As campers straighten up tents, gather firewood and rest after a day of activity, nature responds with the calming of wildlife and the quickly darkening sky.

But not all goes black in the night at Camp Pollock. The ambient glow looming like a spirit summoned by the night’s campfire tales is from downtown Sacramento, a mere two miles away.

While some Sacramento residents know of Camp Pollock’s 11 acres along the north bank of the lower American River, and former Scouts tell stories of childhood nights camping on its grounds, others cringe at the idea of pitching tents in an area with a reputation for homeless encampments and vagrant activity.