148 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Camping near Los Altos Hills spans redwood forests to coastal bluffs, with top-rated campgrounds reachable within a 30-45 minute drive from town. State parks and county lands provide options from coastal bluffs to redwood forests, with notable sites including Castle Rock Trail Camp, Sanborn County Park, and San Mateo Memorial Park. Most campgrounds in this region offer tent camping with basic amenities, while RV-friendly options with hookups can be found at Half Moon Bay State Beach and Dumbarton Quarry Campground. The proximity to both redwood forests and Pacific beaches creates a unique camping landscape where visitors can experience dramatically different ecosystems within short driving distances.
Reservations are essential for most established campgrounds, particularly during summer months when sites fill months in advance. As one camper noted, "California Beach Parks are usually filled up weeks or even months in advance." Coastal campgrounds experience cool, foggy conditions even in summer, while inland sites can reach high temperatures. Fire restrictions vary seasonally, with complete bans common during dry months. Many walk-in sites require short hikes from parking areas, with some parks providing carts for gear transport. Cell service is limited or non-existent at most forest campgrounds, though coastal and bay-facing sites typically maintain coverage.
Redwood forest camping receives consistently high ratings from visitors, with many highlighting the shade and moderate temperatures. "Every site is surrounded by giant redwood trees, and it is an absolutely gorgeous campground," noted one camper about Butano State Park. Site spacing varies considerably between parks, with some offering privacy while others place campers in close proximity. Coastal campgrounds provide easy beach access but often experience nighttime fog and cooler temperatures. Wildlife sightings are common, particularly deer and turkeys in early mornings. Ticks and poison oak are prevalent in many areas, requiring appropriate precautions, especially with children and pets.
"Not far from the hustle and bustle of the Bay Area in California. When you arrive it's like stepping in to a whole other world. Huge redwoods blanket the mountain and line every site."
"So sad the devastation of last month's fires on the oldest state park in California, home to thr biggest redwoods south of San Francisco."
from $35 / night
Check Availability"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."
"Great walk-in campground so close to home in the South Bay Area (albeit walk is slightly uphill)."
from $33 / night
Check Availability"It's a great place to use as a basecamp for exploring the myriad of hiking trails that exist in the redwoods and nearby coastal hikes. "
"Given all that and its proximity to SF, I’ll be aiming to get reservations here every summer, and some winter seasons too."
from $35 - $50 / night
Check Availability"It is a smaller park than many of the other redwoods parks in Northern California, so it was very nice and peaceful. Butano is a bit off the beaten path to get to, but so worth it."
"Large, user-friendly campsites surrounded by redwood trees. Great ferny hiking trails for every level of camper/hiker. Very easy access to campsites and near Pescadero and Highway One."
from $35 / night
Check Availability"What they do have are scores of hookup sites for $60 / night and three tent / drive-in no hookup water-only sites for $45 / night."
"Since it's a new campground, the trees are young and don't supply much shade, but since it's close to the SF Bay, the bay breeze helps."
from $45 - $65 / night
Check Availability"We rarely make reservations to camp in California Beach Parks, as they are usually filled up weeks or even months in advance."
"Beautiful beach walking distance from campground. Bike or walking trails to wonderful beaches and places to eat. Short drive to many other areas. small but good size sites for where it is."
from $35 - $165 / night
Check Availability"The parking lot for the trail head is just a bit further down Hwy 35. "
"There is a nearby shooting range and you can hear the gunshots during the daylight hours."
from $8 / night
Check Availability"This is a nice campground in a great part of California with lots of hiking and beaches nearby. The bathrooms were clean and well kept."
"There were bigger sites that would've suited us better but it was a nice little tucked in site. The poison oak is prolific. Our site was literally surrounded by it."
from $7 - $35 / night
Check Availability"But for a quick weekend jaunt for RV campers, this location slightly more than an hour from the Bay Area is hard to beat."
"There is a nice playground next to an equally nice café called the pinecone. The weather here is cold just a heads up be prepared for wind and overcast weather."
from $100 - $200 / night
Check Availability"Clean, has some views from far border of the hills but the spots are tight and there is not much to do but hook-up."
"After-hours check-in was a breeze, as the checkin instructions were taped to the main door of the office at the park entrance."
ScoutA very nice and well kept spot to park and enjoy Santa Cruz. You are close enough to walk to the beach and several restaurants. The sites are very close together. We were pleased on how clean and neat the area is kept. The temperatures were amazing for July.
LegendGeneral: 52 RV/tent sites, four walk-in oceanfront tent sites, and a hiker/biker camp. 28 sites have electric hookups. No sewer (there is a dump station) and shared water spigots.
Site Quality: Sites are paved with room for an additional vehicle and are level. Some sites have decent spacing between them, but others have no privacy/separation (the internal sites with electric have less privacy). IMO, sites 48 and 16 are the best sites.
Bath/shower: Two bathhouses each with all-in-one toilet/sink combos. They could use a little TLC. Showers are standard CA state park requiring tokens to use. Did not use them.
Activities/Amenities: There are three trails for easy ocean access. Beach is long and ok for walking, but in the springtime, the beach is littered with “blue sailfish”. Dogs are not allowed. Walking north is better than south. The 7.5-mile Half Moon Bay Coastal multi-use trail is easily accessible from the campground. Little Free Library. There is a host on site who sells firewood for $15 from 4:30-9:30 pm daily.
There are not many camping options in this area, and the campground was fully booked during the week in mid-May. We had to make reservations several months in advance and could only get two nights, and we had to move sites. Four stars due to the lack of privacy between many of the sites.
GuideI loved my stay here! I had a lot of tasks and couldn't have asked for a better place to accomplish them. I particularly appreciated the close coastal access, the birds and the clean, comfortable surroundings. Staff was welcoming and friendly throughout my stay. Highly recommend this gem!
GuideVery nice for a one night stop. Very windy road to get to the park. Sites are well kept and have a solid amount of room. Super clean bathrooms and good free showers. Lots of wildlife to see and hear (coyotes). Didn’t get 5 starts cause it was quite busy with loud neighbors!
TravelerReally wonderful spot to be. They have multiple camping options and day pass options. For RV setups your choices are parking, water only, and the works (water, electrical, waste dumping with fire pit and camping table).
Its a bit far from anything but if youre just looking to camp, charge, and relax then this is the spot for you. They have showes, bathrooms, and laundry on site.
Final notes, there are multiple hiking trails and wildlife to see, including a lovely group of Turkeys who don't mind you getting a little close for photo ops.
ScoutNice staff, hot clean showers, great location, good campsites
GuideCalled on 7/14/26, they said "we won't cancel any reservation due to arriving late or next day"
ScoutAll spots on the perimeter are full timers. VERY cluttered campsites all around you makes the park feel claustrophobic.
If that wasn’t enough the daily/weekly spots on the interior are right on top of each other. Expect your neighbor’s sewer connection to be right next to your stairs when you come out of your unit.
Never saw or interacted with any employees, the only interaction was an email with my spot number. Not a positive or negative, just a note. Daily/weekly campers seemed nice, however received dirty looks from pretty much every full timer just walking the dog or driving to/from my unit. I like to wave at folks as I go by, I guess they don’t like that.
Speaking of walking the dog, there’s a large grass area on the west side with big signs that say no pets. The only spot of grass I could find that wasn’t “forbidden for dogs” is a small patch between the entrance/exit lanes to the park, no fence and watch for vehicles coming and going.
Overall this place is probably fine to drop anchor for the night, we stayed a weekend to enjoy Gilroy Gardens and will definitely find somewhere else to go next time.
LegendGeneral: Many different options: pull-thru and back-in FHU sites, tent sites, bungalows, tent bungalows, cabins, and a lodge. Note that in early 2025, ownership changed and it is no longer a KOA.
Site Quality: As would be expected in an RV park, the sites are very close together with little to no foliage to separate them. The sites in the Eucalyptus loop where we were had back-in sites, with a paved driveway, and are level. The sites have a picnic table, a fire ring, and wood-fenced platforms. What is confusing is that the platforms and tables are not always directly behind the site. They are labeled with the site number, but again, they are close together, and if the campground is crowded, there is no privacy. Bath/Shower: There are two bathhouses for the RV sites. Each gender has one shower, three toilets, and two sinks with soap and paper towels. They were immaculate. I was lucky not to have to wait for a shower, but if full, I heard there are waits.
Activities/Amenities: There is a spa on site, but we did not check it out (not sure if you need to be a lodge guest to use). Other amenities include a restaurant (which was fantastic), general store, sauna, meeting space, playground, giant Jenga and chess board, and community fire pits. You can rent bikes, golf carts, and dune buggies. On weekends and in season, there are other activities and a bar cart that makes the rounds.
This is not our preferred type of camping, and it is expensive, but we enjoyed time here as we met family for a couple of days.
Camping near Los Altos Hills occurs primarily between 600-2,800 feet in elevation, creating distinct microclimates that can differ by 15-20 degrees from coastal sites in the same region. The Santa Cruz Mountains feature several perennial creeks that run year-round even during drought conditions, providing water sources for wildlife viewing. Many campgrounds in this area were affected by the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex fires, resulting in changed landscapes and ongoing restoration efforts.
Hiking to ridge views: At Castle Rock Trail Camp, the 2.5-mile trail to the campground provides excellent vantage points. "The hike itself is great, offering sweeping views of the Santa Cruz mountains and the Pacific ocean to the west. There's even a waterfall right at the beginning of the hike," notes Nathaniel S., who recommends taking the route that follows the west-facing ridge for the best vistas.
Birding and nature walks: Dumbarton Quarry Campground offers unique bay ecosystem viewing. "There are many many trails for hiking and biking, and wildlife is plentiful," explains Michael D. The campground's position provides strategic access to "stunning walks in the coyote hills and bird-watching in the estuary to the north," according to Blake H.
Stream exploration: Kids particularly enjoy the creek access at several campgrounds. At San Mateo Memorial Park, "There is a little creek that's only about a quarter mile hike down a trail," according to Carl N. Another camper notes the "creek running through" makes it ideal for families with small children who enjoy water play.
Proximity to both mountain and coastal environments: Staying at Ben Ries Campground (Butano State Park) provides a perfect middle ground. "The campground is very close to PCH/Highway 1 and the beaches are lovely. PCH is also dotted with farms and fruit stands, artisan pies, etc," writes Kathleen C., who appreciated being able to visit both redwoods and coastal areas during the same stay.
Night sky viewing: Several campgrounds offer good stargazing opportunities if you know where to look. As one camper at Butano State Park observed, "Hard to find stars as you are canopied in trees but if you walk a little out, the night sky is dark and stars a plenty." The relative distance from major light pollution sources creates better viewing conditions than might be expected so close to the Bay Area.
Temperature management: Redwood forest campgrounds provide natural cooling. At Sanborn County Park, visitors appreciate the natural climate control: "Great camping in the mountains of Santa Clara county. Very secluded. No cell service. Miles of Great hiking," says Corrie G. The temperature difference between sun and shade can be 15+ degrees, creating comfortable camping even during summer heat.
Reservation timing varies by season: For summer camping, prepare to book months in advance. As Blake H. notes, "Gate closes at 10PM, but you can exit the park over the tiger teeth at any time if you need to." Most campgrounds in this region use either the Reserve California system or county-specific reservation platforms.
Cell service patterns: Coverage varies dramatically by location. At Sanborn County Park, there's "no cell service" according to Corrie G., while at Dumbarton Quarry, there's "excellent cellular reception on all carriers" per Blake H.'s review. Don't expect to stream videos at most forest campgrounds, but do bring a portable battery for your phone.
Weekend vs. weekday experience: The proximity to urban areas means weekends see significantly higher usage. Marc A. noted at Francis Beach Campground, "We arrived on a Sunday night and the beach (open to non-campers) was a madhouse... The campground is likely much nicer in the middle of the week when there aren't so many people." Consider a mid-week visit for a quieter experience.
Cart availability for gear transport: Many walk-in sites provide wheel carts for moving equipment. "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," explains Amanda P. about Sanborn County Park. However, availability can be limited during peak check-in times on Fridays.
Playground and activity access: Some campgrounds offer structured recreation options. At Santa Cruz North-Costanoa KOA, "The grounds are IMMACULATE! Plenty of bathrooms, back-in spots had cute little decks nearby, a fire ring, and moveable picnic table," according to Lori L. Another camper mentions, "Friendly staff, a lot of activities for children with the upcoming Halloween events."
Wildlife education opportunities: Seasonal ranger programs provide learning experiences. "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!" reports Dave, describing the interpretive programs at Santa Cruz North-Costanoa KOA.
Site selection and sizing: RV sites vary significantly in size and privacy. At Dumbarton Quarry Campground, "Sites, though asphalt, require some leveling," notes Kim G. Another camper mentions, "They all have water and 30 amps hookups. RVs are pretty close to each other, but not too invasive."
Dump station locations: Not all campgrounds with RV sites offer dump stations. Check in advance whether your destination provides this service or identify nearby alternatives. Francis Beach Campground has sanitary dump facilities, while some other campgrounds might require you to visit a separate facility.
Access road considerations: Some campgrounds have challenging approach roads. As noted about Sanborn County Park, "To get to Sanborn you will have to drive up a narrow road. We didn't have any issue with a 21' though." Larger rigs should research road conditions before attempting access to mountain campgrounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near Los Altos Hills, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Los Altos Hills, CA is Lower Blooms Creek — Big Basin Redwoods State Park — CAMPGROUND CLOSED with a 4.7-star rating from 34 reviews.
Keep Exploring
