Best Tent Camping near Columbia, CA
Tent camping options near Columbia, California include a mix of established campgrounds and dispersed sites within the surrounding forests. North Grove Campground in Calaveras Big Trees State Park offers tent campsites among giant sequoias, with well-maintained facilities including flush toilets, picnic tables, and bear boxes. For those seeking more primitive tent camping experiences, Top of Arnold on Forest Route 5N56 provides free dispersed camping approximately 15 miles from Columbia.
Tent campsites at dispersed locations like Top of Arnold feature dirt surfaces with minimal improvements. Most primitive tent areas require campers to pack in all supplies including water, as no facilities are available. Forest Service roads accessing these areas often contain ruts and potholes that may challenge low-clearance vehicles, though several reviews indicate passenger cars can navigate carefully. During fire season, restrictions may limit or prohibit campfires, so visitors should obtain fire permits from Cal Fire when allowed and always keep water and a shovel nearby. Cell service varies by location, with some dispersed sites reporting 2-3 bars of LTE coverage.
Primitive tent camping areas provide greater solitude than established campgrounds. The dispersed sites at Top of Arnold offer campers space to spread out with a mix of sun and shade. A camper noted the area is "suitable enough of a campground, Verizon works. There is sun for solar panels and enough shade to be fine mostly." While some sites experience occasional noise from dirt bikes or target shooting, these disturbances are typically brief. By contrast, tent campers at North Grove Campground enjoy more amenities but less privacy, as the sites are positioned around an open meadow. The campground provides direct access to hiking trails through magnificent sequoia groves. According to one visitor, "The enormity and smell of the forest is enchanting."
