Looking for the best campgrounds near Annapolis, CA? Discover secluded campsites where you can reconnect with nature. Or maybe you like to bring your family and friends along. Either way, there are Annapolis campgrounds just for you. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your California camping adventure.
"Right by Armstrong Redwoods State Park there is a steep winding road at the end of which there is literally a pond. "
"We had spot number 23 but I think 24 or 21 would have been the best for shade and privacy. THERE ARE NO SHOWERS HERE! we did not know this before hand."
$48 / night
"He put us in a very level spot that was great for my rooftop tent situation. Can’t say enough good things about him and his staff. Everyone was very friendly."
"Location location location…. The Schoolhouse Canyon Campground is located about 400 yards off the Russian River / 1/2 mile down the road from the Korbel Winery (amazing deli!!!)"
"It’s kinda tucked away and not too busy, which made it perfect by my book."
$30 - $50 / night
"Outdoor kitchen with grill and gas stove. ice machine, Camp among beautiful redwoods in Guerneville just off the Russian River. Many bars and restaurants in walking distance. Nearby supermarket."
"Tucked away from the world, cozy little camp under a bridge and looking out of a crack to see huge waves coming in n! Almost like it will swallow us hole. Will be back for sure!"
"Beautiful river along with campsites surrounded by tall tress. Nice place to relax,hike, fish and or kayaking. full hookups and well maintained campground along with a decent rec center."
$10 - $35 / night
"Shaded, peaceful and lovely. We arrived early afternoon in August on a Saturday and found a nice empty spot no problem. The remaining spots mostly filled up by Saturday evening."
"Although Hwy 128 runs parallel to it (and not far away), there isn’t much traffic going by so road noise isn’t a bother."
$50 / night
LegendGeneral: 19 general and six walk-in campsites among giant redwood and Bay Laurel trees on the Gualala River. Sites 17 & 18 are a double site.
Site Quality: Level sites with bear box, picnic table, and fire ring. Site One’s camper pad fit our 18-foot camper van, but it would not accommodate anything much larger. Several other camper pads looked short as well. No hookups.
Bath/Shower house: Three individual units with toilet, sink, soap, and paper towels. One shower that takes quarters – three minutes for $2.00.
Activities: There is a trail that leads through the walk-in sites, under Highway One, and to the beach, approximately 1.5 miles. You can also drive to the day-use area for a shorter walk. We were there on a weekday but there were many activities scheduled for the upcoming weekend including kayaking on Bodega Bay, outside yoga, and healthy hustle circuit training – I was sad to miss all of these options.
This campground is beautiful and peaceful. But note that although we did not encounter any, several other campers experienced over-eager raccoons while eating dinner. There was also a sign warning of mountain lions but we did not encounter any. Shout-out to the ranger who shared a lot of good information about the area.
GuideBeautiful location, campground was easily accessible going up Elk Mountain Road. Camped in Site 11, pull through, no hook ups, nice picnic table, grill and fire pit. Vault toilets, no showers. There is potable water close to the campsites. Very quiet during the week, it did get noisier on the weekends, but everyone settled down for the evening.
LegendI like this a little better than Van Damm down the road because of the small private beach which never appears crowded. You do have road noise but it really is not bad.
Great little tent camping spots and a fabulous group tent camping spot. From the small beach you can play in the waves and launch protected kayaks into the small bay. On the right day there are some tidepools (not a lot). A stream runs through camp and empties on to the beach.
Great Fern Canyon trail and waterfall trail back in the gorge.
You can explore all the Mendoconio Coast from here.
Sites are well spaced and protected. Tables, fire rings and food storage. Nice rest rooms with showers. I like the lower loop along the creek and thes sites at the end, near the beginning of the fern canyon trail are choice.
LegendGeneral& Site Quality: 74 campsites; 1-13 in the lower loop and the remainder in the upper loop. Each site has a picnic table, fire ring, and bear box. No hookups. Camper pads are dirt.
Bath/Shower house: Self-contained units, some with toilet and sink, and some with just a toilet. NO soap but paper towels and a hook for toiletries. Showers take tokens; each $1.00 token gives you a five-minute shower. Didn’t use the shower.
Activities & Amenities: The day-use area and the Fern Canyon Trail accessed from the campground are currently closed due to storm damage. You can drive a short distance south to walk on the Pygmy Forest boardwalk (about a quarter of a mile) but there is very limited parking (about 8-9 spaces). You can extend the hike on the Fern Canyon trail but cannot hike to/from the campground. There is a dump station, but it costs $10 to use. There is a Visitor Center but it had limited hours during our stay. There is easy access to the ocean just across Highway One (you can even camp in the parking lot for the same rate as long as you are out by 9 a.m.) The park is close to the town of Mendocino with great restaurants and shopping if that appeals to you.
We arrived around dusk and left fairly early the next morning to walk on the Pygmy Forest boardwalk. I didn’t explore too much (including the upper loop) as there was a black bear sighting the day we were there. Even though it was a sunny day, the campground felt dark and damp.
TravelerLocation • state park located north of Sonoma and an hour south of Mendocino • in the Virgina redwood forest • closest town: about 6 miles away
Facilities • Bathrooms & showers easily accesible for all sites - cleaned regularly • some bathrooms updated very recently • Spigots every few sites with good draining • campfire theatre • firewood sold on premises • about 70 campsites • some cabins • day use picnic area • wheelchair accesible trails
Ambiance • quiet hours 10pm - 8am • mostly families • dogs allowed on leash
Sites • Small to medium, close together • More open than private; good for groups who need multiple sites • Most hace at least part shade throughout the day • ring fire pits with grill • wooden food locker at each site • wooden picnic table at each site • enough space for 3-4 cars
Things to do • Variety of easy hikes/walks • drive to Mendocino • wine tasting in town
Beware • Poison oak
LegendGeneral: Located between Bodega Bay and Bodega Harbor, this county park has over 140 sites in four campgrounds: Shell, Gull, Cove, and Jetty. There is also tent camping, a group campsite, and a hiker/biker camping area. No hookups in any site.
Site Quality: Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring. Sites all appeared to be level. Depending on your site, you may have more privacy/separation than in others. Site 21 (in Shell) was nicely positioned, however, the sites on either side of us were not occupied during our stay so we had more privacy.
Bath/Shower: Self-contained units with a toilet and sink with soap, HOT water, and air dryer. One coin-operated shower house for Shell, Gull, and Cove campgrounds, located between Gull and Cove. Additional showers in the tent-only section and the Jetty campground. Generally clean.
Activities: Hiking, fishing, birding, beachcombing, wading, and water sports. There was a very short boardwalk and sandy walking paths, although some of these were very overgrown.
One thing I appreciated was propane cylinder recycling. We learned there is a program where select vendors will refill the small cylinders and we hope this becomes more readily available. This is a much larger county park campground than we have been in before and it was very busy when we were there on a weekday in late October. Nice but I prefer the smaller and quieter campgrounds.
GuideFirst, you stay here for the views. Great views from the first two rows closest to the water. There are very few plantings between spaces. No hook ups at all, but water is available if you fill before you park. Seven dollar dump station. Each campsite has a fire ring and a wooden picnic table and grass. Since there’s no hook ups between the hours of 8 AM and 8 PM, you will always be listening to somebody’s generator running. Always. No privacy at this campground. I did not check out the bathrooms for the campground, but I did look at the bathrooms for the large boat launch area next-door. No showers in that bathroom, but it was clean. A bit spendy for no hookups. Safe. Zero long term campers when I was here. There are no first come first served campsites at this location. All camping spaces had a reserve sign on them, even though the place was about 40% full. Completely dark at night, which was great.
TravelerSecond time I've been here. Five years ago, I thought it was pretty bare-bones but just what I wanted: first-come, first-serve tent spot within 3 hours of San Francisco and within a walk of the ocean. No city lights to speak of = incredible stargazing. Oceanside = fall asleep to the sound of crashing waves. Did I mention first-come, first-serve? Nearly all the other campgrounds on the CA coast require a reservation 6 months in advance for weekends, with weekday availability not much better. This small campground had a number of empty spots available at 8pm on a Saturday.
This year, it was nearly the same story. Park funding cut back, so no host = no firewood (KOA up the road sells bundles for $8). And it's only open on weekends until further notice. The vault toilets had plenty of TP, and the sites were well maintained so clearly someone is looking after the place. In fact, the overgrown grass and coastal scrub that previously lent some extra privacy to sites was cut down, a bit of a bummer. Go for the spots on the northern loop. The trees there offer some wind protection and the views over the valley toward Alder Creek are worthwhile. I wanted to set up my hammock, but tree-less sites closer to the road render that a non-option. For site variety, spaciousness, privacy, and amenities, I'd say Manchester is more like 2-2.5 stars. But last-minute availability bumps it up to 3.
There is still a pasture full of cows across the street and the Pt. Arena lighthouse just beyond to greet you in the morning, and the ocean still crashes within earshot. Salt Point and Gualala campgrounds are warmer and woodsier. Mackerricher and Russian Gulch offer much more to do. But in a pinch, Manchester will continue to be my impromptu coastal road trip stopover.
LegendSo this has been closed for a while, but hope with funding it will re open.
It is sweet spot just before you reach the coastline.
A little stretch of redwoods on the Navaro River. Sites are along the river. Defnse redwoods and ferns. SHaded. Good swimming holes and good fishing. Great access for kayaks and canoes.
Sites have tables, fire rings and some have food storage. Primitve rest rooms.
Tent camping near Annapolis, California offers a serene escape into nature, with beautiful landscapes and a variety of outdoor activities to enjoy.
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