Looking for the best Comptche dispersed camping? Dispersed camping means that no facilities or amenities are provided, so that you can truly disconnect and get back to nature. Find dispersed campsites you've visited before, or discover new spots from other campers.
ROADS MAY BE IMPASSABLE IN WET WEATHER. RV'S & TRAILERS NOT RECOMMENDED.
Sinkyone Wilderness State Park lies on the southern portion of the Lost Coast, a 60-mile stretch of wilderness comprising the park and the King Range National Conservation Area.
For thousands of years before the first Europeans arrived, the Sinkyone Indians lived on this part of the coast. They occupied permanent villages beside streams and rivers, and moved out in family groups to hunt and forage in the hills during the summer. They fished, gathered seaweed and shellfish, hunted seals and sea lions, and harvested the occasional dead whale washed on shore. All kinds of fish were caught, but the seasonal salmon run was especially important.
Today, the Lost Coast Trail follows the whole length of the rugged Sinkyone coastline. Gray whales pass by during the winter and early spring. Roosevelt elk roam the grasslands. Sea lions and harbor seals hang out in rocky coves. It’s an arresting landscape, with canyons, arches, tide pools, sea stacks, seasonal wildflowers, waterfalls, and dark sand beaches. On a sunny day, the sea looks turquoise, giving the park tropical feeling.
Some aspects of the Sinkyone keep crowds away. Its trails are steep and its campgrounds are primitive. There’s no potable water, and you have to haul out your own trash. When wet, the park’s twisting dirt roads are impassable for passenger cars. More than a few visitors have had to stay an extra day or two because a mudslide or fallen tree closed their route home. “The Sinkyone lets you go when it wants to let you go,” a park ranger says. In other words, it’s a real wilderness.
Sheldon Creek is an isolated, primitive recreation site located 8 miles east of Hopland, south of Highway 175.
These 1700 acres of public land provide opportunities for camping, picnicking, hiking, hunting and equestrian use. Vehicle use is limited to the designated access road and OHVs are not permitted. The campground currently has three campsites and a vault toilet. There is no potable water at this site.
Dispersed Camping. No services.
Dispersed camping. Open May - December. Vault toilet, no other services. Has good hunting access.
Camping on the Mendocino is not limited to developed campgrounds. Most of the forest is open to those who prefer the quiet and solitude of a completely undeveloped setting. This type of camping is called Dispersed Camping. Maps: Anyone planning a dispersed camping trip should invest in a forest map. You not only have to locate a campsite; you will also have to find your way back. Be respectful and know where you are. Length of Stay: For dispersed recreation areas, visitors may camp in the same location outside a one-mile radius of a developed recreation site for 14 days within any 30-day period but no more than 28 cumulative days in any 12-month period. When you go home, leave the forest the way you found it, or better, for the enjoyment of the next visitor. Locating a Dispersed Campsite: Look for an area where you are not likely to damage any forest resources. Before settling on your spot, investigate the surroundings. Locations at the end of a spur road or a pullout that is clear of vegetation and has a hard, compacted surface are usually good spots. Stay on established roadways; do not drive off-road to camp. Never camp in meadows.
Guide
I’ve heard that this place can get crowded during the summer months I’m glad we waited until fall Definitely off the beaten path We were here on a Thursday night on our way to shelter cove via Usal rd
Scout
we used to go hunting up there in the 8os, you should have seen the campground then. really nice, had picnic tables fire pits great place to camp. i was up there a few years ago still looks kind of the same but they took all that out of the campground years ago.. road going in still looks the same..there is an old tree in the campground, people who have neen there will know the tree i mean, looks old low hangin branches, thats where we used to camp..more trash atound now. in 1987 it was clean.. still nice place
TravelerIt was our first time dispersed camping. We fell in LOVE!! The 45 min dirt road was filled with amazing views early morning. Will definitely be coming back here more often.
ScoutDrive up to the site all incline dirt road ~6 miles - we made it up without 4 wheel drive but some areas were a little sketchy. Overall pretty dusty too. Sites themselves were decently maintained, some trash from previous campers but nothing major. This area is a popular for target practice so if the sounds of gunshots throughout the day isn’t your vibe, then this spot might not be suitable. Overall beautiful sunrises and sunsets and starry night sky
GuideThe road was a bit rougher than expected (took us roughly 45 min from the paved road to camp). People made it down in mini vans but I personally wouldn’t try it. We stayed over a weekend and there was several groups but still plenty of areas to camp. T-Mobile had 0 service.
Ranger
As soon as I started going up an extremely steep hill and saw a sign that said not a through street, I should have turned around but it was impossible with my 30-foot car and trailer. I am Bart Upon A frightening , rutted, unmaintained road that is only suitable for off-road vehicles for sick four wheel drives . Barely made it out of there with everything working as it should on car and trailer and actually got stuck at one point and had to use logs to get myself traction. Do not try this and there is nowhere to stop and set up a ten , at all!
RangerVery long road but absolutely wonderful site. It’s literally your own private beach for the night.
GuideBest camping spot of our trip. The road in is a long and windy road but the site is worth the drive. We got there at night but the windy road did not deter us. Camped on the beach with the woods to our backs. Saw some coyotes when setting up camp, but they didn't mind us. Most beautiful sunrise in the morning and saw mama and baby bear prints on the sand. The morning drive out was gorgeous.
GuideIt was easy to find the access road by the mile marker on Hwy. 1.
The road itself is rough and could be very unsettling for anyone trying to do this trip in a vehicle without good off-road clearance. The ruts can be big and cause bottoming out of street cars. For the most part, the road is easy, but challenging in some spots and skinny. You may have to make way or room for oncoming vehicles.
The area has plenty of campsites and fires are allowed. You can choose to shelter in the wooded areas or setup right on the beach. Beware of the deep sand. Lots of folks get stuck here, so drive carefully.
I loved this place, but so many people know about it. Prepare for neighbors sharing the area. Still it was secluded enough to really enjoy.
What do I have to say about it further? Dude! It's Northern CA. It's the Pacific Ocean. It's a dream combo you can only experience by being there. Love this place and keep it clean!
TravelerBeautiful spot with some views of the lake. No services, but had cell service (CC). I drove in from the south access to High Valley rd. The road was challenging. It was steep with loose dirt in spots. It was an adventure. I am going to try north access into Lucerne later. (See Google for more info)
ScoutBeautiful spot, was able to get a lake view. Easy to get to and relatively clean
GuideSuper easy to find coming up from the lake. A lot of spots to choose from. There were around 4 or 5 people here already but we were able to find a secluded spot that overlooks the lake. Very peaceful but some traffic sounds at night from the lake towns.
TravelerThe gravel roads here are open again and easy to drive on! We drove here from the north. All wheel drive ist helpfull, but we saw some people with a prius up there.
Small individual places with self-built fireplaces. It was windy in the evening, but that died down during the night and in the morning we had breakfast in the sun in a clearing.
Traveler
There are 3 sites. Used the trees to help set up a tarp to keep us and our stuff from the rain. Camped in our car. A little muddy but not too bad for our 4Runner. There was a nice little creek and a fire pit. Had the area to ourselves likely due to the rain.
You might want to be prepared to dig your own toilet though as the toilet set up was completely infested with spiders.
GuideI started coming around the end of March. The trail can be a little rough if it’s been raining. Had to pull someone out last trip, which made the adventure even better! I recommend 4x4 during the wet seasons and some recovery gear just in case.
GuideIt's not too bad of a road up there. Had deer, butterflies, and humming birds all around us. Babbling brook, cool and comfortable in mid-October. Looking forward to a springtime visit.
Guide
The ride up was rough. The views made it all worth it. The camp site was not an option for me. I need something semi level to navigate.
ScoutWe drove our awe small hatchback car - almost didn’t make it over one of the first huge road breakups - but we pushed through & found the beach at the end - I would fo back if I felt more confident in my car/ was driving a vehicle with better tires and higher clearance - it was glorious
GuideTow behinds/trailers not recommended; rough roads and can’t turn back once on the path.
Otherwise 10/10 for our truck camper, had the place to ourselves for the 4th of July weekend, beautiful fresh water creek running through, great toilet & even a fire pit with abundance of wood around.
There are about 4/5 sites, only 2 with actual fire pits.
Please keep it amazing by keeping it clean.
FREE
ScoutPicked this campsite on a whim during a trip up the coast. I was looking for an out of the way coastal campground that was still drivable, and boy, this campground did not disappoint. The road coming into Usal is a pretty messed up mountain road thanks to the fact that it's also used by logging trucks. I would really only recommend this road if you have AWD or 4WD, but we did see a Scion TC come into the campground at one point, so do whatever you feel comfortable with. Once you're down in the campground you'll be rewarded with a fairly secluded beach view and have your choice of either camping on the beach itself or camping in the wooded area a bit further back from the shore. We chose the latter, and even with the number of other parties near us, we were still able to find a fairly secluded spot. The only facility on-site is a single pit toilet that's sort of hidden by the entrance road. As far the fee is concerned, I've seen elsewhere that the camping fee is $25 but if there was a place to even pay that we couldn't find it. All in all, a wonderful campsite with some killer views, just be cautious and prepared for the drive in
GuideAbsolutely no access!! Gate shut and locked, camping area inaccessible due to fire damage! Road not maintained.
Scout
We drove 5 hours to get to this what we thought would be a beautiful ocean view site only to find NO CAMPING signs all over the place. Do not come here and expect to camp
TravelerA decent drive off the highway, but a good one. A few nice views. Google maps will not get you there, we followed the directions on this page.
Only 2 spots up here, maybe 3. But we had it to ourselves on a weeknight. The Bathroom (vault toilet) had toilet paper. There was some water in the creek, but it wasn’t super easy to access.
The site itself is nothing special, just a couple of pullouts in the woods. Probably very hot during the day since you’re up on a ridge. Can’t beat free though.
LegendI love Pt Arena. The lighthouse is historic and has an incredible past; if you are anywhere near here I absolutely recommend stopping by and taking a tour (get ready for stairs). It’s only $5 a person, dogs are welcome on the premises if not inside the actual lighthouse, and there’s a great gift shop. You can also rent the lighthouse keepers quarters, which I’ve never done but seems like it would be a unique experience. I wish I had factored this into my trip, but of course you need to book them way in advance.
In Pt Arena, you are far from major towns but you have conveniences close at hand and a choice of directions to go, whether it’s down toward Sonoma Valley and the wine country, Point Reyes, or into Anderson Valley (underrated!).
Camping in this area gives you a special place to kick off into areas that most tourists don’t even know about, or don’t get to see through your eyes because they’re tucked away into posh $500/night B&B accommodations. I woke up early because I had to get back to San Francisco and I had Highway 1 almost all to myself. It was one of the most gorgeous, amazing parts of my entire drive.
TravelerSheldon Creek is a BLM campsite up a winding dirt/gravel road. We drove a 4WD vehicle, but most cars should be able to handle the journey up. Signs will direct you in the right direction, and lead you to a campground with spots to pitch tents or park/hangout. There are even picnic tables, fire pits, and bathrooms. I didn’t get a chance to check out the bathrooms, but they looked decent. We only had one neighbor who seemed pretty friendly, which was a relief as you’re pretty far out in a remote area. Overall this is a beautiful spot where we felt safe. Would definitely recommend!
LegendLovely views of Clear Lake from a clearing on 220 that appears to be an established site. Right at the intersections of 16 N 22 road. Nice big clear, open area. Really….views of the lake and stars are unreal here. BUT….it was so so windy. We camp in a Chevy high top van and the wind was go fierce it was shaking us all over the place in the night. Finally had to move to another spot (that isn’t really a spot) down the road around 4am bc the wind was just too much for us. Also 220 was blocked just after the 16 N 22 road cuts off (heading east) so we had to head back the way we came (on 220 in Nice). Road was dry and packed and clear other than the tree blocking the road. Old burn area so lots of downs and such.
Traveler
As long as you have a capable vehicle and are prepared to provide for your own needs, you'll be ready for Cow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Comptche, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Comptche, CA is Usal Beach Campground with a 4.9-star rating from 9 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Comptche, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 8 dispersed camping locations near Comptche, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
