Best Tent Camping near Duarte, CA

Recent Tent Reviews in Duarte

875 Reviews of 53 Duarte Campgrounds

• 

  Ryan W.

  Legend

  

  Dec. 13, 2024

  Malibu Creek State Park Campground

  Convenient to Wilderness and Luxury

  Three miles from a the grocery and only minutes from north LA, you'll find a basic campground with flush toilets, coin showers, and easily accessible hiking trails. The sites are basic with campfire pit and grill, open space for a tent or rv, and picnic table. The inner circle of sites abuts the bathrooms and is better for groups. The outer rings on three sides have nice views, but some sites on the south side are shorter and abut a fence.

  We stayed in site 59 which had a really nice shade tree and great views of a meadow and the cliffs out the back of the site. The sites are fairly open and close to each other, so be prepared to hear everything, and because the campground is close to the city it is popular with groups and families.

  The campground was under fire warning all weekend, but faux wood (javalog or duraflame) and charcoal was still allowed. The camphost sold Javalogs, and there were plenty of options at the nearby Albertson's.

  The state park is a former movie set and is filled with easily accessible trails for hiking and some for mountain biking. The primary trails were open fire roads with off-shoots to lakes, pools, meadows, and more. It was easy to imagine you weren't anywhere close to the city. During a holiday weekend the trails were fairly busy with day-use hikers, but even then, it was easy to get away and be on trails alone if you wanted. There is also a visitor center in the park, but it has limited hours.
  The wildlife is abundant. There is plenty of birdwatching, and coyotes were wandering through the park and campground without fear. If you have a dog with you make sure they don't try join the pack. On a hike right out of the park a few hundred yards, I came across a pair of bobcats—mom and cub—making their way to a running creek.

  I'd recommend a visit if you're looking for a close to town escape.

• T

  Troy A.

  Scout

  

  Dec. 2, 2024

  Prado Regional Park

  Great Local Getaway

  Perfect to get out of the city but still be in it. Campgrounds have more than enough privacy with each one being about 15 to 20 yards apart. A ton of recreational things to do. Quiet at night.

• 

  vector J.

  Scout

  

  Nov. 11, 2024

  Hollywood RV Park

  Thats good

  This location is conveniently situated near the heart of Los Angeles, making it an ideal spot for those looking to explore the city’s many attractions. The facilities are well-kept, with clean restrooms and a friendly staff always ready to assist. However, the noise from nearby https://blockblast.link/ may be disruptive for those in search of a quiet getaway, so it's worth considering if peace and quiet are a priority before booking.

• 

  I B.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 19, 2024

  Hollywood RV Park

  Nice and friendly Staff, clean site

  Everything was fine. We stayed for 1 night to Visit L.A. . It was clean and the Staff was very nice. We called a night before and got a Site for our RV.

• 

  Thomas F.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 14, 2024

  Hollywood RV Park

  6/10

  This place offers a convenient location near the heart of Los Angeles, making it an excellent base for exploring the city's attractions. The facilities are well-maintained, with clean restrooms and helpful staff who are eager to assist guests. However, noise from the surrounding area can be an issue, so those seeking a peaceful retreat might want to consider this before booking.

• R

  Rosalina P.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 22, 2024

  Mesa Campground — Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area

  Fun for groups!

  Just had the best weekend even with the 3 bears that decided to come by. Group of 30 . Definitely a good time. Be careful with the bears! 😮‍💨🥰🏕️

• 

  Chris M.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 6, 2024

  North Shore Campground - Lake Almanor

  Filthy, Dusty, Rude, One and Done

  Booked this campground for 3 nights, in large part for the hot showers. The showers and bathroom facilities are frankly disgusting and not something we would us, nor would our friends who were there with us. The staff was rude and provided the typical"we don't provide refunds" when we told them respectfully we we're leaving after the first night. The campground was a wierd mix of what looked liked full-time campers but mostly no one was occupying the sites that there campers and belongings were left at. Post apocalyptic vibe, can you say ghost town. North Shore Campground is a dusty one and done for us. Caveat emptor.

• 

  Ben M.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 4, 2024

  The Secret Place

  Incredible view

  Well secluded sites each with an incredible view!

• 

  Suly&Fabian L.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 2, 2024

  Southfork Campground

  Nature beautiful, human horrible

  There are 21 campsites and not all have tree’s but its walking distance from the creek. Its nestled between mountains and the night sky is gorgeous. We saw wild ducks too and some other desert critters. Has it not been for the nasty animals called inconsiderate humans blasting their music and fighting amongst themselves bringing their family drama until 6am, the camp site would have been marvelous. No ranger to domesticate those animals and remind them of quiet hours. Another group even brought a dj and karaoke. Seriously, no consideration for the rest of the campers. They want to get away from the hustle and bustle and be with nature but they can’f live without the modern day amenities and bring that noise we are all trying to escape to a place of nature. They even had BB guns and shooting them within the campsite. Idiots. The day the ranger did come by he was giving tickets to vehicles with no pass. Wish he came at night when he was most needed. Bathrooms are poorly maintained too. Never coming back for an overnight stay, a day trip will suffice.

• 

  jennifer G.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 1, 2024

  O'Neill Regional Park

  Great little campground in south OC!

  Clean, quiet campground located in one of the OC Parks, with plenty of trails for hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian use. I stayed here on a weekday, and there were a few couple of vacant campsites in my area, so it was an extremely quiet visit. Bathrooms were clean and well stocked for my stay. I didn’t use the showers since I was only staying one night, but I heard they were free!

  Rangers were very friendly and firewood was only $5 for a decent bundle that lasted me over 2 hours.

  The city of Rancho Santa Margarita is right up the hill, so you can grab food and any necessities if needed.

  My site backed to the creek, so I never had people walking through my campsite.

  My dog & I slept in my van, but there was room for multiple tents, and a decent amount of shade in my spot.

  My spot didn’t have its own water spigot, but there was one at a site across from me.

  I was fortunate that all of the campers around me were quiet and considerate. I know that it doesn’t always work out that way, and having obnoxious neighbors can really ruin your experience.

• 

  Anita A.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 30, 2024

  Bonelli Bluffs

  Less crowded ocale while visiting family nearby

  Visiting family in Santa Ana and LA. Not to far for them to come to us and all to go to beach. Park clean and well maintained, personnel very kind and friendly Beautiful view from our site on area B. Crowded on weekend, much less during week Campground is not associated to adjacent Frank Bonelli Regional. Charge $12 to enter with vehicle but no fee to ride in on bikes

• 

  Kim N.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 24, 2024

  Crystal Cove Backcountry — Crystal Cove State Park

  beautiful beach

  Clean dump station, beautiful sites, very strict on rules. We came 10 minutes early before check in time, they made us wait. Campsite comes with wifi but very weak. We have t mobile and had bad reception. Would come back again for beautiful views, small hike, sandy beaches with lots of sand crabs.

• 

  Jamie C.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 20, 2024

  Buckhorn Campground

  Perfect peaceful getaway

  Just stayed 8/15-18/24, although hot during the day, it was the getaway we needed. The Burkhart trail to the waterfall was beautiful. Clean campsites. Some neighboring camps were louder than you'd hope but it is what it is. Our second trip here and will return for sure.

• 

  Michael W.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 19, 2024

  The Secret Place

  Peaceful, Private, Beautiful

  Although we booked a campsite, it felt more like we were invited to Mazen's home. He was communicative and responsive, happily answered all of our questions, and was beyond generous. I can't say enough about the beautiful views of Lake Elsinore! We can't wait to visit this campground again!

• J

  Jennifer T.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 15, 2024

  Hollywood RV Park

  Lovely

  Nice campground a little bit outside of Hollywood but with a very helpful camp host

• J

  Jennifer T.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 14, 2024

  Bolsa Chica State Beach Campground

  Beach view

  The parking lot is next to the beach on the one side but also next to the highway on the other side. So the view and the breeze is beautiful, but the traffic noise in the evening and morning is not so nice. With earplugs everything is fine! ;) The host Jim is very kind and helpful!

• I

  Isidoro V.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 29, 2024

  The Secret Place

  Friendly, knowledgeable and respectful hosts, best views I have ever experienced.

  We couldn't find any campgrounds, after calling multiple places we came across "The Secret Place". They have the best views I have ever experienced! Especially during sunset and as the city lights start to twinkle. Very nice and quiet place. No full hookups, but good bathrooms and showers available. The camp host was knowledgeable about the area and recommended great things to do. Very helpful, very respectful and very friendly. Will definitely stay here again, made our honeymoon trip very memorable! A+ recommend.

• 

  Leslie R.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 29, 2024

  Placerita Canyon State Park Group Campsites

  Haven't stayed, by reservation only for groups

  I haven't stayed in this campground, but I added it to the Dyrt so people can find it as an option if they are searching for large group camping. You MUST call in advance to get permission and reserve for group camping.

  Things to do:

  • visit the Placerita Canyon Nature Center, including live animal exhibits

  • Ranger-led educational programs

  • hike to waterfalls: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/us/california/placerita-canyon-and-waterfall-trail

• 

  Julian M.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 24, 2024

  Malibu Creek State Park Campground

  Amazing experience, beautiful sunset

  Great campground, Great spots but unfortunately bit expensive .Very disappointed about the rules regarding fire, but I understood. I left from the campground after the sunset...fire allowed only with courchal...

• G

  Grant M.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 20, 2024

  Blue Jay Campground

  Hidden gem

  Awesome spot, lots of sights and some even have overlooks of the entire park. Can get crowded but no one was there on a Friday night in July. Bathrooms, trash, water and even buckets to fill to put out your fire. Fire pits, benches and grills nothing more you could want.

• A

  Angela

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 20, 2024

  Castaic Lake State Recreation Area

  Nice view, not bad, needs work

  We stayed in Loop A on a Thursday night in July. For us, it was a convenient overnight stop. It was a lot less crazy/ crowded than we expected for an LA County campground in the middle of summer! This site is on the lagoon, not the main lake, but had nice views and a good breeze in the heat. Very minimal space, not much shade. But the real issue was that the bathroom stalls in our loop (A) had no doors. I also doubt they are cleaned daily, though it wasn't terrible. Being close to the city, there were a ton of people meandering around, but they all seemed to be doing their own thing (e.g fishing or just walking), few suspicious characters. Lots of families and kids made it feel fairly safe for an urban campground. Not our favorite, but we would stop over here again in a pinch.

• J

  Jeff E.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 17, 2024

  Launch Pointe Recreation Destination and RV Park

  Great family campground

  Great campground for families. Lots of activities for the kids to do, like smores by the fire, art, splash pad, and play ground. Facility was clean

• S

  Stephen G.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 12, 2024

  Olive Dell Ranch

  Olive Dell Resort

  I have been a member of this place for 20+ years.

  Most times if someone has a problem at the front gate. It because of the many background checks and or any one of the Screening Process...

  The previous review does not mention anything about that factor???? I wonder why??

• 

  merlinda M.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 6, 2024

  Lupine Campground

  Came across this place on a whim

  After trying to find an escape from the fireworks and trying campgrounds in surrounding areas to this one and all of them being full, we just kept driving (ended up off-roading) and found this hidden jem. Quite, dark, and one dirt road in n out. No amenities besides a picnic table & fire pit. There's an outhouse, but it's pretty gross..

• E

  Ella Z.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 3, 2024

  Manker Campground

  Mankers campground

  We spent 3days and 2nights here and enjoyed our stay, the caretaker was so nice! Although the restroom are very dirty but overall it was a great stay!

• 

  Roger W.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 6, 2024

  Dogwood

  Beautiful and Clean

  The place is clean and quiet. Our camp site was very spacious, and it was easy to back in our teardrop trailer. Restroom was cleaned every day, but wished there was some sort of light in there. It is dark in there even in the day. Camp hosts are friendly and knowledgeable. Overall, we had a really great time, my wife and I and our two labradors. We will return.

• 

  Donna H.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 1, 2024

  Hollywood RV Park

  As good as it gets for LA

  This quirky campground was safe, and that was what I needed while visiting friends in LA. This isn't a self-park park...the spaces are so close together that they use a cart to park you. On the upside, the bathrooms and showers were clean and plentiful, there was an area at the back of the park that was fenced for pups, and although the spaces were small, the park was landscaped such that you had some privacy. On the downside, the park is right next to the departure/arrival runway for Burbank and so if you don't fancy airplanes, you may not appreciate the noise. There is quite a bit of noise, but then again, you are in downtown Burbank. The owner is quite a character and told me that they even have an entertainment space where they offer musical performances, plays, etc. by local artists. He also mentioned that most of the park's customers were long-term residents that support the local production companies. I'm not sure if I would stay there again, but then again I'm not sure I'm interested in visiting Burbank again either.