Best Cabin Camping near Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Several cabin accommodations exist within a short drive of Golden Gate National Recreation Area, offering peaceful lodging options surrounded by coastal scenery and redwood forests. Steep Ravine Campground in Mount Tamalpais State Park features oceanfront cabins with million-dollar views just 30 minutes north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Samuel P. Taylor State Park Campground provides cabin options nestled among mature redwood trees. Most cabins include basic wooden furnishings, wood-burning stoves for heat, and sleeping platforms to accommodate multiple guests. Kitchen facilities typically consist of basic countertops without running water, requiring guests to use outdoor spigots for washing dishes. "These cabins are well worth the cost. There is a separate bedroom, you could sleep 2 couples on beds easily with extra floor space and a small individual bunk for larger families. No electricity but the wood burning stove provides some light."
Rustic log cabins dominate the accommodation options, with varying levels of amenities depending on location and price point. KOA-style cabins at San Francisco North-Petaluma KOA provide more modern amenities than the state park options. Reservations are essential and often difficult to secure, particularly for the oceanfront cabins at Steep Ravine where bookings must be made six months in advance. Pet policies vary by location, with Steep Ravine prohibiting pets while Samuel P. Taylor and KOA cabins generally allow them. A camper noted about Steep Ravine: "We've been lucky enough to score one of these cabins twice by checking in every so often to see if someone cancelled a reservation."
Most cabin facilities provide basic furnishings with beds requiring visitors to bring their own linens, pillows, and sleeping bags. Lighting is minimal or nonexistent in more rustic options, making flashlights, lanterns, and candles essential items to pack. Based on reviews from The Dyrt, visitors should "bring something to hang over windows if you need privacy" as many cabins lack curtains. Cooking facilities vary significantly between properties, with some offering only outdoor fire pits while others provide basic indoor countertops. On-site firewood is available for purchase at most locations, though matches and kindling should be brought from home. General stores in Point Reyes Station and Stinson Beach offer basic provisions, though most cabin campers bring their own food and supplies.
