Mount Madonna County Park offers yurts and cabin accommodations in a redwood setting about 20 minutes inland from coastal Pescadero. The park's 14 miles of hiking trails wind through redwood forests at elevations between 1,400-1,800 feet, creating a microclimate that's often 10-15 degrees cooler than surrounding valleys. Fog frequently rolls through the trees, creating natural precipitation even on clear days elsewhere.
What to do
Archery trail exploration: Mount Madonna County Park features a 28-target archery trail through woodland settings. One visitor reports, "There is an archery trail with 28 targets on a trail through the woods. We were there 3 days in a row and did 20 of the 28. It's really pretty and a cool challenge."
Beach tide pool investigation: Francis Beach Campground provides direct beach access with extensive tide pool areas at low tide. A camper notes, "Short walk to the beach. You can walk for miles on the beach or on the bluff trails. Everyone is laidback which makes for a peaceful experience. Great sunsets!!"
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Several parks in the region feature wildlife viewing areas. At Mount Madonna County Park, you can see white fallow deer in pens near the ranger station. As a visitor explains, "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."
What campers like
Morning fog experience: The coastal redwood areas create unique morning conditions. At Big Basin Redwoods State Park, campers observe natural phenomena: "This is the only place I've seen the redwood trees harvest the fog and make their own rain, which is pretty cool. In the morning it's raining under the redwood trees but not under the madrone or tan oak trees."
Secluded walk-in sites: Several campgrounds offer walk-in sites with increased privacy. At Francis Beach Campground, a visitor recommends, "lucky to have good weather and limited wind. beautiful walk in site (about 200 feet from car). other sites were crowded (more of a parking lot) but amazing location with access to beach. if you can get sites 36-38 go for it!"
Wood-burning stoves in cabins: For glamping close to Loma Mar, California, the cabin options include practical heating amenities. One camper at Big Basin explains, "The cabins were nice, and each cabin has 2 double beds, a table, and a wood stove. It can get cold at night in the redwoods so the wood stove was great at night."
What you should know
Temperature variations: The redwood areas experience dramatic temperature differences compared to nearby towns. At Sanborn County Park, visitors warn about preparing for colder conditions: "It is a lot colder here than on the valley floor. Prepare for it to be 40deg colder than Gilroy or San Jose. We weren't prepared & had to drive into town & buy more clothes!"
Cart system for walk-in sites: Some campgrounds provide equipment to help transport gear. A Sanborn visitor explains, "This is a nice camping away from the car experience. It's a short walk up a paved path from the parking to the campsites. The park provides carts to help with hauling gear, and storage boxes are provided at the site."
Bathroom facility maintenance: Facility cleanliness varies significantly between weekdays and weekends at many locations. A camper at Francis Beach notes, "We arrived on a Sunday night and the beach (open to non-campers) was a madhouse, and people were using all the picnic tables despite no one camping in our area. By the end of the day the bathrooms were in very rough shape."
Tips for camping with families
Kid-friendly creek access: Children particularly enjoy water features at several campgrounds. A visitor to Sunset State Beach shares, "This campground has great bathroom facilities and has a creek that runs through it that the kids loved playing in all day. The slugs were hanging out in trees all around us and it was so much fun looking for them."
Bicycle terrain considerations: Biking opportunities vary across campgrounds. A Mount Madonna visitor advises, "Nice hikes right from the site or you can drive up to where the old homestead was and see some ruins. 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."
Educational nature programs: Organized activities enhance family camping experiences in luxury camping settings. At Santa Cruz North-Costanoa KOA, a camper reports, "We attended a presentation on the wild birds in the area that an employee provided, and then he took us on a hike through Costanoa and over to the ocean. He was awesome and the hike was great!"
Tips from RVers
Site privacy variations: RV sites differ significantly in spacing and privacy. A visitor to Costanoa KOA observes, "The pull through spaces are extremely tight to the point that our slide out was hitting vegetation and our neighbors awning was about two feet from our Rv. But, if you expect that, it's a great place to stay."
Narrow road access: Some campgrounds require navigating challenging roads. A camper at Sanborn notes, "To get to Sanborn you will have to drive up a narrow road. We didn't have any issue with a 21' though."
Off-season experience benefits: RV camping during non-peak times provides a different experience. One camper shares, "We had almost the entire row to ourselves after checkout on Sunday. We will definitely return for the full experience when all restrictions are lifted, but will leave our two big dogs at home as there wasn't much space for them."
