3 campgrounds with availability this weekend
Millard Trail Campground and Soledad Canyon offer distinctive glamping experiences within an hour's drive of Alhambra, providing an accessible wilderness retreat. Soledad Canyon features comfortable glamping accommodations along with traditional camping options, complete with modern amenities including electricity, water hookups, and showers. Millard Trail Camp offers a more rustic glamping campsite experience with sites situated alongside a flowing creek, providing natural beauty without venturing far from the city. Both locations maintain picnic tables and fire pits at each site, with bear-proof food storage available at Millard for added safety. One visitor noted, "Shade is plentiful, and benches and bear boxes available for each of the 6 sites, making it a comfortable experience despite being so close to urban areas."
The hiking trails surrounding these glamping destinations create abundant opportunities for outdoor exploration. Millard Trail Camp connects directly to a half-mile trail leading to Millard Falls, a scenic waterfall that flows strongly during spring months. Wildlife viewing opportunities abound, with guests frequently spotting deer in the early mornings at West Fork Trail Camp. Several visitors highlighted the peaceful creek that runs through Millard campground, providing a soothing soundtrack throughout their stay. While weekends can become crowded with day hikers, the evenings transform into tranquil experiences once park gates close. According to a camper, "About a 20 minute hike and you can end up at a waterfall which is very pretty. There are several trails to take for hiking and biking and I saw lots of people doing that."
"Pool lacks parking nearby"
"I loved this place, this hidden gem is located in the in the middle of the city, with the feel of the outdoor."
from $76 - $88 / night
"Cool drive to get to the campground. You drive up and down these hilly roads up the mountain to get there. Once there, there's a parking lot that fits about 20 cars."
"Fun little campground with decent facilities and beautiful surroundings. Lots of trails all around with a nice hike of about 1/2 mile up to Millard Falls that is easy for kids and grown ups."
"Really incredible location, was snow to book last minute by calling and checking for availability. Can't reserve by phone but was able to confirm availability."
"It is accommodating for some different size vehicles and has direct beach access and some amenities such as fire pits on the beach. It’s hard to get a better view than this one"
from $65 - $80 / night
"This campground has pit toilets and no running water. If you are in LA and looking for the back-country feel without a long drive, this is just a 3 mile hike or ride up the canyon from Altadena."
"There's no running water but the creek is usually running so bring something to treat the water."
"Pool is also not heated. Good restrooms and showers. Bathrooms are heated for those cold days. Plenty of bathrooms around."
"It's a very hot campground close to a road and train. Sites are big. Tons of things to do for adults and children."
"We stayed on site 15, with a great view. Fire pit came in handy with a cooking grate and parking spaces are large enough for a small RV."
"Never hard to find a spot to set up camp, as it wasnt over crowded either time we went. Cool scenery, and great hiking."
from $20 / night
"Nice bathrooms and hot showers with laundry on location. Good amount of space between sites. Very short drive or 20ish minute walk to Disneyland. Extremely helpful and kind staff."
"They have a nice, small pool area, bbq areas, a club house, clean bathrooms and showers and WiFi. The R.V. Park is within walking to the Disneyland park."
from $70 - $95 / night
"Great location - especially for southern CA where so much of the camping/backpacking is scrubby and in the sun, etc. Most of this trail is under cover, beautiful and well maintained."
"The drive up to the campsite and view from any location in the park is gorgeous. There’s lot of families and big groups around - so great for big groups but not if you’re looking for peace and quiet."
"Spacious campsites with fire pits, and clean bathrooms (bring your own hand soap). Be aware of the limited hours for entering with a vehicle (8am-10pm). Would definitely camp here again!"
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $45 - $225 / night
"A bit pricey, but has showers and free laundry facilities seems to be on the flight path to John Wayne Airport beautiful grounds must have a DBIDS card to get in and out of base if not military."
"Showers, toilets and laundry well taken care off. Everything was great and we enjoyed every minute of our stay we will return next year!"
RangerBig RV resort. Stayed in Area F site 132 as part of RV tour group. All back-in sites. Septic dump opening was located on the side of light pole - had to workaround in order to dump. Public showers/restrooms are not convenient and are old and open concrete.
ScoutNice view. Hard to book!!!
ScoutBeautiful spot on seal Beach naval weapons command base. A bit pricey, but has showers and free laundry facilities seems to be on the flight path to John Wayne Airport beautiful grounds must have a DBIDS card to get in and out of base if not military.
TravelerNice spot with great hiking. Limited facilities. No hookups. $1 for 2 minute shower (tokens).
TravelerThey speak so highly of Dockweiler RV Park, but they forget to say that it has no WiFi, and poor cell phone reception as well. I reserved a space, they made me pay in advance for the whole 3 weeks. They helped me park the camper… avd they never said anything about no wifi. I feel the rv site has been misrepresented. “Oh, well, wifi works in the office, but not even 5 spaces away”. I live alone in my RV. No wifi means I’m sitting here alone in a dead RV. Lonely. Everyone has wifi, yet they don’t mention they don’t , nor even cell phone reception, usually. I get only 1 bar
GuideStopped here on a Friday night after spending the day in Simi Valley. It was a ghost town, with only one other campsite occupied that showed no movement or activity at all. The train isn’t running in the overnight hours, so that’s a plus, but the vibe at the lower campsite is making it tough to sleep nonetheless. Two stars for a clean bathroom.
ScoutIt was a nice place and the people were nice. I checked with the staff on day one if their water was potable. They confirmed everything is potable. My dog had explosive diarrhea day 1 and by the time I got home I had fever and diarrhea. It’s been a rough ride ever since. My dog and I did not share food. We only used the tap as a water source. My husband ate all of our food any only drank store bought drinks. No water. He’s fine. Just me and the dog riding it out. Don’t learn my lesson the hard way. Bring your own water and enjoy it.
GuideSome of the campground seems very nice and some is the exact opposite. Pool is very nice and HUGE. But, there are entire sections of this campground that have just faded into non-existent. The bathrooms aren’t great. There are a lot of stationary campers(or what looks to be…) which isn’t really our favorite site to see. But, it was included with our membership and we aren’t going to leave to go pay for somewhere else.
RangerWe had spot 11 which was great (view! Low and thus close to the beach! although it only just fit our small 4P Kelty Late start on the level spot, there was a lot of room.
Toilets are Dixie's which aren't always clean and have banging doors, avoid the campsites close to them. I would also avoid the higher campsites including the rentals, as the hike to the beach becomes annoying.
Did a great hike to Cat Harbor overlook. Tough climb but beautiful.
The walk from ferry to campsite is short (less that 10 minutes) especially for this site (which is closest) but contains a steep hill and rough gravel. There is firewood service (15$) and luggage (10$/item) but we didn't need it. Shop normally has delivery service with temp cooler but was unavailable. Well stocked but expensive.
Camping options near Alhambra include sites in the San Gabriel Mountains and along the Pacific coast. Within a 45-minute drive, elevation ranges from sea level to over 5,000 feet, creating diverse camping environments from desert chaparral to coastal settings. Temperatures typically range from 45°F to 95°F depending on season and location, with coastal sites experiencing marine layer cooling and mountain locations seeing greater temperature fluctuations.
Hike to scenic waterfalls: Little Pine Campground connects to trail networks with mountain views. A visitor notes, "Love this place. Makes you feel like your on top of the world. This place is about 1 hour from Glendale. It is easy to get here, does get crowded as well."
Explore wildlife sanctuaries: Seabreeze At Seal Beach offers access to wetlands and bird watching. A camper shared, "Wetlands on the base and birds galore." The adjacent wildlife reserve makes "it nice for walking the dogs, too."
Enjoy beachfront activities: Dockweiler Beach RV Park provides direct beach access with fire rings. "The park is right next to the beach, walk 1 minute and you're there. There's also a bike path that goes for miles both north or south - great for an early workout."
Creek-side camping access: West Fork Trail Campground offers secluded sites along flowing water. One visitor reported, "I've been to this campground several times. It's one of my favorites. I go in March/April so the stream has plenty of water to drink. I have woke in the morning to deer on several occasions."
Convenient urban wilderness: Malibu Creek State Park Campground provides nature immersion near city amenities. "Three miles from a the grocery and only minutes from north LA, you'll find a basic campground with flush toilets, coin showers, and easily accessible hiking trails."
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Morning hours offer the best chance to spot native animals. "The wildlife is abundant. There is plenty of birdwatching, and coyotes were wandering through the park and campground without fear. On a hike right out of the park a few hundred yards, I came across a pair of bobcats—mom and cub—making their way to a running creek."
Security considerations: Campgrounds near urban areas require extra vigilance. At some locations, "Make sure to leave your car doors unlocked, and nothing of value inside. You'd rather have someone root through your car and walk away empty handed than have a window broken and items stolen."
Noise factors: Fairplex RV Park and other urban-adjacent sites experience traffic noise. "Very noisy with the traffic going by if that's where your spot is by the road but away from the road it's not so bad."
Weekend crowds: Popularity varies by season. "It was a bit busy during the day. They close the gate at 10 pm I believe, so the evening was nice and quiet." Sites fill quickly on weekends, especially during summer months.
Seek shaded campsites: Temperature management is crucial in summer. "Shade is plentiful," at several campgrounds, but at others like Malibu Creek, "There isn't much shade on the actual campgrounds, but a few sites do have partial shade."
Consider yurt camping Alhambra alternatives: Thousand Trails Soledad Canyon offers yurt accommodations as an option to traditional camping. Yurt camping near Alhambra provides weather protection while maintaining an outdoor experience.
Evaluate hiking difficulty: Trail steepness varies significantly. For West Fork Trail Camp, "It is a challenging hike if you have a heavy pack. However, there is a utility road you can take that would make it 100% easier." Look for trails marked as family-friendly.
Site selection strategy: Choose locations away from high-traffic areas. "Get a deluxe site if you can. The standard sites are essentially a large parking spot in a paved parking lot. The deluxe feel more like an RV site with a picnic table and grass. And for only a few bucks more."
Check site measurements carefully: RV length restrictions often include hitches. "If your travel trailer is 21ft you MUST pay for a parking spot even if your total length is less than 40 ft." Always confirm total required length before booking.
Arrive early for best positioning: "Sites are somewhat haphazardly spaced on a relatively flat area with good shade. There is little or no cover between sites." This spacing issue is common at several campgrounds in the region.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Alhambra, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Alhambra, CA is Bonelli Bluffs with a 4.4-star rating from 43 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Alhambra, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 31 glamping camping locations near Alhambra, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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