j
jacqueline P.
Scout
ScoutPelican Point RV Park
Has hot showers & laundry room! A 5 min walk to the ocean as well. Super peaceful
Tent Camping near Danville, CA
4 campgrounds with availability this weekend
Search destinations
Add dates
State parks and regional preserves surrounding Danville, California offer diverse tent camping options within a short drive, ranging from developed tent campgrounds with showers to primitive walk-in sites. Juniper Campground in Mount Diablo State Park provides tent-only sites with spacious accommodations and excellent hiking access. Morgan Territory Regional Preserve, located in Eastern Contra Costa County, features walk-in tent sites with more primitive facilities. Las Trampas Regional Wilderness and Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve also maintain tent campsites within 30 minutes of Danville, giving tent campers several options for overnight stays in natural settings.
Most tent campgrounds in the region require advance reservations through park-specific reservation systems. Sites typically include picnic tables, fire rings (when seasonal fire restrictions allow), and food storage lockers. Vault toilets are standard at most locations, though drinking water availability varies significantly between campgrounds. At Juniper Campground, campers have access to bathrooms, showers, and trash disposal, while more primitive sites at Morgan Territory may require bringing your own water. Seasonal considerations include summer fire restrictions and winter closures at higher elevations, particularly on Mount Diablo where weather conditions can change rapidly.
Tent campers frequently report enjoying the relative quiet of walk-in sites compared to drive-in campgrounds. According to one visitor at Juniper Campground, "The weather in May was really nice. Not too cold at night with layers, and starts warming up quick in the morning. Heard coyotes howling night and day which was neat." Wildlife sightings are common, with lizards and various bird species frequently observed. The tent-only nature of many sites means less noise from generators and RVs. During spring months, wildflowers create spectacular displays throughout the region, particularly at higher elevations in Mount Diablo State Park. Backcountry tent camping options provide greater solitude but require more preparation as amenities are minimal or nonexistent.
Best Tent Campgrounds near Danville (36)
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. 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
4. 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
5. 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
6. 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
7. 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!"
2 Sites AvailableAvailable this weekend
from $30 / night
8. Coyote Hills Regional Park
"We walked through and enjoyed the nature areas so much. We continue to go back and spend time at Cayote Hills because it is so beautiful. We can't wait until thwe next time."
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $75 / night
9. Sunol
"Great backpacking getway. Many day hikers here but you can backpack as well. I camped on a beautiful ridge."
"I have never camped here but hiked many trails."
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when available10. Round Valley Regional Preserve
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $15 / night
Drive Time
- 30 min from Vallejo, CA
- 35 min from San Jose, CA
- 43 min from Napa, CA
- 48 min from Stockton, CA
Recent Tent Camping Photos near Danville, CA
56 Photos of 36 Danville 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
SkyWanda Sanctuary
Alice Eastwood Group Camp — Mount Tamalpais State Park
Bootjack Campground — Mount Tamalpais State Park
Pantoll Campground — Mount Tamalpais State ParkS
Black Mountain Backpacking Camp
Steep Ravine Campground — Mount Tamalpais State ParkJ
Tent Camping Reviews near Danville, CA
653 Reviews of 36 Danville Campgrounds
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.
C. K.
TravelerSan Mateo Memorial Park
Redwood canopy
Around this time of year, park is practically empty during weekdays. Nice and quiet and peaceful place where you can slow things down
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.
- C. K.Traveler
San Mateo Memorial Park
Under the Redwoods
Nothing like camping under the redwoods with sounds of streams nearby. Restrooms and facilities are clean and well maintained. Park Rangers are extremely nice and helpful.
Dawn S.GuideMarin RV Park
Great to see the City
We came in around 9pm. There's a board with names and site numbers on the office building. These are snug spots but we have enough room to put the slide out. It is a level gravel parking lot. There's not alot of places in San Fran to even day park. This is just fine. They do fill up fast. Called the next day to extend through Sat, they are booked solid.
Dog walk is through the gate at the back of the lot where abandoned railroad tracks are. There's a pond with some ducks and a walking path.
Guide to Danville
Tent camping near Danville, California offers diverse terrain ranging from volcanic landscapes to redwood groves within a 30-minute drive. The region sits at elevations between 500-3,849 feet, with Mount Diablo providing the highest accessible campgrounds in the area. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 90°F at lower elevations, while overnight temperatures in spring and fall can drop below 45°F, requiring appropriate sleeping gear.
What to do
Hiking volcanic formations: At Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, explore unique geological features on self-guided trails. "Originally called Round Top Park, Sibley shares with Temescal and Tilden Parks the distinction of being one of the East Bay Regional Park District's original parks," notes reviewer Elliott B.
Swimming in natural settings: Lake Anza in Tilden Regional Park offers a refreshing option during hot summer months. "Tilden offers a lake in the middle to swim in and fish. The campsites have lots of fire pits," explains Nicholas M. Watch for wildlife while cooling off.
Night sky viewing: The higher elevation sites provide excellent stargazing opportunities away from city lights. "We lucked out and the weather was perfect for our visit. We hiked around the island and explored a couple cool areas," shares Bryan R. about Angel Island, which offers similar dark sky conditions to Mount Diablo's higher elevation sites.
What campers like
Wildlife encounters: Many campers appreciate the diverse animal sightings throughout the region. At Morgan Territory Regional Preserve, the backcountry experience feels remote despite proximity to urban areas. "Feels very off grid. Camp experience was smooth and the sun was shining," notes Tyler S.
Historical features: Several campgrounds preserve cultural and historical sites. "There is plenty of hiking, beach access, paved roads for biking, and tours of the history of the island," explains Haley C. about the military installations and immigration facilities visible at various preserves.
Quiet weekday camping: Booking midweek significantly improves site availability and reduces crowds. "We got a permit by going during the week (24 hour trip out the front door and back) Tuesday-Wednesday," shares Ellice O. about securing hard-to-get reservations at popular campgrounds.
What you should know
Weather preparation essential: Temperature fluctuations can be extreme, especially at higher elevations. "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," warns Ben W. about Juniper Campground.
Limited water access: Many sites require bringing your own water supply. "The water spigot at Sunrise was not working when we arrived, and this was not mentioned anywhere during the reservation process," reports Brittany R., highlighting the importance of carrying extra water.
Wildlife precautions: Food storage is critical as wildlife actively investigates campsites. "They have food lockers, not bear lockers, and ours was broken one time so have a solid backup plan, the raccoons are very intelligent and they come out at night," advises Ben W.
Tips for camping with families
Beginner-friendly options: Several sites offer first-time camping experiences with basic amenities. "We love going to Cayote Hills Regional Park it's so much fun. It's some of the cleanest campgrounds I have event seen," shares Ingrid B. about Coyote Hills Regional Park.
Educational opportunities: Many preserves feature interpretive programs perfect for children. "Think Ellis Island but for the west coast!" Marion D. explains about the Immigration museum on Angel Island, which provides historical context similar to other educational sites near Danville.
Short hike-in distances: Most tent camping sites require minimal walking with gear. "You'll have 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," Stuart K. describes about Las Trampas Regional Wilderness.
Tips from RVers
Limited RV access: Most camping around Danville focuses on tent camping with few RV-friendly options. "A few low spots. Cleared 12' barely with minor scrapes. Good parking and turn around," notes Cococounty L. about Briones Regional Park, one of the few areas that can accommodate smaller recreational vehicles.
Alternative accommodations: RV campers often find better options slightly further from Danville. "This place is by far the worst park. I was there one evening and there were multiple teenagers drinking alcoholic beverages," warns Mike L. about conditions that might affect RV security at some locations.
Parking considerations: Even at tent-only sites, vehicle size limitations affect access. "You'll take Bollinger Canyon Road where you'll head just north of Las Trampas Stables before coming to a round-about where there's ample parking for about 30 cars," explains Stuart K. about Las Trampas Regional Wilderness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent
campsite near Danville, CA?
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Danville, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Danville, CA is Juniper Campground — Mount Diablo State Park with a 4-star rating from 2 reviews.
What is the best site to find
tent camping near
Danville, CA?
What is the best site to find tent camping near Danville, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 36 tent camping locations near Danville, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring