Las Trampas Regional Wilderness

Las Trampas is one of those wonderfully odd camping experiences that almost feels like you’ve discovered something you weren’t supposed to know about. Despite sitting on the doorstep of Danville and San Ramon, this 6,050-acre preserve quickly trades suburbia for steep ridges, oak woodland, grasslands and some terrific views across the East Bay. And camping here is decidedly primitive: the Corral Area is a single reservable group campsite for 17–50 people, rather than a conventional campground with individual sites. That means lots of privacy, lots of space and very little resembling a traditional developed campground. 

While my earlier review goes into considerably more detail, I thought I’d revisit this campground with a quick topline of HIGHLIGHTS and LOWLIGHTS - along with a fresh batch of photos. 

HIGHLIGHTS: (1) Remarkable feeling of seclusion considering you’re only minutes from the suburban East Bay, with Oakland lying just beyond; (2) Having essentially one primitive group camping area makes this feel more like your own private campground than a conventional campsite; (3) Picnic tables, BBQs, food-storage box and a drinking-water spigot provide just enough infrastructure without spoiling the primitive experience; (4) Direct access to a huge trail network with Rocky Ridge reaching 2,024 feet and panoramic views toward Mt. Diablo and the surrounding valleys; and (5) Abundant wildlife, seasonal wildflowers, grazing cattle and those beautiful rolling East Bay hills make the setting the real amenity here. 

LOWLIGHTS: (1) This is group camping only, with a 17-person minimum, so it simply doesn’t work for a couple or small family looking for an ordinary campsite; (2) No hookups, showers or flush toilets - here, primitive means primitive; (3) Water at the campsite should be considered unreliable, so bring your own rather than betting the weekend on the spigot; and (4) Many of the best trails are steep, exposed and short on shade, which can make hot-weather hiking considerably more strenuous than the beautiful scenery initially suggests. 

Insider’s Tip: Bring more water than you think you’ll need and make time for a ridge hike. Las Trampas is one of those places where climbing a few hundred feet completely changes your perspective especially when the suburban Bay Area seemingly disappears beneath you, which is precisely what makes camping here so unexpectedly special.

Happy Camping!

This site is a nice hidden gem that many won't know even has a campground. While tiny and available only for a small number of campers, if you can get a spot booked well in advance, you'll have the place nearly all to yourself. Located just off of 680, you'll take Bollinger Canyon Road where you'll head just north of Las Trampas Stables before coming to a round-about where there's ample parking for about 30 cars (no worries, overflow parking on the street is allowed). 

From the parking lot, there's 3-4 hiking trails to take, but the one to the campsite is the only one heading south from the parking lot. You'll have to hike all your gear in from here, and it's about 150 yards, so not all that bad, but the pathway is a bit choppy in places, so you'll want to carry most of what you've got on your back (or head!). There's just a few simple amenities at the campground, where I could only count 6-8 or so places to park a tent. Once you're all set up, take the hiking trail straight up to Las Trampas hiking ridge (there's only one trail up from your campground, so if you're not panting, then you're heading in the wrong direction). Pass the cows grazing in the meadows to climb clear to the top for a most spectacular view of Eastbay and nearby Mt. Diablo. 

The other 2-3 trails that you'll find here are all worth taking and all fairly easy-to-medium in difficulty, but anyone heading up to the ridge, will find at many places it is steep and can be difficult hiking (just apply the icy hot after your hike!). As for the campground itself, it is bare minimum - the ground is relatively flat, but the entire space is encased in a barbed wire fence area playpen to keep the roaming cattle and other wildlife from coming near the area. When we were there we saw deer, cattle, raccoons and many other four legged vermin running around the area. Inside of the pen though, there's 5-6 stone picnic tables, a water fountain, only a single locker to place your food (so first-come, first served!) and a double-mounted grill. 

All in all, if your aim is to spend 2-3 days scouring Las Trampas ridge, then this is a great place to call home for a few days, but it lacks the amenities and natural serenity that you would normally expect when outbacking here in Cali. And if you get tired of the campfire food, it's SO easy to just head into nearby San Ramon for a classic In-N-Out burger (it's a staple here in Cali, but I'm not from here, so I don't get what all the fuss is about: sorry California, but Johnny Rockets burgers from Chicago still win out!) or for the best bite around, try out Zachary's Chicago-style Deep Dish Pizza (this Chicagoan approves!) and a frosty cold mug of Anchor Steam to wash it down with. 

Happy Camping!