Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Duncans Mills, CA has a lot to offer. Enjoy the scenic camping, fun activities, and sights and sounds of Duncans Mills. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your California camping adventure.
Bodega Dunes (Sonoma Coast Camping) has a potable water fill station and a dump station that service both campgrounds . There are no potable water filling areas at Wright's Beach. Do not use spigots for your filling needs. Fill up your water tanks at Bodega Dunes prior to you arrival. Maximum trailer length is 27' and hook-ups are not available. Each site has a picnic table, fire ring and a paved parking spur. Running water and flush toilets are available in the bathrooms. Max occupancy is 8 people and two vehicles per campsite. All vehicles MUST stay on paved parking spurs. Any vehicles that do not fit may be taken to the overflow parking lot in the day use area. Wright's Beach does not offer group camping. When the campground is full, the overflow area on either side of the kiosk may be used for self-contained vehicles on a first come, first served basis. Reservations are recommended, especially on the weekends, holidays and during the peak season.
$45 / night
Doran Beach Camping has more than 120 RV and tent sites that are open year-round.
Doran Regional Park features a wide, 2-mile stretch of beach on Bodega Bay and is ideal for walking, picnicking, playing in the sand, flying kites, surfing, and bird-watching.
A boat launch provides access to Bodega Harbor and Bodega Bay for sport fishing, kayaking, stand-up paddling, and kite surfing. A rock jetty on the west end of the park is a popular spot for fishing and exploring sea life.
Doran Regional Park features campsites for tents, trailers and RVs. Reservations are required and can be made up to 12 months in advance.
The park includes five campground areas: The Shell, Gull and Cove campsites are located between Bodega Harbor and Doran Beach Road while the Jetty and Miwok campsites are between Bodega Bay and Doran Beach Road.
Electrical hook-ups are not available. Generator hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Potable water is available throughout the campgrounds. Restrooms feature flush toilets, coin-operated showers and electrical outlets. Dogs on leash are allowed with a fee. Dump station fee is $7.
We are a family friendly, pet friendly, nature filled, amenity rich campground in the Russian River Valley, offering a variety of accommodations in the quaint Sonoma County town of Duncans Mills, CA. One mile of river runs along this 110 acre part of the ranch, offering campers a memorable, get back to nature camping experience.
With extensive activities on our property, and much to do in the surrounding area, you are sure to enjoy your stay at the ranch.
Lawson’s Landing is a fishing and boating resort and campground situated at the mouth of Tomales Bay, California. Generations of families have visited the area to rest along the shores of the Pacific Ocean. Lawson's Landing is located about 50 miles north of San Francisco and 20 miles west of Petaluma at Dillon Beach. The Landing was first established in 1929 and the family-owned and operated campground has been running since 1957. From camping to clamming to boating, there are so many activities to enjoy. Come discover what generations of visitors have long enjoyed. Bring your family and friends to experience the great outdoors along the beautiful Pacific coast.
Wright's Beach Campground offers 27 developed campsites located adjacent to the beach. There are no showers, but registered campers may use the token-operated hot showers at Bodega Dunes Campground (which is approximately 5 miles south). Additionally, Bodega Dunes has a potable water fill station and a dump station that service both campgrounds. There are no potable water filling areas at Wright's Beach. Do not use spigots for your filling needs. Fill up your water tanks at Bodega Dunes prior to your arrival. Maximum trailer length is 27' and hook-ups are not available. Each site has a picnic table, fire ring, and a paved parking spur. Running water and flush toilets are available in the bathrooms. Max occupancy is 8 people and two vehicles per campsite. Wright's Beach does not offer group camping. When the campground is full, the overflow area on either side of the kiosk may be used for self-contained vehicles on a first come, first served basis. Reservations are recommended, especially on the weekends, holidays and during the peak season.
$45 / night
Creekside Loop (sites 1-25)
$35 - $225 / night
Twenty acres of campground directly on the Pacific Ocean. Pick an oceanfront location or one secluded in the trees a bit back from the bluff. There are over one hundred available campsites to choose from at Ocean Grove Campground. Picnic tables, fire pits, water, hot showers, chemical toilets, and a boat ramp. Group camping is available. Please NO: Dogs off leashes, hunting, shooting, dirt bike or ATV riding, generators or loud music after 10:00 p.m., chopping trees or bushes, or littering.
$28 - $280 / night
Ranger
RV campsites are close together and semi-level. Bathrooms could use some TLC. But the park is nice with lots of hiking, views and close to Napa.
RangerRV Campsites are nothing fancy and close together. But the park itself is nice...hiking trails, views, nature, and close to Napa.
Ranger
I can't think of a better place to camp on or near Mt. Tamalpais than Pantoll in terns of the access to trails and the various parks in the area. From Pantoll you have very easy access to the summit of Mt. Tamalpais, easy access Stinson Beach and the coast, plus you can even skip the long lines and shuttles to get into Muir Woods. There are literally days worth of great hiking accessible from Pantoll!
That said, the campground, while nicely maintained and well-equipped is right next to a relatively busy road and during daylight hours, especially in the high-traffic times of the year, the sites themselves are very exposed to all the day visitors.
Speaking of day visitors, I don't recall if you get a dedicated parking space with a campsite or not, but parking can be a challenge here due to the popularity of the various trailheads, and the limited parking.
Guide
This campground is great. If you're looking for a coastal place to stay that has showers and bathrooms readily available. There's no hookups but there's water spigots that are potable all over the place which is great. But it still is definitely very much dry camping.
The hard part about this campground is the weather potential, there's a lot of fog, a lot of wind, but that should be expected anytime you're spending time near the coast.
Doran Beach is great, especially during the summer for kids because it's a well protected cove and the waves don't usually get very high.
One thing to mention is that this place is very not dog friendly when it comes to them being off leash. They're very aggressive about protecting the wildlife in the area and it can be difficult if you have dogs that want to be off leash and want to run.
There's a market not far away that has just about everything you could possibly need, lots of restaurants not too far away as well so there's plenty to do and see.
The campground itself is kept really clean by the staff, patrolled heavily by park service, and there's a lot of fishing opportunities and crabbing opportunities. Plenty to do with kids!
Scout
This was a nice place had a good time the site was a bit small. I would say you can’t really tell how big the site is the pictures are a bit hard to tell. They are taken sideways from the road not straight on for all the campsites. It was nice and quiet and beautiful area and not far from the beach. But if you aren’t careful you can really get a super small site.
ScoutOverall the campground was good. Close to the water and relatively quiet and not busy. However, when booking online they don’t do the best to describe how your site is set up. Based off the picture I was expecting the site to be fairly spacious, with a large driveway for parking and area for setting up tents. I was wrong. The parking for most spots is a small pullout alongside the road barely big enough for two relatively small vehicles. The usable space on the site was pretty limited as well. There was almost zero level area to set up a tent, and sites were really small. With that being said, if you do your research and know what to do expect/plan accordingly I’d say it’s worth staying.
Traveler
Great camping, hiking, boating. Lots of nature trails. Super friendly staff
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
Scout
This was some “glamping” for us. We’re in a van with no consistent onboard power or water, so we do a night or two out and a night at a site with more amenities. This was a perfect stop driving south on the 1 after the previous night remote on the coast and a planned need for StarLink with power source. Park is clean and well-organized, if tight, and the bathrooms are super clean and door-coded, with included hot showers. Right on the marina, fun if you enjoy harbor/boating scenery, and good food within walking distance. No way - that I found - to reserve online, but a phone call at 9am on a Saturday was returned within 10 minutes and got it done. Range of big rigs to camper vans, easy access and enough room to negotiate into spots. Very welcoming, safe, laid back environment.
ScoutBeautiful view we were in campsite 40. A beautiful view of vineyards and the sunset and people riding their horses. So calm and beautiful and so many activities here to do. Also there is showers, bathrooms, and hookups, we love this place. Only 8 mins from downtown Napa
Scout
We visited this park earlier this spring. Yes it was wet, but we didn't mind. Liked the spaces and layout so much...we are going back this fall. Plus we love that whole area.
However, DYRT got some info wrong. While there are plenty of full hookup spaces for RVs, there are no pull thru sites. Only back in for trailers and drive-in for coaches. Many tent camping spaces and RV spaces w/just water and power. The folks are friendly and helpful.
M.R.
Legend
Have you been over to Bodega Bay? I think you'd like it there. Our friends sure know us well! While the town doesn’t look much different than when it appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds”, the cafes in the village have definitely upped their game.
Bodega Dunes State Park is a great way to experience the area without the same activity and noise in the camp grounds down closer to the water. The campsite loops wind through the coastal Live Oak and Bishop Pine trees and provide some privacy in between sites in some areas, though some sites are right on top of each other.
They are generally smaller pull-in sites geared more toward tents, vans, and small travel trailers. There are just a handful of sites that can accommodate bigger RVs. Many of the sites have decent open sky resources for solar power and satellite internet, though many in the lower areas had standing water and torn up asphalt pads from the heavy rains the last couple of years.
The bathrooms were clean and comfortable with flush toilets and warm showers (coin operated). My only complaint about the bathrooms is that there weren’t quite enough for the demand, in my opinion, but a few port-o-potties might help offset that during the busy season.
Hiking among the sand dunes and along the beach provide some really stunning scenery. Reaching the beach, you’ll find as much coastal sand as you can handle with miles and miles of it to yourself. The water, which is normally pretty cold year round, can also be pretty rough for swimming.
A short drive away is the gorgeous Bodega Head Trail which winds up along the headland and offers amazing scenery. It’s sort of like a small Point Reyes National Seashore, but much easier to get to.
Bodega Bay has a couple of small grocery stores, gas stations, and more than a few restaurants to meet nearly any craving. The area is known for its Dungeness Crab Harvest, so be sure to check that out when it's in season!
Legend
Along the forgotten coast of Central California along Hwy 1, this small state park offers a great way to explore the area.
The upper campground is relatively small and was still heavily impacted by 2023-24 winter storms, many downed trees still had some campsites closed in the spring of 2024. Most of these sites would accommodate smaller rigs and tents only. The campground is tucked in between the remaining coastal pines and live oak. The bathrooms were small but tidy with flush toilets and running water, no showers. We drove through here and then headed to the overflow lot...
If you are in a self-contained vehicle, the most stunning place to camp in this park is the “overflow” camping lot closer to the beach. Here you can camp with a 180 degree view of the ocean and the rolling hills leading to the beach. The lot is completely open to the sky, so solar and satellite internet work great. The only downside is that the closest bathroom and fresh water spigot is either in the day-use area down toward the water, or back uphill at the campground. But the view and scenery were more than worth the minor inconvenience.
If you’ve got a solar powered system, you could have the most inexpensive California beach vacation around. The rocky beach area is great for wildlife viewing, we saw sea lions, seals, and even the occasional spout from migrating gray whales. While not necessarily good for swimming, the beach area is great for fishing. Hiking is right from the campground and leads to the north or south from the headland area.
Come prepared with food and gas! Supplies will be difficult to come by, as there are only a few small convenience/ general stores and restaurants, in nearby Jenner. The larger grocery outlets will be inland in Santa Rosa about an hour away. This is the price you pay to have a stunning California beach vacation without the normal crowds.
LegendSalt Point State Park has 3 separate camping areas: Woodside Campground, Gerstle Cove Campground, and Gerstle Cove Overflow. The overflow is a lot that overlooks the ocean, and you don’t have to wait for the campground to be full to be able to camp here. You can ask to stay here when you arrive at the ranger station at the entrance.
The overflow is for self contained RVs only. No tents or car camping allowed. There is a trash bin in the center of the lot but no other amenities. It seems to be mellow during the week and busy on weekends. We’re glad we were just paying day by day because it got too crowded for us when the weekend hit, so we decided to leave.
There are beautiful hikes in this area, and a trail straight from the lot to the ocean. You can also see whales from the lot!
Dogs ok, cell service is good, the lot isn’t very level but it isn’t too bad. No designated spots so just come down and figure out a good place to set up once you get there. This is a beautiful place to camp and we do love it, even at $30.
LegendGreat (and big) park in Bodega Bay with several separate campgrounds. We got lucky and snagged a last minute spot for 2 nights in August. Easy access to the beach, lots of day use areas all around this park, and bonus: a dog beach that was available on a trial basis when we were there- dogs got to run free on this little patch of enclosed beach- wonderful. Hope it becomes a permanent feature!
Showers were $2 for 5 minutes, there’s recycling here (a separate bin for propane cylinders too).
This campground has a lot of in and out traffic and day use visitors and overall more activity than the Westside campground across the way. We enjoyed both of them.
Legend
This is a mellow, low key, beachy Sonoma County campground in Bodega Bay. It’s got that vibe that so many beach campgrounds do, a little run down, no frills, open layout, and happy friendly campers. We stayed here for a couple of nights and had a great time.
There’s hiking all over this area, lots to explore and see. Cell service was good. Showers here are expensive at $2 for 5 min, quarters only. There’s a host on site who’s been hosting here for something like 15 (maybe 30) years. There’s a boat ramp adjacent to this campground, lots of boats in and out for fishing.
There’s a dump station for a $7 fee (though the website says $10, so maybe it's actually $10), honor box at the station to deposit your money. Water fill available here as well.
Recycling available, as well as a separate bin for green propane canisters. Camping is $35/night, plus $2 fee per dog per night (boo), plus whatever online reservation fee ($8?). Reservations must be made online. Hosts obviously do not handle that and there was nobody in the entrance shack when we arrived- though a ranger swung by later to collect the dog fee (that fee can’t be paid online when you make the reservation). Anyway, confusing process but just go with it and have a great time.
Scout
This campground lives up to all the other positive comments BUT the raccoons were extremely aggressive and even ate its way into a tent at 2AM. It would have been nice if the host had warned of them when he visited to check reservation and sell us wood!
ScoutThere is upward of 90 sites, many are for just tents and are on sand with fire pit. I have our travel trailer there and are the site # in the 70's and are on a asphalt pad, which makes it cleaner and level. Down side would be close to a road and traffic during day, but at night very quiet except for fog horn which is no big deal. The beach walks and adventuring the coast and local fair makes it all worth it. Water and dump station available, not at campsites but at entry of park
Traveler
Lovely campsite with very sweet camp hosts. Always waved when they drove by.
Chose site 17 because of the beautiful tree seen in another review but was felled prior to our arrival, so no big tree. We did however get a beautiful view of the stars.
Two things to note, some of the sites (didn’t look like all of them had this issue) have an incredibly fine dusty dirt that gets on absolutely everything, it made our feet, legs and sandals completely beige from the dust and we had to wipe them with wet wipes before going into our tent and tracked a fair amount into our car upon leaving.
The other thing we were disappointed with was that we had to pay for showers on top of already paying over $50 for our site for one night, we felt that was a pretty big con and that it should be included in the fees.
Overall, you can’t get closer to the wineries and it was an otherwise lovely site.
Scout
I got there after they closed (closes at 5pm.) But there's a number to call that was posted for after hours. A camper in front of me had already called and someone arrived within minutes. They were very helpful and friendly. I got a beautiful spot secluded from everyone. I loved it! Just me and nature. I played some music dance by myself as if nobody was watching.
Scout
Very enjoyable stay. The park is clean,quiet and there’s a few trails that take you to the Beach. It’s about a 30 min walk but an easy one. Theres electric, cable and water at the pole. The sewer is up near the entrance. All in all a nice peaceful retreat. I work remote and have had meetings all week. No issues with Verizon or T mobile Hot spots.
Guide
This is an awesome spot, the hike out was absolutely gorgeous. We accessed it from the Palomarin trailhead. Beware, the costal weather can be volatile and you could get flash rain. Also, I highly recommend planning your visit with the sunny weather because it’s easy to pick a day that has endless overcast here, and it’s just not quite as much fun.
Also be careful what campsite you reserve. Some are absolute gems off on the ocean bluff. Others are more inland and packed in
Traveler
I tent camped here on a September weeknight. The campground is very spacious on a bluff overlooking the ocean. Very few other campers so I had plenty of options for sites. It was cool, sunny, and no wind-perfect weather! Stunning views all around, with a trailhead to Stillwater Cove. Very quiet and relaxing stay here!
TravelerThe views are worth the drive! The cliffs are just spectacular and there are places to walk and explore the coast, albeit it can be windy. We arrived on a Thursday afternoon and there were plenty of spots to choose from. Most campsites are fairly spacious, the general store is well stocked and prices are reasonable. The outdoor showers are a win, as we stayed 4 nights and it was so quite once the weekend passed. If the guy with the BBQ oysters is set up on the weekend - they are fabulous! Cafe Aquatica in Jenner has amazing chowda and quaint outdoor seating. Sunsets for days...
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
Traveler
Everything about the campground is GREAT. The location is CLASSIC. West Marin is BEAUTIFUL.
And for families who want a quick trip over Golden Gate Bridge to introduce their children (or adults!) to the great outdoors, their first camp, nowhere is more convenient and instantly gratifying.
However! You are going to probably experience some of the most ridiculous first-time campers with no sense of camping etiquette you have ever met in your life. I put up with it, for kids—- and now I have great stories— but I’d never go back as an experienced camper.
Example A: Finally things quiet down and everyone is asleep, 2 or 3 am. A woman starts SCREAMING BLOODY MURDER, every single headlamp comes on, other people start screaming too, thinking it’s a bear attack. The ranger, where the F are they?
We literally WALKED OVER toward the screaming banshee, that went on for a few bloodcurdling minutes. Do you know what we found? This complete nincompoop was surprised when we stooped down to her tent and said, “What’s going on?”
She was defiant, and her “companion” looked dazed. She said, “I just had a bad dream, what’s the big deal?”
I said, “Well, you can’t do that here, if that’s what it is. You’re going to have to stay up the rest of the night, to make sure you’re not screaming, or leave now. You just devastated about 200 people, and children are crying everywhere, thinking there’s a bear.” (Not).
I think Sam T should have a big sign that says, “This is not Spring Break. This is not a place to work out your family trauma. This is not a garbage fight. This is not your narcissistic b.s.”
You might think, “oh just one bad time.” Well, that was the ultimate, but no, i went there dozens of times because the Kidds loved it, and we could live in SF and start camping in about a half hour.
Okay, now I feel like a curmudgeon. More good people who know how to camp SHOULD camp here, because peer pressure and good community is the only thing that works. I did my time ! now it’s up to you!
Scout
Full Disclosure: I know the owner of the property and stayed at La Bohemia for free.
Nevertheless, this is an amazing spot. The owner and his young daughter have done an amazing job restoring the forest and making a special place over the past few years. It is a great getaway from everything. No sign of any building insight.
I must admit, my favorite part was watching football on the large outdoor screen and eating BBQ by the campfire. It was an amazing experience in an amazing place.
Camping near Duncans Mills, California, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or a family-friendly adventure, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
Camping near Duncans Mills, California, has something for everyone, from families to solo adventurers. Just remember to plan ahead and enjoy the great outdoors!
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Duncans Mills, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, Duncans Mills, CA offers a wide range of camping options, with 120 campgrounds and RV parks near Duncans Mills, CA and 6 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Duncans Mills, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Duncans Mills, CA is Bodega Dunes Campground — Sonoma Coast State Park with a 4.2-star rating from 34 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Duncans Mills, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 6 free dispersed camping spots near Duncans Mills, CA.
What parks are near Duncans Mills, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 14 parks near Duncans Mills, CA that allow camping, notably Bankhead National Forest and Chugach National Forest.
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