Best Tent Camping near Fairfax, CA
Mount Tamalpais State Park offers several walk-in tent campgrounds within a short drive of Fairfax, California. Options include Pantoll Campground and Bootjack Campground, both featuring tent-only sites with varying degrees of seclusion. Steep Ravine Campground provides additional tent camping with coastal views, while sites at Point Reyes National Seashore like Sky Campground and Wildcat Campground offer more remote tent camping experiences. These locations primarily accommodate walk-in tent camping rather than drive-up access.
Tent sites throughout the area require campers to park in designated lots and carry gear to their camping spots. Most locations provide basic amenities including picnic tables, fire pits or grills, and access to toilets. Bootjack Campground features historic stone grills and tent pads near a creek, though gear must be carried uphill from the parking area. Walk-in sites typically include potable water access, trash receptacles, and food storage lockers. First-come, first-served policies are common at several campgrounds, including Pantoll and Bootjack, making weekday visits more likely to secure a site. One visitor noted, "Bootjack is a tent only, walk-in campground. You park your car in the parking lot, and then carry your stuff uphill to your site."
Proximity to extensive trail networks makes these primitive tent sites popular bases for day hiking or backpacking. Mount Tamalpais tent campgrounds connect to trails leading to Muir Woods, Stinson Beach, and various summit viewpoints. Sites vary in privacy levels, with some offering more seclusion than others. Lower-elevation sites tend to experience more day visitor traffic and road noise, while higher sites provide more isolation but require longer walks from parking areas. Sites situated among redwoods offer natural shade and protection from coastal winds. A camper commented, "Each campsite had a table and bench, wood grill area, and easy access to the restrooms, potable water, and trash cans that are inside wooden boxes to deter wildlife."
