Sandy Beach County Park — Hotel in Rio Vista

Was walking my new service dog to the boat launch area and ranger S.Sault blocked my walk to boat launch said to take my dog back to camp ground. He stated dogs weren't allowed here period. I told him I came from Coast Guard station way. He said boat launch area was considered "day use" as well and that I could not let my dog drink water because it would violate health codes. I said the river won't be contaminated by dog drinking water. He then threatened to ban me from park because I was considered in his version of day use area. The areas are defined by the gate parking for day use area, even though I was clearly in boat launch parking headed down ramp which would be allowed when launching vessels in water. This was the most unprofessional employee dressed in untucked ranger shirt and jeans with unkept beard facial hair not trimmed for professional representation of office he claimed to represent. Claimed he was the law here. I said that according to boat launch regulations, and being Coast Guard retired in local area there was nothing for there to warrant being banned for walking my service dog down to launch a boat. Boat owners have dogs on launch every day. This isn't the beach it's a separate area for launching vessels. He then asked for sheriff to remove us. I explained to the Sheriff we are not going to the "day use area" but to boat launch dock. I told sheriff that it was hot and all I needed was to let my service training dog drink, and we would turn around to head back. Park employee Sault said if I wasn't camping to head back were I came from. Again told him I was only getting my service dog in training some water and wasn't breaking rules as the dog rule is for "day use area" and not for boat launch area. I said it was only to let dog drink.

The Sheriff was the hero here as he said I have some bottled water for your dog. I thanked him very much and said all I wanted was some water before our long walk back. It was evening time and since we walk at that hour it's not usually hot. But July 6th was still quite warm. This was first time I ever had this issue. I wasn't escorted by Sheriff. And regional park employee would not stop egging situation even after Sheriff diffused situation by bringing my dog the water he needed the dog was getting his drink on, and as I walked away he was far past exit I could hear him talking loudly about giving me options which were not even offered till after sheriff had arrived and then he was a supposed saint offering to give dog water at camping area. Now remember when I first arrived the regional park employee named S. Sault told me that I had to bring dog back to campsite. When I told him I was walking my service dog from direction of Coast Guard station. He said then why don't you just start walking back the same way you came and don't stop.

So with that I give Sheriff 5 stars and regional park management and employee S. Sault -4 stars which means park gets a whole 1 star remaining for boat launch capabilities. Not for park management they get a minus for the inept employee.

For park management please review your smiling camera sign for your supposed security video. This will show I wasn't in the day use area.

Be sure I will be revisiting the park again only to show inept regional...

We've been here this past weekend dated May 3-5, 2019 and I may say they have large camp sites, which I love. They have electricity and water faucets in every camp sites but they never mentioned that the electricity is for RV's only, you need to bring or buy those plug converters so that you can use it for regular plugs. Aside from this, there's mosquitoes too so make sure bring repellants. In fairness, The restrooms are clean and they have hot showers. Great!!!

They are worthy of a 5-Star but the reason I gave it a 3 because for me, this is not for tent camping like we just did. The wind at that weekend is crazy around 15-16 mph and we haven't had a good night sleep. Most of us keeps getting up and out to secure each tents. I'm not sure if the month of May is just windy but if it's always like that, there's no way you can camp here using tents. This place is just good for RV's and Fifth Wheels.

Being first timers here, the experience we had is really demoralizing to think to go back here again. First impression really last. I won't recommend this for tent camping but if you have RV and Trailers, this is a good place for you.

Another thing I noticed in this campground, they don't have BBQ grill, so if you want some BBQ's, you need to do it in their bonfire pit which they put grill to have your bonfire and BBQ as well.

As much as safety is concern, hats off to this place because they have Sheriff patrolling the area which I love the most because we are confident...

Most of the campers here had RV's but this is a perfectly good place to tent camp. The sites are huge in comparison to a typical sate or national park. There is a limit of 10 people per site and each one could easily accommodate 10 large tents. Sites have a picnic table with a nice wind break & shade awning built behind it. It does a great job at blocking the wind but will only seat ~6 adults. Larger groups should bring additional table space and chairs. The facilities were well maintained and there were park rangers on site. Both nights I noticed the Solano county sheriff making rounds every hour in the evening, even when I went to sleep ~10 pm. I get the feeling this isn't a place to throw a rager or get wild. We camped at site 25 on the western end of the campground. Behind the campground are low hills that are used for cattle grazing, windmills, and natural gas wells. There was a pump running at the gas well 24hrs that had the sound & volume of a leaf blower about a half block away or a single prop plane flying overhead. Combined with the wind noise didn't bother us but there was not the serenity of natural background noise that many campers expect. I couldn't hear the pump noise from the sites on the east side of the campground. We camped in mid April after a winter & spring with a lot of rain. All the grass in the campground and surrounding hills was still green. We didn't encounter a single mosquito the...