Gualala, CA is a great camping destination for adventurers of all types. Gualala is an adventure-filled destination for those who love the outdoorsy camper lifestyle. But it's also great for those who prefer to spend time near the city, exploring and sightseeing. Get the dirt on all the best camping near Gualala. Browse campgrounds by amenities, site types, and more.
Gualala Point camping features a small campground set among the Gualala River redwoods on the east side of Highway 1. Nineteen sites are available for tents, trailers and RVs, though no hook-ups are available. Generator hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Six sites are walk-in, located in a dense grove of bay trees a short distance from campground parking. One site is reserved for visitors arriving on foot or by bicycle. Restrooms have flush toilets, electrical outlets and a coin-operated shower ($2 for 5 minutes). There is also a dump station.
$35 - $45 / night
Wildcat Campground
$40 - $60 / night
Twenty acres of campground directly on the Pacific Ocean. Pick an oceanfront location or one secluded in the trees a bit back from the bluff. There are over one hundred available campsites to choose from at Ocean Grove Campground. Picnic tables, fire pits, water, hot showers, chemical toilets, and a boat ramp. Group camping is available. Please NO: Dogs off leashes, hunting, shooting, dirt bike or ATV riding, generators or loud music after 10:00 p.m., chopping trees or bushes, or littering.
$28 - $280 / night
Camp in the Redwoods, On the River, By the Sea! Located along the pristine Gualala River with 110 campsites, 30 of them with river view! All sites are in a canopy of Redwood trees in an old growth forest. All sites have water & electric with a dump station on site. Our general store sells all your basic camping needs with hip logo merchandise. The playground includes swing set, tetherball, ping pong tables, volleyball, basketball, horseshoe & corn hole! From family fun, to a romantic night in the Redwood forest- GRRP is the place to be!
The campground is very popular and is often filled to capacity during the On Season‘s weekends, holidays, and school vacations. But it is always a quiet, peaceful, family-oriented place because most of our customers have made Anchor Bay their favorite destination, returning with their friends and relatives year after year. We’ve seen their kids grow up, and now their kids are coming with their own children. Having a close-knit and respectful clientele assures a warm, relaxed, and friendly stay for all comers.
Anchor Bay Campground is very popular for fishermen, beach combers, divers, and sea kayakers. The outdoor enthusiast will find so many wonderful opportunities at this beautiful location. Things To Do!
We have 27 overnight camping spots (4 in the redwoods and 23 at or on the beach) and 40 owned spots (See Map). Each camp spot has a water hook up, picnic table and fire pit. For those sites with electricity or sewer dump, please refer to our Rate Sheet On our rate sheet we have also included information as to the largest size rig allowed in each spot. Our restrooms have showers (coin-op), flush toilets, hot water, and electrical outlets. Our campground also has a septic dump station, recreation area with sink and picnic tables. Often times you will visit our fish cleaning house, and see some of the local catch of the day being processed! We sell ice, bait, firewood and apparel. For reservations, please visit our Reservation page.
On the bluff top above the beach, connected by a short trail from the campground, the little resort village of Anchor Bay provides most of our camper’s needs. The Anchor Bay Store is an organic based grocery store, White Cap is a locals favorite for coffee and pastries, and restaurants include both a Thai restaurant and a Mexican restaurant. There is a coin op laundry mat, yoga studio, hair salon, and a massage therapist.
The base rate for one site and includes a family (2 adults and up to 4 children under 18) and one vehicle only. Additional charges apply for additional persons and vehicles as listed below, but not to exceed the campsite occupancy limit. For rates and utility availability see Rate Sheet For location of sites, see Campground Map.
$45 - $60 / night
Gerstle Cove Campground (sites 1-30)
$35 - $200 / night
Bodega Dunes (Sonoma Coast Camping) has a potable water fill station and a dump station that service both campgrounds . There are no potable water filling areas at Wright's Beach. Do not use spigots for your filling needs. Fill up your water tanks at Bodega Dunes prior to you arrival. Maximum trailer length is 27' and hook-ups are not available. Each site has a picnic table, fire ring and a paved parking spur. Running water and flush toilets are available in the bathrooms. Max occupancy is 8 people and two vehicles per campsite. All vehicles MUST stay on paved parking spurs. Any vehicles that do not fit may be taken to the overflow parking lot in the day use area. Wright's Beach does not offer group camping. When the campground is full, the overflow area on either side of the kiosk may be used for self-contained vehicles on a first come, first served basis. Reservations are recommended, especially on the weekends, holidays and during the peak season.
$35 / night
As of 9/7/22 the Manchester campground is closed to camping for the season. The environmental sites have been permanently closed to camping.
Day use remains open to the public.
Manchester State Park features a beach, sand dunes, and flat grasslands, with nearly 18,000 feet of ocean frontage. The beach line curves gently to form a "catch basin" for sea debris, which accounts for the volume of driftwood found here. Five miles of gentle, sandy beach stretches southward towards the Point Arena Lighthouse.
$35 / night
Gualala Point camping features a small campground set among the Gualala River redwoods on the east side of Highway 1. Nineteen sites are available for tents, trailers and RVs, though no hook-ups are available. Generator hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Six sites are walk-in, located in a dense grove of bay trees a short distance from campground parking. One site is reserved for visitors arriving on foot or by bicycle. Restrooms have flush toilets, electrical outlets and a coin-operated shower ($2 for 5 minutes). There is also a dump station.
$35 - $45 / night
Wildcat Campground
$40 - $60 / night
Twenty acres of campground directly on the Pacific Ocean. Pick an oceanfront location or one secluded in the trees a bit back from the bluff. There are over one hundred available campsites to choose from at Ocean Grove Campground. Picnic tables, fire pits, water, hot showers, chemical toilets, and a boat ramp. Group camping is available. Please NO: Dogs off leashes, hunting, shooting, dirt bike or ATV riding, generators or loud music after 10:00 p.m., chopping trees or bushes, or littering.
$28 - $280 / night
Camp in the Redwoods, On the River, By the Sea! Located along the pristine Gualala River with 110 campsites, 30 of them with river view! All sites are in a canopy of Redwood trees in an old growth forest. All sites have water & electric with a dump station on site. Our general store sells all your basic camping needs with hip logo merchandise. The playground includes swing set, tetherball, ping pong tables, volleyball, basketball, horseshoe & corn hole! From family fun, to a romantic night in the Redwood forest- GRRP is the place to be!
The campground is very popular and is often filled to capacity during the On Season‘s weekends, holidays, and school vacations. But it is always a quiet, peaceful, family-oriented place because most of our customers have made Anchor Bay their favorite destination, returning with their friends and relatives year after year. We’ve seen their kids grow up, and now their kids are coming with their own children. Having a close-knit and respectful clientele assures a warm, relaxed, and friendly stay for all comers.
Anchor Bay Campground is very popular for fishermen, beach combers, divers, and sea kayakers. The outdoor enthusiast will find so many wonderful opportunities at this beautiful location. Things To Do!
We have 27 overnight camping spots (4 in the redwoods and 23 at or on the beach) and 40 owned spots (See Map). Each camp spot has a water hook up, picnic table and fire pit. For those sites with electricity or sewer dump, please refer to our Rate Sheet On our rate sheet we have also included information as to the largest size rig allowed in each spot. Our restrooms have showers (coin-op), flush toilets, hot water, and electrical outlets. Our campground also has a septic dump station, recreation area with sink and picnic tables. Often times you will visit our fish cleaning house, and see some of the local catch of the day being processed! We sell ice, bait, firewood and apparel. For reservations, please visit our Reservation page.
On the bluff top above the beach, connected by a short trail from the campground, the little resort village of Anchor Bay provides most of our camper’s needs. The Anchor Bay Store is an organic based grocery store, White Cap is a locals favorite for coffee and pastries, and restaurants include both a Thai restaurant and a Mexican restaurant. There is a coin op laundry mat, yoga studio, hair salon, and a massage therapist.
The base rate for one site and includes a family (2 adults and up to 4 children under 18) and one vehicle only. Additional charges apply for additional persons and vehicles as listed below, but not to exceed the campsite occupancy limit. For rates and utility availability see Rate Sheet For location of sites, see Campground Map.
$45 - $60 / night
Traveler
Great camping, hiking, boating. Lots of nature trails. Super friendly staff
Scout
we used to go hunting up there in the 8os, you should have seen the campground then. really nice, had picnic tables fire pits great place to camp. i was up there a few years ago still looks kind of the same but they took all that out of the campground years ago.. road going in still looks the same..there is an old tree in the campground, people who have neen there will know the tree i mean, looks old low hangin branches, thats where we used to camp..more trash atound now. in 1987 it was clean.. still nice place
Scout
This was some “glamping” for us. We’re in a van with no consistent onboard power or water, so we do a night or two out and a night at a site with more amenities. This was a perfect stop driving south on the 1 after the previous night remote on the coast and a planned need for StarLink with power source. Park is clean and well-organized, if tight, and the bathrooms are super clean and door-coded, with included hot showers. Right on the marina, fun if you enjoy harbor/boating scenery, and good food within walking distance. No way - that I found - to reserve online, but a phone call at 9am on a Saturday was returned within 10 minutes and got it done. Range of big rigs to camper vans, easy access and enough room to negotiate into spots. Very welcoming, safe, laid back environment.
Legend
Have you been over to Bodega Bay? I think you'd like it there. Our friends sure know us well! While the town doesn’t look much different than when it appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds”, the cafes in the village have definitely upped their game.
Bodega Dunes State Park is a great way to experience the area without the same activity and noise in the camp grounds down closer to the water. The campsite loops wind through the coastal Live Oak and Bishop Pine trees and provide some privacy in between sites in some areas, though some sites are right on top of each other.
They are generally smaller pull-in sites geared more toward tents, vans, and small travel trailers. There are just a handful of sites that can accommodate bigger RVs. Many of the sites have decent open sky resources for solar power and satellite internet, though many in the lower areas had standing water and torn up asphalt pads from the heavy rains the last couple of years.
The bathrooms were clean and comfortable with flush toilets and warm showers (coin operated). My only complaint about the bathrooms is that there weren’t quite enough for the demand, in my opinion, but a few port-o-potties might help offset that during the busy season.
Hiking among the sand dunes and along the beach provide some really stunning scenery. Reaching the beach, you’ll find as much coastal sand as you can handle with miles and miles of it to yourself. The water, which is normally pretty cold year round, can also be pretty rough for swimming.
A short drive away is the gorgeous Bodega Head Trail which winds up along the headland and offers amazing scenery. It’s sort of like a small Point Reyes National Seashore, but much easier to get to.
Bodega Bay has a couple of small grocery stores, gas stations, and more than a few restaurants to meet nearly any craving. The area is known for its Dungeness Crab Harvest, so be sure to check that out when it's in season!
Legend
Along the forgotten coast of Central California along Hwy 1, this small state park offers a great way to explore the area.
The upper campground is relatively small and was still heavily impacted by 2023-24 winter storms, many downed trees still had some campsites closed in the spring of 2024. Most of these sites would accommodate smaller rigs and tents only. The campground is tucked in between the remaining coastal pines and live oak. The bathrooms were small but tidy with flush toilets and running water, no showers. We drove through here and then headed to the overflow lot...
If you are in a self-contained vehicle, the most stunning place to camp in this park is the “overflow” camping lot closer to the beach. Here you can camp with a 180 degree view of the ocean and the rolling hills leading to the beach. The lot is completely open to the sky, so solar and satellite internet work great. The only downside is that the closest bathroom and fresh water spigot is either in the day-use area down toward the water, or back uphill at the campground. But the view and scenery were more than worth the minor inconvenience.
If you’ve got a solar powered system, you could have the most inexpensive California beach vacation around. The rocky beach area is great for wildlife viewing, we saw sea lions, seals, and even the occasional spout from migrating gray whales. While not necessarily good for swimming, the beach area is great for fishing. Hiking is right from the campground and leads to the north or south from the headland area.
Come prepared with food and gas! Supplies will be difficult to come by, as there are only a few small convenience/ general stores and restaurants, in nearby Jenner. The larger grocery outlets will be inland in Santa Rosa about an hour away. This is the price you pay to have a stunning California beach vacation without the normal crowds.
Guide
We chose Pomo based on other reviews on TheDyrt. I picked site 47 out of the three that were left when I was searching for a place near Fort Bragg. Although it looks like the site is in the middle of the town, the sites are very private, many nestled between thick brush (blackberries!) and many back far enough from the road that it seems like you're boondocking. Our primary reason for choosing a coastal site was for comfort. It was still over 95 degrees inland, but a very comfortable 65 along the coast.
Almost all the RV sites are gravel, with the exception of a couple smaller ones, and the tent sites. There is a single bathroom complex, and the men's restroom was great...tiled with multiple stalls, large glass windows and CLEAN! I didn't check the showers out, but I'm assuming the same level of detail and finish also apply there.
It appears the sewer system doesn't cover all the sites, so the further back in the campground you go, there won't be any (an educated guess on my behalf). I walked through the campground, and most the RV sites have a power pedastal and water, a nice wooden picnic table and a fire ring. Internet access is available throughout, and when I ran speedtest I was getting 170Mbps down, which is incredible.
Make sure you look through the pictures of each site on the reservation page. They all are slightly different in size, privacy, and whatnot. There are several sites that "share" a common open space if you're in a group, and a large group area which looked to have 5 or 6 sites all comingled.
For tent camping, there is a large, open line of grass near the front of the campground, which doesn't really offer much protection from the sun. BUT...there is a loop at the back of the campground that has at least 10 grassy tent sites under a thick cover of pine trees. It's isolated by a path from the other RV sites, and I was really impressed by the area! If I were still tent camping, this would no doubt be my go-to tent site.
The nights were quiet and dark, and the staff friendly. They have 1 dump station, a fish cleaning station, propane and the office has a bunch of DVD movies available (not sure if for rent or free use).
Overall an excellent site and we were glad to find it, and will probably use this as a staging point for future treks further up the coast! I'll include some pictures of the site (I never include personal/family pictures because this is a campground review site, not a family album!)
LegendSalt Point State Park has 3 separate camping areas: Woodside Campground, Gerstle Cove Campground, and Gerstle Cove Overflow. The overflow is a lot that overlooks the ocean, and you don’t have to wait for the campground to be full to be able to camp here. You can ask to stay here when you arrive at the ranger station at the entrance.
The overflow is for self contained RVs only. No tents or car camping allowed. There is a trash bin in the center of the lot but no other amenities. It seems to be mellow during the week and busy on weekends. We’re glad we were just paying day by day because it got too crowded for us when the weekend hit, so we decided to leave.
There are beautiful hikes in this area, and a trail straight from the lot to the ocean. You can also see whales from the lot!
Dogs ok, cell service is good, the lot isn’t very level but it isn’t too bad. No designated spots so just come down and figure out a good place to set up once you get there. This is a beautiful place to camp and we do love it, even at $30.
Legend
Great (and big) park in Bodega Bay with several separate campgrounds. We got lucky and snagged a last minute spot for 2 nights in August. Easy access to the beach, lots of day use areas all around this park, and bonus: a dog beach that was available on a trial basis when we were there- dogs got to run free on this little patch of enclosed beach- wonderful. Hope it becomes a permanent feature!
Showers were $2 for 5 minutes, there’s recycling here (a separate bin for propane cylinders too).
This campground has a lot of in and out traffic and day use visitors and overall more activity than the Westside campground across the way. We enjoyed both of them.
Legend
This is a mellow, low key, beachy Sonoma County campground in Bodega Bay. It’s got that vibe that so many beach campgrounds do, a little run down, no frills, open layout, and happy friendly campers. We stayed here for a couple of nights and had a great time.
There’s hiking all over this area, lots to explore and see. Cell service was good. Showers here are expensive at $2 for 5 min, quarters only. There’s a host on site who’s been hosting here for something like 15 (maybe 30) years. There’s a boat ramp adjacent to this campground, lots of boats in and out for fishing.
There’s a dump station for a $7 fee (though the website says $10, so maybe it's actually $10), honor box at the station to deposit your money. Water fill available here as well.
Recycling available, as well as a separate bin for green propane canisters. Camping is $35/night, plus $2 fee per dog per night (boo), plus whatever online reservation fee ($8?). Reservations must be made online. Hosts obviously do not handle that and there was nobody in the entrance shack when we arrived- though a ranger swung by later to collect the dog fee (that fee can’t be paid online when you make the reservation). Anyway, confusing process but just go with it and have a great time.
Scout
This campground lives up to all the other positive comments BUT the raccoons were extremely aggressive and even ate its way into a tent at 2AM. It would have been nice if the host had warned of them when he visited to check reservation and sell us wood!
ScoutThere is upward of 90 sites, many are for just tents and are on sand with fire pit. I have our travel trailer there and are the site # in the 70's and are on a asphalt pad, which makes it cleaner and level. Down side would be close to a road and traffic during day, but at night very quiet except for fog horn which is no big deal. The beach walks and adventuring the coast and local fair makes it all worth it. Water and dump station available, not at campsites but at entry of park
Scout
Very enjoyable stay. The park is clean,quiet and there’s a few trails that take you to the Beach. It’s about a 30 min walk but an easy one. Theres electric, cable and water at the pole. The sewer is up near the entrance. All in all a nice peaceful retreat. I work remote and have had meetings all week. No issues with Verizon or T mobile Hot spots.
Traveler
I tent camped here on a September weeknight. The campground is very spacious on a bluff overlooking the ocean. Very few other campers so I had plenty of options for sites. It was cool, sunny, and no wind-perfect weather! Stunning views all around, with a trailhead to Stillwater Cove. Very quiet and relaxing stay here!
TravelerThe views are worth the drive! The cliffs are just spectacular and there are places to walk and explore the coast, albeit it can be windy. We arrived on a Thursday afternoon and there were plenty of spots to choose from. Most campsites are fairly spacious, the general store is well stocked and prices are reasonable. The outdoor showers are a win, as we stayed 4 nights and it was so quite once the weekend passed. If the guy with the BBQ oysters is set up on the weekend - they are fabulous! Cafe Aquatica in Jenner has amazing chowda and quaint outdoor seating. Sunsets for days...
Guide
Winding downhill road in a valley to get there only to find basically a trailer park. Restroom in need of repair and not very sanitary. There was only one site available when we arrived and the rest were mostly permanent/long term residents. The host was very friendly and helpful in getting us settled in and other guests were very friendly. Overall I’d say avoid unless you’re very weary of driving
Guide
Loved this campground!! Family friendly, tons of amenities, and very clean. Highly recommended!!
ScoutDrive up to the site all incline dirt road ~6 miles - we made it up without 4 wheel drive but some areas were a little sketchy. Overall pretty dusty too. Sites themselves were decently maintained, some trash from previous campers but nothing major. This area is a popular for target practice so if the sounds of gunshots throughout the day isn’t your vibe, then this spot might not be suitable. Overall beautiful sunrises and sunsets and starry night sky
Traveler
This is the worst campground I’ve ever seen. There was trash throughout the campground - including a used condom and condom wrappers in our campsite - bathrooms were dirty and had no soap, and there were several loud groups well after the posted quiet hours. We stayed one night and left early. If you’re into obnoxious parties, then this place is for you. The “potable” water is brown out of the tap.
Scout
Full Disclosure: I know the owner of the property and stayed at La Bohemia for free.
Nevertheless, this is an amazing spot. The owner and his young daughter have done an amazing job restoring the forest and making a special place over the past few years. It is a great getaway from everything. No sign of any building insight.
I must admit, my favorite part was watching football on the large outdoor screen and eating BBQ by the campfire. It was an amazing experience in an amazing place.
Ranger
As soon as I started going up an extremely steep hill and saw a sign that said not a through street, I should have turned around but it was impossible with my 30-foot car and trailer. I am Bart Upon A frightening , rutted, unmaintained road that is only suitable for off-road vehicles for sick four wheel drives . Barely made it out of there with everything working as it should on car and trailer and actually got stuck at one point and had to use logs to get myself traction. Do not try this and there is nowhere to stop and set up a ten , at all!
Guide
Nice place. Friendly people. Well maintained. WiFi not reaching our campsite.
Guide
Easy access and great store, with access to fire rings, tables, showers, potable water, dump station and trash receptacles. The tent sites are beautiful, but a bit too close to each other when there are dogs involved.
GuideHot weather looking for a cool, on lake CG. We didn’t camp there. Thought we might but, instead just drove through. Day-use area close. Parking lot for boaters open. CG host said full; grounds not well maintained. Open sites with expired occupancy dates on them. Large groups with extra vehicles. Some sites looked like long term occupancy. Pleased there was no room. Don’t think would’ve been comfortable experience.
TravelerWe were here for 3 nights and enjoyed the summer concert series on the grass and the close location to a private beach across from the Rv park.
The spaces for Rv’s are tight, but we made it work. Tent camping is much more spacious.
The weather was humid and cool. It felt wonderful for July!!
Scout
The dozens of 1 star google reviews over the years are 100000 percent accurate.
If you’re thinking of staying here, don’t! This place is a DUMP! You walk into a literal mushroom shop. The photos online are extremely misleading. They charge double what other parks in the area charge.
We checked in and immediately left on a holiday weekend. It’s dirty, cramped, and unkempt. We called around to find another spot in town and all the other park owners confirmed that the owner (Mike) at Hidden Pines is basically a crook. He overcharges, misleads, and mismanages the park. We were placed in a grass lot, there were no views, no ocean access. Nothing. The lot was so bad our auto leveling trailer couldn’t level.
I was going to just let it go but the owner, Mike, called me five times after leaving and screamed at me. I didn’t even ask for my money back and told him he could give the space away. He kept screaming at me and told me he was going to write a report so I could never go there again - no problem Mike, we WILL NOT be back.
Now this is the point I decided to write a negative review. After screaming at me on the phone, he gave my phone number to a random person to have that person ask me if I would call HP to allow them to buy my spot. I never consented to my information being shared.
I would rate this place negative stars if I could. It’s atrocious and crooked, and other park owners jump to help you find a space when you call and ask, because it’s THAT BAD!
Stealing this bit from another review, because it’s absolutely accurate -
Also, this is for Mike, DO NOT WRITE THAT WE VIOLATED POLICIES OR DID NOT STAY AT YOUR PARK. YOU ARE A SCUMBAG AND OVERCHARGE FOR SOMETHING THAT IS AN ABSOLUTE ATROCITY.
Scout
Woodside RV Park in Fort Bragg may not be the most luxurious but it’s quiet and clean. I rated 5 star due to the kindness and hospitality of the hosts - Dan and his daughter, Phyllis. They will give you local history and treat you like family, even if you’re there for just a few nights!
Woodside was able to make a last minute accommodation for us on 4th of July weekend. I’m glad they did. They are clean, kind, quiet and hospitable. They are right by the Botanical Gardens. I would absolutely stay here again.
Other reviews. Ore and are correct, there do seem to be a number of permanent residents but that has not impacted my review as they’ve all been very nice or kept to themselves - as have we!
Traveler
Beautiful campground nestled among the trees. Drive to campground (we came from the south and departed same way) is true Highway 1 spectacular scenery with narrow road along some cliffs with some hair-pin turns. (Parts of road were under repair in June 2024 creating some delays.) Individual camp sites were perhaps 1/4 to 1/2 mile from both entrance gate and camp host site. Individual sites were good size with picnic table and cleared-out area surrounding it. RV parking was on good asphalt surface. Restrooms were clean and had flush toilets. Unfortunately no showers, no RV dump station, no threaded connections to refill RV potable water tank. Did have portable water spigots in campground to fill personal water bottles. Coastal fog rolled in at night and cleared by mid-morning. We would have loved to hike trails to beach; however, we did not have time. We will save that for next time we are passing through.
Camping near Gualala, California, offers a mix of stunning coastal views and serene redwood forests. Whether you're looking for a family-friendly spot or a peaceful getaway, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
Camping near Gualala, California, is a fantastic way to enjoy the great outdoors, with plenty of options for families and RVers alike.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Gualala, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, Gualala, CA offers a wide range of camping options, with 112 campgrounds and RV parks near Gualala, CA and 6 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Gualala, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Gualala, CA is Gualala Point Regional Park with a 4.4-star rating from 22 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Gualala, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 6 free dispersed camping spots near Gualala, CA.
What parks are near Gualala, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 11 parks near Gualala, CA that allow camping, notably Lake Sonoma and Mendocino Lake.
