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Paul T.
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TravelerHalf Moon Bay State Beach Campground
First time car camping in Tesla and charging is allowed 😁 So happy as online information we’re conflicting. Bathroom and shower are clean and decent. Site 31
Tent Camping near Antioch, CA
6 campgrounds with availability this weekend
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Tent campsites in the Antioch area of California offer a mix of established campgrounds and wilderness experiences within regional preserves and state parks. Juniper Campground at Mount Diablo State Park provides tent-specific sites with picnic tables and fire rings, while Morgan Territory Regional Preserve offers more primitive tent camping options with both walk-in and hike-in access. Round Valley Regional Preserve in nearby Brentwood also maintains tent sites within its boundaries.
Most tent campgrounds near Antioch require advance planning, as many operate on reservation systems with limited first-come, first-served availability. Juniper Campground provides drinking water and allows fires in designated fire rings, but prohibits alcohol. Walk-in tent sites at Morgan Territory and Las Trampas Regional Wilderness require campers to carry their gear from parking areas to campsites, with distances varying from 150 yards to over half a mile. A visitor commented that at Las Trampas, "You'll have to hike all your gear in from the parking lot, and it's about 150 yards, so not all that bad, but the pathway is a bit choppy in places."
The tent camping experience in these areas offers unique advantages over other accommodation types. Sites at higher elevations like Mount Diablo provide cooler temperatures during summer months when valley heat intensifies. Many tent campsites feature food storage lockers to protect supplies from wildlife, particularly important at locations like Briones Regional Park where deer and other animals are frequently observed. One camper noted that Las Trampas Regional Wilderness "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." Most tent-only areas maintain quieter atmospheres than mixed-use campgrounds, with several preserves offering direct access to extensive hiking trail networks.
Best Tent Campgrounds near Antioch (27)
1. Juniper Campground — Mount Diablo State Park
"We didn’t have a reservation, but got 1 upon arrival around 2pm. Our site had nearby bathrooms, showers & trash. It included picnic table, fire pit, food storage boxes, & is very spacious."
Check Availabilityfrom $30 / night
2. Morgan Territory Regional Preserve
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $15 / night
3. Delta Bay RV Resort
4. Briones Regional Park
"A few low spots. Cleared 12' barely with minor scrapes. Good parking and turn around. Lots of opportunities for horse riders in area. Pets on leash."
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $75 - $200 / night
5. Round Valley Regional Preserve
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $15 / night
6. Tilden Regional Park
"Tilden Park is perfect for anyone whose interested in wildlife and hiking in perfect climates. Tilden offers a lake in the middle to swim in and fish. The campsites have lots of fire pits."
"Tilden is great for anyone looking for a close park right outside of the Berkeley/San Fran area. It is a rather large park area that overlooks Berkeley."
Check Availabilityfrom $75 - $120 / night
7. Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve
"The Sibley backpack camp is a small, primitive hike-in site for a maximum of 15 campers (although this would be super cramped in my opinion, unless it a bunch of small kids), a moderate 0.2 mile walk from"
Check Availabilityfrom $15 / night
8. Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park
"Magical :) I feel at Peace at Such a Beautiful Location. Its a Must see."
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $75 / night
9. Sunrise Campground — Angel Island State Park
"Angel Island is a unique backpacking experience, one I'd gladly do again."
"Angel Island is a California State Park, but it's surprising how many visitors do not know of the 10 campsites scattered around the island!"
1 Site AvailableAvailable this weekend
from $30 / night
10. Rancho Seco Recreation Area
"About 50 tent only sites, some just feet from the lake. RV sites are farther from the lake on mostly level gravel pads with picnic table, fire rings, and a trash can at each site."
"Great Lake for paddle boarding and some fishing. Rv site was nicely groomed with drainage rock. Not perfectly flat but that is fine. No shade during the day. But over all a nice park and pretty quiet."
Drive Time
- 31 min from Vallejo, CA
- 39 min from Stockton, CA
- 44 min from Napa, CA
- 1 hr from Sacramento, CA
Recent Tent Camping Photos near Antioch, CA
36 Photos of 27 Antioch Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Morgan Territory Regional Preserve
Sunol
Sunrise Campground — Angel Island State ParkR
Hawk Campground — Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Bicentennial Campground — Golden Gate National Recreation AreaC
Haypress Campground — Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Steele Canyon (formerly Lupine Shores)J
Alice Eastwood Group Camp — Mount Tamalpais State Park
Bootjack Campground — Mount Tamalpais State Park
Pantoll Campground — Mount Tamalpais State ParkS
Rancho Seco Recreation Area
Joseph D. Grant County Park
Tent Camping Reviews near Antioch, CA
489 Reviews of 27 Antioch Campgrounds
- WWangtao L.Traveler
Del Valle Campground — East Bay Regional Park District
It’s good. But not too memorable.
- WWangtao L.Traveler
Anthony Chabot Regional Park
Great site! We have camped here more than any other sites in the Bay Area. Clean bathroom
- DDavid R.Traveler
Yolo County Fair RV Park
Nothing fancy. Looks like they are building a fence and trying to improve the place. A lot of street noise and free roamers walking through the camp sites.
Laura K.
ScoutCalifornia Delta's Snug Harbor
This campground needs a lot of work including docks, boat births and sites need pads and less weeds, stickers, burs.
T T.
GuideDumbarton Quarry Campground on the Bay
Great safe place in sourh east bay
Great location with spaces in safe SE bay area location and reasonable prices New development small young trees limited natural shade
Kylee R.
RangerCaswell Memorial State Park Campground
Caswell Memorial State Park
Lots of sites with privacy! Bathrooms are clean and they have coin operated showers. Dumpsters and water in various spots. Right on the river, a small beach access. Saw some cats. Bear box, picnic table, and fire pit at each spot.
Tom T.ScoutDumbarton Quarry Campground on the Bay
Open sky great starlink users.
Very quiet campground at night. See stars clearly. Use the fire pit after 730pm when the wind has calmed down.
- TTwindaddyGuide
Del Valle Campground — East Bay Regional Park District
East Bay Parks - IYKYK
Like most/all east bay parks, this is well appointed for the masses. It’s also surrounded by rolling hills and close to suburbia. For many, these are positives. As an east bay resident they are for me as well. Del Valle is a bit more removed than many east bay parks. From my location in Fremont, it’s a one hour drive. A pleasant drive for the most part. I camp to get away for a bit and almost always to mountain bike. As such, I seek parks that have trails. Del Valle has a map of many trails. They also appear on many of the mapping services used by mountain bikers. Review those and digest them if this is also your intention - these are east bay parka style trails. In other words, mostly steep and loose fire roads, with many “social trails” sprinkled between. If you are compelled to stay legit/legal trails, bring an ebike. Now on to the camping. I picked a spot as far removed from any booked spot on the map. I triple checked this up until the day before I arrived. I want solitude! When I arrived Thursday afternoon, I was surprised to see the sites just 3 spaces away, on both sides, occupied. This is a fairly compact area. And while I’m sure they’re lovely folks, this isn’t what I expected on a Thursday. Saturday? Sure. Anyway… be aware that these reservation services aren’t completely reliable in that regard. The bathrooms and showers are amazing! Clean, smell good, cared for. Noteworthy is the hot showers in the camp grounds are free and your one push of the button provides water for two minutes I'd guess. Very nice! The space, 135 for me, is okay. A couple trees for shade, a nice table and fire pit. It’s now dark and the noise is minimal - mostly from the group campsite just down the hill. I’ll update this with more details in the coming days since it’s a 4 day visit.
Update 1: it’s my first morning here. Using starlink as there is no cell signal to be found. What I noticed last night was that this park is directly below the flight path to the local airports. Every couple minutes last night, a plane would fly overhead. According to flight aware, they’re at about 10,000 feet. If this will ruin your getaway, you’ve been warned.
Update 2: On Friday night, the majority of the spots were filled. Many large groups of people with varying degrees of consideration, but to their credit almost all (except the barking German Shepard) were quiet by 10PM. It was a bit more crowded come Saturday morning. Some friends came to visit for a mountain bike ride, and we set off at about noon. I had been complimentary of the facilities and bragged that I'd be taking a nice shower after our ride. Unfortunately, upon our return, there was no hot water and no lighting in the showers. And, sadly, someone decided to remove the tags and hangers from their TJ Maxx haul and leave them all over the floor of two of the showers.
Verdict: I'd only come back here in the springtime when it's likely to be green and have some water in the arroyo and only during the week. The density and composition of the people here was akin to being at Costco on a Saturday, and I only did that once.
Guide to Antioch
Tent camping in Antioch, California requires preparation for the region's Mediterranean climate, with summer temperatures frequently exceeding 90°F and winter overnight lows dropping into the 40s. The region sits at the junction of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and the East Bay hills, creating diverse camping microclimates within a 30-mile radius. Several campgrounds require advance permits for overnight stays, with reservation windows opening between 6-9 months ahead for summer weekends.
What to do
Fishing opportunities: At Delta Bay RV Resort, anglers can enjoy direct water access. "Spent the night at my usual fishing spot and had a great time. Staff is friendly and food is good," notes one visitor.
Volcanic exploration: The Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve offers unique geological features on an ancient volcano. A camper explains, "San Francisco East Bay residents actually have a volcano in their backyard at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve. The Sibley backpack camp is a small, primitive hike-in site for a maximum of 15 campers."
Wildlife viewing: Morgan Territory Regional Preserve provides opportunities to observe local fauna. The preserve feels "very off grid" according to one camper, who noted their "camp experience was smooth and the sun was shining."
What campers like
Temperature variation: Juniper Campground at Mount Diablo State Park offers weather advantages during specific seasons. As one camper reported, "The weather in May was really nice imo. Not too cold at night with layers, & starts warming up quick in the morning. Bugs weren't too bad. Heard coyotes howling night and day which was neat."
Island camping: Sunrise Campground on Angel Island provides unusual bay perspectives. A visitor noted, "You have to take a boat to get out to Angel Island so you have to drive up to Tiburon and park your car and get onto one of the Ferry Boats!" Another camper advised, "I would definitely suggest this as a tourist. Many locals tried to show me the best view of the city but in my opinion the best view is to camp out and see the view at night and in the early morning!"
Privacy: Several tent campgrounds near Antioch offer secluded experiences. At Morgan Territory, camping "feels very off grid" according to visitor feedback.
What you should know
Water access issues: Always verify water availability before arrival. At Angel Island, one camper reported, "The water spigot at Sunrise was not working when we arrived, and this was not mentioned anywhere during the reservation process."
Heat challenges: Summer temperatures near Antioch can become extreme. One Juniper Campground visitor warned, "Insanely hot in the summer, I would recommend not going in July like we did. It was 104° or something and I was just drenching my clothes in water to stay cool."
Gear transportation: Many tent sites require carrying equipment from parking areas. At Sibley, campers must transport gear "a moderate 0.2 mile walk from the parking lot (NO VEHICLE ACCESS)."
Tips for camping with families
Facility considerations: When tent camping near Antioch with children, select sites with appropriate amenities. At Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, families can find accessible camping options with drinking water nearby.
Wildlife education: Turn animal encounters into learning opportunities. At Briones Regional Park, families can observe "deer, cattle, raccoons and many other four legged vermin running around the area."
Proximity to attractions: Some campgrounds offer quick access to family activities. Delta Bay has "a lot of cute tiny houses in this campground. You can bring your own tiny house, or rent one for the weekend. There is an open house once or twice a year you can come and visit all the tiny houses in the community."
Tips from RVers
Wind protection: At Las Trampas Regional Wilderness, one RVer noted the entire campground space is "encased in a barbed wire fence area playpen to keep the roaming cattle and other wildlife from coming near the area." This can provide some protection from the wind that frequently affects camping in the Antioch region.
Clearance challenges: Larger rigs may encounter difficulties on access roads. At Briones Regional Park, a camper mentioned, "A few low spots. Cleared 12' barely with minor scrapes. Good parking and turn around."
Access restrictions: Many tent campgrounds near Antioch have limited vehicle access. Las Trampas requires visitors 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."
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the best tent camping locations near Antioch, CA?
Where are the best tent camping locations near Antioch, CA?
For tent camping near Antioch, Juniper Campground — Mount Diablo State Park offers spacious sites with stunning Bay Area views and miles of hiking trails. The campground provides a great wilderness experience within an hour's drive from Antioch. Another excellent option is Black Mountain Backpacking Camp, a hidden gem with a short 1.5-mile hike-in access, offering a secluded experience with minimal crowds. For those willing to drive a bit further, Mount Tamalpais State Park and the Golden Gate Recreation Area provide additional tent camping opportunities with varying levels of accessibility and wilderness immersion.
How much does it cost to go tent camping near Antioch?
How much does it cost to go tent camping near Antioch?
Tent camping costs near Antioch vary by location and amenities. Haypress Campground — Golden Gate National Recreation Area offers tent sites at minimal cost, though you'll need to hike in less than a mile. These basic sites have food storage lockers and picnic tables but require bringing your own water. For more developed options, Rancho Seco Recreation Area provides water and electric sites with a dump station for around $25-35 per night. Most state park campgrounds in the region typically range from $25-45 per night depending on the season and amenities offered.
What amenities are available at campgrounds near Antioch?
What amenities are available at campgrounds near Antioch?
Campground amenities near Antioch range from basic to comprehensive. Sunrise Campground — Angel Island State Park offers stunning Bay views but is completely exposed with minimal amenities, requiring good tent stakes for the windy conditions. For more developed facilities, Pantoll Campground — Mount Tamalpais State Park provides picnic tables, fire rings, potable water, and restrooms. Some campgrounds like those at Mount Diablo offer food storage boxes and fire pits. Accessibility varies widely, with options for drive-in, hike-in, and walk-in sites. Most public campgrounds offer basic restrooms, but shower facilities are limited to more developed sites.
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