGTV contractor and remodeling hosts would probably describe the cabin as a "down to the studs, total gut job," but that is subjective. The cabin may be just fine for many people, and if the resort can get $150/night for it as is, it probably will remain the same. I should note that it does have a smoke alarm, carbon monoxide detector, fluorescent light bulbs, updated water and gas connector lines, and appears to meet minimum safety codes. I tried to post a few photos of the cabin to give prospective guests an idea of what they will be renting. This resort has a lot of potential and could easily rate more stars with some improvement. read more

See all

I have stayed at The Dardanelle Resort numerous times over the years but always in winter when we would snowmobile in the 22 miles of unplowed highway to get there. This is/was the most incredible place in winter, summer also. I'm hoping the new owners are able to rebuild and open again in winter. read more

Excellent people. Great atmosphere love this place! Bands on the weekends, camping, bar. What else could you ask for?

Unfortunately, the Dardanelle Resort, while under new, super friendly management, has a loong way to go before it rates even average in my book. Our cabin was rundown to the point of being gross, there was no hot water, the water from the pipes tasted like iron, and it was pretty expensive for what you were getting. , This place has strong potential, and I'm hoping the new owners manage to improve things. However, our stay... was pretty bad. read more

Highly recommend this resort! My family and I walked the whole campground and it was very peaceful and quiet. We we're passing through and stopped by. The owner went out of his way to help me and my family. The owner takes pride in his resort and is very respectable. We will return to camp in the near future. They have a store and other food vendor, well kept bathrooms and sites. read more

DARDANELLE RESORT is OPEN!! (209) 965-4275 Despite the devastating fire that claimed most of this resort, the new owners are on site and currently operating the Motel, RV and Tent campground and a small store with firewood, ice, drinks, snacks, etc. I've heard that this season they will add a portable bar and grill that will feature Burgers and Tacos. I was happy to stop this weekend and get some non-essential stuff to help do what I can to support the resort and would encourage others to do the same. For all camping and RV reservations, please email dardanelles108@gmail.com. https://www.facebook.com/pg/dardanelle108/photos/?ref=page_internal read more

As everyone should be aware by this time, the resort was destroyed by the Connell Fire which started in August. We drove by Sunday last and all that is left are ruins. Also, along miles of 108 are views of devastation caused by the fire. Still a worthwhile road trip over Sonora Pass, but be prepared for a lot of depressing scenery in the fire area. read more

This place is an absolute blast! It has been a family tradition of ours to spend Labor Day weekend up here for the past 5 years. The cabins are kinda old and rustic but it works. It us beautiful up here, high country, mountains, trees, rushing rivers and fresh, fresh air. The Dardanelle Resort has several cabins, rv and tent sites as well. There is a small store, restaurant and cool outside bar. On major holiday weekends during summer (Memorial Day thru Labor Day) they offer great live entertainment and other events. There is no cell phone service up this far, which is kinda nice if you really want to get away from it all =) If you really do need to use your cell, it will require about 1/2 hr drive down the hill to Pinecrest/Dodge Ridge area. Anyway Dardanelle is located about an hour above Sonora, Ca on hwy 120. read more

See all

I camped at the public Dardanelle campground across the road from the Dardanelle Resort. It's great having a store within walking distance your campsite for the small items likely to be forgotten (in our case, chapstick). The store is very sparse and the staff were cordial. The reason for the low rating is the horribly loud gasoline-powered cooling unit that the store owners operate from 9PM to 10AM. You know, just as people are trying to sleep. The thing is so loud that I thought it had to be an RV in the campground using a generator throughout the night; no, it was the store across the highway. The sound drones throughout the night, eliminating any possibility for enjoying the peace & quiet of this beautiful location. Word is that the store owners are aware of the sound and have no plans to change. I feel sorry for anyone who is staying at the Dardanelle Resort since the noise must be really intense. read more

This place has untapped potential--its a funky old wooden compound, with a general store, restaurant and some rustic cabins. The cabins were fairly well kept on the inside, clean linens, a decently stocked kitchen with lots of utensils and other items for cooking--including a toaster and microwave. They are shop worn, but are clearly more recent than the structure itself. We had unlimited hot water for showering. Nevertheless, the small studio cabin was overpriced ($149) for the age of the furnishings. I would avoid this place and probably camp if I had to go back to this area, because of the huge generators that run outside 24 hours a day. The noise was worse on Saturday night when the place was full--I had to stuff ear plugs in to try to sleep. Another resort nearby also relies on generators--this area if off the grid--but they manage to turn them off between 11 am and 5 am, so you have some chance to hear the sound of nature, instead of the endless drone of these huge machines. I was also assured while reserving days in advance, that the chemical air "freshener" canister inside the bathroom would be removed, and the premises aired out before arriving. When I reiterated that it was important to me because these chemicals cause migraines, I was told not to worry about it, it would be taken care of. I noticed the smell when I came in the cabin, and ultimately, found the canister behind the toilet, hidden. So we slept with the window opened next to the bed to air out the chemicals, while the temperature dropped to the very low 40s. Not sure why this place is called a resort, it is a store, bar, gas station, restaurant and some RV sites. Calling this a resort is pushing the concept of a resort. read more

We stopped here and had lunch on the patio. The waitress was so friendly , made us feel very welcome. The burgers and fries/salad were above average. New owners and they are doing a great job getting this fabulous place up to speed. Recommend this experience for all coming to the Sierra. read more

My wife and I came up here in late spring and made reservations for a site we always wanted to camp at we have got a new trailer and we were excited to try it out. So when it came time to camp we checked in at the store and found out they erased our name and moved us to another site they had my number but no call to tell us I drilled the employee and come to find out Cindy the owner did this the employee told us and on top of that they put an employee in that spot. This will be my last year here unless they sale this rundown shit hole because these people couldn't run a fruit stand read more

Under new and wonderful ownership, we stayed there over Memorial day weekend and are headed back up this weekend. Jim and his wife are a lovely family and very warm and welcoming. They have been working very hard and have made wonderful changes. The bartender Michael is awesome too! Can't wait for our next camp trip! read more

My family had visited this special place for years. We have built wonderful memories. The cabins are nice and there is a nice common area to enjoy. The new owners a couple summers ago were fantastic. We were looking forward to visiting again next June. It greatly saddens me that it has closed due to the massive fire. I wish the best for them and hope they have the strength and ability to rebuild. read more

Regarding the STORE ONLY - the 4 year old son of the woman working the cash register flipped me off after I asked him to pick up the popsicle stick he littered in front of me. Then his mother tried to excuse the behavior and gave me a backhanded apology from a distance. And then the rude sister tried to excuse the behavior and guess what? Neither of them picked up their trash. Get it? TRASH. I encourage anyone to buy their supplies beforehand. read more

This place is perfect for people that want to explore nature, be with REAL people, and don't mind a little wear and tear in the cabins. Cabins: Have seen better days but you should be out in nature, not in the cabin all day. There are critters of all types as is typical in nature but the sheets were clean, all the heaters worked, the cabins had extra blankets and pillows (two were sealed/brand new!) , daily clean towel service, and the kitchens had stoves, microwaves, many appliances to use (but we didn't use them). Ok. so we never got the hot water to work but so what, they have a shower house you can use tokens for. Facility: Excellent: A general store, an intimate casual diner/restaurant, an outdoor/covered bar, horseshoes, little swingset play area, beautiful surroundings. People: Current owner is so nice and accomodating. So was the young waitress and most of the staff. A very bitter very rude general store cashier woman is apparently new and so we dimissed her awful treatment of everyone in our party, and other patrons she came into contact with an an anomaly. We heard others complaining about her too. Again, the owner and everyone else ROCKED. NIghtime we made smored and heard others playing guitar at their campfires and we chatted and said hi to people as they walked their dogs or just took walks. Like a mini community of real people. we stayed here. ate here. and played up at Kennedy Meadows :) read more

Have seemed to have a number of management/ownership changes over the years, it's kind of a timeless place that continues to successfully survive those kinds of issues. Current group is working hard to please.. Great for RVs, cabins. Can also stay at forest service campground across street (or several others within a mile or 2 - no reservations) then provision yourself at the resort. Store has pretty much all you need (if not, Kennedy up the hill a few miles & more crowded will). Restaurant food not bad (good sweet potato fries & burgers). Indoor/outdoor bar with tv is kind of cool that far from most of "civilization." Lots of stuff for kids & others: swings, badminton, volleyball, horseshoes, etc. Good space (relatively flat & open) for kids to ride bikes. Creek & river right there for fishing & playing around/lounging/exploring. Great mountain vibe read more

Such a lovely, truly rustic place with the fantastic new owners so ready to give it a loving upgrade...so so sorry about the fire last weekend that has destroyed the property and all the cabins, the gas station and store! :( #Heartbreaking. When they reopen we will return! **Property owners if you start a gofundme page we will happily donate! Bless you! And remember all the wonderful memories will stay with all and new ones will be made. read more

Been camping here for 5 years on Memorial Weekend in the same sites with a large group of people. Last year we made our reservations for this year as usual!! They mysteriously "lost" our reservations!! Said we didn't exist in their books and she really didn't care what happened to us!! Never in my life have I experienced such horrible customer service. We used to love camping there!! I'm told I'm not the first for this to happen to there. So very sad!! read more

It's a very sad day for this resort. It burned to the ground overnight in the ravages of the Donnell Fire. Supportive thoughts and prayers go out to the owners who were in process of completely renovating this local cherished historical landmark. Please rebuild to former glory (or better). read more

If I could give them a negative star I would, l went there last summer and swore I'd never go back but stupid me though I'd give it one last shot! My husband and I went camping this time instead of staying in there shitty ass cabins, one night in a tent spot $28, at first I thought wtf that's way to much but they do offer more then just a camping spot, they have a nice outdoor bar, a restaurant, bands and a little store, o wait no they don't the have half the buildings surrounded in chain-link fence barbwire, the bathroom by the store door was so messed up it wouldn't shut I couldn't look it so I got walked in on twice while using it, one cabin had a tree fall on it they just left it as it with another chain-link fence surrounding it (where did the Insurance money go to fix that), and another that looked like they were remodeling it and just left all the furniture on the deck. When we checked in the woman that was running the check in desk was either drunk or on drugs, she was slurring her words and stumbling and swerving, she forgot to give us the code to the bathrooms at the campsites the first night so we couldn't even use them. There's this huge family area in the middle of all the cabins it has a volleyball net, Horshoe pits, Swingset and stuff for kids to play on but they let it get over grown with weeds and bushes. We also got woken up at 7am to some ass hat they worked their driving an Fn tractor through the camping area doing god knows what he drove by 4 times before we gave up and just got up for the day he also decided to back up a few time also that wouldn't have been that bad except it makes a horrible beeping sound. It's for sale I feel sorry for the person who buys it next they have a lot of problems to fix an I can only imagine what it'll take to build with the clientele again! read more

Lot of space but seems to be mainly an overflow from Kennedy Meadow up the road which is a lot more pleasant! This campground is really the pit: dusty, millions of yellow jackets attacking your food, half of the toilets/bathrooms closed at night, huge generator on all night long and dust everywhere! Shop close at 5:00pm and restaurant at 8:00pm. Nice location not too far from the river but that's about it! read more

New owners are bringing new energy and services to the Dardanelle Store. The addition of diesel fuel is much appreciated.