Best Tent Camping near Maricopa, CA

Several tent camping options are found near Maricopa, California, primarily within Los Padres National Forest. San Emigdio Campground offers established tent sites with drinking water, picnic tables, and toilet facilities. Chula Vista Campground at Mt. Pinos provides free walk-in tent camping about a quarter-mile from the parking area, with sites spread throughout a pine forest at nearly 9,000 feet elevation. Cherry Creek and Rancho Nuevo campgrounds offer more primitive tent camping experiences with fewer amenities but greater seclusion.

Most tent campgrounds in the Maricopa area require an Adventure Pass ($5 daily or $30 annual) for parking and overnight stays. Sites typically feature fire rings and picnic tables, though fire restrictions are common during dry seasons. Vault toilets are available at most established campgrounds, though toilet paper may not be stocked regularly. Water availability varies significantly—San Emigdio provides drinking water, while most other campgrounds require campers to bring their own supply. Road conditions can be challenging, with several campgrounds accessible only via dirt roads that may require high-clearance vehicles after wet weather.

The tent camping experience near Maricopa offers excellent access to hiking trails, stargazing opportunities, and cooler temperatures than surrounding valleys. Chula Vista Campground provides tent campers with shaded sites and nearby hiking trails to Mt. Pinos summit. Sites at higher elevations like Pine Mountain and Reyes Peak campgrounds offer pine forest settings with temperatures that remain comfortable even during summer heat. According to one visitor, "Chula Vista is a short hike from the parking lot, with fire rings and picnic tables as well as older pit toilets. It has been one of our favorite places to camp every January, as it is relatively close and even during drought there was usually a little bit of snow at the top."

Best Tent Sites Near Maricopa, California (37)

    1. San Emigdio Campground

    2 Reviews
    Pine Mountain Club, CA
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (661) 858-1115

    "No access to showers, but restrooms are clean and have sinks. Beware of rattlesnakes. Lots of cool trails within 15 min walk of camp sight"

    "The information desk and the rangers were kind and nice. I’ll definitely go back again."

    2. Chula Vista Campground at Mt. Pinos

    6 Reviews
    Pine Mountain Club, CA
    23 miles
    Website

    "At the top of the Cuddy Valley road is a large parking lot (Adventure Pass required) for the hiking trail to the top of Mt. Pinos."

    "Park at the lot up top, then walk about 1/2 mile to campground via dirt path. Plenty of sites. Old rustic bathrooms work well. Picnic tables at each site."

    3. Cherry Creek Campground

    2 Reviews
    Frazier Park, CA
    25 miles

    "This place you can drive up to the site. You can find any place to camp out. There is a small creek but it is really small. Lots of animals in the night."

    "If you have 4WD and a strong stomach, you can squeeze all the way up the mountain to a beautiful campsite at the end of the trail at the top of the mountain."

    4. Rancho Nuevo Campground

    1 Review
    Pine Mountain Club, CA
    25 miles
    Website

    "Nice small campground with Rancho Nuevo creek flowing right next to it. We had to walk about a mile and a half to the campground as the seasonal gate was closed."

    5. Autonomy Farms

    1 Review
    Greenfield, CA
    26 miles
    Website
    +1 (661) 430-0106

    $30 - $50 / night

    "Check them out and share some pics of your stay on the Dyrt!"

    6. Bates Canyon Campground

    4 Reviews
    New Cuyama, CA
    29 miles
    Website
    +1 (805) 925-9538

    "Don’t know why people are saying it’s remote when there’s a main highway only a few miles away and ranch houses near by and cell Service."

    7. Reyes Peak Campground

    2 Reviews
    Ojai, CA
    29 miles
    Website
    +1 (805) 434-1996

    $30 - $34 / night

    "Way up near the Reyes Peak Trailhead, 6 sites right on the ridge. Vault toilet. Picnic tables. No water. The first 4 sites are wooded and near the toilets. Site #1 could fit a  group."

    "Love the proximity to Santa Barbra. And a fun place to check out with amazing views of the islands. We went and just snagged a first come first serve spot and it worked out."

    8. Dome Springs Campground

    1 Review
    Pine Mountain Club, CA
    23 miles
    Website
    +1 (661) 245-3731

    9. Pine Mountain Campground

    1 Review
    Ojai, CA
    29 miles
    Website
    +1 (805) 434-1996

    $30 - $34 / night

    "Primitive vault toilet. No water. Site 6 is closest to the toilet - only one I'd avoid. Sites 1 & 5 were nice."

    10. Sheep Camp

    Be the first to review!
    Pine Mountain Club, CA
    21 miles
    Website
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Tent Camping Reviews near Maricopa, CA

595 Reviews of 37 Maricopa Campgrounds


  • Amanda M.
    Oct. 24, 2018

    Nira Campground

    Nira Campground

    Nira is a small, primitive campground in the San Rafael wilderness behind the Santa Ynez Valley. The campground is a bit of a haul to get back to, and is often used as a base for backpackers entering the San Rafael wilderness or the Manzana Creek trail. I myself have only tent camped at Nira, just to go somewhere different - my boyfriend and his friends have backpacked out of Nira into the San Rafael Wilderness and to the Manzana Schoolhouse on multiple occasions.

    Nira is the second, smaller campground back on Sunset Valley Road - Davy Brown Campground is up the road a little ways. Nira is small, with only 12 sites in a densely wooded live oak grove. The oaks provide a lot of shade and help separate the various camp sites. The Manzana Creek runs behind the campground; the main road leading into Nira is right above the campground, however, you’re pretty far back in the hills, so there isn’t a lot of noise from traffic.

    Each site has a fire ring and a picnic table. There are no hook ups and only pit-toilets are available. There is NO DRINKING WATER available at Nira Campground, so be sure to bring plenty of water, especially if you plan to backpack through the area.

    WARNING: You ARE in black bear country! While it is unlikely that a black bear will enter the campground, I would suggest locking your food and coolers in your car at night, as there are no food lockers in the campground. When hiking the Manzana Trail be aware of your surroundings: Black bears, coyotes, mountain lions, bob cats, and coyotes have been seen on the trail. CAMPSITE SPECS

    Fees: $20/night (+ $10/ extra vehicle)

    Plumbed Toilets: No - vault

    Drinking Water: No

    Showers: No

    Picnic Table: Yes

    Firepit: Yes

    Cooking Grate: Yes

    Shade: Yes

    Cell Service: No

    Animal Bins/Food lockers: No

    Trash: Yes

  • Jeremiah F.
    Jul. 21, 2020

    Chula Vista Campground at Mt. Pinos

    Great Hike-in campground with nice hiking nearby!

    At the top of the Cuddy Valley road is a large parking lot (Adventure Pass required) for the hiking trail to the top of Mt. Pinos. Off to the other side is a dirt trail on the edge of a meadow, after about 200/300 yards is Chula Vista Campground. The camp sites vary greatly in size and flatness, so check around for the good ones.

    First Come First serve camping, with some great spots overlooking the nearby meadow. The sites were clean and decently spread out, with fire rings and picnic benches.

    It can get pretty windy up here so make sure your tent is staked down well. If you don't have an Adventure Pass, Mountain View Mini Mart in Frazier Park is the closest place i know that sells them. $5 a day, or $30 for the year pass. (you can get a second year pass for only $5).

    Met a guy named Bob and helped set up his telescope in the parking lot, he let anyone who wanted check out the amazing night sky!

    Pros: Free camping!

              Great hiking nearby.

              Shady, clean sites.

              Great sky gazing!

    Cons: Lots of flies, very active during the day.

               Bathrooms were pretty messy. below average for vault toilets. Bring extra TP.

  • Dani P.
    Jul. 12, 2019

    Chula Vista Campground at Mt. Pinos

    Hike In Gorgeous Campground with ample space

    Park at the lot up top, then walk about 1/2 mile to campground via dirt path. Plenty of sites. Old rustic bathrooms work well. Picnic tables at each site. Brought my dogs here and they had a blast, plus no ticks found. Plenty of hiking directly around this campground. Stayed here for three nights and found plenty of exploring to do nearby. Highly recommend, especially because there is no fee. Being said, Pack it in and pack it out! Leave No Trace principles are crucial to keep this place beautiful

  • Stephanie F.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 31, 2025

    KCL Campground

    So peaceful, really serene

    It’s a very simple place but I found it so peaceful being surrounded by the golden plains, the breeze through the big shaded eucalyptus trees, and hearing the owls near sundown. Theres also hummingbirds that’ll get up right in your face. I was also the only one at the site so that was nice. The area is clean, vault toilets kinda gross though. Very small campground, a couple drive in sites and a couple walk in sites but each drive in site had a picnic table, fire ring, and a metal pole hook and theres one drinking water spigot for the whole campground. So not bad!! Road was surprisingly smooth majority of way and has some paved parts but there was some washboard parts too. Road to get here was long though about 13 miles from the blm sign. There was paper maps at the sign area. I got 3 bars at the campground with AT&T but was spotty on the drive over.

  • Dani P.
    Jul. 12, 2019

    Miranda Pine Campground

    Secluded but difficult to get to campground

    Set atop a mountain, Miranda Pine campground gives sweeping views all the way to the ocean. Beware the road is long and unpaved, not suitable for a compact car. I did it with a high clearance 4WD and made it to the top. Only a couple sites at the top, but they are free. Picnic tables at each site. Named for the larged Pine tree at the top of the mountain. Sunset and Sunrise views are incredible. Brought my dogs and they loved it. No real services up here so its especially important to pack out all your trash and follow Leave No Trace ethics.

  • Mon M.
    Jul. 2, 2018

    KCL Campground

    BLM site for remote camping

    A small remote site on a BLM land, so it is free but it is a first come first serve site. Not many facilities or gas stations nearby so it may be a good idea to bring extra gas if you plan to explore Carrizo Plains. It is right off of Soda Lake Road, about half a mile from the road at a shady little grove. Went on a windy weekend, but campground was nestled under eucalyptus trees so it helped. There are owls in those trees, so they were hooting loud into the night. Some may like it, but it was pretty loud. There are two restrooms (vault toilets - no water), fire pits and picnic tables. Bring your own water. No trash service so pack in and pack out. Views are nice especially if you get sites facing the open plains. Went in June so it was already fire season so no camp fire was allowed. It was a non-busy weekend, but campers arrived late throughout the evening and it was almost full. Weekdays may be pretty deserted out there. Weather can get very hot so make sure to check weather forecast before heading out.

  • Amanda M.
    Oct. 27, 2018

    Mt. Figueroa Campground

    Figueroa Mountain

    Figueroa Campground is a 33-35 site campground behind Los Olivos, CA. It is surrounded by live oaks and gorgeous manzanita trees, so there is a lot of shade available.

    Each site has a fire ring and a picnic table. There are no hook ups, and only pit-toilets are available. Note that there is NO DRINKING WATER available at Figueroa Campground, so be sure to bring plenty of water, especially if you plan to hike or backpack through the area.

    There is a a lot of hiking trails available in the nearby area. Both Figueroa Mountain and nearby Grass Mountain are extremely popular hiking spots, especially in early spring when the wildflowers bloom in late March or early April . During the wildflower bloom, the sides of the hills and mountains can look solid vibrant ORANGE from afar - the wild California poppies grow dense in this area. Purple mountain lupine flowers are also found during the wildflower bloom.

    If you or anyone in your party does not want to/cannot hike, the top of Figueroa Mountain is completely assessable by car - all of the big lookout points for optimal wildflower viewing are accessible by car, so the wildflowers are essentially accessible to everyone, hikers or not.

    The Davy Brown Creek and Manzana Creek trails are also accessible from the Figueroa Mountain area; the area is popular for cyclists and off-road cyclists.

    WARNING: You ARE in black bear country! While it is unlikely that a black bear will enter the campground, I would suggest locking your food and coolers in your car at night, as there are no food lockers in the campground. When hiking be aware of your surroundings: Black bears, coyotes, mountain lions, bob cats, and coyotes have been seen on the trails.

    While the campground is fairly remote in the the hills, you are only 20 minutes away from Los Olivos, and 30 minutes away from Santa Ynez. Los Olivos has a great market with groceries, a bakery/coffee shop, a deli, and beer and local wine. There are many local vineyards, wineries, and breweries nearby. The Firestone Walker brewery, taproom, and Resturant is close-by - we highly recommend their food and beers!

    CAMPSITE SPECS

    Fees: $20/night (+ $10/ extra vehicle)

    Plumbed Toilets: No - vault

    Drinking Water: No

    Showers: No

    Picnic Table: Yes

    Firepit: Yes

    Cooking Grate: Yes

    Shade: Yes

    Cell Service: No

    Animal Bins/Food lockers: No

    Trash: Yes

  • Antonio  C.
    Aug. 30, 2019

    Chula Vista Campground at Mt. Pinos

    Summer Heat Getaway!

    It’s a nice drive to get to the campground. Nice clean area with lots of space. Love it that’s it’s a Walk in campground so no cars or RVs. Lots of Hiking trails nearby. It’s a lot cooler up here so it’s a nice way to get away from the summer heat. Awesome area for stargazing. The bathrooms could use some cleaning but other than that it’s a beautiful area.

  • April C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 14, 2023

    KCL Campground

    Great location

    Nice and clean. Vault toilets. There’s water, but not sure if it’s potable, there wasn’t a sign. No trash service, you have to pack it out. There is an area for your horse. Walk in sites, rv/car camp/van/tent sites. It’s first come first serve, no reservations and it’s free.


Guide to Maricopa

Tent campsites near Maricopa, California range from primitive sites along Cherry Creek to more developed areas with basic facilities at San Emigdio Campground. Elevations in this region of Los Padres National Forest vary from 4,500 to 9,000 feet, creating distinct camping environments with temperature differences of 15-20 degrees compared to valley floors. Most primitive sites require visitors to pack in all water supplies and pack out all trash.

What to do

Explore remote trails: Cherry Creek Campground connects to seldom-used hiking paths with significant elevation gain. "If you have 4WD and a strong stomach, you can squeeze all the way up the mountain to a beautiful campsite at the end of the trail at the top of the mountain. Great firepit just waiting for you and an overall great spot with plenty of wood to chop for a big fire," notes camper Cas at Cherry Creek Campground.

Stargaze at high elevation: Mt. Pinos area offers exceptional night sky viewing due to limited light pollution and high elevation. "My first visit to Chula Vista was a fantastic experience and perfect for viewing the Perseids Meteor Shower. A permit is required to park in the parking lot and if you enter at night it is important to be respectful and do so with your headlights dimmed due to the area being a popular place for stargazing," reports Kelsee V. at Chula Vista Campground.

Hike to secluded creek spots: Several small waterways offer seasonal water features after winter precipitation. "Campground gives you access to Rancho Nuevo Trail which has beautiful cliffs and great scenery all around. No cell service no toilets no water, so come prepared," advises Antonio C. about his experience at Rancho Nuevo Campground.

What campers like

Cooler temperatures: The high elevation camping areas maintain comfortable temperatures even during summer heat waves. "We thought this campground was absolutely gorgeous. We spent a nice peaceful quiet night here on super bowl weekend. There's a nice trail that leads to the creek but unfortunately wasn't flowing right next to camp but it was just upstream," notes Antonio C. about Bates Canyon Campground.

Solitude and privacy: Many sites offer significant distance from neighbors. "Wayy off the main road on a non-maintained dirt road, only 4x4 accessible," notes one reviewer about Bates Canyon. While this reviewer found the remote access challenging, others appreciate it for the resulting privacy.

Wildlife encounters: Various campers report seeing small mammals, birds, and occasionally larger wildlife. "This place you can drive up to the site. You can find any place to camp out. There is a small creek but it is really small. Lots of animals in the night. You will come across some small game animals so be aware of that," advises Jessica P. from Cherry Creek Campground.

What you should know

Road conditions vary drastically: Access to many campgrounds requires dirt road travel. "We got here late at night after not being able to find multiple other campgrounds we were looking for, and were very happy that there was signage all the way there. The road was manageable in a 4x4 although not well-maintained, but we did see a sedan driving it the next day that didn't seem to have any problems," explains Emily U. about her Bates Canyon experience.

Bathroom facilities limited: Most campgrounds have primitive vault toilets without regular maintenance. "The bathrooms sometimes don't have TP. 'Bears were active' signs are posted. No water. It's a three yard hike back to the parking lot," warns John B. about conditions at Chula Vista Campground.

Fire restrictions change seasonally: Rangers actively enforce fire bans during dry periods. "Ranger said he has written 100 tickets this summer for people having campfires when it's posted no campfires. I think he visits the site daily," cautions a Chula Vista Campground visitor.

Tips for camping with families

Consider campsite spacing: Some areas offer more room for children to explore safely. "Lovely small campground high up in the Sespe Wildnerness. Pine Forest. 7 sites. Primitive vault toilet. No water. Site 6 is closest to the toilet - only one I'd avoid. Sites 1 & 5 were nice. Site 7 is up the road, far away from the toilet and other sites but secluded and private," recommends Andy H. at Pine Mountain Campground.

Pack extra drinking water: No reliable water sources exist at most campgrounds. "No water nor trash so pack it in pack it out," reminds one camper about primitive camping conditions near Maricopa.

Check for farm stay alternatives: For families wanting camping with more amenities, consider agricultural properties. "Autonomy Farms is a unique place to stay, built to connect people with the process of growing food, but also offering a scenic place to stay in a tent, van or small camper," notes Jake C. about Autonomy Farms, which offers drinking water, showers, and toilets.

Tips from RVers

Length and clearance limitations: Most campgrounds near Maricopa aren't suitable for larger rigs. "Way up near the Reyes Peak Trailhead, 6 sites right on the ridge. Vault toilet. Picnic tables. No water. The first 4 sites are wooded and near the toilets. Site #1 could fit a group," notes Andy H. about Reyes Peak Campground.

Alternative parking options: Some campers note truck/car camping possibilities with creative arrangements. "It's a short drive to get to the campground. Nice clean area with lots of space. Love it that's it's a walk-in campground so no cars or RVs," shares Antonio C. about Chula Vista.

Best sites for small trailers: Only select campgrounds can accommodate modest trailer setups. "Midweek in August this campground did fill up. Get there by noon to grab a first come first served spot if you don't have a reservation," advises an experienced Reyes Peak camper.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Maricopa, CA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Maricopa, CA is San Emigdio Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 2 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Maricopa, CA?

TheDyrt.com has all 37 tent camping locations near Maricopa, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.