Best Tent Camping near El Granada, CA
Tent campsites in the coastal area around El Granada, California provide access to both redwood forests and oceanfront settings. Notable options include Butano State Park's Ben Ries Campground with its redwood grove tent sites, and several walk-in tent areas in the surrounding region such as Bicentennial Campground in Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The Marin Headlands area offers additional tent camping with ocean views, while Mount Tamalpais State Park provides tent sites at Pantoll and Steep Ravine campgrounds within reasonable driving distance.
Most tent campgrounds in this region feature basic amenities with varying levels of development. Sites typically include fire rings or pits, picnic tables, and access to vault or flush toilets. Many locations require advance reservations, particularly during peak season from late spring through early fall. The Bicentennial Campground offers just three walk-in tent sites with primitive facilities, requiring campers to pack in their supplies. One camper noted that "sites were clean" but "very close to each other with nothing separating them," highlighting the importance of selecting dates carefully for more privacy.
Walk-in tent sites predominate in the coastal areas, with many requiring short hikes from parking areas to reach the campground. A recent review mentioned that at Bicentennial Campground, campers "have to park at the top of the hill and bring your stuff down which isn't very far." Many tent campsites benefit from natural shade, particularly those set among redwoods. At Ben Ries Campground, reviews highlight the "peace and quiet amongst redwoods" with "large, user-friendly campsites surrounded by redwood trees." Most primitive tent areas maintain strict "crumb-free" policies to minimize wildlife encounters. The coastal location means tent campers should prepare for fog, wind, and moderate temperature fluctuations, with evening temperatures typically dropping into the 50s even during summer months.
