Las Trampas Regional Wilderness offers designated areas for horses on its extensive trail system in the East Bay hills near San Ramon. Equestrian campsites near Golden Gate National Recreation Area include trailheads suitable for trailer parking with areas to temporarily secure horses. The campground accommodates tents and RVs with water hookups and sewer connections available at some sites. The surrounding terrain provides miles of riding opportunities through oak woodlands and grasslands with sweeping views of Mount Diablo. Sites require reservations through the East Bay Regional Park District reservation system, with special consideration needed for equestrian camping arrangements.
Trail connectivity makes Las Trampas particularly valuable for horse owners, with direct access to a network of multi-use paths that extend throughout the 5,778-acre wilderness area. The terrain ranges from steep climates to rolling hills with well-maintained paths suitable for various riding skill levels. Water sources for horses are limited along trails, so riders should pack sufficient water for their animals. Weather conditions vary significantly throughout the year, with summer months bringing dry conditions and occasional high temperatures. The surrounding park system connects to additional equestrian-friendly areas including Tilden Regional Park, which provides additional riding options along well-established trails. Permits for overnight horse camping must be secured well in advance, especially during peak season.
"in an open meadow on a bluff overlooking the ocean with a short walk to the beach and a 3.2 kilometer (2.0 miles) round-trip walk to [Alamere Falls](https://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/alamere_falls.htm"
"Really great site right next to the water and beach. The hike in is pretty easy and beautiful. We had fun making a fire on the beach at night. It's pretty windy, so be prepared."
$25 - $200 / night
"Anthony Chabot Campgrounds sits high up on the Castro Valley Hills overlooking Lake Chabot. There are several awesome hiking trails going down to the lake as well as some equestrian trails."
"as usual some spots are better than others but most close to restrooms and/or water. lots of poison oak and star thistle right off trail. great deterrent for kids to stay out of tick areas but id worry"
$75 - $120 / night
"Tilden is great for anyone looking for a close park right outside of the Berkeley/San Fran area. It is a rather large park area that overlooks Berkeley."
"Tilden offers a lake in the middle to swim in and fish. The campsites have lots of fire pits. The weather is always great too!"
$30 - $90 / night
"West Marin offers an incredibly picturesque location to explore, and Coast Camp is about as good as it gets."
"The beach offers tidepools close by as well as a great place for beach fire (permit needed). There are two routes to hike in."
"This location is easily accessible for all. Biking, trails for hiking and the gardens are gorgeous. Rvs and horses welcome."
"We only stayed overnight the staff was very friendly,lots of stuff to do around the campsite from hiking,mtb,watch horses, frisbee golf and then you have napa where you can get wine,brewery,and restaurants"
$15 / night
"The 31-mile East Bay Skyline National Recreation Trail, part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail system, traverses"
$45 / night
"This campsite is centrally located on the peninsula. Access to several roadside dog friendly beaches within minutes. The bay and the beach are within walking distance to campground."
"There are also equestrian trails, so you can book a horseback ride from a local ranch as well!!"
$43 / night
"We just stayed here for 2 nights, great location very close to Calistoga and not to far from Saint Helena! Next time i would love to try out a cabin or yurt."
"Good access to wineries close by. Only real downside was that because of the dry conditions we could not have a campfire."
$15 - $200 / night
"This hidden gem hides behind the vineyard crested mountain range just due south of Livermore."
"Campsite amenities were great, easy access to water and bathrooms. Bathrooms were spotless the whole weekend, even though it was a holiday weekend and every site was booked."
RangerThis campsite is centrally located on the peninsula. Access to several roadside dog friendly beaches within minutes. The bay and the beach are within walking distance to campground. The bathrooms are clean and the showers are coin operated. Sites are flat and semi private. The staff is friendly and campground is large.
LegendAnthony Chabot Campgrounds sits high up on the Castro Valley Hills overlooking Lake Chabot. There are several awesome hiking trails going down to the lake as well as some equestrian trails. The hiking trails go around the lake. Dogs are allowed but they should be on a leash. Lake Chabot has a marina that rents boats for recreational use and fishing. It's a few miles driver to get there from the campgrounds. I only gave it 4 stars because of that. They have tent and RV campsites, but no RV hookups.
GuideIt is always windy and therefore cold on the beach. That is why there are such big sand dunes.
Regardless, a beautiful place to visit and camp. There are also equestrian trails, so you can book a horseback ride from a local ranch as well!!
LegendSibley Regional Preserve
San Francisco East Bay residents actually have a volcano in their backyard at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve. Originally called Round Top Park, Sibley shares with Temescal and Tilden Parks the distinction of being one of the East Bay Regional Park District's original parks.
The Sibley backpack camp is a small, primitive hike-in site for a maximum of 15 campers (although this would be super cramped in my opinion, unless it a bunch of small kids), a moderate 0.2 mile walk from the parking lot (NO VEHICLE ACCESS). The site has basically 360 degree views of Mount Diablo, Vollmer Peak and Tilden Park. There are only two tent pads - approximately 10'x25' and 10'x20'. Site has 2 picnic tables, 1 serving table, and a pit toilet close by which was very clean and well maintained.
During the day you’ll have lots of people walk semi/sorta by the campground, but there is no reason that anyone would walk through your area as if they did they’d tumble off and down the side of a nice steep hill…
No wood fires or BBQs are allowed; only camp stoves are allowed for cooking, your night time enjoyment.
Drinking water is 0.2 miles from camp at the trail head so keep that in mind before it gets too dark to hike back and forth for a drink.
There are several trails providing tons of access throughout the preserve. The 31-mile East Bay Skyline National Recreation Trail, part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail system, traverses the preserve along the ridgeline between Wildcat Canyon and Anthony Chabot Parks. Round Top Road goes from the Sibley visitor center to the top of Round Top. Round Top Loop Trail circles Round Top peak. Volcanic Trail, once a quarry haul road, contains most of the stops on the self-guided volcanic tour.
Dogs are allowed throughout this section of the park and in camp on leash but are not allowed on the adjacent Huckleberry trails. Also, the EBRPD lists, dogs “must be under owner's control at all times” and must not disturb other animals or park visitors, but I definitely saw a lot of loose well behaved dogs running free.
Bikes are allowed on the fire trail, but there are lots of hikers and dog walkers in this park so be mindful. Also, Horses are allowed but there is no hitching rail and no water troughs in the park (or at least that I saw anywhere).
If you decide to try and bike be mindful that most trails are hiking and equestrian only. A few trails are multi-use. Bicycles are not allowed on narrow-gauge trails, except on the Skyline Trail between the Sibley visitor center and Old Tunnel Road. Bicycles are allowed on the wider-gauge fire trails and paved roads but are not allowed on Sibley Round Top from EBMUD water tank road junction to top of Round Top Peak.
Vehicles must be parked in the staging area and display a valid overnight parking permit: 3 parking permits are included in the reservation and will be mailed 5 days in advance. No additional parking permits are available. Otherwise, you can actually get here via public transport by Taking the AC Transit CB bus to the Mountain Blvd stop, them walk about 3 miles to the park.
While you can check if it’s already reserved online. Reservation must be completed at least 5 days in advance by calling 1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327-2757, press option 2.
RangerThis campground is nice with newer bathrooms and shower facilities, but it's also very open and exposed. Great access to Spring Lake's water-based activities and hiking trails, plus easy access to Trione-Annadel State Park for hiking and mountain biking. Howarth Park, a city park, also borders Spring Lake Regional Park and provides access to boating and fishing on Lake Ralphine, plus they have a small train, carousel, tennis courts, and a softball field. Overall a good campsite for families in need of lots of recreation options, but not the best for those wishing to "get away from it all."
RangerSkyline Wilderness County Park is a great little campground just outside of downtown Napa. There are always a lot of RVs there, but thankfully the tent section is separate from most of the RVs. The tent area leaves a little to be desired and is basically just a stretch of grass with picnic tables, BBQs and very little separation or cover from trees. Of course you don’t really think wilderness camping when you think of Napa Valley.
Despite being close to town there is actually quite a bit to do in the park and once you get back from the campground a bit you can really feel kind of far away from the congested Napa Valley. There are quite a few hiking trails and some offer beautiful views of the valley. By far the most popular is the Lake Marie Trail and Fire Road and Manzanita is popular with mountain bikers.
The River to Ridge Trail is nice and provides access to the Kennedy Park, the Napa River, and miles of bike paths, but check at the kiosk if the gate next to highway 221 (Soscol Ferry Road) is open and I have found it to not have a very consistent schedule.
According to a couple of friends that are pretty die-hard disk golfers, the course at Skyline is one of the best and most challenging in the area. I found it to be pretty fun, especially is your expectations are extremely low.
Being Napa Valley there is of course wine tasting and having a parking spot at the campground you have the perfect opportunity to take an Uber or car service to ensure your safety while enjoying Napa’s most famous export.
This is not a park that will provide you with memorable hikes or photos for your Instagram, but it is a decent place to stay in Napa if you’re the type that prefers to sleep in a tent or RV over a very pricey hotel.
ScoutThis location is easily accessible for all. Biking, trails for hiking and the gardens are gorgeous. Rvs and horses welcome.
Scoutas usual some spots are better than others but most close to restrooms and/or water. lots of poison oak and star thistle right off trail. great deterrent for kids to stay out of tick areas but id worry if we brought dogs! we were at #45, family sites and there were families with kids all over. there even was a patch of grass for kids to play on. trails nearby good for easy mountain biking and hiking
LegendWhat a find! This hidden gem hides behind the vineyard crested mountain range just due south of Livermore. Once you get off the 680/580 highways, you'll be immediately swept into a different wind-strewn, rocky landscape that you'll have to wind around several bends on some decent inclined well-paved roads before making your arrival to Del Valle regional park.
You'll have to pay the$10 to get through, but this is one of the few parks where that fee, if maximized, is a great investment. The campgrounds here are all incredibly well maintained, spacious (perhaps a bit too spacious and open in some places). With a great number of trails to take in any direction, the great find here is the well-appointed lake that rents kayaks, paddle boats and canoes. There's even horses you can rent nearby if you get tired of all the hiking.
There's plenty of places to picnic if you get tired of eating at your campsite. Be wary of the weekends, especially long holiday weekends where this park gets completely overrun. Other than this, it's a fantastic camping site.
Happy Camping!
Las Trampas Regional Wilderness offers equestrian camping opportunities within 25 miles of San Francisco. The East Bay hills near San Ramon reach elevations of 1,900 feet, providing views of Mount Diablo and the surrounding valleys. Trail conditions vary seasonally with summer temperatures frequently reaching 85-95°F in inland areas, while coastal campgrounds maintain cooler 60-70°F averages.
Beach fires with permits: At Coast Campground in Point Reyes, campers can enjoy beach fires with proper permits. "We had fun making a fire on the beach at night. It's pretty windy, so be prepared. Enough room for a big group of us and the remote location was perfect," reports Madelyn G.
Hiking volcanic terrain: The Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve offers unique geological exploration on extinct volcanic formations. "San Francisco East Bay residents actually have a volcano in their backyard at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve. The Sibley backpack camp is a small, primitive hike-in site for a maximum of 15 campers, a moderate 0.2 mile walk from the parking lot," notes Elliott B.
Horseback riding trails: Multiple designated horse trails connect through the regional parks system with suitable trailer parking at trailheads. For moderate terrain suitable for various skill levels, try the 31-mile East Bay Skyline National Recreation Trail. Stuart K. observes at Las Trampas, "Pass the cows grazing in the meadows to climb clear to the top for a most spectacular view of Eastbay and nearby Mt. Diablo."
Quick access from urban areas: Anthony Chabot Regional Park provides horse-friendly camping just minutes from Oakland. "Always went here when we don't wanna drive too far. Staff is great and place is clean. Campsite #69 has the best view but is next to trail. Very nice trails and not super far from town to get food," writes Daniel M.
Ocean proximity: Wildcat Campground in Point Reyes sits on a bluff overlooking the Pacific with beach access. "The campground is about 10 kilometer (6.3 miles) hike from the Bear Valley Visitor Center or an 8.8 kilometer (5.5 miles) hike on the Coast Trail from Palomarin," explains Elliott B., adding that the campground includes "vaulted toilets, and potable water!"
Wilderness solitude: Horse campers appreciate the remote areas that remain accessible. "While the campgrounds themselves are nice, and I appreciate not having to lug in all of our water and the use of the vault toilets I personally think that the amount of day hikers, and horse back riders detracts from the feel of this being a back-country campground. Maybe in the Fall/Winter or Spring it's better," notes Elliott B. about Wildcat.
Reservation requirements: Most equestrian camping requires advance booking. At Point Reyes, "Reservation/Confirmation Notice ≠ Permit. So even though you may have already made a reservation online, you must stop by the Bear Valley Visitor Center on your arrival date to pick up your camping permit and parking pass," warns Elliott B.
Limited water sources: Pack sufficient water for horses on trails as natural sources are unreliable, particularly during summer months. At Tilden Regional Park, Stuart K. notes, "What this campground lacks in ambiance, grooming and amenities, this location makes up for by putting you smack dab in the middle of some very phenomenal hiking in all of the Eastbay."
Weather preparation: Coastal fog and temperature variations require layered clothing. "During our hike in and out we hung out at site #2 as this site didn't have people currently camping there. I'd be cautious about actually staying at this site as unfortunately it had the horse riders come right by as this is really the only way they can get to the hitches," cautions Elliott B.
Beginner-friendly options: Del Valle Campground offers family sites with relatively flat terrain. "Close to the Bay Area and probably one of the better options. It can get crowded over the weekends," notes Gustav H., adding, "The sites are reasonably spaced."
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Many parks offer junior ranger programs and wildlife viewing. "We've been camping here a few times now, since it is about a half hour from where we live. Lots of turkey and deer in the area," shares Ed E. about Del Valle.
Site selection strategies: Choose sites away from main trails for families with young children. "As someone else mentioned, there is a $2 per day dog fee that caught us off guard. I'm sure it must mention it on the website as it's mentioned in the brochures they hand you when you check in," warns Lori T. about Anthony Chabot.
Hookup availability: Bodega Dunes Campground has no electric hookups but offers sanitary dump stations. "The sites are nice with picnic tables. Some more level than others. Nice big trees. Great hosts," reports Kathy B.
Site leveling challenges: Many campgrounds in the region have uneven terrain requiring leveling blocks. "The campground itself it pretty nice. Walkable to the Pacific Coast, very walkable to Bodega Harbor, and direct access to the trails of Bodega Head," notes Michael I., who adds, "In June of 2025 the bathrooms in the site #22-55 loop was undergoing a pretty major renovation."
Tight maneuvering: Some horse-friendly campgrounds have limited turning radius for larger rigs with trailers. Most equestrian areas require careful backing with larger combinations. At Bodega Dunes, "They are generally smaller pull-in sites geared more toward tents, vans, and small travel trailers. There are just a handful of sites that can accommodate bigger RVs," explains Shari G.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Golden Gate National Recreation Area?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Golden Gate National Recreation Area is Wildcat Campground — Point Reyes National Seashore with a 4.8-star rating from 15 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Golden Gate National Recreation Area?
TheDyrt.com has all 15 equestrian camping locations near Golden Gate National Recreation Area, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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