Campgrounds in California

Francis Beach Campground is a charming public campground located along Half Moon Bay State Beach, offering tent and RV hookup campsites for overnight visitors. The lovely beachfront stretches across San Mateo County's Pacific Ocean coastline near its namesake bay, home to miles of sandy beachfront and the gorgeous multi-use Coastside Trail. Visitors to the park throughout the year can enjoy excellent opportunities for coastline fishing, surfing, and whale watching in season. 52 campsites are offered at the campground, many featuring spectacular oceanfront views. A water filling station and a dump station are offered for guest convenience, along with coin-operated showers and modern restrooms. Group campsites are available at nearby Sweetwood Group Campground.

Kelly Ave, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019, Phone: 800-444-7275

Located in Crystal Cove State Park, Moro Campground is located on an elevated cliff top overlooking the ocean at the north end of Laguna Beach. The special location and the well-appointed camp sites do cost a little more than other campgrounds but the amenities are worth the extra spend. All the camp sites have pads to accommodate rigs up the 38 feet in length and there is a little private space between each site. All the sites have water and power hook-ups and there are excellent modern bathhouses. The campground offers direct access to many hiking trails. Camp fires are not allowed due to the inherent fire risk in the area.

8471 N. Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, CA 92651, 800 444 7275

Bullfrog Pond Campground is a delightful campground within the charming Austin Creek State Recreation Area, owned and operated by the Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods nonprofit organization. The lovely Guerneville campground is nestled within a rolling hill landscape populated by redwood trees, offering amazing sunset vantage points at beautiful overlook Vista Point. Tent and car camping sites are offered, accommodating up to eight people apiece. 24 campsites surround picturesque Bullfrog Pond, available on a first-come, first-served basis. All campsites offer access to amenities like flush toilets, potable water, day-use picnic sites, and fire rings. Additional backcountry campsite areas are available at the park's Tom King and Manning Flat areas.

17000 Armstrong Woods Rd, Guerneville, CA 95446, Phone: 707-869-9177

Reyes Peak Campground is one of Maricopa's highest-elevation campgrounds, located at an elevation of more than 7,000 feet above the gorgeous Sespe Wilderness. The campground offers spectacular views of the surrounding Cuyama Badlands and the state's Pacific Ocean coast, with views of the Channel Islands possible on clear days. Six campsites are situated on the campground's southwestern ridge, offering access to day-use picnic tables, fire rings, and barbecue grills. Since no water is available at the campground, visitors should make sure to bring their own drinking water for the duration of their stay. Pit toilets are located nearby for visitor use. Visitors can explore several nature trails that embark from the campground, including lovely Chorro Grande Trail and Reyes Peak Trail, which offer views of wildflowers, Jeffrey and sugar pines, and native wildlife like red-tailed hawks and California condors.

Pine Mountain Ridge Rd, Maricopa, CA 93252, Phone: 805-434-1996

Joshua Tree National Park is one of California's most famous national parks, named in honor of the unique twisted Joshua trees its protects within its 1,235-square-mile lands. The park was originally designated as a national monument in 1936 by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, protecting lands that had served as hunting grounds for the region's Pinto indigenous groups for millennia. It was redesignated as a national park in 1994 and is one of Southern California's top outdoor recreational destinations today, home to lovely hiking trails, Coachella Valley lookout points, rock climbing opportunities, and chances for some of the region's best stargazing. Nine established campgrounds are offered throughout the park, some of which provide guests with water and modern restrooms. Backcountry camping is also available in some areas with permits.

74485 National Park Drive. Twentynine Palms, CA 92277-3597, Phone: 760-367-5500

Jug Handle Creek Farm and Nature Center is a lovely nonprofit nature center in Caspar, offering a wide range of opportunities for overnight stay, ranging from primitive campsites to fully-furnished rental cabins. The nature center is home to 39 acres of outdoor activities, including a native plant nursery and a beautiful nature trail network. It serves as a gateway to the natural wonders of Jug Handle State Reserve and Pygmy Forest Ecological Staircase, the world's largest intact natural staircase. Visitors can pitch their tents at the center's spacious campground, which offers access to a central cooking area with running water, a day-use campfire ring area, and two outhouses. Indoor lodging options include guest rooms within an 1870s-era Victorian farmhouse and three private rental cabins.

15501 CA-1, Caspar, CA 95420, Phone: 707-964-4630

Kirk Creek Campground offers some of Big Sur's most scenic campground sites, directly overlooking the region's gorgeous Pacific Ocean coastline atop a rocky bluff. The campground offers easy access to nearby Los Padres National Forest, perfect for hikers looking to explore the forest's natural wonders. Amazing views of the Big Sur coastline are offered from each campsite, along with direct access to nearby beachfront areas, including beautiful Sand Dollar Beach. Single-family tent and RV campsites offer access to day-use picnic tables, barbecue grills, and campfire rings, with vault toilets located nearby. Visitors can enjoy excellent opportunities for outdoor recreation throughout the year, including chances for swimming, surfing, fishing, sunbathing, and wildlife watching for native species like mountain lions, bears, bobcats, deer, and foxes.

CA-1, Big Sur, CA 93920, Phone: 805-434-1996

Mill Creek Resort is a beautiful resort located just 10 minutes from Mount Lassen National Park's southern entrance in the city of Mill Creek, just off California Highway 172. The resort was originally established in 1936 and has grown to offer a plethora of visitor amenities today, ranging from an onsite restaurant, store, and gas station to tent and RV campsites for overnight stay. The 12-acre resort is a great choice for visitors looking for glamping experiences, home to seasonal rental trailers that offer amenities like refrigerators, stove tops, and private dining areas. 17 campsites offer access to pit toilets, shower houses, coin-operated laundry, and picnic sites. Rental cabins are also available for overnight stay, featuring private bathrooms, fully-equipped kitchens, and modern appliances.

40271 CA-172, Mill Creek, CA 96061, Phone: 530-595-4449

Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park has been nicknamed "Mini Yosemite" for its gorgeous forest hiking trails, located on the banks of gorgeous Big Sur River in Monterey County. The 1,006-acre park, which is located on California's Central Coast, is named in honor of area pioneer John Pfeiffer, one of the region's first European settlers in the 19th century. It is known for its gorgeous redwood forests, which sit on the western slopes of the Santa Lucia Mountains, and offers excellent scenic hiking trails that provide chances to see native wildlife like bobcats, black-tailed deer, belted kingfishers, and gray squirrels. A spacious campground is open to car campers and RVs, offering sites located on the banks of the Big Sur River. Coin-operated showers are offered for all guests, along with modern restrooms and complimentary wireless internet. A 61-room lodge offers modern overnight accommodations, along with a cafe and grocery store.

Pfeiffer Big Sur Rd, Big Sur, CA 93920, Phone: 831-667-1112