A New Era for Inn Town Campground

Big news to kick off June: Inn Town Campground is officially under new ownership. After 10 incredible years, founders Dan and Erin Thiem have passed the torch to Overland Collective, the four-partner hospitality team they hand-selected to carry the campground forward. The transition was always part of Dan and Erin’s plan. They built this place believing that great businesses need fresh energy over time, and they wanted to be the ones to choose who came next.

Quick introductions. Overland Collective is Monica Tiscornia, Vance Lancaster, Bobby Souza, and Trisha Rogers. We’ve been working alongside Dan, Erin, and the campground staff through the spring, and we want you to know up front: the entire team stays. Same crew at the camp store, same folks tending the grounds, same people on the phone helping you figure out the “two tent sites, one van, a glamping tent and a 30′ travel trailer for a 3 day window in June” puzzle. We’re carrying the torch, not redirecting it.

We also want to celebrate the news that arrived just before the handoff: Inn Town Campground was recognized in the top three of the USA Today 10Best Readers Choice awards for Best RV Campground for the fifth year in a row. That recognition belongs to Dan, Erin, and the team who built it. We’re honored to inherit it and intend to keep earning it.

What’s not changing

• The team. Every staff member stays through the transition and beyond.
• The experience. Same year-round operation, same tent sites, RV spaces with full hook-ups, and glamping options.
• The community focus. The Commons, the camp store, the kitchen, the reading nooks, the BBQ area, all open as usual.
• The Halloween decor in October. We know better than to mess with that.
• The Easter Egg Hunt, the outdoor movies on Friday and Saturday evenings (weather permitting), the friendly chats at the camp store.

What we’re doing first

Listening. Monica, Vance, Bobby, and Trisha are spending the next few months observing, asking questions, and learning what’s already working. Where we see opportunities to collaborate more deeply with local businesses or create new experiences for families, we’ll move thoughtfully. Anything that changes will be grounded in what we learn from campers, staff, and the community.

Summer is here

Now the regularly scheduled June programming. Summer camping season has arrived and the campground is buzzing. Memorial Day weekend was busy and we’ve already got folks planning their 2026 holiday trips. If you’re looking for something sooner, midweek sites are still open across tent, RV, and glamping. We’re 2 miles from downtown Nevada City, walkable to the Nevada City Farmers Market on Saturday mornings, and a short drive from the South Yuba River, Empire Mine Historic State Park, and the growing mountain bike trail network in the Tahoe National Forest.

A few upcoming things to plan around:

• Nevada City Farmers Market, Saturday mornings
• First Friday Art Walk, June 5th, July 3rd, August 7th
• Movies Under the Pines, June 6th
• Grass Valley Car Show, June dates
• Grass Valley Thursday Night Market, through July
• Father’s Day Bluegrass Festival, mid-June
• Humbug Day at Malakoff Diggins
• Nevada City Film Festival, June 26th-28th
• 4th of July Parade
• Nevada City Summer Nights, July 15th, 22nd, 29th
• Nevada County Fair, August 12th-16th
• Draft Horse Classic, September 17th-20th

For live music, check the calendars at The Center for the Arts, Miners Foundry Cultural Center, Nevada Theatre, InConcert Sierra, and Music in the Mountains.

A note on the river

The South Yuba River is one of the best summer perks of camping here. Please be river safe, watch for cold temperatures and high flows early in the season, and check current levels at Dreamflows. Typical summer flows settle around 100 CSF. We’ve got maps at the camp store with directions to Bridgeport, Edwards Crossing, and Purdons Crossing. And the simple rules: pack it in, pack it out, no glass, no fires, and no parking in the no-parking zones.

Top kid-friendly things to do this summer

1. Visit Empire Mine State Historic Park
2. Check out the Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum and time a railbus ride
3. Hike the Deer Creek Tribute Trail in downtown Nevada City
4. Try an exotic flavor at Treats. Mint, Lemon Custard, and Cookie Dough are local favorites
5. Grab a pastry on the patio at Panaderia Matilija
6. Movies Under the Pines via the Nevada City Film Festival
7. Self-guided Nevada City walking tour
8. Gold Crush Climbing Gym
9. Scotts Flat Lake (rent a SUP or kayak from Mountain Rec at the day use area)
10. Friday and Saturday outdoor movies at the campground

Booking

Summer weekends are filling up. If you want a specific date, it’s time to grab a reservation. For something sooner, midweek availability is your best bet, and the campground feels more relaxed when town quiets down between events. We take reservations up to a year in advance.

To follow along, check out our Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok, and Threads feeds. For local ideas, the Visit Nevada City feed and InnSide Nevada City blog are great resources. To Dan and Erin: thank you for trusting us with this place. We’ll see you all around the campfire.