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Best Tent Camping near Brentwood, CA

448 Reviews

Regional parks and preserves surrounding Brentwood, California offer several tent camping options within a short drive of the city. Round Valley Regional Preserve, located directly in Brentwood at 19450 Marsh Creek Road, provides tent-only campsites in a natural setting. Just 15 miles northwest, Mount Diablo State Park's Juniper Campground offers walk-in tent sites with panoramic views of the Bay Area. Morgan Territory Regional Preserve, situated east of Brentwood in Eastern Contra Costa County, features both drive-in and walk-in tent camping opportunities in a less-developed setting.

Most tent campgrounds in the Brentwood area feature dirt or gravel pads with minimal grading. Campers should check seasonal fire restrictions, which vary throughout the year due to California's wildfire concerns. Vault toilets are standard at most locations, though some sites like Juniper Campground offer flush toilets and basic amenities. Water availability varies significantly between locations, with some primitive tent camping areas requiring visitors to bring their own supply. Food storage lockers are provided at many sites to protect supplies from wildlife, particularly at higher elevations where raccoons and other animals are active.

According to reviews, Juniper Campground in Mount Diablo State Park offers spacious tent sites with picnic tables, fire pits, and food storage boxes. One visitor noted, "The weather in May was really nice, not too cold at night with layers, and starts warming up quick in the morning." Tent campers frequently report wildlife sightings, including coyotes and lizards. Weekday visits typically provide more solitude and site availability than weekends. Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, though farther from Brentwood, offers primitive tent camping with what campers describe as "360-degree views of Mount Diablo, Vollmer Peak, and Tilden Park" for those willing to make the short 0.2-mile walk from the parking area to the backcountry tent sites.

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Best Tent Sites Near Brentwood, California (30)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Brentwood, CA

49 Photos of 30 Brentwood Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Brentwood, CA

448 Reviews of 30 Brentwood Campgrounds

  • Erin S.
    Mar. 16, 2022

    Pantoll Campground — Mount Tamalpais State Park

    Tent campground with plenty of hiking trails

    Pantoll is a pretty campground located adjacent to the entrance to Mount Tamalpais.  You can hike to, bike to, take the bus to, or even drive to this campground.  If you choose to drive, just know that it can be impossible to find a place to park on busy weekends (you'll need to drop your stuff off, find a place to park along the road, then come back to park in the evening when the parking lot clears).  We hiked in.  On a weekend night in March, only four of the 16 sites were taken so we had no problem nabbing a spot.  The campground is situated across a steep-ish hillside.  Water spigots are spread out among the sites, but all the bathrooms are located down the hill near the parking lot.  Each site has a fire pit, picnic table, and a flat spot to pitch a tent.  Sites are fairly close together in bunches (for example, 2, 3, and 5 were close, 6 and 7 were close, but there was a bit of space between the groups). Firewood is sold at the ranger kiosk but they have limited hours. Some spots are larger than others, and very few can accommodate a house-size tent (you know what I mean - and no judging, I have a house-size tent for car camping).  We had our 3 person backpacking tent with us and it would have fit in all the sites.  Sites up the hill require a bit of a hike-in but are farther from the road noise and busy parking lot.  There is one dishwashing station near the bottom.  

    Pros: 

    - Location.  You can hike anywhere from this campground.  Down to Muir Woods in less than 3 miles.  Up to Rock Springs, Bolinas Ridge, and Mount Tam.  Down to Stinson Beach.  I could spend a week here exploring all the trails.

    - Amenties.  Dishwashing sink, many water spigots, food storage lockers, fire pits, toilets that flush.  And Wifi from the ranger kiosk (squee!!!) which we appreciated to check the weather and bus schedule (very poor Verizon signal).

    Cons: 

    - Noise from Panoramic Highway.

    - Busy parking lot with lots of people potentially moving around the campground (especially the lower sites). 

    - No reservations: FCFS only.

    Overall I'm really happy I finally got to chance to camp here and would recommend.

  • Rommel C.
    Oct. 31, 2022

    Live Oak Campground — Mount Diablo State Park Campground

    juniper campground - site 15 - end of october

    great campsite! be careful driving up the windy road and watch for the many cyclists. going up/down with you. 

    driving in was very easy; parking is right next to the site. the campsite itself was beautiful - panoramic views of the east bay area. i could recognize walnut creek, lafayette, danville and san ramon through the binoculars. site was clean, but the ground itself was very rocky. irritating that there wasn't really any level spots to set up the tent, so sleeping on a slant was a real treat (sarcasm). weather was very mild during the day; not too hot, nor too cold. nights were bearable in the high 50s, and by late night (cuz i kept waking up because of slanted sleeping), but felt like low 40s and slightly windy. make sure you bring thermals and a warm sleeping bag. sleeping pad is a definite must on the sharp rocks; be careful when stepping around in the tent with just socks on. 

    drought meant that flushing toilets were all locked.. as were the showers.. but from what i heard the "chemical toilets" (aka porta-potties) were an adequate substitute. water access had been shut off as well, so make sure you bring plenty of your own for washing and drinking. 

    critters - we didn't encounter any during our stay. no racoons, bears, mice, rats.. nada. just a ton of pincher bugs everywhere. not even many flies! we had those spinning fly deterrent things, though. maybe those really DO work? 

    ALSO because of the drought - NO WOOD FIRES ALLOWED. total/complete bummer to camp without a campfire. gas stoves and lanterns were permitted, though.

  • MarinMaverick
    Sep. 1, 2020

    Haypress Campground — Golden Gate National Recreation Area

    Hidden Gem

    Theses are limited  (5) hike in tent sites.  Not far in - less than a mile.  You are on your own here. Bring your own water.  No fires. You get a picnic table and a food storage locker, nothing else.

    Meadow sites against a row of trees. There is very little privacy between sites but the couple times I have been here it was not full.  It can get windy - there is some shelter under the tress. 

    Here you can strike out hiking through Tennessee Valley to the beach and beyond!

    Great for a close get-a-way and seclusion.

  • S
    Nov. 12, 2020

    Live Oak Campground — Mount Diablo State Park Campground

    Juniper Campground: hiked in

    We hiked up to Juniper campground from the Clayton side. The sites in the teens have less overhead shade but more privacy than those of higher numbers. The sites closest to the driving road/entrance/overlook will have the potential to be downwind of the bathroom, unfortunately.

    The campground is a dry campground - as in no alcohol.

    That said, we loved our site #15, and enjoyed the privacy it provided, plus the views (if you stand on the table or are tall). We didn't encounter critters. We had some trouble staking down on the rocky dirt. 

    This is a good campground to explore the rest of the summit areas, plus Rock City.

  • Larry W.
    Aug. 28, 2020

    Sugar Barge RV Resort & Marina

    Quiet, NO other tenters!

    We (party of 4) were there primarily because we rented a boat from their Marina. That went well! This is an RV campground & full-complement resort on Bethel Island, San Joaquin River Delta. Many RVers appear to be long-term or full-time residents.

    The tent-area was a clearing, fully backed up to the levee, with some shade and a water spigot. Appears to be only 4 “sites,” which are defined by picnic tables, GENEROUSLY spaced, no fire rings AND the Delta is h.o.t.! It’s also on the far edge of the property, so car traffic was MINIMUM — and NO generators were heard, even though the RV section is huge!!!

    The rest rooms were in the Marina building, a short walk. We would DEFINITELY return for boating and tenting!!!

  • Cococounty L.
    Apr. 25, 2020

    Briones Regional Park

    A nice spot!

    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.

  • Erin S.
    Mar. 16, 2022

    Haypress Campground — Golden Gate National Recreation Area

    A no-frills but pretty campground in Marin Headlands

    A hike-in campground in Tennessee Valley, a short 20 minute drive from the Golden Gate Bridge and the hustle and bustle of the City.  My family of three stayed here for one night in mid March.  It was a Sunday night, and three out of the five sites were occupied.  

    The tent pads (a flat sandy area surrounded by wood beams) were fairly small - maybe 10' x 10'.  Each site had a picnic table and a large metal food locker.   The sites were well spaced and did not feel cramped.  Two vault toilets, fairly clean. The campground was located at the end of a 0.5 mile dirt road, which was about a quarter of mile down an old paved road from the TV parking lot.  A few folks walked into the campground that weren't staying there, but they weren't a bother, just going for a walk. The campers we saw varied from families, a solo bike-packer, and a couple just starting out camping.  I was worried that being so close to the city and the parking lot, it would be party central with groups hauling in a bunch of alcohol, but it wasn't the case at all. Neither the parking lot nor the campground had running water, so come prepared unless you want to drive into town.  

    Pros:

    - Very quiet and peaceful.  The night had beautiful stars with no artificial light.  No road noise.

    - Small number of sites with great spacing.

    - Decent toilet facilities.

    Cons:

    - No water.  We backpacked in from the Golden Gate Bridge.  There was no place nearby to fill up on water, and had to be extremely conservative in our use.  No springs or creeks running nearby this time of year either.

    - Would have been nice to have a fire.  

    Overall, we had a pleasant camping experience and would recommend.

  • B
    Jun. 3, 2025

    Juniper Campground — Mount Diablo State Park

    Beautiful sunset!

    Had a great 1 night stay at Juniper! 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.

    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. No raccoons. Saw some lizards.

    Just a heads up the drive is windy, I got carsick on the way down. Will be returning & hopefully trying some hikes next time!

  • DEREK B.
    Jul. 31, 2015

    Live Oak Campground — Mount Diablo State Park Campground

    Mt. Diablo State Park

    Getting there: Super easy, look for the tallest mountain in the area, drive towards it, boom you're there. It was expensive to enter the park... I think around $10 per vehicle, someone correct me if i'm wrong.

    Campsites: The campsites are a decent size and fairly spaced out. All the campsites provide a old broken down picnic table, a bear box, a grill, and a fire pit. There are shared restrooms with plumbing to use.

    The Park: Awesome. Big. Crowded. No dogs allowed.

    What to do: Hike Diablo there are TONS of trails. Go rock climbing or bouldering in Rock City. Drive, hike to the top and check out the observation deck.

    *will add my pics later.

Guide to Brentwood

Tent campsites near Brentwood, California offer diverse overnight options with varying levels of accessibility and amenities. The region experiences hot, dry summers with temperatures often exceeding 90°F from June through September, while winter months bring cooler conditions with occasional rainfall. Most primitive camping areas in the surrounding regional preserves require campers to bring their own water supply, as natural sources are unreliable during dry seasons.

What to do

Explore volcanic formations: At Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, visitors can hike the Volcanic Trail along a former quarry haul road that features a self-guided tour. The preserve sits on an actual volcano, making it a unique geological site just outside the urban area. "San Francisco East Bay residents actually have a volcano in their backyard at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve," notes camper Elliott B.

Fish the Delta: Delta Bay RV Resort provides access to prime fishing spots along the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta waterways. "Spent the night at my usual fishing spot and had a great time. Staff is friendly and food is good," reports Brandon L. The resort offers both shoreline fishing and boat launch access for more serious anglers.

Mountain biking: Las Trampas Regional Wilderness features challenging terrain for mountain bikers with significant elevation changes. The park's trail system requires good physical conditioning due to steep climbs. Most trails are designated multi-use, allowing bikes on wider fire roads while restricting access on narrow-gauge paths.

What campers like

Wildlife encounters: At Juniper Campground, campers frequently report hearing and seeing local wildlife. "Heard coyotes howling night and day which was neat. No raccoons. Saw some lizards," reports Brittney L. Hawk's Nest campsite in Sunol Regional Wilderness similarly offers ridge-top camping with opportunities to spot native birds.

Primitive camping experience: Morgan Territory Regional Preserve offers a backcountry camping experience that feels remote despite being close to urban areas. "Feels very off grid. Camp experience was smooth and the sun was shining," reports Tyler S. The preserve's limited facilities contribute to a more authentic outdoor experience.

Swimming opportunities: Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park and nearby Tilden Regional Park offer swimming options during warmer months. "Tilden offers a lake in the middle to swim in and fish," notes Nicholas M. These swimming areas provide welcome relief during hot summer conditions when temperatures regularly exceed 100°F.

What you should know

Summer heat warnings: Mount Diablo's Juniper Campground experiences extreme summer temperatures that can make camping uncomfortable without proper preparation. "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.

Food storage challenges: Wildlife activity requires proper food storage at most campsites. According to Ben W. at Juniper Campground, "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 so be prepared for that."

Limited facilities: At Las Trampas Regional Wilderness, the campground offers minimal amenities. Stuart K. describes it as having "5-6 stone picnic tables, a water fountain, only a single locker to place your food (so first-come, first served!) and a double-mounted grill." Most backcountry sites in the region have similar constraints.

Tips for camping with families

Bring extra water containers: Most camping areas near Brentwood have limited or unreliable water sources, especially in summer. At Sunol, one camper notes, "The sites are primitive and the water source questionable and unreliable. I hiked in all the water I needed." Plan for at least one gallon per person per day during hot weather.

Consider weekday visits: Weekday camping offers a quieter experience with better site selection. Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve's small backcountry site can accommodate "a maximum of 15 campers (although this would be super cramped in my opinion, unless it a bunch of small kids)," according to Elliott B.

Visit educational features: Sunol Regional Wilderness offers creek exploration opportunities at an area known as Little Yosemite. "I have never camped here but hiked many trails," shares Erica K. The nearby Tilden Park Little Farm allows children to interact with farm animals when taking a break from camping.

Tips from RVers

Low clearance warnings: Briones Regional Park has some challenging access points for larger vehicles. "A few low spots. Cleared 12' barely with minor scrapes. Good parking and turn around," reports Cococounty L. Most camping areas near Brentwood have limited RV accessibility.

Consider tiny house options: For those seeking more comfort than traditional tent camping, Delta Bay RV Resort offers unique accommodations. "They have a lot of cute tiny houses in this campground. You can bring your own tiny house, or rent one for the weekend," explains Del B M. These provide an alternative camping experience with more amenities than tent sites.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there any good tent camping sites near Brentwood?

Several excellent tent camping options exist near Brentwood. Briones Regional Park offers peaceful tent sites with good parking and opportunities for horse riding nearby. For a unique backpacking experience, Haypress Campground — Golden Gate National Recreation Area provides five hike-in sites less than a mile from the trailhead, each with picnic tables and food storage lockers. The sites have limited privacy but offer a meadow setting against trees. For those willing to drive a bit further, Black Mountain Backpacking Camp is a hidden gem with a short 1.5-mile hike in and typically sees few visitors, giving you relative seclusion.

How much does tent camping in Brentwood cost?

Tent camping costs near Brentwood vary by location. Round Valley Regional Preserve sites are typically budget-friendly at around $25-35 per night for standard tent sites. At Juniper Campground — Mount Diablo State Park, expect to pay approximately $30 per night for tent camping, with on-site amenities like bathrooms, showers and food storage boxes included. Most campgrounds in the area offer economical options between $20-40 per night, with some primitive sites available at lower rates. Many parks also charge a separate day-use or parking fee that ranges from $5-10, so factor this into your budget when planning.

What amenities are available at Brentwood tent camping grounds?

Amenities at tent campgrounds near Brentwood vary significantly by location. Rancho Seco Recreation Area offers 21 water and electric sites with a dump station, plus some primitive tent camping options. It's particularly quiet during the off-season. For a more rustic experience, Sunrise Campground — Angel Island State Park provides stunning Bay views but is completely exposed with minimal amenities—bring extra tent stakes for the wind. Most campgrounds in the region offer basic facilities like picnic tables and fire pits, while established sites typically include vault toilets or restrooms. Water availability varies significantly, with some primitive sites requiring you to bring your own. Food storage lockers are common at many locations to protect against wildlife encounters.

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