Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Orcutt, CA has a lot to offer. Orcutt is a great camping destination for everyone. There are tons of nearby hikes, adventurous activities, and sights to see. Find the best campgrounds near Orcutt, CA. Read reviews from campers like you and find your perfect campsite.
"Few fire pits and tables a couple flat spots for camping, 30-45 minute drive from Santa Maria. Drive slow down the dirt road as to not upset the residents of Colson Canyon."
"Bring water. But 100% recommend."
"There's plenty of tree and shade coverage, nice spread out spots to set up camp, and good nearby hikes.
We stayed here during our PCT thru hike after crossing mile 100."
"private road that would be a great way to get to this campground if the gate was not locked talking to the US Forrest firemen across the street they said if that road was open it's about a 15 minute drive"
"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."
"not stay at this site but I did stop on my way back into town it's well taken care of and has a 360° view literally at the top of a mountain so that's the good and that also makes it the bad too if winds"
"The entrance and exit are build for traffic going south, so you have to be comfortable doing a freeway u-turn if you're going north."
"This is a California Highway rest area right off the 101 just north of Goleta/Santa Barbara. As the sign says, one is allowed to park their 8 hours."
"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."
"The lake is 1/2 mile away, so very convenient. The park is loaded with really nice hiking trails. We are enjoying our weekend stay."
LegendNira 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
Legend[ LOCATION -5 Stars ]
[ AMENITIES -4.5 Stars ]
[ CLEANLINESS -5 Stars]
GuideThe best part of this campground is access to the beach. We were there in early July and the water was like ice but absolutely beautiful. The campground itself was ok, it was a bit more primitive than I’m used to, but the sites themselves were nice. Each had a picnic table and fire ring. Most of the sites were nice sized as far as I could tell. There are no showers and only vault toilets so I wouldn’t stay here for more than 2 nights. Another perk is how it feels so far removed from civilization, but it’s really not.
GuideIt’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.
GuideSet 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.
LegendFigueroa 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
GuideA 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.
LegendThis place is magnificent, and also chaotic. Its strength is its location. Every campsite is a few steps from the beach, made picturesque by a line of palm trees. There is little shrubbery to give campers privacy, but this is as it should be. Shrubs would only block the view.
Amenities are good. Bathrooms are single occupancy and fairly clean and modern. The one I used had a high-flow faucet that delivered hot and cold water without needing to be held down or pressed repeatedly. Many dishwashing stations are also available.
There was, as I said, some chaos: children riding scooters, children riding bicycles, children driving a Barbie jeep, children running and hollering and being rambunctious. There is also a railroad track just east of the campground. Multiple Amtrak and freight trains passed during my stay. Lastly, the wind picked up in the evening and forced me to stake down my tent more securely. All told, it was a noisy stay, but the beach made it worthwhile.
Final note: the water here, while potable, does not taste very good. Recommend bringing a good supply of drinking water.
GuideNice 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.
Discover the beauty of tent camping near Orcutt, California, where nature meets adventure in the stunning landscapes of Los Padres National Forest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Orcutt, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Orcutt, CA is Colson Canyon Campground with a 3-star rating from 6 reviews.
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