Cachuma Lake Recreation Area, near Santa Barbara, California, is a sprawling campground that caters to a wide range of camping styles, from tent sites to cozy yurts and cabins. With its picturesque setting along the shores of a drinking water reservoir, it’s a fantastic spot for those looking to unwind in nature.

The campground boasts clean facilities, including spacious flush bathrooms and coin-operated showers, which visitors appreciate after a day of outdoor activities. Many sites come with picnic tables and fire rings, perfect for evening gatherings. One camper noted, “The sunshine is typically abundant in this California park,” making it a great place to soak up some rays.

For adventure seekers, Cachuma Lake offers plenty of options. You can enjoy boating, kayaking, and fishing on the lake, though swimming is off-limits due to its status as a drinking water reservoir. Hiking and mountain biking trails are abundant, providing ample opportunities to explore the beautiful surroundings. Plus, the nearby town of Solvang is a charming spot for wine tasting and indulging in delicious Dutch pastries.

While some campers mentioned that the sites can feel a bit close together, especially in the more crowded areas, the overall vibe is friendly and welcoming. Whether you’re here for a weekend escape or a longer stay, Cachuma Lake Recreation Area has something to offer everyone.

Set amidst acres of wilderness flanked by the picturesque Santa Ynez and San Rafael Mountains, lies glimmering Cachuma Lake. Here you will find practically everything you need for a relaxing getaway in the great outdoors. Mild temperatures, typically sunny skies, and celebrated fishing conditions make camping here during winter months exceptionally rewarding. The County entered into a long-term lease with the Federal Bureau of Reclamation in 1953 to manage the 9,000 acre Cachuma Lake Recreation Area. Cachuma Lake was formed by the construction of Bradbury Dam in that same year. Located off scenic Highway 154 in the Santa Ynez Valley, Cachuma Lake is midway between the beaches and bustle of Santa Barbara and the Danish Community of Solvang. At any age... in any season... you'll find that the Cachuma Lake Recreation Area offers a fun and relaxing getaway.

Cachuma Lake Recreation Area

Santa Ynez is the perfect place for adventurous campers and RVers. Santa Ynez is a great camping destination for everyone. There are tons of nearby hikes, adventurous activities, and sights to see. Search nearby campsites and find top-rated spots from other campers.

Santa Ynez

The Best Camping Near Santa Ynez, California

**Campground Review**:

This would be the most epic campground ever for a huge family reunion! There is something for everyone here- RV sites, tent sites, cabins, yurts, even big group sites. There are tent sites overlooking Lake Cachuma, and tent sites in the shady grass, and almost everything in between. There's a dog park, and playgrounds, and a pool (since you can't swim in the lake because it's drinking water... which was strange to us as Utahns when all reservoirs are drinking water and we still swim in them), and a general store! There are close to 200 sites here, which is mind-boggling to me. It was an awesome campground, and we were cooking up plans for a someday party (be it friends or family) there.

The restrooms are plentiful and clean, the quiet hours are well observed (though that may have had more to do with the fact that the campground was pretty empty while we were there), and the facilities are reasonably easy to navigate. Every employee we interacted with was helpful and professional. We rented kayaks for several hours while we were there and it was a blast! This place is a perfect little getaway a super reasonable distance from Santa Barbara and the surrounding areas.

My only complaints were mostly about the tent sites. Some of them are a little too smashed together with unclear boundaries, and the footing consisted of kind of icky weeds. I know, it's me being absurdly nitpicky. But I can't give EVERY campground 5 stars... right..?

**Product Review**:

As Rangers for The Dyrt, we get products to test from time to time, and at Lake Cachuma we tested out some [Optic Nerve](https://www.opticnerve.com/) sunglasses. We used them throughout our trip, but they came in especially handy while kayaking! The morning started out a little cloudy so we were worried that we wouldn't get a real opportunity to use them, but the sun eventually came out and the sunglasses were PERFECT. The pairs we got were polarized, which was great for cutting glare from the water (as well as driving throughout our whole road trip. The sunglasses were comfortable and seemed high quality, which was great considering they're nowhere near as spendy as some of the high-end brands of sunglasses. I'll admit I was too much of a wuss to see if they'd float in the lake, but they were awesome for keeping our eyes safe and protected (from the sun and from splashes)! If I had to have any gripe it would be that the wood grain print on the sunglasses I got (which I love) is pretty pixelated up close- completely a non-issue that only affects aesthetics, but might look better with a higher resolution for future printings.

Pro Tip for Hungry Adventurers: DO NOT MISS Cold Spring Tavern just up the highway from Lake Cachuma. Delicious food, atmosphere that is simply out of this world, and a gorgeous setting. Seriously. Don't miss it. And if you live in Santa Barbara and you've never been... GO. NOW. You won't regret it.

Ranger Review: Optic Nerve Sunglasses at Cachuma Lake Recreation Area, CA

I'm not much for car camping but if you want to get a big group together and sleep outside Cachuma has a ton of nice group spots. There are picnic tables, fire pits, bbq pit and even electricity to charge your phone.

There is a general store, a disc golf course, and a mountain biking trail. You can't swim in the lake (which is dumb, they say it's because it's drinking water but you can put a boat in and fish and I'm sure boats and fish have as many germs as people) but there is a pool. You can also rent kayaks and other water related toys.

The main draw back is that you're all over every neighboring campsite *and* the bathrooms were soooo, so, so disgusting. There was used toilet paper all over the floor, one broken sink, backed up toilets, ect ect. They cleaned them pretty often but blink and they were gross again. I would have much preferred to pee on the ground but since there's no bushes between sites that option wasn't available. My husband ended up hopping on his bike and riding to a porta potty that was more out of the way and way less gross.

Great spot for group camping. 

I have been coming to this campground annually since around 2009, and I've loved every trip. The campground is on the larger side, filled with grassy and shaded sites all throughout it. There is a general store, clean bathrooms, and showers.

The campground is based on a peninsula that juts into the lake, therefore it has waterfront campsites on both sides, and all the sites in the middle are only a matter of 2-3 campsites from a water's edge. When you first enter the campground, there are a few day use only spots near the general store. All campsites at the base of the peninsula are the ones that families tend to stick to, as there is a pool, its close to the store, and that is the only area on the campground with full and partial hookups. As you travel up the peninsula, limited Yurts and Cabins are along the waterfront. Most yurts have a foot trail down to the water. The Yurt I stayed in (we camped 3 nights and had a yurt the last two) slept 4-6 people, 6 if you have kids. Yurts do not have bathrooms. It has electricity and heat, two bunk beds, a view of the lake, a wrap- around patio with chairs, picnic table, fire pit, water source, grill, and ample parking space. I have never stayed in a cabin here before but they look really nice.

The general store is filled with pretty much anything you could ask for. About 3 rows of dry grocery goods, 1 refrigerated section including a very impressive selection of local craft beers, ice machine, firewood, smores stuff, fishing poles/ odd's and end's, candy, trinkets and gifts, propane, camping supplies, cooking supplies, stationary, etc. The wine selection, on the other hand, is sub-par; so a stop in SB on the way up is a must if you need wine! Keep in mind the store closes week days at 4 and weekends at 5 if i'm not mistaken.

I think the main thing that keeps this campground so peaceful (other than their strictly enforced quiet hour from 10pm-7am) is the fact that NO SWIMMING, speedboats, wake boarding or waterskiing is allowed in the lake because is is a source of drinking water in the area. That being said, you are more than welcome to rent a 4 or 6 person fishing boat or 6-10 person pontoon boat for the day or hourly at the marina fishing store. The lake is open to fish until 6pm if you have a vehicle or are on a boat- a park ranger will come around at 6 and let everyone with a car know its time to go. However, if you walk to the marina, you could fish all night for all they care. You can also purchase fishing licenses for the day, 2 days, or year, at a reasonable price (I got a year pass it was $53.74) along with endless fishing lures, bait (including live), hooks, line, and poles. In regards to actually catching fish- In the past years I always rented a boat and i caught a lot of bass and carp, an occasional rainbow trout. This time I had plenty luck from certain parts of shore! Tons of beautiful 3 lb rainbow trout and 2 lb crappie! The limit was 10 per person, and people around us definitely caught their limit, but we were conservative and only caught what we needed for the day. Some fish bite more in certain areas of the lake than others, if you don't mind to hike a mellow/ moderate journey you'll find plenty of little coves within a reasonable distance of the campground. If you're looking for a bit more strenuous of a journey word has it there is a trail that goes all the way around the perimeter of the lake- I, however, have not hiked the trail, as my husband and I were backpacking into the campsite and that was an adventure in its self and I was exhausted!

Like I mentioned before, the bathrooms and showers are very clean. No mirrors in the bathroom, there are multiple bathroom buildings throughout the campground along with the showers. Showers are individual rooms that have a locking door. Showers are pay showers, so bring a lot of quarters if you plan to stink pretty. I think it was $1.50 for 3 minutes.

Another note: This campground is near the water (the lake and the ocean) and you're in the mountains; which means it will be generally pretty windy (bring chapstick!). The wind dies down midday and at night. If you're trying to light a fire when the sun is setting- good luck. 20 minutes later- you're golden. It also gets very cold at night! I'm form Southern California, so by cold I mean mid to low 40's, then add wind- yikes. On the contrary, bring sun screen for the day- cause it gets pretty warm! I'm still suffering the repercussions of not wearing any after fishing all day lol.

Overall the campground is aesthetically pleasing on many levels. From the abundance of grass (no dirt sites), trees, rolling hills of knee high grass, blooming flowers, wildlife (ground squirrels, birds including california condors, blue jays, hawks, etc.), and, of course, the gorgeous cascading mountains plummeting straight into the lake, there's not a thing about this campsite I couldn't love.

Peaceful & filled with life

Last time I was here was years ago for a soccer tournament. My family and I went a couple times. It was an awesome campground and literally right next to the Lake. Bathrooms were clean and staff were very helpful at providing directions of nearby stores if we needed anything.

Lake Cachuna Campground 

clean spacious sites, pool, laundry, grocery store, gas. Sites have fire pit, grill grate and picnic table. Great views of the sunset from our site #287. Beer and wine for sale. Pontoon wildlife cruises and kayaks for rent. Park rangers are so kind and knowledgeable about the park. Can’t wait to come back!

Great Getaway

There's a lot to do here for kids; little hikes, boating, pool, parks, and the nature center is always a favorite for my kids. We've stayed in the main camping tent area, RV sites and the 500 sites down the road, all were great! It's close enough (about 20-30 min) to Solvang and Santa Barbara so you can take little day trips if you are staying a while. Dog friendly!

Fun easy camping spot! Great for families with little kids

The campsites are close together, but almost every spot has a tree to hang a hammock and for shade. Super kid friendly, with shows, events, daytime activities. They have showers, water, and also a pool. Minutes drive to wineries in the area. Nice views of lake Cachuma (although no swimming). Also disc golf course is cool and challenging

Lots of kid friendly activities and amenities 

This a a very nice campground nestled in the hills of Santa Barbara county. The sites for dry camping are the largest that I have every come across in 50 years. The full hookup sites are your standard size that you see at most rv parks. The lake is nice but is at an all time low water level because of the ongoing drought. The Danish town of Solvang is 12 miles away and there must be 50 places that you can go wine tasting in the area if that is your thing.

Old time Favorite

I am a native of Santa Barbara, CA, so I grew up going to Cachuma Lake. Cachuma Lake’s main recreational area is on a bluff overlooking the lake. There you can find tent sites, yurts, cabins, and full hookups for RVs. There are also smaller campgrounds at lake level - we prefer to stay in the Mohawk Shores campground, which is at lake level. The Mohawk Shores campsites are in a more densely packed oak grove, offering more shade and more privacy than the upper-level campgrounds. A few years ago they started pricing the “lakeside” sites in Mohawk more expensively than the rest of the sites in the area; ironic though, since the lake has been so empty the last few years due to the drought, and these sites are no longer lakeside.

The campsites each have their own picnic table and firepit with a grate, and water spigots are available in various places around the campground. Mohawk has its own bathroom with flushable toilets and coin-operated showers - the bathrooms and showers are kept clean. I prefer to shower in the showers located in the upper-level campgrounds, as they are in their own individual, lockable stalls, rather than the locker-room type set up in the bathroom in Mohawk. There are multiple dumpsters available for trash AND recycling around all of the campgrounds.

**Caution:** There is a lot of poison oak around the park!

We have rented a yurt a couple times, and hope to do so again soon. The yurts have bunk beds inside (bring your own bedding!), an overhead light, and a heater. Outside each yurt is a picnic table, charcoal barbeque, a firepit, and a water spigot.

We will often bring an easy-up to use in the day-camp areas in the upper-level of the park. There are oak trees all over the park, but if day use site with a table under a tree gets snagged, it’s nice to have the easy-up for shade - if you have one, I would recommend bringing an easy-up if you are going to camp in the upper level campgrounds, not all of the sites have shade.

A small but well-stocked general store is available, as well a small (expensive) gas station. Cachuma also has a pool (for an additional fee), gameroom, playgrounds/jungle-gyms, and disc golf courses available.

Cachuma Lake is a great place for wildlife viewing and birding. I am a photographer, and love seeing all of the birds that hang out around Cachuma - ducks, coots, Western and Clark’s grebes, loons, osprey, hawks, turkey vultures, turkeys, quail, American white pelicans, cormorants, etc. I have gotten my best birding photos at Cachuma Lake. Deer can often be viewed on the shores of the lake, and we have even seen bobcats and foxes. Pontoon boat tours to view wildlife launch every day from the marina.

Keep in mind that you CANNOT SWIM in Cachuma Lake. Silly, I know, but they justify it because Cachuma lake is Santa Barbara’s drinking water source. You are allowed to boat, kayak, and fish on the lake, but no swimming! Motor boats and pontoon boats are available to rent, and now they even have kayaks to rent hourly! My dad has a small 14 ft fishing boat, and we enjoy taking the boat out on the lake to fish and sightsee.

There are endless trails around Cachuma Lake in Los Padres National Forest. There are some mellow hikes around the perimeter of the lake itself, offering nice views of the lake and the surrounding Santa Ynez and San Rafael mountains.

Figueroa Mountain is near Los Olivos - Grass Mountain and Figueroa Mountain are both beautiful hikes, especially in the spring when the wild flowers are in bloom. Both are strenuous, steep hikes, but the views are totally worth the effort.

Cachuma lake is about a half an hour from the city of Santa Barbara, 15 minutes away from Santa Ynez (if you like to gamble check out the Chumash Casino), 20 minutes away from Solvang, and 20 minutes away from Los Olivos. There is fantastic wine tasting available in any of these small towns, and everywhere in between - you are in the heart of Santa Barbara’s wine country! There are endless tasting rooms available inside the towns, and countless vineyards that you can visit to wine taste. A popular wine trail is on Foxen Canyon Road - it is a lovely drive on a country road with some really beautiful and quality wineries and vineyards.

Solvang is a fun town to visit - it was originally a community full of Danish immigrants, so the Danish theme has stuck. It is very touristy, but even as a native, I still enjoy going to Solvang. There are a lot of shops, antiques, candy stores, restaurants and tasting rooms to visit. We are partial to the Solvang Restaurant, and for more than just their Danish Aebleskivers. If you don’t know what an aebleskiver is - its DELICIOUS. Aebleskivers are round Danish pancakes that are shaped like a ball - they serve them with amazing homemade raspberry jam and powdered sugar. Everything at the Solvang Restaurant is good, from their traditional breakfasts to their Scandinavian offerings to their sandwiches.

More Food Recommendations:

Cold Springs Tavern is a historic site dating back to the 1880s when it was a stagecoach stop. Cold Springs Tavern has a full bar and serves some quality meat selections, including famous Santa Barbara style tri-tip. If you are there on a Sunday, they start serving traditional tri-tip sandwiches around 11am - BEST tri-tip sandwiches around! They cook up the meat on giant barbeques outside, and serve the sandwiches hot off the grill - just tri-tip and fresh garlic bread, YUM. They have homemade salsa and homemade BBQ sauce to dress the sandwich with. Sundays at Cold Springs Tavern is a popular spot for locals to go have a beer or a drink with tri-tip, and there’s always a fun atmosphere.

If you are in the mood for some quality Mexican food, Dos Carlitos in Santa Ynez is a favorite spot.

Los Olivos Grocery has a great deli with delicious sandwiches - both hot and cold - and a good selection tasty deli side dishes. The store also has a good selection of local wines.

**CAMPSITE SPECS**

**Fees:** $30/night

**Plumbed Toilets: Yes

**Drinking Water: Yes

**Showers: Yes (coins needed)

**Picnic Table: Yes

**Firepit: Yes

**Cooking Grate: Yes

**Shade: Yes

**Cell Service: Yes - Limited

**Animal Bins/Food Lockers**: No

**Trash**: Yes

Cachuma Lake - in the heart of Los Padres National Forest 

IT'S A BIG CAMPGROUND AND THERE ARE VERY FRIENDLY PEOPLE AROUND YOU AS WELL. MY FAVORITE SPACES ARE 68, 55, 133, AND 534\. I GO 3 TO 4 TIMES A MONTH. I LIKE TO TRAVEL ALL OVER DOWN THE COAST, I WENT AS FAR AS VENTURE, CA THIS YEAR ALONE. HAPPY CAMPETS I WOULD SAY!!

 CAMPSITES AREAS  ARE SPACIOUS.

We stayed in the primitive campsite area. Was nice and clean even sites. Had some portable toilets with in walking distance. Rented a boat at the marina and was warm all night in the summer

Fishing trip

The campgrounds are amazing! They have showers, restrooms, running water, bbq pits or regular bonfire pits and enough space for at least 1-5 tents! The staff are super helpful and cool- just be cool with them. 

I recently stayed at the lake as part of an “unofficial” anthro club trip and it was amazing! The sizes of the camp grounds were more than enough and the whole ambience was perfect! 

My only complaint was the lack of water access- you can boat in the lake, kayak, paddle boat- but there is no human contact because of the water treatments. It bummed me out but it wasn’t a total killer. They have a near by store on the grounds but town is a cool 15-20 min away. Nice escape coming from LA.

The kayak launch was pretty easy to handle!

Great Camp Sites, No Swimming 

Clean sites,good restrooms, kayaks, nature center, and well stocked store.

Lake Camping

As with many southern California lakes, there is no human contact with the water due to it being a reclamation center. Unlike many other southern California lakes, this one has a pool!

The bathrooms are well maintained and there are flush toilets and coin operated showers. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. I tent camped, like always, but they have cabins, yurts and rv spots. The guys enjoyed the fishing.

I still have a problem paying $25+ for a place in the dirt, but families love it.

It has a pool! 

It gets very hot in the summer. So we choose spring and fall/winter camping. Less people, quieter. Rv camping is on top of one another. Not really a campng feeling. I would never RV camp here. Tents, yurts and cabin areas are very nice and some are very private. Great fishing.

Pure delight

Beautiful lakes and fishing was awesome. Will be back for sure. 

Words cant describe 

If you’re up for a trek through weeds and thick mud, then you’ll love this place. We’ve gone cat fishing here so many times, it’s a fun place to have a drink with some friends, take the pups, turn on some music and enjoy the view by the lake. There are fees depending on your reservation, we did not reserve a day use spot just fished, so we did not pay a fee. We just parked and walked to a good place to fish at the lake. If you’d like to use the designated grills though, there is a fee. There’s a lot of passing boats on the lake and other fisherman, especially near the visitors center so be sure to find a spot away from the action if you really want to catch some fish. They will check your fishing license while on property and patrol the lake area regularly. It’s an enjoyable place to go for the day and sunsets are a beauty! Just don’t forget to hike back to your car before the sun sets as it gets very dark, very quickly. Happy fishing!

Catfish Hunting

Very peaceful and very clean
You feel so relaxed Beautiful please
My wife and I love this place



Cachuma vibes

It was back in January 2020 (before COVID19), but we were hard pressed for a camp site and Cachuma Lake Rec came through! Nice sized lots with shade. Fire pit was good size too. 

Cachuma Lake Saved Our Asses

Great time with family 

I frequently stop by here on my drive up to the Central coast. This is a family friendly campground with lots of choices for camping -- tents, RVs, Yurts. Nice area to have access for lakeside fun. The area does get very hot during the summer with sparse shade.

Camping near Santa Barbara

Bummer that we had to camp in an RV spot! Amazing views of the lake! Awesome boat rental to cruise around on the beautiful water! Close to Solvang! Easy drive in. Scopes out the best campsites for next time! Definitely recommended!!!

Awesome Camping

This was our first stay at Lake Cachuma. It is well worth it to get a Premium site as they have lovely views of the lake and sunset.  We stayed in a larger group site with one other tent couple and the site was huge.  There were a few big oaks for shade but otherwise you were on very dry hard packed dirt in the open.  Water spigots and Port a Potties as well as bathrooms and showers ( pay showers) were conveniently located throughout the park.  There is no real privacy here as sites are all an an open flat and there are not a lot of trees so camping without a shade tarp could be unpleasantly warm.  There is no swimming in the lake but there boat rentals and fishing are allowed.  Yurts and cabins are also available for reservation.  There  is a general store at the entrance  and a gas station for all your needs.  Oh, yes! A word of caution...my daughter put their tent under the Oaks for shade and evidently their were nests of spiders hatching as their tent was literally inundated with hundreds of thousands of spiders!  The ranger said he had never seen anything like it.  You might want to think twice about being under the trees, or at least know what spider nests look like!  

Camping with Water Views

We were there in the middle of summer in the dumpster fire year of 2020.  Make sure you get the correct weather report of ‘Cachuma Village’ and not assume it is the same climate as the much cooler Santa Barbara (15 degrees difference).

There are hundreds of campsites and many have RV hookups.  I found the following YouTube video helpful when reserving a space.  We were glad we picked a space that was under the canopy of two mature trees.
https://youtu.be/sDWHOIo66F4

Although the lake looks beautiful, it is only a boating lake.  There is no swimming nor paddle boarding allowed on the lake.  There were plenty of fishing boats there as well as rentable pontoon boats.  

There is not much of a hiking experience at the Lake except to walk around it.  As we walked around, we loved seeing how other campers set up their camps since we’re relatively new campers.

We brought our dog and she loved it despite having little balls of thorns attach to her paws like magnets. (See picture).  We ended up having to just carry her.

We’d love to go back again but next time we’ll make time to rent a boat and go fishing ON the lake.


Near Santa Barbara but Hot!

This place is worth the drive to get to. Be sure to pack a hoodie out two just in case it gets chilly at night. Each site has a picnic table and a fire pit which you will be glad is there. Yurts are available to rent if you want to glam it up. There is a great general store as you enter the campground that has everything you may need or want. Super quiet at night as there is not a major highway nearby.

Quiet Lake Retreat

Such a lovely place off the beaten path. The staff go out of their way to find solutions to help make your stay the best ever! I feel very lucky to have stayed there. And look see there’s Bambi!! 

Facilities kept really clean and lots of tp in the loos!! 

Truly a Great place where the staff really go above and beyond to make your stay an amazing one. 

Down the road is the very cool and quite eccentric town of Solvang which looks like a little bit of Holland transplanted into the middle of California desert! With Windmills and cheese shops galore! 
Great place to visit for the Christmas shop that is open all year round
(Plus the amazing pancakes) 
Loads of microbreweries around here too really so much to see and do you need at least a week.
👍👍👍

Amazing Staff & great place! 

We just spent one night at Cachuma Lake (a Sunday), camping near Chumash Meadows. The tent camping sites were probably only ~30% full, which made for a very peaceful (albeit short) stay! The sites are big with picnic tables and fire pits, and many are shaded by large trees. The nearby toilet block was clean, as were the showers (a little further away). Our tent site had a view out to the lake, and was a bargain! 

  

There is a store (with a not-so-great assortment of goods), a restaurant and a fishing/boat hire shop. The roads and paths make for great cycling, and there are trails to explore too.

  

We drove through the whole camp ground checking out the various areas (full RV sites, partial RV sites, tent sites, yurts &amp; cabins). The full RV sites were (not surprisingly) still pretty full, even in mid-October, but the rest were not. We loved the campground, and plan to return for longer next time. Its proximity to cute little nearby towns is a bonus!

Peaceful retreat from the craziness

This was our first time at this site. There are several areas to choose from and we were in the 500s. Though this is a non-hook up area and mostly Tenters, this is a nice out-of-the-way, spaciously spaced, quiet, right on the water, great spot for boondocking!

Not too far from restrooms and showers and closer Andy gumps over here, too. 

Great place to ride your bike - paved and non paved routes. Hiking? I’d say more like walking and certainly beautiful sights to see!  Egrets, heron, hawks, maybe turkey vultures, too? 

Not sure about WiFi but tmobile cell signal was strong enough over in the 500s. 

Come here and relax, enjoy, get away and feel peace. 



SO peaceful! 

We've camped here several times. This last trip was for a week. We had a site w hookups near a group area. The group areas are closed due to COVID so it was very quiet and peaceful. There were not many campers even though the weather was perfect and the whole park was green and lush. Lots of gorgeous oak trees full of woodpecker communes. Showers are clean but if you need a handicapped shower you have to go find a ranger or go to the gate and ask it be unlocked- which is a pain if you are disabled and is the reason I gave 4 and not 5 stars. Showers are clean...cost $1.00 for three minutes but it takes half that time for the water to get lukewarm. Those are my complaints. But this is a really spectacular campground next to beautiful Cachuma Lake. Big sites. 30 minutes of a beautiful drive to Santa Barbara. Campground is very COVID conscious. They take no walk-ins and space campers apart. The RV area is full and less space between sites. We started camping here in the pandemic and have returned twice. Rangers and hosts are very friendly. It's also a pretty campground to walk around and has some nice hiking trails nearby. 
Has a swimming pool (closed because of COVID) , a laundromat and multiple group areas. Has been a refuge during the pandemic.

Among the Oaks

We love this place. spaces are good sizes and easy to get into and out. Park is clean and well kept. Very nice and quiet. Plenty to do whether it is hiking, boating, fishing, or biking, or more. One recommendation,  don't take the 154 from just outside of Santa Barbara. It is full of crazy curves and up and downs for what seems like forever if you're in a TT or 5th Wheel. Go up the 101 to Buelton and cut across to on the 246 to the backside of the 154 to the lake. You will thank me.

Our yearly go to for a great RV place

\+ Great amenities— large restrooms with multiple stalls, hand soap, plenty of toilet paper, and clean showers. Each site has a fire pit with grill, picnic table, and parking for 2 cars

  

\+ Beautiful California Oak trees surround the campgrounds and you get the most amazing variety of birds visiting.

  

\+ Some sites have lake views! Our site#290 had a great view but the site itself was not the best. The grounds were every rocky and uneven. It was hard to find ground to set up a tent and most spots had rocks embedded into the floor so you would be sleeping on bumps.

  

\+ FANTASTIC camp store. One of the best I’ve seen. They have everything you could need. It’s a gift store, mini mart, and a liquor store. You can buy eggs, milk, butter, and tons of shelf and can items. You can also buy a variety of beverages including wine and beer. The store carries plenty of snacks and candy, and you can get hot food items like hot dogs. They also carry camp gear in case you need— tents, chairs, sleeping bags, flash lights, cooking gear(stove, camp mugs/plates, fuel. Etc. Firewood is a little pricey at$8/bundle but when you need it, you need it! The store is SO CLUTCH because having to leave to purchase anything would be a longggg drive.

  

\+ Lots if lake activities. You can bring your own boat and they have a small gas station for boat fuel. The camp shop also carry bait and other fishing gear. There are boat, kayak rentals, and you could also sign up for a lake boat tour. Only downside is no swimming or SUP boarding.

  

\+ Lovely lake cafe with good hot food, beer/wine, and even cocktails. There is outdoor dining and even a fire pit for colder months. Careful during hot climate, there are yellow jackets everywhere. It makes sitting at the cafe unbearable. Service is friendly and the food is good. We tried their burger and fries and were not disappointed. Prices are a little high but it’s nice if you want to skip preparing and cleaning up a camp meal.

  

\+ Quiet Time begins at 10pm which is great because I find this campground louder and more rowdy than others. It’s packed and people love running their music speakers super loud. They wait until the park rangers come around at 10pm to tell them to turn off their music. It’s definitely a fun crowd that comes here so heads up if you’re looking for a more serene camping experience.

  

\+ There are yurts and cabins for rental that are a little more removed from the loud crowd. I definitely would love to try renting a yurt with a lake view next time I visit.  

  

Overall, this is a really fun campground with tons of convenience. Run out of booze? No problem. Head to the cafe or the camp store. Too lazy to cook? No problem, Lake Cachuma has options for you. Bored? Head to the lake or play some air frisbee. It’s also a great place for first time campers. You get a good introduction to nature, run activities, and camping while still having comfort and convenience just a few steps from your tent.

Great camping for beginners

Lake is beautiful.  Some lots are big if you stay away from hookups. Only con is there is no body contact in the lake.  Only fishing and boating

Amazing

Nice spot, sites are well spaced, FHU spots have concrete pads. 

Lots of tent/group sites available, tent sites are roomy many with great shade. 

Large disc golf course, well stocked general store, gas station (no diesel) boat rentals. 

No body contact is allowed with the lake. 

Great County Campground

Visited this place several times and each time was a fun and relaxing experience. The place provided wonderful views of the lake, ample grounds for recreation and facilities were clean and well kept.  Went there with family and friends several times and will actually visit again this September.

Fun Summer Respite 

We love going to lake cachuma! It’s most fun early spring when it’s not too hot since you can’t swim in the lake but boat rentals are cheap and fun. Bathrooms and showers are always very clean! Weekdays are best as I hear weekends can be crazy 

Close Easy and Clean!

Loved our first outing here. It was a busy weekend but our Sunday night stay was a lot better with the weekenders heading back home. Site 557 was a quick walk to the lake, bathrooms and close to water spickets for washing up. 

The weather was in the 50s over night and 90s during the day. We were able to get a nice fire going. Would recommend a bug net to keep the yellow jackets away. 


Great Spot

Went camping here on a whim. We had finished our camping trip up north and we wanted to extend our trip another night.

We were surprised to find this campground was almost completely empty when we arrived. It was the day before the Labor Day weekend started, and it seemed like the calm before a storm. 

While we were setting up the wind was blowing like crazy off the lake, and the ground was rock hard. Make sure you bring upgraded tent stakes or you’re going to have a bad day. 

All of this was ok, where it turned for the worse was the odd cast of characters around us. When we arrived to our camp there was two random people chilling on our picnic table. When we were setting up for dinner a random car showed up at the empty campsite next to us and decided to make tea without any lights what so ever, bear in mind it’s pitch black and there’s no one around us. After making whatever they were making they drove off, felt very strange. Let’s just say I kept my machete tool a bit closer this night.

Now the wind had died down so we were expecting to get a nice rest, but our rv camper neighbor decided to run their generator until it ran out of gas. This of course was in violation of curfew. This wouldn’t have been a problem if the park was patrolled, but no one ever drove by to check on anything. It really did feel like we were on our own. 

I think if the park was controlled a bit better we might have had a better time. But the parking being what it was, with two random sets of people who weren’t camping by us, and an rv running a generator in violation of camp standards without recourse I can’t recommend this place for camping. 

Felt unsafe

We camped here the Thursday before Labor Day weekend. It was empty! Out of 400 sites there were about a dozen campers here. 

When we first arrived to our lake site (453) there was a car in our spot and two guys were sitting at our picnic bench. They quickly left once they saw us pull in. It was very weird because they obviously weren’t campers. 
Once they left we started setting up camp but it was pretty difficult with the amount of wind so make sure to bring heavy duty stakes if tent camping here. The ground is extremely hard and rocky. 

The views are amazing though and site 453 is right on the lake. Although we were one of the only campers around there was an rv setup close by so we felt better until some random guys decided to have tea or something directly next to our site. They pulled up in a car and parked in the site next to us but didn’t setup anything except a little stove and kept all of the lights off and cooked in complete darkness which was very weird and strange. After about an hour of this they got in their car and left. 

We felt very unsafe at this point knowing that anyone could come into the campground even though they weren’t campers. It was getting really cold and the wind was still pretty strong so we decided to head in for the night. As soon as we laid down inside the tent the rv nearby decided to turn on their generator at 9pm! It ran until 1am when it finally ran out of gas. It kept us up all night and there wasn’t anything we could do. We tried calling the park number which no one answered. There was no patrolling at all of the campground had no camp host. We were completely on our own and just had to deal with the rude neighbors. 

I would not recommend this campground if you are tent camping with a family due to these issues above.

Great view but felt unsafe

This spot is great.  Nice campground. The best spots have lake views but are hard to come by.  Lots to do, hiking, go on a boat ride or jaunt off about 15-20 mins  to wineries and or casino 

Great spot 

Cachuma is an awesome campground with amazing lake views and fishing. Unfortunately no human contact with the water. The restrooms can be far away if you are tent camping. We went in August 2020 and the pools were closed. We had so many yellow jackets coming from the trees and underground. Our neighbors were a group of about 8 and it was one of their birthdays. They were gone most of the day leaving the campsite in a shambles to go wine drinking (they got picked up in a car) just to return in the evening drunk and be loud until 03:00 in the morning. No rangers in site to enforce quiet hours. The next day they were on repeat. I would definitely return but I feel that they can handle some unruly campers better and be more responsive to the yellow jackets.

Awesome lake views and fishing

This campground has everything! The site are large with fire pit and picnic tables. There is a general store, restaurant with live music, disc golf, water sports, and hiking trails. Love coming here annually to enjoy being tucked away in Santa Barbra. 

Recreational Hot Spot

First: the bad… it was so windy and cold. Make sure you bring warm clothes! 

The good: nice level site, full hookup, picnic table, trees.. (hookup sites don’t have fire pits) 
Biking/hiking trail was nice:) And can bike and walk around campground! It’s a very big place to explore:) 
Great disc golf course!! Free to play!
The store has camping items, some food (overpriced but that’s expected) , souvenirs, gas…
We wanted to get propane when checking out, but nobody in the store knew how to do it, so we were told to come back in 1.5 hours, but we were leaving. 
It was too windy and cold to fish, which is why we went there:(  check the forecast and any wind advisories!! 
Great restaurant, lots of space to explore. 
No human contact with the water. Don’t expect to swim. 




Loved this place!

It’s a Quite campsite near Santa Barbara if you don’t want to spend the night in the city! We booked the day before and as we arrived a few other sites were free. 
Showers are a bit expensive with 4x25ct per 3 minutes and the water can’t be stoped! 

Nice campsite! 

What a beautiful lake campground. Facilities clean, campground well maintained. Choose site well some have no shade.

Lake Cachuma Campground 

Nice camping. Plenty of spots and not very expensive $30 for a site. 

Father’s Day weekend

It was pretty clean. Everything was nice. Even the market was good. The only disappointing things was not be able rent a boat . There not strict with policy of 2 hours and return the boat back.  That just the disappointing part of our trip. Rather then that it was pretty good.


Our first raid trip 

Okay so spot 289 has an amazing view - but somehow that gives your fellow camper the green light to just confidently stroll through your campsite without saying a word? I’m a small woman - was sitting alone in my site. A man just strolled up to take in the view right next to my tent. My dudes - please be aware of how eerie it can feel for a woman to have a man just assert his dominance and presence without permission!! I would never in a millions years just go hang out at another person’s campsite. 

Clean campsite and facilities

Huge campground!  Variety of sites from dry to full hookups. Anything with hookups is cramped though. We originally booked FHU and opted out for much more spacious dry site. Dry sites really vary but all are largish. Fire pit at 409 put in a strange location so that we is located on the back side of our trailer. Really no other way we could have configured it. For such a large park with so many amenities I cannot believe the dog park is downright tiny. But park during week is largely vacant so a lot of space to let your dog run (which is against policy). Sure the place is a muddy mess is the rain. Ground squirrels got the place all torn up but hey they were there first. Generally this is a great destination resort! Go see the monarch butterflies in Goleta in winter months. They overwinter there!

Mostly a good camp

Good experience overall. There are many kinds of sites including full hook up, partial, primitive, cabins &amp; yurts. Many sites have views of the lake.

Lots of different kinds of sites. 

We stayed during the recent storm of the century in Central California so weren’t  able to take advantage of what the park has to offer. The sites are very long and not too jammed together. Immaculate bathrooms and showers. Close to Los Olivos (great wine tasting) and Solvang. Disc gold course.

Excellent location

Something for everyone, no matter your level of camping. Staff was great when my car battery died too. 

Wholesome experience

Stayed at camp site #143 no shade trees very dusty site. Rental boats pontoon type are brand new. Boat rental opens at 7am close at 7pm boat harbor is very nice with new boat docks. If going fishing the K boats are nice but anchor line to short to use I bring my own 50’ of anchor rope and use their anchor. Came hear to get away from all the illegal fire works where I live. Not one fireworks at the park yea the dog had a great nights sleep. Plus the swimming pool was great open from 12 noon to 5:30pm they have plenty of chairs and have life guards

Camp ground site 143 partial hook ups

Cachuma Lake

**General:** Many different options from tent sites to premium tent sites, water/electric, and FHU sites in addition to yurts and cabins. 

  

**Site Quality:** Varies greatly depending on what type of site you choose. The only sites with gravel paved pads were the ones with water/electric hookups or FHU; all others were grass. Most seemed level. It was raining heavily when we were there and some of the sites were flooded. Very little to no separation/privacy between sites. We were in a w/e site, and it was long enough to easily accommodate two camper vans.

  

**Activities/Amenities:** Off-season, everything was closed but in-season, there is a marina, boat rentals, restaurant, store, gas station, pool, and laundry. 

  

**Bath/Shower house:** Clean but very basic. No hooks or shelves for toiletries. Cold water only. The shower looked nice but did not use so cannot comment on it. 

  

IMO, the best options are the premier tent sites, yurts, and cabins as they offer the best lake views. We had not planned on camping here but after evacuating from Jalama Beach, we were told this park would honor our reservation. It rained most of the time we were there, and it was off-season, so I imagine it would be an entirely different experience in the summer when all amenities were offered and the campground was full.

Quiet in the off-season

The lovely county run park in the hills above the Santa Barbara coastline, is a great campground offering a wide variety of camping experiences from full hook ups to grass covered spaces under the trees along the shores of this lovely reservoir. The sites offer the usual camp picnic table and fire ring, and the many group sites offer large grills and even a few picnic shelters. 

  

The sunshine is typically abundant in this California park, and even without full hook ups you can easily get all the power you need with an appropriately sized solar panel system. We’ve run on solar for over 10 years, and it saves us thousands of dollars each year for our full-time camping life. 

  

The flush bathrooms are clean and spacious. Water spigots were plentiful throughout the campground. The coin operated showers got the job done, but since we were there during a chilly March, things could have been warmer. But hey, everything important got clean… 

  

The lake is perfect for boating, but since it’s a drinking water reservoir, there is no body contact with this body of water. So plan on using the campground pool to cool off during the summer months. Hiking and mountain biking trails are abundant throughout the area, and kayaking, canoeing, fishing or sailing on the lake is the perfect way to spend the afternoon. 

  

The campground offers some excellent yurts and cabins for nightly rent right on the shores of the lake. These are often booked out so plan ahead. 

  

The camp store offers enough grocery supplies in case you forgot something, including ice, snacks, fire wood, and gas.  There is also a cool pub down by the boat ramp which offers live music in the weekends.  The nearby tourist town of Solvang offers a great day trip to sample the amazing Dutch pastry treats, pick up some groceries, wine tasting, or a night out on the town.

Huge County Campground with Numerous Site Types

This is tragi-comedy: I was invited to a wedding in Santa Barbara. It was summer and the most fleabitten motel prices were astronomical. I began to look at campsites within driving distance, I was desperate. Booked Catchuma and thought, hoorah, I’ve defeated the tourism trap. 

  

Well… from the moment I arrived . . . I really could not care less about the wedding. My god. I think I’ll leave it at that. 

  

Bring binos. Boat, bring your canoe/kayak.

Please Don’t Tell Anyone About This — OOPS

This is a very large campground on a peninsula that sticks out into the lake. There’s lots of open areas and swimming pool, dog runs, laundry, facilities, etc. there is also a marina and a campground store. This campground fills up fast on the weekends and holidays.

 Very large campground

We loved the lake view from our site. We had a lot of space. You can’t swim in the lake tho. Sadly the swimming pool was not opened yet when we were here but it looked great. 

Beautiful campground

Tried out on a whim - note, NO swimming in the lake because it’s a source of drinking water. Get a waterfront spot for sure. General store pricey and there are yellow jackets during heat of day. BUT, gorgeous sunset and lake trails, big open campground with spacious spots. Def a fishing spot. 

Photos of Cachuma Lake Recreation Area

Real photos from real campers