Best Tent Camping near Fortuna, CA

Recent Tent Reviews near Fortuna, California

487 Reviews of 27 Fortuna Campgrounds

• 

  Troy L.

  Ranger

  

  Sep. 22, 2023

  Emerald Forest Cabins & RV

  Cozy camping

  First thing to know is that this is a privately owned campground. It’s run similar to a hotel. You make your reservation for what type of site you want and what kind of trailer you have (or tent site). They assign you a campsite when you check in. From other reviews that I read they try to get you into a site that works for you. We have a pop up trailer so we were in a small section that had about 5 sites for vans and pop ups. Ours was a pretty good size site, but it was backed up to the backside of the cabins. So it wasn’t exactly private.

  Overall it is a beautiful area and the tent camping spots looked more secluded. They have a wide variety of sites. Most of the trailer sites are right next to each other similar to an RV resort.

  Bathrooms were clean and showers were adequate. They run in quarters and we were able to get some at the front desk.

• 

  Casey B.

  Guide

  

  May. 7, 2023

  Riverwalk RV Park

  Great little place

  Friendly staff, clean bathrooms and free showers, outdoor cook kitchen near the tent sites and cabins.

  We come to fortuna every year for a Martial arts tournament. This will be our regular place from now on.

• 

  David F.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 4, 2022

  Redwood Coast Cabins & RV Resort

  Borring

  Well let’s see where do I start? The coast”ocean” is about 500 yards away. There is absolutely nothing to do here. It’s being remodeled/renovated because it’s a new owner. The on property store has limited supplies. I asked for plasticware they didn’t have it. I asked for allergy pills, they didn’t have it. I asked for ice, guess what? Didn’t have it. I just left the store and drove into town which takes about seven minutes. Can’t go for a walk around the camp because somebody just murdered somebody today and he was seen behind this camp in the forest. Of all days right? Doesn’t matter if you could walk around there’s nothing to see but people that I’ve been here probably months on end and it’s just “boring“ and it’s overpriced for boring. I stayed at humbug in Oregon after 101 it was $18 a night it was the best place I’ve ever been, and I love tent camping. the website says Wi-Fi, let me tell you something there is No!!!!! WI-FI The bathrooms are locked and they give you a code to open them. What the heck is that about right? The tent sites are very odd it’s a strip of grass with a picnic bench every 5 yards. it’s not fenced. There’s no trees or shrubs separating anybody it’s just very “odd“ you’ll be camping 25 feet from the next guy. I had to turn my tent facing the fence because any other way people can look in. A little privacy would be nice in a place like this but you won’t get it. You better have unlimited data on your phone plan because you’re going be using all your data out here because there’s absolutely nothing to do. Sit in your tent or at the table and hopefully have somebody with you or you better love movies “a lot “

• 

  Miles S.

  Scout

  

  Apr. 15, 2020

  Abalone Campground

  Favorite spot

  Love this whole state park, tent camp or trailer. So many easy hikes with gorgeous views.

• 

  Walker H.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 18, 2021

  Humboldt County Fairgrounds

  Nice 1-nighter

  $15 tent camping site when visiting humboldt redwooods state park. Lots of older folks and RVs, but pretty easy going and not that sketchy.

• 

  DirtyMountainBoy A.

  Guide

  

  May. 26, 2021

  Skunk Point Group Campground — Shasta Trinity National Forest

  Nice parking lot ha !

  Big parking lot picnic benches and one group tent site

• 

  Chris J.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 31, 2023

  Shelter Cove Campground

  Away from it all yet civilzed

  Great spot with full hookups and tent sites. General store and cafe on premises. Can be windy.

• 

  Claire B.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 8, 2019

  Boise Creek

  Boise Creek

  Bathrooms really nice. Sites big for tent camping. Creek is absolutely beautiful. Not great for swimming but good for a quick dip in the pools. It’s about a 1/4 mile hike down there.

• S

  Susan G.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 12, 2018

  Elk Country RV Resort & Campground

  200+ acres Beautiful campground along Northern California Coast

  Across from Stone Lagoon and Dry Lagoon Beach along Highway 101. This campground accommodates tent camping and RV full hook-up. Herd of Roosevelt Elk live there and are frequently in the campground. Beautiful grounds and open all year.

• 

  Miles G.

  Ranger

  

  Aug. 3, 2021

  Elk Campground

  Quick overnight stay

  Tent campsite in fern filled spot. Good amenities on site like shower, electric, bathroom, and washer/dryer.

• M

  Mary K.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 24, 2021

  Elk Country RV Resort & Campground

  Heavenly!

  Loooooved this campground. There's a meadow area for RVS and a forested area for smaller rvs/vans and tents. Some tent sites have electrical outlets, all tent sites have a spigot. BIG bathrooms with flush toilets, hot coin showers, laundry room. Laundry room has a soap machine AND a change machine. Hosts are super nice and the facilities are really clean. The grounds are beautiful, there's a lovely large lake with a little footpath around it - I saw otters in the lake and elk in the front meadow! Great base to explore the redwoods, Trinidad, Patrick's Point and Eureka. I got some TMobile service near the road but the wifi didn't work for me. Solo female traveler approved, super chill. There were a few open spaces even over the weekend.

• J

  Julie H.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 3, 2021

  Riverwalk RV Park

  Lovely RV Park

  This RV park was really nice. A little freeway noise but not enough to detract. Nice store. RV sites have trees and grass and picnic tables and aren’t super close together. Tent sites looked decent sized. Seemed like a lot of RVs but saw very few people. Grounds are very pretty.

• 

  aidan L.

  Guide

  

  May. 27, 2021

  Emerald Forest Cabins & RV

  Good Campground for the night

  This place is great if you are camling gor a night weather its an RV, Tent, or Cabin. However it was a little pricy for what i got. WIFI sucks if you are more than 50 feet from the main entrance and i found human waste near my campground. This However doest surprise me as the bathrooms are far away from the tent camp areas. Otherwise very peaceful among the trees and very close to the beach.

• J

  Jessica R.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 22, 2018

  Emerald Forest Cabins & RV

  Tent camping: Very dark with uneven ground

  We stayed here one night last year. We’d hoped to stay at Patrick’s Point State Park, but it was full. The woman who set us up with a tent site here was super friendly and helpful. She offered advice for where to eat in the area and points of interest.

  My daughters and I checked out the Bay Area and hiked the Trinidad Head. It was a beautiful afternoon. We had dinner at the Trinidad Bay Eatery and Gallery which was nice with a friendly server and good American fare.

  After we returned we looked at the little arcade area in the cabins area. It reminded me in a nostalgic way of the arcade area in the 80’s movie Starfighter. Very fun.

  Although it wasn’t quite dark yet when we headed back to our site, it was VERY dark in the back area with the tent sites fue to heavy tree cover. Finding our spot was difficult in the dark. The path is winding and doesn’t exactly match the campground map and the ground was very uneven. I was glad we have four wheel drive.

  The campsite was also very uneven and had a steep drop off to a creek bed on the side. Luckily we’d planned to car camp and only had to fold down the sleeping area in our vehicle. I can’t imagine trying to set up a tent on that site in the pitch blackness. I’m not sure that the site had any amenities like a picnic table or water or a fire ring. I couldn’t see anything!

  Overall I’d stay here again, but I’d get there way before dark and set up camp first before adventuring in the area. I love the Trinidad/Eureka area. There’s lots to do and see. I gave the three stars because the tent site area ground is so uneven and so unlit.

• R

  Ruby

  Traveler

  

  Apr. 29, 2022

  Benbow KOA & Golf Course

  Convenient

  We paid $56 for a campsite that was super close to the river and the shower. There are only 2 tent sites and the others are RV and cabins. The cabins started at $150. It was a bit expensive but we’ve been on the road for couple weeks and needed a place with shower and flushing toilets. The bathrooms are really clean and have other services too.

• L

  Lawrence L.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 22, 2024

  Redwood Coast Cabins & RV Resort

  Most frustrating part is reservation

  The campground is ok. The closest bathrooms near our site were closed due to renovation. The main bathrooms were good looking. The men’s bathroom kept running out of paper towels. One of the staff told me they can’t buy any toilet paper or paper towels anywhere. My wife had to keep bringing in toilet paper as they ran out. The pool was warm and spa hot. The most frustrating part was reservations. The website showed only tent sites with water and electricity. I then clicked on military discount and the website showed me a higher price. I called and left a message to get clarification. No one called me back. Turns out they apply the discount after you check in. Check in was another issue. The office was closed early and they gave me a tent site without electricity or water. So I had to call their after hours number to get them to change my site. Later in the office they told me that they aren’t responsible for their website. Campground is ok, but customer service needs work. Wish there were more options closer to Eureka. The WiFi worked good until the last day. The 15A outlet worked until the last day.

• 

  Christy S.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 22, 2020

  Hidden Springs Campground — Humboldt Redwoods State Park

  Secluded stay in the woods

  Came here on a last minute trip. Everything else was booked up, but this was available. The campground opens up quite a few tent sites (probably over 50 sites) on first come first serve basis at 2:00 pm. Most sites did not fill up. Felt like we had hiked out to the woods with no one else around. Surrounded by redwoods and aspens. Clean bathroom and showers. Great location to explore the redwoods.

• 

  Steve H.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 14, 2020

  Abalone Campground — Sue-meg State Park

  Nice Stay

  Nice large sites that come equipped with a box for items and a fire ring. Where I stayed is in the midst of very tall trees and lush vegetation around the back of my site. As I walked the park I noticed that there are varying degrees of privacy to the different spaces. Nice hiking with a beautiful view of the ocean. If you are tent camping do not use 0-78, I picked the only site that wasn't level and had to put my tent on the parking pad, which still wasn't bad. Great spot if your in an RV due to the size of the space.

• 

  Naomi H.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 14, 2019

  Emerald Forest Cabins & RV

  Rude staff and muddy, dirty mess

  I have stayed here several times in the past but this will be the last. To get to tent sites you have to drive through muddy, swampy roads. The bathrooms were dirty and showers were broken and toilets clogged. We were forced to buy a new tent because they would not allow our small children to stay in their one person pup tent because we had more than 2 tents. The lady that called was rude and actually suggested that we get a third site to put our small children in. If you are in the area I wouldn’t waste money here. Go to Elk Country or Patrick’s Point.

• C

  Cameron B.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 23, 2019

  Emerald Forest Cabins & RV

  Redwood Pleasantries

  This is a very lovely campground clean of trash with quaint with cabins and campsites tucked between redwoods and Douglas fir trees. Campground looks lush and loved.

  They offer cabins, RV and tent sites.

  Additionally there is a Video Arcade, Horseshoe pit, dog park, celebration hall with board games/puzzles, a mini mart, playground, gazebo, and multiple bath/shower houses and laundry facilities.

  They periodically have special events during the weekends. We lucked out with live music and wine tastings.

  Incredibly close to town but still immersed in the woods.

  Only negative is that it’s close to 101 and car traffic can be heard at times. However, there are many song birds around camp to make your stay pleasant.

  Highly recommend!

• 

  Khang N.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 15, 2020

  Agate Campground — Sue-meg State Park

  Patrick was almost on point

  We stopped here as it was one of the only places near Trinidad. It was your typical state park camp ground with nearby bathrooms, fire pit, picnic table, and water. One thing to note is that there wasn’t a grey water disposal area. There are several campgrounds and we stayed at the Agate Beach one which had nice trail down to the beach.

  The area was very quiet and dark. The pull-in we were at had a nice spot for tent camping. We showed up last minute and there were several spaces available. There is a placard that shows which spaces are available and you can flip it once you park. We picked a spot, flipped the card, and went to go pay at the kiosk. $35/night and cash/check only. I wish I would’ve knew this coming from Oregon.

  It was an ok typical state park but I probably won’t stay here again if I had other options.

• 

  Laura M.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 1, 2024

  Big Lagoon County Park

  Nice FCFS Campground

  We like this little county campground- it’s FCFS only (it seems that early afternoon is the best time to snag a spot). We got the last spot when we arrived that we would fit in in our 26ft class C (there were some tent sites still available). There’s a loop that’s kind of tricky for RVs to navigate, though people will still do it, and other sites outside of the loop that are better suited for RVs. There are a couple of sites at either end of the loop that would work for RVs as well. There are also 2 sites with electric hookups that are $10 extra. 

  You self-register at the bathroom, $30/night. Kind of pricey for what you get, but it’s a cute and mellow little park and it’s got a pleasant vibe, very beautiful surroundings. 

  There are flush toilets and showers that we did not use. The road in to the campground is through some residential neighborhoods, but still relatively easy access from the main road. I wouldn’t recommend this campground for giant rigs.

• M

  Michelle H.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 10, 2020

  Del Loma RV Park and Campground

  Beautiful Trinity River

  En route Phone GPS was not reliable, luckily they have a big sign. Check in was ok, family run business and the office was a mess. Small store carries some essentials. You have to drive through several long term older Travel trailers that look like they have been there for years. I camped at site 28, which was actually a group site. It was great to have a large unoccupied area to one side, but the other side had an unoccupied long term TT that stunk like rotten fish. It was so bad we never put out our patio rug, or cooked outside. Across the way was a clean small pool which was very nice. We enjoyed riding our bikes around the loop, and walking down to the Trinity River. There are 2 river spots from the campground. Both are scenic, only one is safe to enter the water and that spot had a very small river rock spot to set up a couple chairs. If you are tent camping or in a smaller RV, their are some better sites that are further away from the permanent old Travel Trailers closet to the entrance. If you are there over a weekend they do have a very large outdoor laser tag area. They technically do have a free Wi Fi, however it is very weak, almost nonexistent. Verizon had no cell coverage.

• 

  Cynthia K.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 2, 2021

  Emerald Forest Cabins & RV

  Cramped sites

   I was so excited to be camping here. I wanted a campsite in Trinidad which would be central to all I wanted to do in the Redwoods. This campground seemed to check all my boxes, plus: CAMPING BY REDWOOD TREES!!! This was the clincher for me. There are a lot of redwood trees in the campground& in the sites.

   My husband wanted to give one star. I'm giving three. It wasn't completely awful. First, divide the campground in two. The Hwy 101 side& the Patrick Point Road side. You don't want the Hwy 101 side. It's noisy. VERY noisy. PPR side is the better bet. There's traffic noise, but not as bad. There's a rustic charm about the campground. It's obviously an established place, but I couldn't find out how old it was. Lots of annoying signs posted all over the place about quiet hours, check out time, speed limit, ect. They sell propane& there's a dump station. They have a camp store/gift shop at the office. The beach is very close, but there's no view of the ocean at this campground. This is one of the few places we camped at that we were allowed to have a campfire. 

  The worst thing about the campsites on both sides is how close they are- VERY VERY close& narrow. Sites 2-11 are very tight. We had campsite 9. It would have been acceptable if we weren't camped next to site 10, which is the trashiest campsite I've parked next to. Ever. There were a couple of sheds, wooden pallets for a privacy fence& junk everywhere. Obviously a permanent site. The trailer has been there a LOOONG time. We were there for four nights. It sucked. Best site in the campground is site 20, which is a pull through. Don't get site 9 or 11. Sites 14-17 are right on top of the bathrooms& there's foot traffic there all the time. Also not very attractive& right on top of each other. If you rent a cabin, ask not to get Q. Right on top of the bathrooms. Lots of foot traffic. 

  If I had a tent site I'd be in heaven. The tent sites are in a redwood setting. Very rustic& nice. Also spacious. There's cabins also that looked nice. 

  There's one bath house in the 101 side. Men& women. The women's side had 3 sinks, 1 out of order. 3 toilets all working. 3 showers, 1 out of order. There's a group of three unisex bathroom/shower combos by the PPD side. All working. It looked clean, but my husband accidently dropped his towel on the floor& I had to wash it. Very dirty.

   Laundry had all machines working.

   It looked like most reviewers liked this place a lot. I think it had some charm, but didn't like how close the RV sites were. 

  If you're there for a night or two it would probably be ok.

• s

  stephanie

  Guide

  

  Jun. 19, 2021

  Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park Campground

  RV and Travel Trailers Beware

  We stayed for one night as we were passing thru from Oregon to Central California.

  Pros

  • No cell service
  • In the trees, very secluded
  • Flush potties.
  • Nice swimming hole, the water was warm in mid June. This seems to be the primary attraction for this area. Most of the families were gathered along the shore and playing in the water.
  • Hiking straight out of the camp ground. But, it is a very steep trail, so make sure you bring a walking stick(s) and wear proper gear. This is also a heavy bear area, so pack your bear spray.
  • Best for tent or car camping.
  • Nice fire pits, wood for sale at office
  • Fantastic place for kids… so many families with young children.
  • The camp host and other campers were really friendly.

  Cons

  • Close to the road, we heard vehicles all night. We were in a hard sided camper two rows away from the road and could hear them inside. It’s got to be really loud for people closer and in tents.
  • Tight spots and everyone is packed closely together (Check out the video).
  • No electric, site water, dumping, or showers.
  • Not suited for most RVs and travel trailers, you need to be very small and fully self contained. Our 19’ A-Line barely fit into our spot. The sites are close together, short, with roots coming up in the road and parking areas, and sharp angled turns to get into your spot. A lot of spot have over hanging tree limbs. We made it in our spot because our camper is super low profile during travel mode. Would not have been able to fit under the tree limbs with a normal camper.
  • Hwy 36 from the 101 is very curvy with lots of narrow areas and very few turn offs.
  • Not a good place for dogs, very few areas they are allowed other than your camp site. Upon arriving we receive a yellow sheet letting us know why our dog was a problem for wildlife in this area and all the reasons we should not bring him with us next time.

  Over all, I this campground would be a fun place for families, wanting to disconnect from technology for a weekend of tent camping.

• 

  Jess I.

  Guide

  

  Dec. 6, 2021

  Emerald Forest Cabins & RV

  Magical

  My boyfriend & I stayed at this campground on November 24, 2021 (the day before Thanksgiving). We just so happened to get the last available cabin that night (Cabin H). We are very grateful to the front desk staff who helped us that night. Unfortunately all the nearby restaurants were closed when we arrived but luckily the campground has a communal bonfire pit that visitors staying in any of the cabins can use, (the tent sites have their own pits), so we were able to make do with what we had to eat. I uploaded a couple videos and pictures for reference. There is a beautiful gazebo outside the front of cabin H (see uploaded video). And the view from the large balcony in the back of the cabin was nothing short of amazing (see uploaded video). I simmered out there for a little while with a cup of tea, hypnotized with an immediate understanding of why they call this place Emerald Forest. The cabin we stayed in, Cabin H, is a studio cabin with a private bathroom and kitchenette. We visited the nearby town, Trinidad, and I fell in love. The reputation of how nice and welcoming the people are precedes itself. The perfect mix of a small town vibe placed in a hidden gem of a beautiful coastal town. I uploaded a couple videos and pictures taken at Trinidad for reference. I not only highly recommend seeing Trinidad for yourself, I also highly recommend enjoying a stay at this nearby campground when you do.

• 

  Craig M.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 2, 2020

  Hidden Springs Campground — Humboldt Redwoods State Park

  Huge, well-maintained campground with redwood groves

  Large state park campground that was completely sold out, but offered a small section of non-reservable tent campsites. We checked in on a Monday when there were only a few other sites around us occupied, but by the time we were leaving on Thursday most of the non-reservable sites were full.

  The campground is very well maintained with bathrooms and showers that were cleaned every morning. They allow campfires in fire rings and sell firewood on site for $8 a bundle.

  There is a redwood grove hiking trail behind the campsites that takes you from one end of the campground to the other. You can also walk across Avenue of the Giants from the entrance to a trail that leads you down to the South Fork Eel River. We stayed in July when the water was warm enough in which to swim and the fish are very playful. Bring a blanket or pad to sunbathe, the scenery is beautiful. Careful hiking around the area though, poison oak is abundant.

  There’s a small town called Meyers Flat just south of the campground on Avenue of the Giants where you can get some last-minute camp supplies, beer and ice. The market does have some groceries, but not enough to do all your shopping there. I also recommend taking a drive North on Avenue of the Giants to Ferndale or Eureka for a day trip.

  Definitely a great summer spot with the river, and a great anytime spot for a place in the Redwoods. You will hear traffic from the Highway 101 in the evening and morning, but it quiets down enough at night you wont even think about it.