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Best Tent Camping near Frazier Park, CA

640 Reviews

Tent campsites surrounding Frazier Park, California offer a mix of high-elevation sites and secluded desert locations within Los Padres National Forest. Chula Vista Campground at Mt. Pinos stands at nearly 9,000 feet elevation, providing free tent camping with shaded sites and picnic tables, while Oak Flat Campground offers primitive tent sites with more rugged conditions roughly 20 miles southwest of town.

Most tent camping areas near Frazier Park require visitors to bring their own water and follow strict fire regulations, particularly during dry summer months. Vault toilets exist at several sites including Chula Vista and Pine Mountain campgrounds, though they may not always be well-maintained or stocked with toilet paper. An Adventure Pass ($5 daily or $30 annual) is required for parking at many tent campsites in the area, available for purchase at local businesses like Mountain View Mini Mart in Frazier Park. Sites typically feature fire rings and picnic tables, though fire bans may be in effect seasonally.

High-elevation tent camping provides excellent stargazing opportunities and cooler summer temperatures compared to nearby desert locations. Chula Vista offers walk-in tent sites accessible via a short quarter-mile trail from the parking area, providing more solitude than drive-in locations. Many primitive tent sites are situated among joshua trees or pine forests depending on elevation and location. Trails connect directly to several tent campgrounds, making them good basecamps for day hiking or backpacking adventures. A visitor commented, "Chula Vista is a short hike from the parking lot, but it is quite a way off of the 5 up more than one windy road. Mt. Pinos stands at almost 9,000 feet, one of the highest in the area, so if you are subject to altitude sickness be aware."

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Best Tent Sites Near Frazier Park, California (42)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Frazier Park, CA

31 Photos of 42 Frazier Park Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Frazier Park, CA

640 Reviews of 42 Frazier Park Campgrounds

  • Jeremiah F.
    Jul. 21, 2020

    Chula Vista Campground at Mt. Pinos

    Great Hike-in campground with nice hiking nearby!

    At the top of the Cuddy Valley road is a large parking lot (Adventure Pass required) for the hiking trail to the top of Mt. Pinos. Off to the other side is a dirt trail on the edge of a meadow, after about 200/300 yards is Chula Vista Campground. The camp sites vary greatly in size and flatness, so check around for the good ones.

    First Come First serve camping, with some great spots overlooking the nearby meadow. The sites were clean and decently spread out, with fire rings and picnic benches.

    It can get pretty windy up here so make sure your tent is staked down well. If you don't have an Adventure Pass, Mountain View Mini Mart in Frazier Park is the closest place i know that sells them. $5 a day, or $30 for the year pass. (you can get a second year pass for only $5).

    Met a guy named Bob and helped set up his telescope in the parking lot, he let anyone who wanted check out the amazing night sky!

    Pros: Free camping!

              Great hiking nearby.

              Shady, clean sites.

              Great sky gazing!

    Cons: Lots of flies, very active during the day.

               Bathrooms were pretty messy. below average for vault toilets. Bring extra TP.

  • Dani P.
    Jul. 12, 2019

    Chula Vista Campground at Mt. Pinos

    Hike In Gorgeous Campground with ample space

    Park at the lot up top, then walk about 1/2 mile to campground via dirt path. Plenty of sites. Old rustic bathrooms work well. Picnic tables at each site. Brought my dogs here and they had a blast, plus no ticks found. Plenty of hiking directly around this campground. Stayed here for three nights and found plenty of exploring to do nearby. Highly recommend, especially because there is no fee. Being said, Pack it in and pack it out! Leave No Trace principles are crucial to keep this place beautiful

  • Stephanie F.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 31, 2025

    KCL Campground

    So peaceful, really serene

    It’s a very simple place but I found it so peaceful being surrounded by the golden plains, the breeze through the big shaded eucalyptus trees, and hearing the owls near sundown. Theres also hummingbirds that’ll get up right in your face. I was also the only one at the site so that was nice. The area is clean, vault toilets kinda gross though. Very small campground, a couple drive in sites and a couple walk in sites but each drive in site had a picnic table, fire ring, and a metal pole hook and theres one drinking water spigot for the whole campground. So not bad!! Road was surprisingly smooth majority of way and has some paved parts but there was some washboard parts too. Road to get here was long though about 13 miles from the blm sign. There was paper maps at the sign area. I got 3 bars at the campground with AT&T but was spotty on the drive over.

  • Antonio C.
    Aug. 30, 2019

    Chula Vista Campground at Mt. Pinos

    Summer Heat Getaway!

    It’s a nice drive to get to the campground. Nice clean area with lots of space. Love it that’s it’s a Walk in campground so no cars or RVs. Lots of Hiking trails nearby. It’s a lot cooler up here so it’s a nice way to get away from the summer heat. Awesome area for stargazing. The bathrooms could use some cleaning but other than that it’s a beautiful area.

  • Mon M.
    Jul. 2, 2018

    KCL Campground

    BLM site for remote camping

    A small remote site on a BLM land, so it is free but it is a first come first serve site. Not many facilities or gas stations nearby so it may be a good idea to bring extra gas if you plan to explore Carrizo Plains. It is right off of Soda Lake Road, about half a mile from the road at a shady little grove. Went on a windy weekend, but campground was nestled under eucalyptus trees so it helped. There are owls in those trees, so they were hooting loud into the night. Some may like it, but it was pretty loud. There are two restrooms (vault toilets - no water), fire pits and picnic tables. Bring your own water. No trash service so pack in and pack out. Views are nice especially if you get sites facing the open plains. Went in June so it was already fire season so no camp fire was allowed. It was a non-busy weekend, but campers arrived late throughout the evening and it was almost full. Weekdays may be pretty deserted out there. Weather can get very hot so make sure to check weather forecast before heading out.

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 11, 2022

    Camping @ Quail Run Ostrich Ranch

    Great tour and amenities

    General: This is not an official campground but due to its proximity to the Pacific Crest Trail, the owners make it available for tent and RV campers as well as members of Harvest Host. 

    Site Quality: There are no designated sites so you can park where it best suits you on a large and level gravel lot. Since there was a strong wind advisory to last through the night into the next morning, Jessica recommended we park along the trees, and this made for an effective windbreak. There is also an additional gravel lot where the only other RV camper stayed so we had privacy. 

    Bathhouse: I was hoping for a vault toilet so was pleasantly surprised to find flush toilets with a sink, soap, and paper towels. No showers and no hot water.

    Activities/Other Amenities: Take a tour of the ostrich farm – we learned a lot and it is worth the $10pp. At the end of the tour, you can purchase ostrich oil (many benefits), ostrich eggs (sometimes sold out), local brews, local honey, and a few other items. Other amenities include a propane bbq, fire ring, picnic table, and electric outlets (located by each light pole by the stage/dance floor which is also used for weddings and other gatherings). There is also a peaceful garden and a playground. Other activities include ax throwing and archery, neither of which we tried. (A girl scout troop was doing archery when we were there). Quail Run is a family-owned business and everyone we talked with was very welcoming and communication was thorough. 

    Note: the gates are closed between 5 pm and 8 am (7 pm-7 am during the summer). If you need it, cell coverage via Verizon is available.

  • April C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 14, 2023

    KCL Campground

    Great location

    Nice and clean. Vault toilets. There’s water, but not sure if it’s potable, there wasn’t a sign. No trash service, you have to pack it out. There is an area for your horse. Walk in sites, rv/car camp/van/tent sites. It’s first come first serve, no reservations and it’s free.

  • Chanel C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 9, 2018

    KCL Campground

    Beautiful, remote grassland

    Carrizo Plains National Monument is the largest single native grassland remaining in California in SE San Luis Obispo, and my husband and I have been wanting to visit. We found Kern Cattle & Land Ranch which has now been turned into a campground for people to enjoy.

    [ PROS ]

    • FREE camping is the best camping! It’s first come first serve, but there was only one other camper there the weekend we visited.
    • There are about 12 dispersed sites and all of them are under or near eucalyptus trees that offer really lovely shade from the harsh sun.
    • Each sites comes with a picnic table, fire ring + grill, 1 parking spot, and gear pole with hook (for hanging lanterns/trash bags/food/etc.)
    • There are 2 gender neutral vault toilets that are clean. The restroom is stocked with toilet paper and there is hand sanitizer available. No sink.
    • So much nature to see around! We saw kangaroo rats, bats, hawks, rabbits, ground squirrels (that are going extinct), and lots of fun insects. In the evening we heard lots of coyotes in the distance.
    • The evenings here are spectacular -- very little light pollution so you get a clear view of the night sky and all of the stars. The Milky Way was so vivid and we saw shooting stars the entire evening.
    • I’ve been wanting to see an owl in nature for so long, and I was able to see one in broad daylight. It was so insane and magical. We heard the owls all night (they are very loud) but I love falling asleep to the sound of nature. The owl sighting was the highlight of my trip!
    • There are tons of trails and places to explore. We even got to explore the last standing structure of the original ranch. You can visit the San Andreas Fault Line, Soda Lake, and Painted Rock which are all driving distance.

    [ CONS ]

    • The drive to and from KCL campground is a little rough. At some point you get on a dirt road that is quite bumpy and has potholes.
    • It’s super hot in this part of California during the summer so make sure you pack LOTS of water. There is no water available on the campgrounds or for miles.
    • No showers, obviously since there isn’t any water available.
    • TONS. OF. FLIES. EVERYWHERE. It’s a little unbearable during the day having to spend the majority of your energy swatting flies. It is so arid out there that flies are constantly landing on every part of your body to lick the sweat off of you. The toilets are clean, but TONS OF FLIES. Not little house flies, but super juicy big fat flies. Luckily they go away when the sun sets.
    • No fires allowed! They have fire pits, but you’re not allowed to burn wood. I believe you can use the fire pit with coals since there is a grill provided.
    • No gas stations, stores, shops around for miles. Make sure you come prepared with everything you need unless you’re prepared for a long drive on the dirt roads.

    Note: Pack in. Pack out. Please folks, remember to take your trash with you and leave the place better than you found it. It was sad seeing beer bottles and bullet shells littering the area. We did our  best to pick up what we could and take it with us, but LNT!!

  • SThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 12, 2025

    Santa Cruz Campground — Carpinteria State Beach

    Beautiful location. Close to town

    Beautiful location. Close to town. Walkable, hike-able, bike-able, rideable via paths. No dogs on beach. There is a dog beach further up the coast. Sites are pretty tight. Lots of families and tent camping. Need token from kiosk for showers. Train comes by every once in a while. I stayed in Santa Cruz in my 25’ motorhome with no hook ups. Had my own picnic table and fire ring. May stay again only because of the nice walkable paths. Watch where you step near the tar pits.

Guide to Frazier Park

Tent camping near Frazier Park, California, offers a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in nature while enjoying the stunning landscapes of the Los Padres National Forest. With a variety of campgrounds available, each providing unique amenities and activities, there's something for every outdoor enthusiast.

Tent campers should check out Chula Vista Campground at Mt. Pinos

  • The Chula Vista Campground at Mt. Pinos features free camping with shaded sites, picnic tables, and fire rings, making it a great spot for a cozy outdoor experience.
  • Located near hiking trails, this campground is perfect for those looking to explore the beautiful scenery of the area.
  • Keep in mind that there are no water facilities, so be sure to bring your own supplies.

Tent campers like these nearby activities

  • Enjoy a scenic hike to Mount Pinos from the Chula Vista Campground at Mt. Pinos, where you can take in breathtaking views and experience the local flora and fauna.
  • Stargazing is a highlight at Reyes Peak Campground, where the high elevation provides clear skies for viewing celestial events.
  • For those seeking adventure, the Pine Mountain Campground offers access to numerous hiking trails and the chance to explore the Sespe Wilderness.

Some prices for tent camping range from $0 to $30

  • Camping at Chula Vista Campground at Mt. Pinos is free, making it an excellent choice for budget-conscious campers.
  • The Reyes Peak Campground operates on a first-come, first-served basis, with an Adventure Pass required for parking, costing around $5 per day or $30 for an annual pass.
  • At the Pine Mountain Campground, you can enjoy a well-reviewed camping experience with no fees, but be prepared for a primitive setup without water hookups.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Frazier Park, CA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Frazier Park, CA is Chula Vista Campground at Mt. Pinos with a 4.5-star rating from 6 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Frazier Park, CA?

TheDyrt.com has all 42 tent camping locations near Frazier Park, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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