Top Tent Camping near Big Bend, CA
Looking for tent camping near Big Bend? Finding a place to camp in California with your tent has never been easier. Each spot offers quick access to one or more of Big Bend, California's most popular destinations.
Looking for tent camping near Big Bend? Finding a place to camp in California with your tent has never been easier. Each spot offers quick access to one or more of Big Bend, California's most popular destinations.
S Rav Camp Area (sites E1-E7)
$25 - $100 / night
This recreation area is part of Eastman Lake
Enroute campsites are available to self-contained camping vehicles for 1 night only. Because these areas are used as parking you must enter after 6 p.m. and leave them by 9 a.m. the following morning.
In the middle of San Francisco Bay sits Angel Island State Park, offering spectacular views of the San Francisco skyline, the Marin Headlands and Mount Tamalpais. The island is also alive with history. Three thousand years ago the island was a fishing and hunting site for Coastal Miwok Indians. It was later a haven for Spanish explorer Juan de Ayala, a cattle ranch, and a U.S. Army post. From 1910 to 1940, the island processed thousands of immigrants. During World War II, Japanese and German POWs were held on the island, which was also used as a jumping-off point for American soldiers returning from the Pacific. In the '50s and '60s, the island was home to a Nike missile base. Today, there are two active Coast Guard stations - at Point Blunt and Point Stuart - on the island. Angel Island became a State Park in 1958.
$30 - $40 / night
One- to six-person sites: 12 Seven- to 25-person sites: 2 Coast Campground is nestled within a small coastal valley with easy access to the beach and tidepools. The beach is within 220 yards of the campground and tidepools are located ~720 yards to the southeast. One may access Coast Campground by foot, bicycle, or horse; not by boat, auto, or RV. The shortest approach on solid ground is via the 1.8-mile slightly uphill hike on the Laguna and Fire Lane Trails, starting at the Laguna Trailhead just east of the hostel. There are 12 regular sites and two group sites.
$30 - $90 / night
Just 50 miles north of San Francisco, on the Point Reyes National Seashore peninsula, Tomales Bay State Park straddles the notorious San Andreas Fault. Here, the Pacific Ocean has filled the gap to form Tomales Bay, which is surrounded by a landscape of rolling hills, mixed forests, sprawling meadows and lush wetlands. Unique to the area are granitic rock formations that originated 300 miles to the southeast, transported to this location by more than 10 millions years of movement along the fault. In more recent history, the area was home to the Coast Miwok for more than 8,000 years. These native peoples hunted, fished and farmed these coastal areas until Europeans arrived and claimed the land in the late 16th century. In 1952, before the peninsula was completely taken over by agricultural interests, the state established a 2,000-acre park to preserve the area’s diverse flora and fauna, and ensure public access to the bay’s many pristine beaches. Tomales Bay State Park is a day-use area only, and overnight camping is not permitted. The main recreation area is located at the north end of the park, on the west side of Tomales Bay, at Heart’s Desire. Here you’ll find picnic areas with barbecues, scenic viewpoints, nature trails, and access to several beaches. There aren’t any launch facilities, but kayaks and SUPs can be put into the bay from the beaches. A short hiking trail leads to the Jepson Memorial Grove of rare Bishop pines. Near the south end of the park, Shell Beach features a nice swim area, but is only accessible via a short trail from the small parking area, or by hiking the Johnstone Trail from the Heart’s Desire area. On the east side of the bay, a small public area at Millerton Point features a small beach and a scenic, barrier-free trail. Dogs are not permitted on any of the park’s beaches or trails. Park entrance is $8/vehicle, and the park is closed when the parking lots are full. Camping can be found south of the Point Reyes area, near Olema.
Known by various names over the years (including Lupine Shores and Steele Park), Steele Canyon campground has always been known as the campground to vacation at if you're looking for some fun and relaxation. Along with tent and RV campsites, the campground features easy access to Lake Berryessa and a launch ramp.
$5 - $37 / night
$110 - $225 / night
This is an excellent and straightforward country park. It feels like a state park.
They have hookups and also dry camping. The better spots are near the water.
Contrary to other posts, they take walkups. It is just on the website it requires 2 weeks out.
Beautiful view we were in campsite 40. A beautiful view of vineyards and the sunset and people riding their horses. So calm and beautiful and so many activities here to do. Also there is showers, bathrooms, and hookups, we love this place. Only 8 mins from downtown Napa
We visited this park earlier this spring. Yes it was wet, but we didn't mind. Liked the spaces and layout so much...we are going back this fall. Plus we love that whole area.
However, DYRT got some info wrong. While there are plenty of full hookup spaces for RVs, there are no pull thru sites. Only back in for trailers and drive-in for coaches. Many tent camping spaces and RV spaces w/just water and power. The folks are friendly and helpful.
M.R.
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!
There 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
Lovely campsite with very sweet camp hosts. Always waved when they drove by.
Chose site 17 because of the beautiful tree seen in another review but was felled prior to our arrival, so no big tree. We did however get a beautiful view of the stars.
Two things to note, some of the sites (didn’t look like all of them had this issue) have an incredibly fine dusty dirt that gets on absolutely everything, it made our feet, legs and sandals completely beige from the dust and we had to wipe them with wet wipes before going into our tent and tracked a fair amount into our car upon leaving.
The other thing we were disappointed with was that we had to pay for showers on top of already paying over $50 for our site for one night, we felt that was a pretty big con and that it should be included in the fees.
Overall, you can’t get closer to the wineries and it was an otherwise lovely site.
I got there after they closed (closes at 5pm.) But there's a number to call that was posted for after hours. A camper in front of me had already called and someone arrived within minutes. They were very helpful and friendly. I got a beautiful spot secluded from everyone. I loved it! Just me and nature. I played some music dance by myself as if nobody was watching.
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.
Feels very off grid. Camp experience was smooth and the sun was shining.
This is an awesome spot, the hike out was absolutely gorgeous. We accessed it from the Palomarin trailhead. Beware, the costal weather can be volatile and you could get flash rain. Also, I highly recommend planning your visit with the sunny weather because it’s easy to pick a day that has endless overcast here, and it’s just not quite as much fun.
Also be careful what campsite you reserve. Some are absolute gems off on the ocean bluff. Others are more inland and packed in
We love to camp here for barbecuing, mountain biking and hiking. We always do it during 7/4 holidays except for this year when the park canceled our reservation due to high heat. So we booked for the Labor Day weekend. Temperature was perfect and biking and hiking were enjoyable as usual. This year we had two new types of visitors to the the site. A couple of wild turkeys came to pick up the dropped food on the ground. We were able to take a closeup look at them and they were beautiful birds with big eyes spotting tiny bits of crumbs. They come and go from one site to the next quietly and gently. Very cute and we took pictures with their presence. Then came the aggressive yellow jackets. We never had yellow jackets in our previous 7/4 outings here. Oh boy, they fought for the meat relentlessly. At the end of the outing, both my finger and my wife’s were stung. We reported the experience to the attendant at the gate when leaving. She said the park is looking for a solution. In the meantime, she suggested contacting them early on so they might be able to provide another site. Hopefully, next year, we won’t encounter so many nasties.
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.
This rv site was awesome.It's quiet beautiful, lush green. Be aware tho. It's full of poison oak!!!! But yiu can get around it.
There are no hook ups. But the sights are mostly shaded, so it was a great help and I did not go in a hot time of the year. They have good hours for use of generators as well
We Brought our electric bikes and rode to the geyser in Calistoga and to multiple wineries It was a great way to travel
Ok, I was originally hoping for a cabin, which is included in my search, but this CG is either tent or RV only. Luckily, I also brought a tent.
I was there 2 weeks ago. It's a fairly large area and flat. Lots of space for kids to play including a play area.
Sheep roam freely in one area towards the back.
It's a great place for families. Showers are great. Includes a small shop for goodies.
I love it there. Only negative is there are only portapotties. Except for a couple that are constantly in use.
Doggy Gyh
Wow! This place is busy and expensive. We stopped at this KOA because it was a good halfway point for us heading to the Redwoods. This KOA offers a variety of activities that cater to children, such as petting zoos, jumping pillows, climbing walls, and pools, which are excellent for keeping the young ones engaged and entertained. To me it was overcrowded and the firepits were so close to the RV’s I was afraid it would set my neighbors RV on fire, or our neighbor was going to set ours on fire. For those without children (like us), the bustling environment might be overwhelming, but it also provides an opportunity to enjoy the lively atmosphere.
This campground is nice with newer bathrooms and shower facilities, but it's also very open and exposed. Great access to Spring Lake's water-based activities and hiking trails, plus easy access to Trione-Annadel State Park for hiking and mountain biking. Howarth Park, a city park, also borders Spring Lake Regional Park and provides access to boating and fishing on Lake Ralphine, plus they have a small train, carousel, tennis courts, and a softball field. Overall a good campsite for families in need of lots of recreation options, but not the best for those wishing to "get away from it all."
Nice place. Friendly people. Well maintained. WiFi not reaching our campsite.
The pool was great during the oven like temperatures, the staff was very kind and the amenities were good and clean. Movies night every night, and shop for groceries on site.
I loved my spot right by the ocean. The bathrooms were nice and had hot water.
Stay in the Cove campsites!
My husband and I stayed for two nights. It is difficult to get to when in an RV towing Two skis (still haven’t found out if the ferry can take vehicles that are towing) , but it was worth the drive. It is an older park, but the bathroom was clean (and free) , there is a fantastic beach, the managers were super friendly, and best of all….. our RV window looked out over our very own doc!
Appears to abandoned.
Jeanne and Roberts treehouse is a luxurious Wonderland of a campground! We had total privacy, a pool, sauna and hot tub and a cool little treehouse to sleep in (with real stairs, leading up to it), Our dogs had a great time because they were off leash… The place is completely private and fenced! We highly recommend, the treehouse… You won’t be disappointed!
Jeanne and Robert’s Hipcamp is amazing. We had such fun there. Their treehouse site has a solar, heated pool, a sauna, and a hot tub! The Vancamp site has total privacy, and a hot tub in the redwoods. We could not have found a better place to hang out and chill! Our dogs even got to be off leash because it is all fenced!
Such a gem here! Less than two hours from Oakland. We'll return soon.
Highlights:
1. Sites 13 and 15 of the Bodega Dunes loop are by far the best sites. The others had uneven tent pads or awkward orientations. The pull-throughs are barely off the road and very sandy. Take extra blocks if you go because our site was uneven tip to tail.
2. Easy to maneuver big rigs, we saw some 5th wheels, and 25+ footers in here.
3. This smaller loop of Bodega dunes is so quite, the other loops are sandy and crowded close together. It was a very different vibe. It was Memorial Day weekend but our site was out of chaos down below, kids running all around. Great if you have a gaggle and want to let loose, but if not, stick to the loop with sites 13 and 15.
4. A very short drive to the water.
5. A little trial behind the site connects you to a Sunday farmers market and a Mexican restaurant. That's about a 10 minute scenic walk.
6. The dump station and water fill up spigot were excellent.
7. It's 10 minute drive to Fishermen's cove. A FANTASTIC restaurant. Everything we ate was excellent.
8. Nice people.
9. The fire bundles are small for $10 so maybe (gulp) bring some with you.
Bad: nothing I can think of. We didn't use the facilities.
Membership park will accept outsiders — on the delta with marina for boaters and fishing
Our small group camped at the Lake Sonoma Marina campground and had a very spotty experience. There was no warning in their confirmation emails or website that there is NO WATER available at the campsite. Even the restrooms down at the marina state that the water from the taps is non-potable. You have to bring all of your water with you.
The portapotties were ok. Nothing great but nothing terrible.
The campground seems well maintained with the grass recently cut and poison oak only visible in small areas. The ground is not very flat so it was hard to find a great site for a tent.
The biggest problem was Saturday night when a large group came and took over two adjacent campsites. They brought lights and loud music with them and the lights and loud music stayed on until after midnight. This group finally turned off the speakers but continued shouting and screaming until 4 am.
There is NO NOISE CONTROL and no attempt to enforce campground rules. There is no one patrolling the campsite and no one to call at midnight to request help to stop the noise. Don't bother staying here overnight. Come for the day to the enjoy the lake but go home and get a good night's sleep after.
Camping near Big Bend, California, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and outdoor fun. Whether you're a family looking for a weekend getaway or an experienced camper seeking adventure, there are plenty of options to explore.
Camping near Big Bend, California, is a fantastic way to enjoy the great outdoors. With a variety of campgrounds to choose from, there's something for everyone!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Big Bend, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Big Bend, CA is Rocky Point Steep Ravine - Mt Tamalpais State Park with a 4.7-star rating from 15 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Big Bend, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 40 tent camping locations near Big Bend, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.