133 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Camping near Gilroy, California encompasses a mix of county parks, RV resorts, and state beach campgrounds within a short drive of this agricultural community. Options range from tent sites in redwood-covered hills to RV campgrounds with full hookups, pools, and WiFi. Mount Madonna County Park sits in redwood-covered hills between Gilroy and Watsonville, offering tent sites, RV spots, cabins, and yurts. Coyote Lake Harvey Bear Ranch County Park, just 15 minutes from the Gilroy outlets, provides lakeside camping with opportunities for kayaking (boats must be inspected first) and wildlife viewing. Pinnacles National Park campground, accessible from the Gilroy/Hollister side, serves as a gateway to unique rock formations and hiking trails where visitors might spot California condors.
Most campgrounds in the Gilroy area are open year-round, though weather conditions vary significantly by season and elevation. Mount Madonna experiences temperature drops up to 40 degrees cooler than Gilroy, with fog creating damp, chilly conditions, especially at night. Summer brings heat to lower elevations, particularly at Pinnacles National Park, where winter and early spring are ideal for hiking. Cell service is limited or non-existent in canyon areas like Uvas Canyon County Park, where visitors should stock up on supplies before arrival. Reservations are recommended for most campgrounds, with popular sites booking quickly, especially on holiday weekends.
The camping options around Gilroy range from natural settings to more developed facilities. RV-focused properties like Gilroy Garlic USA RV Park and Thousand Trails Morgan Hill offer full hookups, WiFi, and amenities such as pools and dog parks, while remaining close to shopping and services. County parks provide a more rustic experience with hiking trails, picnic areas, and basic facilities. According to reviews, Mount Madonna features unique attractions including white fallow deer enclosures and an archery trail with 28 targets. One visitor noted, "It feels very rural when you are in the campground, however civilization isn't far away." Families appreciate the proximity to both natural areas and day trip opportunities to Monterey, Santa Cruz beaches, and other Central California attractions.
"This campground is tucked away between Watsonville, CA and Gilroy, CA in a small stand of second growth redwwoods. They have one loop of rv sites and three other loops of gorgeous tent sites."
"Great hiking trails. Flat looks for kids to bike on. Don't miss the deer pen and the historic house hikes. One of the best local campgrounds near San Jose, Morgan Hill, Gilroy and Watsonville area."
"Camped with electricity and water, situated on a bluff near the ocean. Easy walking distance to the water, nice roomy campsites with fire rings and tables. Not too close to other campers."
"New Brighton is a jewel on the California coast. Camping is on a bluff above beach and you must walk down stairs to get to the beach. Camping in the woods with the beach below is perfect."
from $35 - $185 / night
Check Availability"Dogs can be allowed on beach if you go to the right of the main entrance. No dogs to the left. Camp sites vary but the best loop is South Loop. Some with ocean views but those are hard to reserve. "
"Strawberry fields surround the campground and are next to the Hike and Bike area. The walk is not too difficult down to the beach."
"This gem of a county park is just 15 minutes from the Gilroy outlets but you'd have no idea. Campsites are along the beautiful Coyote lake."
"The lake is closed to any and all water-craft because the water level is too low. It is very clean and well maintained for the most part. Cell phone service for Xfinity/Verizon is spotty at best."
from $34 / night
Check Availability"New showers, nice drive thru spots, friendly people. Lots to do in the camp ground and around Morgan hill/ Gilroy area. This is my go to spot when working in the area."
"Lots to do in the area - we made 2 day trips to Monterey and Carmel by the Sea and spent time in Morgan Hill and Gilroy."
"This is a primitive campground, no showers only vault toilets and restroom near visitor center ( 2 min walk from campground) both decently clean. Water for washing dishes is available."
"There is a small visitor center close to the entrance, with a few souvenirs and some snacks and drinks. Visitor Center only takes cash."
from $20 / night
Check Availability"I would recommend booking away from the jump pillow or playground, unless easy playground access is important, because the spots are pretty noisy."
"Although this is not our preferred type of camping, after five nights in California State parks with limited amenities, we stayed here for hot showers, laundry, and full hookups for van maintenance."
"Uvas Canyon County Park https://www.sccgov.org/sites/parks/parkfinder/pages/uvascanyon.aspx is located about 15 miles west of Gilroy, on the east side of the Santa Cruz Mountains."
"This is a great spot for people looking to get away and camp but not trying to drive for 3-4 hours to do so."
from $34 / night
Check Availability"Tiny dog park, gravel, but grassy areas around too. Right behind shopping center with Walmart, Target, Lowe's and much more."
"We’ll be making this our go to spot when traveling through the Gilroy area from now on. For starters, the staff is wonderful. So friendly."
"Park is well maintained easy access to sites several cool places to eat close by"
"Situated off highway 1 and surrounded by the marina is very appealing for us. Reservations were made over the phone with Liz. She did a nice job of getting us in for the following day."
from $69 - $80 / night
Check Availability
GuideThis is at a racetrack. During the week, there's a handful of campers and some track noise during the day only. Evenings are very peaceful.
Coming from San Francisco, the spacious sites and price are a welcomed change. There are trails all around. The views are great. There are squirrels and birds all around.
GuideLike most/all east bay parks, this is well appointed for the masses. It’s also surrounded by rolling hills and close to suburbia. For many, these are positives. As an east bay resident they are for me as well. Del Valle is a bit more removed than many east bay parks. From my location in Fremont, it’s a one hour drive. A pleasant drive for the most part. I camp to get away for a bit and almost always to mountain bike. As such, I seek parks that have trails. Del Valle has a map of many trails. They also appear on many of the mapping services used by mountain bikers. Review those and digest them if this is also your intention - these are east bay parka style trails. In other words, mostly steep and loose fire roads, with many “social trails” sprinkled between. If you are compelled to stay legit/legal trails, bring an ebike. Now on to the camping. I picked a spot as far removed from any booked spot on the map. I triple checked this up until the day before I arrived. I want solitude! When I arrived Thursday afternoon, I was surprised to see the sites just 3 spaces away, on both sides, occupied. This is a fairly compact area. And while I’m sure they’re lovely folks, this isn’t what I expected on a Thursday. Saturday? Sure. Anyway… be aware that these reservation services aren’t completely reliable in that regard. The bathrooms and showers are amazing! Clean, smell good, cared for. Noteworthy is the hot showers in the camp grounds are free and your one push of the button provides water for two minutes I'd guess. Very nice! The space, 135 for me, is okay. A couple trees for shade, a nice table and fire pit. It’s now dark and the noise is minimal - mostly from the group campsite just down the hill. I’ll update this with more details in the coming days since it’s a 4 day visit.
Update 1: it’s my first morning here. Using starlink as there is no cell signal to be found. What I noticed last night was that this park is directly below the flight path to the local airports. Every couple minutes last night, a plane would fly overhead. According to flight aware, they’re at about 10,000 feet. If this will ruin your getaway, you’ve been warned.
Update 2: On Friday night, the majority of the spots were filled. Many large groups of people with varying degrees of consideration, but to their credit almost all (except the barking German Shepard) were quiet by 10PM. It was a bit more crowded come Saturday morning. Some friends came to visit for a mountain bike ride, and we set off at about noon. I had been complimentary of the facilities and bragged that I'd be taking a nice shower after our ride. Unfortunately, upon our return, there was no hot water and no lighting in the showers. And, sadly, someone decided to remove the tags and hangers from their TJ Maxx haul and leave them all over the floor of two of the showers.
Verdict: I'd only come back here in the springtime when it's likely to be green and have some water in the arroyo and only during the week. The density and composition of the people here was akin to being at Costco on a Saturday, and I only did that once.
TravelerNothing like camping under the redwoods with sounds of streams nearby. Restrooms and facilities are clean and well maintained. Park Rangers are extremely nice and helpful.
GuideRVs only. No tent camping. Some sites have partial hookups and some have full hookups. This is at the edge of the Monterey Pines Golf Course. In fact you check in at the golf course office. Sites 1-14 have a view of the course. Mature shade trees, picnic tables and bbq’s in each site. No fire rings.
The bathrooms are nice and clean and have heaters! Laundry is free! Four washers and eight dryers.
As of Sept 2026 they’re actively building a new dog park.
It’s right next to a private airport and there are 2-3 planes (jets and smaller planes) taking off each hour. It stopped at 10pm and started up again at 5am. Suggest earplugs at nighttime.
Verizon service is pretty poor. They have free Wi-Fi but it didn’t reach to site 1.
GuideThe campsite was great. Ground pretty hard, so a mallet or big rock will be helpful. There’s a tree, but no shade for the picnic table. I setup a tarp and it worked great. There are no flush toilets near the campsite. The loop has portable toilets and handwashing stations.
GuideGreat park. Monthly rates are the most expensive in the country, for a military camp, but still about 2/3 of what it is off base. Watch out for golf balls, stay in spots 7-10. Whatever you do, do not let the door open and let your dog run out by accident...the Navy Knives, err Wives club is always watching. Anyway, close to all Monterey, Big Sur, Salinas, Carmel Valley. Really nice, clean Park. Bathhouses are very clean. Laundry requires quarters, but they work well. Shaded spots, so if you need Starlink stay on the east side row to point north.
TravelerIt’s quite large compared to to other campsites. It was pleasant and have no complaints. Nothing special but hiking trails are fantastic.
GuideVery well run & clean. Mostly quiet. 20 minute walk to Capitola Village (north) or Seacliff (south). Some shady sites, some are exposed.
GuideI came into Santa Cruz to visit family and needed a place to park my bus while there- this park was available and fit my needs perfectly. It’s a simple gravel parking lot set up - clean bathrooms / showers, full hookups. Not what I would call camping but a great place to stay with proximity to the things that matter.
Camping spots near Gilroy, California range from canyon retreats to mountain forests within a 30-minute drive. The region experiences significant temperature variations, with higher elevation sites measuring up to 40°F cooler than valley areas. Cell service is often intermittent or unavailable in canyon locations, particularly at Uvas Canyon County Park where visitors should prepare for offline navigation.
Wildlife watching at Coyote Lake: At Coyote Lake Harvey Bear Ranch County Park, abundant wildlife creates opportunities for nature observation. "We saw lots of wildlife - deer, wild pigs, turkeys, frogs just to name a few," one camper reported. The lakeside location offers varied habitats supporting diverse species.
Hike through redwood forests: Mount Madonna County Park contains multiple trails through dense redwood groves. "The park is on beautiful forested hilltop. Some areas are redwood, other parts mixed with other kinds of trees," notes a visitor. Morning hikers might witness the unique phenomenon of "redwood trees harvest the fog and make their own rain."
Kayak in protected waters: Near Moss Landing KOA Express, paddlers can explore calm waters with marine wildlife. "You can easily walk to the beach, take a trip to the henry cowel redwoods, go ride bikes in santa cruz," one reviewer mentioned. The location provides direct access to launch points for water activities.
Archery on forest trails: Mount Madonna features an uncommon outdoor activity with its dedicated archery course. "There is an archery trail with 28 targets on a trail through the woods," explains one visitor. The course integrates with the natural environment, creating a unique outdoor challenge.
Privacy levels vary by campground: At Henry W. Coe State Park, campers appreciate the natural separation between sites. "The campsites are aesthetically pleasing, with oak and pine trees around the perimeter of the campground," one reviewer shared. In contrast, some campgrounds feature more closely situated sites.
Clean, maintained facilities: Uvas Canyon earns consistent praise for its upkeep. "Super clean and maintained. Especially the bathrooms and showers," writes one camper. "The sites are spaced out nicely and there is a water faucet and trash bins plus recycle every couple of sites."
Diverse camping options: Campgrounds offer varied accommodation types beyond traditional tent sites. "We stayed in one of the airstreams they have for rent there. The family loved it- it was the perfect size for us and everything worked," noted a visitor to Santa Cruz KOA. Other properties feature yurts and cabins.
Proximity to conveniences: While feeling remote, many sites provide quick access to services. "It feels very rural when you are in the campground, however civilization isn't far away," explained a Mount Madonna camper. This balance allows campers to enjoy nature without complete isolation.
Temperature fluctuations: Higher elevation campgrounds experience significant temperature drops. "Prepare for it to be 40deg cooler than Gilroy or San Jose. We weren't prepared & had to drive into town & buy more clothes," warns a Mount Madonna visitor. Evening fog compounds the cooling effect.
Wildlife interactions: Sunset State Beach and other sites require proper food storage. "We suffered the consequences when we awoke to a family of raccoons raiding the box," reported one camper. Wild pigs are active at several campgrounds near Gilroy.
Limited connectivity: Communication services vary widely by location. "Cell service is limited at best," notes a camper. Some parks like Uvas Canyon offer WiFi at bathroom facilities, while others remain completely offline zones.
Water restrictions: At Coyote Lake, visitors should check current regulations. "The lake is closed to any and all water-craft because the water level is too low," a camper reported during drought conditions. Swimming restrictions apply at certain lakes and reservoirs.
Site topography challenges: Not all sites accommodate level camping. "If you have a roof top tent, we scoped out a few sites which are more flat," suggests an Uvas Canyon visitor, specifically recommending sites 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, and 12.
Kid-friendly activities: New Brighton State Beach Campground offers beach access via a ramped pathway. "Good beach access (down a ramped pathway and then staircase)," notes a visitor. The gradual descent makes this suitable for varied mobility levels.
Biking opportunities: Several campgrounds feature terrain appropriate for young cyclists. "Great campground for the kids to bike at but there are a few big hills so make sure they know how to use their brakes," advises a Mount Madonna visitor.
Camp amenities for children: Campgrounds vary in kid-focused features. "TONS of activities on site- huge bouncy pad, a climbing wall, ping pong tables, a swimming pool, pedal go karts," explains a Santa Cruz KOA visitor. Facilities with organized programming offer structured entertainment options.
Educational wildlife viewing: The white fallow deer enclosure at Mount Madonna provides a unique learning opportunity. "Near the ranger station there are pens with white fallow deer. They are descendants of the exotic zoo at William Randolph Hearst's mansion down the coast," shares a camper.
Leveling considerations: Many campgrounds near Gilroy feature uneven terrain. "Sites are not level," notes a visitor to Gilroy Garlic USA RV Park. Bringing leveling blocks is essential for comfortable setup at most area campgrounds.
Site selection for larger rigs: For larger RVs, research specific site dimensions. "SUV tents are usually limited to one entrance/exit point on the tent. Usually the driver's side. Each campsite is different," explains one camper, highlighting the importance of site configuration.
Hookup availability: Electric and water connections vary by campground. "Water, sewer, electric, WiFi, and trash," lists a Gilroy Garlic USA visitor, while other campgrounds offer more limited services. Some sites provide separate RV-focused areas with full hookups.
Dump station timing: Plan for potential delays at popular locations. "The line for the dump station wound through nearly the entire park," warns a New Brighton visitor. Weekday departures typically encounter shorter waits.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does camping in Gilroy cost?
Camping costs around Gilroy vary depending on amenities and location. At Laguna Seca Recreation Area, dry camping sites range from $40-50 per night, which is relatively expensive for non-hookup sites. Pinnacles Campground offers a good value considering its national park location, though specific rates aren't mentioned in reviews. County parks like Uvas Canyon and Mount Madonna typically charge between $20-35 per night for standard sites. For budget-conscious campers, Henry W. Coe State Park provides more affordable options while still offering access to beautiful hiking trails. Most campgrounds require additional fees for extra vehicles, and many implement reservation systems with booking fees, especially during peak summer and holiday seasons.
What RV parks are available in Gilroy?
Several quality RV parks serve the Gilroy area. Thousand Trails Morgan Hill offers drive-through spots with amenities including a pool, basketball court, volleyball, horseshoes, playground, billiards, and organized activities for kids. Located just minutes from Gilroy, it's popular with families. Betabel RV Park provides excellent access from US 101 with a mix of shaded and open sites, serving as a convenient central location for exploring Morgan Hill, Gilroy, San Jose, Santa Cruz, and Monterey. Other options include Uvas Pines RV Park, which is quieter with many long-term residents and features a well-maintained dog park, and Gilroy Garlic USA RV Park, conveniently located for Gilroy attractions. Thousand Trails San Benito is another option farther out but good for exploring Pinnacles National Park.
Where are the best campgrounds near Gilroy, CA?
The Gilroy area offers excellent camping options within a short drive. Mount Madonna County Park stands out with beautiful second-growth redwoods, multiple camping loops for tents and RVs, plus amenities including showers, hiking trails, and historical attractions. Just 15 minutes from Gilroy outlets, Coyote Lake Harvey Bear Ranch County Park provides lakeside sites with good shade and opportunities for kayaking (boats require inspection). For those willing to drive a bit further, Uvas Canyon County Park offers a peaceful camping experience about 15 miles west of Gilroy in the Santa Cruz Mountains, while Pinnacles Campground provides access to the stunning national park landscapes with excellent hiking opportunities.
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