Mount Tamalpais State Park and the surrounding areas offer diverse tent campsites near Larkspur, California within a 20-mile radius. The region features coastal camping options at elevations ranging from sea level to over 2,500 feet, creating significant temperature variations. Summer fog frequently rolls in during evenings along coastal campgrounds, while inland sites can remain 10-15 degrees warmer.
What to do
Hike to Alamere Falls: Access this rare tidefall from Wildcat Campground — Point Reyes National Seashore where it's "a 3.2 kilometer (2.0 miles) round-trip walk to Alamere Falls, which is one of the main draws of this campground." One camper advises: "If you head in the opposite direction of the Falls, you'll have miles and miles of no one around."
Bike Tennessee Valley: The Haypress Campground — Golden Gate National Recreation Area offers "hike in or bike in" access according to one reviewer. Another camper explains: "Meadow sites against a row of trees. There is very little privacy between sites but the couple times I have been here it was not full. Here you can strike out hiking through Tennessee Valley to the beach and beyond!"
Explore Immigration History: Visit Angel Island State Park where "there is much to see and do beyond hiking. Great sunrise and sunsets depending on your site choice." The island features "the history there from the Civil War sites to the immigration sites" making it educational as well as scenic.
What campers like
360° Bay Views: From Sunrise Campground — Angel Island State Park, campers enjoy unmatched panoramas. A visitor notes: "The three 'Ridge' sites giving campers views that stretch from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Bay Bridge with the city and Alcatraz in between!" Another adds: "There's no better place to get views of the Bay!"
Historic Structures: At Steep Ravine Campground — Mount Tamalpais State Park, the rustic cabins feature "a separate bedroom, you could sleep 2 couples on beds easily with extra floor space and a small individual bunk for larger families." A camper notes: "No electricity but the wood burning stove provides some light. Bring candles and lanterns and some fabric for curtains for privacy."
Solitude: Many tent campsites near Larkspur provide peaceful seclusion. A reviewer at Wildcat Campground notes: "During our hike in and out we hung out at site #2 as this site didn't have people currently camping there." While at Haypress, a camper appreciated how "there are limited (5) hike in tent sites. Not far in - less than a mile. You are on your own here."
What you should know
Reservation Challenges: Securing tent sites requires planning. At Sky Campground — Point Reyes National Seashore, a visitor explains: "Campsites are often booked solid (especially in high season), so reserve well ahead of time." For Steep Ravine, one camper shares: "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."
Wildlife Encounters: Small animals frequent many campgrounds. At Wildcat Camp, you need to be "on the lookout for small vermin running around the fields and looking to snag any food you've left out." At Steep Ravine Cabins, a camper warns: "There were several brand new mouse traps provided at the entrance to my cabin. You'll need them."
Weather Preparation: Coastal fog and wind affect camping conditions significantly. A Bicentennial Campground visitor advises: "Be warned, at night the fog horns on the bridge are very loud and very close, so bring something to cancel the noise." At Steep Ravine, campers should "bring layers of functional clothes since the weather on the coast of the SF bay can be anything from roasting to foggy frigid cold during the day and night year round."
Tips for camping with families
Accessible Backpacking: For first-time backpackers with children, Glen Campground — Point Reyes National Seashore offers manageable distances. One visitor shares: "This was our first backpacking trip and we mostly wanted to test our gear. This was perfect for that. 5-mile hike in with some uphill in the last 1.5 miles that was challenging but not too hard."
Educational Opportunities: Angel Island provides learning experiences beyond typical camping. As one visitor explains: "One of the great things about the island is they have a Immigration museum (think Ellis Island but for the west coast!)" This makes camping trips educational for children.
Camping Without Hiking: For families wanting tent camping without long hikes, Pantoll Campground offers easy access. "Sites are spacious and include grills and fire pits. I hear some of them have really nice views but we wanted to be near the parking lot so that worked for us."
Tips for RVers
Limited RV Options: Tent camping dominates near Larkspur with few dedicated RV sites. At Bicentennial Campground — Golden Gate National Recreation Area, RVers should note: "Short hike down service road from car to sites (~200'). Port-a-potty was serviced/clean. At the parking/picnic site at top of road there's a regular toilet."
Vehicle Size Limitations: Most roads accessing campgrounds have restrictions. One camper warns about Mount Tamalpais: "It's a classic, twisty ride on Highway 1 to get to the entrance, and then another steep, curvy ride down to the campground. Campers sensitive to motion sickness or vertigo be warned."
Parking Challenges: Even for walk-in sites, parking requires planning. At Bootjack Campground, visitors caution: "We originally arrived at bootjack thinking we could drive directly to our campsite and car camp… unfortunately you cannot. The sites are very close to the parking lot (and the main road) so it was easy to haul everything up and back from the car."
