Best Tent Camping near Los Altos, CA
The Santa Cruz Mountains and coastal foothills surrounding Los Altos, California offer several tent-only campgrounds and walk-in sites within a 30-mile radius. Castle Rock Trail Camp in Castle Rock State Park provides primitive tent camping with a 2.5-mile hike to reach the campsites. Black Mountain Backpacking Camp in Monte Bello Open Space Reserve offers backcountry tent camping with a 1.5-mile hike to the sites. Towle Campground in Palo Alto Foothills Park is available exclusively to Palo Alto residents from May through October. Uvas Canyon County Park, located about 25 miles south of Los Altos, features 25 tent campsites with amenities suitable for tent campers.
Most tent campgrounds in the region require advance planning for water access. Castle Rock Trail Camp has vault toilets but water sources may be unreliable, with campers reporting the communal water tank was not potable during their visits. Tent pads at walk-in sites are typically flat, sandy areas surrounded by wood beams, measuring approximately 10' x 10'. Fire restrictions are common during dry summer months, with complete bans often in place from June through October. Food storage lockers are provided at most sites to protect supplies from wildlife, particularly raccoons which are prevalent throughout the area. Campers should bring their own water or water filtration systems, especially at primitive sites where water sources may be seasonal.
Tent-only sites in the region offer distinct advantages over developed campgrounds. According to reviews, Black Mountain Backpacking Camp provides excellent solitude, with one camper noting: "Not many people actually showed up to use their sites, so we had the place mostly to ourselves." The pit toilets and bear boxes "take a lot of the stress out for beginner backpackers." At Castle Rock Trail Camp, visitors appreciate the spacing between sites that "allows for privacy," though some mention noise from a nearby shooting range during daylight hours. Weekday camping typically offers more seclusion than weekends, with Sunday through Thursday nights being notably quieter. The moderate climate makes three-season tent camping comfortable, with coastal areas experiencing fog and cooler temperatures even during summer months.