Looking for the best tent campgrounds near Gualala? Find the best information on tent campgrounds near Gualala, including sites, reviews, and tips. Each tent site offers quick access to one or more of Gualala, California's most popular destinations.
Austin Creek State Recreation Area is currently under a complete closure at this time and will remain so until further notice.
There have been major impacts to the unit due to the 2020 Walbridge Fire. Due to significant hazards there is NO ACCESS ALLOWED by foot, bike, vehicle or any other means in Austin Creek SRA. If unauthorized vehicles and or people are found in Austin Creek SRA they will be subject to contact and citation. We need this time for clearing hazards and debris so that we can get Austin Creek SRA open at some point down the road. Thank you for your patience.
Bullfrog Pond Campground offers Twenty-three campsites. Campsites #1 through #8 (minus #4 our camp host site) are first-come, first-served campsites. Campsites #9 through #24 are on reservations through Hipcamp. Reserve a campsite by visiting www.hipcamp.com Each campsite has a picnic table and fire ring. There are two sets of bathrooms each with a flush toilet and sink. Unfortunately there are no shower facilities available.
Bullfrog Pond does not offer any group camping. The nearest State Park that offers group camping can be found at Salt Point State Park. None of the campsites at Bullfrog Pond will accommodate vehicles over 20 feet in length. We do not offer any hike and bike sites (reduced fees). The campground is subject to seasonal closure due to extreme weather or conditions. The pond itself almost always goes dry by mid-summer and when there IS water in the pond there may be mosquitos in the area. Ticks are also prevalent in the area so bring a good bug/tick repellant.
In warmer weather it is advisable to keep an eye out for rattlesnakes as they are in the area. If you would like a first-come first-served campsite you will need to register with staff at the Armstrong kiosk. If staff is not available at the kiosk, you can self-register at the entrance to Bullfrog Pond. Official check-in time is 2 o'clock pm. Pay the $35.00 camping fee and any extra vehicle fees ($8.00/vehicle) prior to occupying a campsite. Max occupancy per campsite is 8 people. You are allowed to bring two vehicles, but we do not guarantee both vehicles will fit on your parking spur. If any of your vehicles don't fit on your designated parking spur, please take it up to overflow parking area at Vista Point parking lot. Please ensure the day use parking areas are free from camper vehicles.
Please note that the campground is likely to go into a fire ban in the summer and autumn season. We will keep you up to date.
When available, a camp host will be occupying the camp host spot at campsite #4. Remember that quiet hours begin at 10 o'clock pm and noise significantly carries to other campsites in the campground. We are always looking for a good camp host. If interested check in with staff at the entrance station.
Camp fires, BBQ's, candles, tiki torches, etc. will be prohibited during periods of extreme fire danger. During fire bans, propane camp stoves may be used for cooking.
Dogs are permitted in your paid for campsite, picnic areas and on paved roads ONLY. Dogs are not allowed on dirt roads or on any trails. Dogs must remain leashed at all times.
Bicycles are allowed on paved roads and fire roads. Bicycles are not allowed on any trails.
$48 / night
Reported 8/2022 Paul Dimmick campground is open on a first-come, first-serve basis May 27, 2022 – September 7, 2022.
Navarro Beach Campground is OPEN
Visitors to the Navarro River Redwoods State Park can enjoy picnicking, swimming, and camping at the Paul M. Demmick campground. The park is popular with anglers, canoeists, and kayakers in the late winter and spring.
Second growth redwood groves stretch the length of the park. They are home for raccoons, black-tail deer, and river-oriented birds such as the belted kingfisher.
$10 - $35 / night
$30 - $50 / night
Existing Resources: This campground is located just west of Camp 20 off of Highway 20. There are a total of 17 campsites, (2) one stall outhouses, three trash can structures, camp host site, information board and an iron ranger pay station.
La Bohemia sits atop the world renown Bohemian Grove near Monte Rio, CA. The multi-acre property boast view of the Bohemian Grove and surrounding west county forests. Though it has nearly 280-degree mountain top views, no developed structures can be seen. La Bohemia affords the best that the redwood forest offers.
Because of the sensitive habitat, the desired privacy of the neighbors, and the mission to maintain the pristine forest, LA Bohemia is only available to environmental small parties who are dedicated to environmental conservations. One member of the group must be a member of a environmental or conservation-focused organization such as the Sierra Club, Save the Redwood League, the Fernwood Trust, or similar environmental organization.
The approach to LA Bohemia is a mile long trail that rises 650 feet. It is not strenuous but you should be in good shape with good footwear to reach it. The good part is that you do not need to pack more than clothes, food, sleeping bags, and smiles as La Bohemia is well-appointed with amenities that make your stay comfortable including electricity, refrigeration, food storage, kitchen facilities, a firepit.
$200 - $800 / night
Traveler
Great camping, hiking, boating. Lots of nature trails. Super friendly staff
Legend
Have you been over to Bodega Bay? I think you'd like it there. Our friends sure know us well! While the town doesn’t look much different than when it appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds”, the cafes in the village have definitely upped their game.
Bodega Dunes State Park is a great way to experience the area without the same activity and noise in the camp grounds down closer to the water. The campsite loops wind through the coastal Live Oak and Bishop Pine trees and provide some privacy in between sites in some areas, though some sites are right on top of each other.
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. Many of the sites have decent open sky resources for solar power and satellite internet, though many in the lower areas had standing water and torn up asphalt pads from the heavy rains the last couple of years.
The bathrooms were clean and comfortable with flush toilets and warm showers (coin operated). My only complaint about the bathrooms is that there weren’t quite enough for the demand, in my opinion, but a few port-o-potties might help offset that during the busy season.
Hiking among the sand dunes and along the beach provide some really stunning scenery. Reaching the beach, you’ll find as much coastal sand as you can handle with miles and miles of it to yourself. The water, which is normally pretty cold year round, can also be pretty rough for swimming.
A short drive away is the gorgeous Bodega Head Trail which winds up along the headland and offers amazing scenery. It’s sort of like a small Point Reyes National Seashore, but much easier to get to.
Bodega Bay has a couple of small grocery stores, gas stations, and more than a few restaurants to meet nearly any craving. The area is known for its Dungeness Crab Harvest, so be sure to check that out when it's in season!
Legend
Along the forgotten coast of Central California along Hwy 1, this small state park offers a great way to explore the area.
The upper campground is relatively small and was still heavily impacted by 2023-24 winter storms, many downed trees still had some campsites closed in the spring of 2024. Most of these sites would accommodate smaller rigs and tents only. The campground is tucked in between the remaining coastal pines and live oak. The bathrooms were small but tidy with flush toilets and running water, no showers. We drove through here and then headed to the overflow lot...
If you are in a self-contained vehicle, the most stunning place to camp in this park is the “overflow” camping lot closer to the beach. Here you can camp with a 180 degree view of the ocean and the rolling hills leading to the beach. The lot is completely open to the sky, so solar and satellite internet work great. The only downside is that the closest bathroom and fresh water spigot is either in the day-use area down toward the water, or back uphill at the campground. But the view and scenery were more than worth the minor inconvenience.
If you’ve got a solar powered system, you could have the most inexpensive California beach vacation around. The rocky beach area is great for wildlife viewing, we saw sea lions, seals, and even the occasional spout from migrating gray whales. While not necessarily good for swimming, the beach area is great for fishing. Hiking is right from the campground and leads to the north or south from the headland area.
Come prepared with food and gas! Supplies will be difficult to come by, as there are only a few small convenience/ general stores and restaurants, in nearby Jenner. The larger grocery outlets will be inland in Santa Rosa about an hour away. This is the price you pay to have a stunning California beach vacation without the normal crowds.
Guide
We chose Pomo based on other reviews on TheDyrt. I picked site 47 out of the three that were left when I was searching for a place near Fort Bragg. Although it looks like the site is in the middle of the town, the sites are very private, many nestled between thick brush (blackberries!) and many back far enough from the road that it seems like you're boondocking. Our primary reason for choosing a coastal site was for comfort. It was still over 95 degrees inland, but a very comfortable 65 along the coast.
Almost all the RV sites are gravel, with the exception of a couple smaller ones, and the tent sites. There is a single bathroom complex, and the men's restroom was great...tiled with multiple stalls, large glass windows and CLEAN! I didn't check the showers out, but I'm assuming the same level of detail and finish also apply there.
It appears the sewer system doesn't cover all the sites, so the further back in the campground you go, there won't be any (an educated guess on my behalf). I walked through the campground, and most the RV sites have a power pedastal and water, a nice wooden picnic table and a fire ring. Internet access is available throughout, and when I ran speedtest I was getting 170Mbps down, which is incredible.
Make sure you look through the pictures of each site on the reservation page. They all are slightly different in size, privacy, and whatnot. There are several sites that "share" a common open space if you're in a group, and a large group area which looked to have 5 or 6 sites all comingled.
For tent camping, there is a large, open line of grass near the front of the campground, which doesn't really offer much protection from the sun. BUT...there is a loop at the back of the campground that has at least 10 grassy tent sites under a thick cover of pine trees. It's isolated by a path from the other RV sites, and I was really impressed by the area! If I were still tent camping, this would no doubt be my go-to tent site.
The nights were quiet and dark, and the staff friendly. They have 1 dump station, a fish cleaning station, propane and the office has a bunch of DVD movies available (not sure if for rent or free use).
Overall an excellent site and we were glad to find it, and will probably use this as a staging point for future treks further up the coast! I'll include some pictures of the site (I never include personal/family pictures because this is a campground review site, not a family album!)
LegendSalt Point State Park has 3 separate camping areas: Woodside Campground, Gerstle Cove Campground, and Gerstle Cove Overflow. The overflow is a lot that overlooks the ocean, and you don’t have to wait for the campground to be full to be able to camp here. You can ask to stay here when you arrive at the ranger station at the entrance.
The overflow is for self contained RVs only. No tents or car camping allowed. There is a trash bin in the center of the lot but no other amenities. It seems to be mellow during the week and busy on weekends. We’re glad we were just paying day by day because it got too crowded for us when the weekend hit, so we decided to leave.
There are beautiful hikes in this area, and a trail straight from the lot to the ocean. You can also see whales from the lot!
Dogs ok, cell service is good, the lot isn’t very level but it isn’t too bad. No designated spots so just come down and figure out a good place to set up once you get there. This is a beautiful place to camp and we do love it, even at $30.
Legend
Great (and big) park in Bodega Bay with several separate campgrounds. We got lucky and snagged a last minute spot for 2 nights in August. Easy access to the beach, lots of day use areas all around this park, and bonus: a dog beach that was available on a trial basis when we were there- dogs got to run free on this little patch of enclosed beach- wonderful. Hope it becomes a permanent feature!
Showers were $2 for 5 minutes, there’s recycling here (a separate bin for propane cylinders too).
This campground has a lot of in and out traffic and day use visitors and overall more activity than the Westside campground across the way. We enjoyed both of them.
Legend
This is a mellow, low key, beachy Sonoma County campground in Bodega Bay. It’s got that vibe that so many beach campgrounds do, a little run down, no frills, open layout, and happy friendly campers. We stayed here for a couple of nights and had a great time.
There’s hiking all over this area, lots to explore and see. Cell service was good. Showers here are expensive at $2 for 5 min, quarters only. There’s a host on site who’s been hosting here for something like 15 (maybe 30) years. There’s a boat ramp adjacent to this campground, lots of boats in and out for fishing.
There’s a dump station for a $7 fee (though the website says $10, so maybe it's actually $10), honor box at the station to deposit your money. Water fill available here as well.
Recycling available, as well as a separate bin for green propane canisters. Camping is $35/night, plus $2 fee per dog per night (boo), plus whatever online reservation fee ($8?). Reservations must be made online. Hosts obviously do not handle that and there was nobody in the entrance shack when we arrived- though a ranger swung by later to collect the dog fee (that fee can’t be paid online when you make the reservation). Anyway, confusing process but just go with it and have a great time.
Scout
This campground lives up to all the other positive comments BUT the raccoons were extremely aggressive and even ate its way into a tent at 2AM. It would have been nice if the host had warned of them when he visited to check reservation and sell us wood!
ScoutThere is upward of 90 sites, many are for just tents and are on sand with fire pit. I have our travel trailer there and are the site # in the 70's and are on a asphalt pad, which makes it cleaner and level. Down side would be close to a road and traffic during day, but at night very quiet except for fog horn which is no big deal. The beach walks and adventuring the coast and local fair makes it all worth it. Water and dump station available, not at campsites but at entry of park
Scout
Very enjoyable stay. The park is clean,quiet and there’s a few trails that take you to the Beach. It’s about a 30 min walk but an easy one. Theres electric, cable and water at the pole. The sewer is up near the entrance. All in all a nice peaceful retreat. I work remote and have had meetings all week. No issues with Verizon or T mobile Hot spots.
Traveler
I tent camped here on a September weeknight. The campground is very spacious on a bluff overlooking the ocean. Very few other campers so I had plenty of options for sites. It was cool, sunny, and no wind-perfect weather! Stunning views all around, with a trailhead to Stillwater Cove. Very quiet and relaxing stay here!
TravelerThe views are worth the drive! The cliffs are just spectacular and there are places to walk and explore the coast, albeit it can be windy. We arrived on a Thursday afternoon and there were plenty of spots to choose from. Most campsites are fairly spacious, the general store is well stocked and prices are reasonable. The outdoor showers are a win, as we stayed 4 nights and it was so quite once the weekend passed. If the guy with the BBQ oysters is set up on the weekend - they are fabulous! Cafe Aquatica in Jenner has amazing chowda and quaint outdoor seating. Sunsets for days...
GuideWinding downhill road in a valley to get there only to find basically a trailer park. Restroom in need of repair and not very sanitary. There was only one site available when we arrived and the rest were mostly permanent/long term residents. The host was very friendly and helpful in getting us settled in and other guests were very friendly. Overall I’d say avoid unless you’re very weary of driving
Guide
Loved this campground!! Family friendly, tons of amenities, and very clean. Highly recommended!!
Traveler
This is the worst campground I’ve ever seen. There was trash throughout the campground - including a used condom and condom wrappers in our campsite - bathrooms were dirty and had no soap, and there were several loud groups well after the posted quiet hours. We stayed one night and left early. If you’re into obnoxious parties, then this place is for you. The “potable” water is brown out of the tap.
Scout
Full Disclosure: I know the owner of the property and stayed at La Bohemia for free.
Nevertheless, this is an amazing spot. The owner and his young daughter have done an amazing job restoring the forest and making a special place over the past few years. It is a great getaway from everything. No sign of any building insight.
I must admit, my favorite part was watching football on the large outdoor screen and eating BBQ by the campfire. It was an amazing experience in an amazing place.
Guide
Nice place. Friendly people. Well maintained. WiFi not reaching our campsite.
Guide
Easy access and great store, with access to fire rings, tables, showers, potable water, dump station and trash receptacles. The tent sites are beautiful, but a bit too close to each other when there are dogs involved.
GuideHot weather looking for a cool, on lake CG. We didn’t camp there. Thought we might but, instead just drove through. Day-use area close. Parking lot for boaters open. CG host said full; grounds not well maintained. Open sites with expired occupancy dates on them. Large groups with extra vehicles. Some sites looked like long term occupancy. Pleased there was no room. Don’t think would’ve been comfortable experience.
TravelerWe were here for 3 nights and enjoyed the summer concert series on the grass and the close location to a private beach across from the Rv park.
The spaces for Rv’s are tight, but we made it work. Tent camping is much more spacious.
The weather was humid and cool. It felt wonderful for July!!
Scout
The dozens of 1 star google reviews over the years are 100000 percent accurate.
If you’re thinking of staying here, don’t! This place is a DUMP! You walk into a literal mushroom shop. The photos online are extremely misleading. They charge double what other parks in the area charge.
We checked in and immediately left on a holiday weekend. It’s dirty, cramped, and unkempt. We called around to find another spot in town and all the other park owners confirmed that the owner (Mike) at Hidden Pines is basically a crook. He overcharges, misleads, and mismanages the park. We were placed in a grass lot, there were no views, no ocean access. Nothing. The lot was so bad our auto leveling trailer couldn’t level.
I was going to just let it go but the owner, Mike, called me five times after leaving and screamed at me. I didn’t even ask for my money back and told him he could give the space away. He kept screaming at me and told me he was going to write a report so I could never go there again - no problem Mike, we WILL NOT be back.
Now this is the point I decided to write a negative review. After screaming at me on the phone, he gave my phone number to a random person to have that person ask me if I would call HP to allow them to buy my spot. I never consented to my information being shared.
I would rate this place negative stars if I could. It’s atrocious and crooked, and other park owners jump to help you find a space when you call and ask, because it’s THAT BAD!
Stealing this bit from another review, because it’s absolutely accurate -
Also, this is for Mike, DO NOT WRITE THAT WE VIOLATED POLICIES OR DID NOT STAY AT YOUR PARK. YOU ARE A SCUMBAG AND OVERCHARGE FOR SOMETHING THAT IS AN ABSOLUTE ATROCITY.
Scout
Woodside RV Park in Fort Bragg may not be the most luxurious but it’s quiet and clean. I rated 5 star due to the kindness and hospitality of the hosts - Dan and his daughter, Phyllis. They will give you local history and treat you like family, even if you’re there for just a few nights!
Woodside was able to make a last minute accommodation for us on 4th of July weekend. I’m glad they did. They are clean, kind, quiet and hospitable. They are right by the Botanical Gardens. I would absolutely stay here again.
Other reviews. Ore and are correct, there do seem to be a number of permanent residents but that has not impacted my review as they’ve all been very nice or kept to themselves - as have we!
Traveler
Beautiful campground nestled among the trees. Drive to campground (we came from the south and departed same way) is true Highway 1 spectacular scenery with narrow road along some cliffs with some hair-pin turns. (Parts of road were under repair in June 2024 creating some delays.) Individual camp sites were perhaps 1/4 to 1/2 mile from both entrance gate and camp host site. Individual sites were good size with picnic table and cleared-out area surrounding it. RV parking was on good asphalt surface. Restrooms were clean and had flush toilets. Unfortunately no showers, no RV dump station, no threaded connections to refill RV potable water tank. Did have portable water spigots in campground to fill personal water bottles. Coastal fog rolled in at night and cleared by mid-morning. We would have loved to hike trails to beach; however, we did not have time. We will save that for next time we are passing through.
Traveler
Serene, Beautiful, clean bathrooms, spacious Tucked away off the hwy we were surprised by the sound of babbling creek and the little bridges that meanders through this campground
Scout
Went up the coast in June knowing it would be hard to find a spot. Just as I thought our chances were running thin we stumbled across this place. Mostly open sites, all were fairly secluded. Big spaces, clean area and ocean sounds abound. Kids loved it to ride their bikes around and I stressed less knowing there were few, if any, cars passing by. Site 6 had lots of Cypress trees for the kids to climb, too. We will be back!
Ranger
It was a good place with lots of trees. Nice trails down to the river. I didn’t live this place because there were so many large groups. It was a Saturday night and I was pretty tired at the end of my trip.
The shower was $1 for 5 minutes. The hot water felt amazing!
Ranger
There were several felled trees behind my site and the camp host said they were told not to process it due to labor costs. Just a few branches gave me a huge bonfire.
My site had a shared pad and the campsite was sold out. I was dreading when they would pull in, but they never showed up. There is a wonderful trail through redwoods down to the beach.
The campers were friendly and invited me for breakfast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Gualala, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Gualala, CA is Bullfrog Pond Campground - TEMPORARILY CLOSED with a 4.4-star rating from 7 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Gualala, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 24 tent camping locations near Gualala, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
