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Las Trampas Regional Wilderness offers limited equestrian camping opportunities near El Sobrante within a barbed wire-fenced area to protect campers from roaming cattle and wildlife. Horses are allowed on designated multi-use trails throughout the park, with several hiking paths accessible directly from the campground area. The primitive campsite accommodates only a small number of campers and requires all gear to be packed in approximately 150 yards from the parking area. The choppy pathway makes carrying equipment challenging, suggesting horses would need to be led separately from gear. Deer, cattle, raccoons and other wildlife frequent the surrounding areas.
Positioned just north of Las Trampas Stables off Bollinger Canyon Road, the equestrian-friendly camping area provides access to Las Trampas hiking ridge via a single steep trail that passes grazing meadows. The trail system offers medium-difficulty routes suitable for experienced riders, with significant elevation changes requiring proper horse conditioning. The campground's basic amenities include stone picnic tables, a water fountain, and a single food locker that operates on a first-come, first-served basis. Riders considering horse campsites near El Sobrante should note that while horses are permitted here, there are no dedicated horse corrals or specialized equine facilities, making this best suited for experienced horse campers comfortable with primitive conditions and self-contained horse management systems.
"Anthony Chabot Campgrounds sits high up on the Castro Valley Hills overlooking Lake Chabot. There are several awesome hiking trails going down to the lake as well as some equestrian trails."
"as usual some spots are better than others but most close to restrooms and/or water. lots of poison oak and star thistle right off trail. great deterrent for kids to stay out of tick areas but id worry"
from $25 - $200 / night
Check Availability"This location is easily accessible for all. Biking, trails for hiking and the gardens are gorgeous. Rvs and horses welcome."
"We only stayed overnight the staff was very friendly,lots of stuff to do around the campsite from hiking,mtb,watch horses, frisbee golf and then you have napa where you can get wine,brewery,and restaurants"
"Tilden is great for anyone looking for a close park right outside of the Berkeley/San Fran area. It is a rather large park area that overlooks Berkeley."
"Tilden offers a lake in the middle to swim in and fish. The campsites have lots of fire pits. The weather is always great too!"
from $75 - $120 / night
Check Availability"The 31-mile East Bay Skyline National Recreation Trail, part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail system, traverses"
from $15 / night
Check Availability"in an open meadow on a bluff overlooking the ocean with a short walk to the beach and a 3.2 kilometer (2.0 miles) round-trip walk to [Alamere Falls](https://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/alamere_falls.htm"
"Really great site right next to the water and beach. The hike in is pretty easy and beautiful. We had fun making a fire on the beach at night. It's pretty windy, so be prepared."
from $75 / night
Check Availability"We just stayed here for 2 nights, great location very close to Calistoga and not to far from Saint Helena! Next time i would love to try out a cabin or yurt."
"Good access to wineries close by. Only real downside was that because of the dry conditions we could not have a campfire."
from $43 / night
Check Availability"West Marin offers an incredibly picturesque location to explore, and Coast Camp is about as good as it gets."
"The beach offers tidepools close by as well as a great place for beach fire (permit needed). There are two routes to hike in."
from $30 - $90 / night
Check Availability"This campsite is centrally located on the peninsula. Access to several roadside dog friendly beaches within minutes. The bay and the beach are within walking distance to campground."
"There are also equestrian trails, so you can book a horseback ride from a local ranch as well!!"
from $45 / night
Check Availability"The Fairview RV Park is a great Bay Area location easy to find right off hwy 680, in the Alameda county fairgrounds. The staff are all pleasant to work with and the park and facilities are clean."
"If the Alameda Fairgrounds are having an event, you can't beat this location, it's on the property."
RangerThis campsite is centrally located on the peninsula. Access to several roadside dog friendly beaches within minutes. The bay and the beach are within walking distance to campground. The bathrooms are clean and the showers are coin operated. Sites are flat and semi private. The staff is friendly and campground is large.
LegendAnthony Chabot Campgrounds sits high up on the Castro Valley Hills overlooking Lake Chabot. There are several awesome hiking trails going down to the lake as well as some equestrian trails. The hiking trails go around the lake. Dogs are allowed but they should be on a leash. Lake Chabot has a marina that rents boats for recreational use and fishing. It's a few miles driver to get there from the campgrounds. I only gave it 4 stars because of that. They have tent and RV campsites, but no RV hookups.
GuideIt is always windy and therefore cold on the beach. That is why there are such big sand dunes.
Regardless, a beautiful place to visit and camp. There are also equestrian trails, so you can book a horseback ride from a local ranch as well!!
LegendSibley Regional Preserve
San Francisco East Bay residents actually have a volcano in their backyard at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve. Originally called Round Top Park, Sibley shares with Temescal and Tilden Parks the distinction of being one of the East Bay Regional Park District's original parks.
The Sibley backpack camp is a small, primitive hike-in site for a maximum of 15 campers (although this would be super cramped in my opinion, unless it a bunch of small kids), a moderate 0.2 mile walk from the parking lot (NO VEHICLE ACCESS). The site has basically 360 degree views of Mount Diablo, Vollmer Peak and Tilden Park. There are only two tent pads - approximately 10'x25' and 10'x20'. Site has 2 picnic tables, 1 serving table, and a pit toilet close by which was very clean and well maintained.
During the day you’ll have lots of people walk semi/sorta by the campground, but there is no reason that anyone would walk through your area as if they did they’d tumble off and down the side of a nice steep hill…
No wood fires or BBQs are allowed; only camp stoves are allowed for cooking, your night time enjoyment.
Drinking water is 0.2 miles from camp at the trail head so keep that in mind before it gets too dark to hike back and forth for a drink.
There are several trails providing tons of access throughout the preserve. The 31-mile East Bay Skyline National Recreation Trail, part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail system, traverses the preserve along the ridgeline between Wildcat Canyon and Anthony Chabot Parks. Round Top Road goes from the Sibley visitor center to the top of Round Top. Round Top Loop Trail circles Round Top peak. Volcanic Trail, once a quarry haul road, contains most of the stops on the self-guided volcanic tour.
Dogs are allowed throughout this section of the park and in camp on leash but are not allowed on the adjacent Huckleberry trails. Also, the EBRPD lists, dogs “must be under owner's control at all times” and must not disturb other animals or park visitors, but I definitely saw a lot of loose well behaved dogs running free.
Bikes are allowed on the fire trail, but there are lots of hikers and dog walkers in this park so be mindful. Also, Horses are allowed but there is no hitching rail and no water troughs in the park (or at least that I saw anywhere).
If you decide to try and bike be mindful that most trails are hiking and equestrian only. A few trails are multi-use. Bicycles are not allowed on narrow-gauge trails, except on the Skyline Trail between the Sibley visitor center and Old Tunnel Road. Bicycles are allowed on the wider-gauge fire trails and paved roads but are not allowed on Sibley Round Top from EBMUD water tank road junction to top of Round Top Peak.
Vehicles must be parked in the staging area and display a valid overnight parking permit: 3 parking permits are included in the reservation and will be mailed 5 days in advance. No additional parking permits are available. Otherwise, you can actually get here via public transport by Taking the AC Transit CB bus to the Mountain Blvd stop, them walk about 3 miles to the park.
While you can check if it’s already reserved online. Reservation must be completed at least 5 days in advance by calling 1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327-2757, press option 2.
RangerThis campground is nice with newer bathrooms and shower facilities, but it's also very open and exposed. Great access to Spring Lake's water-based activities and hiking trails, plus easy access to Trione-Annadel State Park for hiking and mountain biking. Howarth Park, a city park, also borders Spring Lake Regional Park and provides access to boating and fishing on Lake Ralphine, plus they have a small train, carousel, tennis courts, and a softball field. Overall a good campsite for families in need of lots of recreation options, but not the best for those wishing to "get away from it all."
RangerSkyline Wilderness County Park is a great little campground just outside of downtown Napa. There are always a lot of RVs there, but thankfully the tent section is separate from most of the RVs. The tent area leaves a little to be desired and is basically just a stretch of grass with picnic tables, BBQs and very little separation or cover from trees. Of course you don’t really think wilderness camping when you think of Napa Valley.
Despite being close to town there is actually quite a bit to do in the park and once you get back from the campground a bit you can really feel kind of far away from the congested Napa Valley. There are quite a few hiking trails and some offer beautiful views of the valley. By far the most popular is the Lake Marie Trail and Fire Road and Manzanita is popular with mountain bikers.
The River to Ridge Trail is nice and provides access to the Kennedy Park, the Napa River, and miles of bike paths, but check at the kiosk if the gate next to highway 221 (Soscol Ferry Road) is open and I have found it to not have a very consistent schedule.
According to a couple of friends that are pretty die-hard disk golfers, the course at Skyline is one of the best and most challenging in the area. I found it to be pretty fun, especially is your expectations are extremely low.
Being Napa Valley there is of course wine tasting and having a parking spot at the campground you have the perfect opportunity to take an Uber or car service to ensure your safety while enjoying Napa’s most famous export.
This is not a park that will provide you with memorable hikes or photos for your Instagram, but it is a decent place to stay in Napa if you’re the type that prefers to sleep in a tent or RV over a very pricey hotel.
ScoutThis location is easily accessible for all. Biking, trails for hiking and the gardens are gorgeous. Rvs and horses welcome.
Scoutas usual some spots are better than others but most close to restrooms and/or water. lots of poison oak and star thistle right off trail. great deterrent for kids to stay out of tick areas but id worry if we brought dogs! we were at #45, family sites and there were families with kids all over. there even was a patch of grass for kids to play on. trails nearby good for easy mountain biking and hiking
LegendWhat a find! This hidden gem hides behind the vineyard crested mountain range just due south of Livermore. Once you get off the 680/580 highways, you'll be immediately swept into a different wind-strewn, rocky landscape that you'll have to wind around several bends on some decent inclined well-paved roads before making your arrival to Del Valle regional park.
You'll have to pay the$10 to get through, but this is one of the few parks where that fee, if maximized, is a great investment. The campgrounds here are all incredibly well maintained, spacious (perhaps a bit too spacious and open in some places). With a great number of trails to take in any direction, the great find here is the well-appointed lake that rents kayaks, paddle boats and canoes. There's even horses you can rent nearby if you get tired of all the hiking.
There's plenty of places to picnic if you get tired of eating at your campsite. Be wary of the weekends, especially long holiday weekends where this park gets completely overrun. Other than this, it's a fantastic camping site.
Happy Camping!
Las Trampas Regional Wilderness equestrian camping offers unique terrain conditions near El Sobrante at an elevation of approximately 1,900 feet. The surrounding hills create a challenging landscape for both hikers and horses, with steep inclines requiring proper conditioning. Winter weather brings muddy trails while summer months can be extremely hot with temperatures often exceeding 90°F.
Volcanic exploration trails: At Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, you'll find hiking paths across actual volcanic formations. "San Francisco East Bay residents actually have a volcano in their backyard at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve. Originally called Round Top Park, Sibley shares with Temescal and Tilden Parks the distinction of being one of the East Bay Regional Park District's original parks," notes Elliott B.
Beach walking excursions: The horse trails at Las Trampas connect to a network leading toward coastal areas. At Wildcat Campground, "The hike changes drastically over the course of the six miles ranging from lush forests to grassy fields to breathtaking coastal views," explains Michaela C. The coastal terrain provides a stark contrast to Las Trampas' inland ridge systems.
Bird watching opportunities: The meadows surrounding equestrian camping areas contain diverse bird species. "We love Anthony Chabot! The eucalyptus groves make the air smell wonderful, and there is so much wildlife to see (deer, turkeys, owls, etc.)," shares Amanda P. Morning hours typically offer the best viewing conditions when birds are most active.
Secluded camping spots: Unlike the open field layout at Las Trampas, Wildcat Camp offers more private options. "Site 7 is a bit protected by trees and is the closest to the beach so would be my choice in the future," recommends Michael I. These secluded sites provide better wind protection than the open Las Trampas equestrian area.
Natural wildlife encounters: The wilderness areas near El Sobrante regularly host diverse animal sightings. "Lots of birds and wildlife–beware says the sign...all the signs, but I mostly only saw turkeys and a few water birds," reports Ryan W. at Anthony Chabot Regional Park. These encounters happen most frequently at dawn and dusk.
Alternative equestrian options: For those seeking different terrain than Las Trampas offers, other local horse camping facilities provide varied experiences. "Tilden Park is perfect for anyone whose interested in wildlife and hiking in perfect climates. Tilden offers a lake in the middle to swim in and fish," notes Nicholas M. The varied topography creates different riding challenges than Las Trampas' steep terrain.
Fire restrictions vary seasonally: Unlike Las Trampas' year-round fire regulations, nearby campgrounds have different rules. At Coast Campground, "Because the campground is in the middle of a grass field, campfires are only allowed on the beach. You need to get a permit from the Visitor Center," explains Elliott B. Fire restrictions typically become stricter during summer months.
Pack-in requirements: Most equestrian camping in the region requires carrying gear from parking areas. "The primitive campsite accommodates only a small number of campers and requires all gear to be packed in approximately 150 yards from the parking area," applies to Las Trampas and similarly at Sibley where "The Sibley backpack camp is a small, primitive hike-in site for a maximum of 15 campers, a moderate 0.2 mile walk from the parking lot."
Wildlife precautions: The presence of wildlife requires proper food storage. "You might want to be on the lookout for small vermin running around the fields and looking to snag any food you've left out," warns Elliott B. about Wildcat Camp, similar to Las Trampas' wildlife concerns. Food storage containers are essential at all regional campgrounds.
Beginner-friendly trails: For families with horses, some regional trails offer easier terrain than Las Trampas. At Tilden Regional Park, "It is a rather large park area that overlooks Berkeley. It is great for biking (but be weary of the hills). It also has a great lake/pond area for anyone to relax at," explains Ethan K. These gentler sections are better suited for younger or less experienced riders.
Educational opportunities: Las Trampas and surrounding areas offer learning experiences about local ecology. "There are nice hiking trails in the park though they are closed currently (Dec 2020) due to the fire in the area. There was no damage to the campground even though the fire burned into the grounds," shares Robert S. about Bothe-Napa Valley State Park. These trails often include interpretive signs about local plant species and geological features.
Weather planning: The region experiences significant seasonal temperature variations. "During our hike in and out we hung out at site #2 as this site didn't have people currently camping there. I'd be cautious about actually staying at this site as unfortunately it had the horse riders come right by as this is really the only way they can get to the hitches," notes Elliott B. about Wildcat Camp. Spring and fall typically offer the most comfortable camping temperatures.
Limited RV access points: Most equestrian camping areas near El Sobrante have restricted RV access. At Alameda County Fairgrounds RV Park, "The Fairview RV Park is a great Bay Area location easy to find right off hwy 680, in the Alameda county fairgrounds. The staff are all pleasant to work with and the park and facilities are clean," explains Pamela. This provides an alternative base camp for day rides at Las Trampas.
Parking constraints: Horse trailers require special consideration at regional campgrounds. "3 parking permits are included in the reservation and will be mailed 5 days in advance. No additional parking permits are available," notes Elliott B. about Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve. Most equestrian camping areas have similar strict parking limitations for vehicles with trailers.
Hookup availability: Unlike Las Trampas' primitive setup, some nearby facilities offer more amenities. "Sites are grassy, some with trees, and pretty close together. If the Alameda Fairgrounds are having an event, you can't beat this location, it's on the property," reports N V. These facilities work better for those needing electrical connections for horse-related equipment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near El Sobrante, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near El Sobrante, CA is Anthony Chabot Regional Park with a 4.6-star rating from 29 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near El Sobrante, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 16 equestrian camping locations near El Sobrante, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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