156 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Campgrounds near Pacheco, California range from state parks to regional preserves, offering options for tent and RV camping within a short drive of the Bay Area. Mount Diablo State Park features two notable campgrounds - Live Oak and Juniper - positioned at different elevations on the mountain with varying levels of amenities and views. Several additional facilities include Anthony Chabot Regional Park, Skyline Wilderness Park, and Benicia State Recreation Area, providing mixed-use campgrounds that accommodate both tent campers and RV users throughout the year.
Access to many campgrounds requires navigating winding mountain roads, particularly when visiting Mount Diablo's higher-elevation sites. The region experiences hot, dry summers and mild winters, though campers should be prepared for significant temperature variations between daytime and nighttime, especially at higher elevations. Many sites require advance reservations, particularly during peak seasons and weekends. Sites with hookups for RVs are available at select locations including Anthony Chabot Regional Park and Skyline Wilderness Park, while more primitive options exist at other facilities. A camper at Mount Diablo noted, "The drive is windy, plan for a 45 minute drive from town to the top, longer if you are doing it on a weekend when you'll be waiting to pass cyclists."
Scenic views represent a major draw for campers in the region, with Mount Diablo providing panoramic vistas across the Bay Area and beyond. Several visitors mentioned the spectacular sunset views as highlights of their camping experience, particularly at Juniper Campground. Wildlife encounters are common, with campers reporting sightings of deer, hawks, wild turkeys, and raccoons. Camping facilities vary significantly between locations, from basic sites with minimal amenities to more developed campgrounds offering showers, drinking water, and hookups. Weather conditions can be challenging, with several reviews mentioning strong winds and significant heat during summer months. One review of Mount Diablo warned, "No matter how hot it is you'll never be able to escape the howling winds at night. Good tent stakes and warm gear is a must."
"This mountain has many of hiking trails for various levels of hikers."
"Live Oak is the closest to the entrance (and town), and features some cool rock formations to explore, but it's colder, has terrible cellular data service, and doesn't quite have the sunset / sunrise views"
from $30 / night
Check Availability"as usual some spots are better than others but most close to restrooms and/or water. lots of poison oak and star thistle right off trail. great deterrent for kids to stay out of tick areas but id worry"
"Midweek in June the park, which is fairly large, is still nearly empty."
from $25 - $200 / night
Check Availability"The area is beautiful and lots of people come here to walk and exercise, and once I took my dog on a walk I saw why nobody brings their dog - TICKS! So many! "
"It's peaceful and there is a sense of stillness despite there being a few dozen people walking throughout at any given time."
from $12 / night
Check Availability"A ton of great hiking and horseback riding trails. Literally 5 mins outside of the town of Napa. Ate at an amazing Brazilian Steakhouse and came to camp in just a short drive."
"Nice, clean place with beautiful hiking trails. The garden is very cute, perfect for a quiet walk or meditation. Sites are close to each other. This place is a good getaway into nature."
"Good parking and turn around. Lots of opportunities for horse riders in area. Pets on leash."
from $75 - $200 / night
Check Availability"Tilden is great for anyone looking for a close park right outside of the Berkeley/San Fran area. It is a rather large park area that overlooks Berkeley."
"Tilden offers a lake in the middle to swim in and fish. The campsites have lots of fire pits. The weather is always great too!"
from $75 - $120 / night
Check Availability"Close to highway. Noise not a problem. Very friendly staff. Sites are close together but easy entry. Level sites with FHU’s. Would stay here again."
from $42 - $47 / night
Check Availability"We didn’t have a reservation, but got 1 upon arrival around 2pm. Our site had nearby bathrooms, showers & trash. It included picnic table, fire pit, food storage boxes, & is very spacious."
from $30 / night
Check Availability"Angel Island is a California State Park, but it's surprising how many visitors do not know of the 10 campsites scattered around the island!"
"Campsites are walk in throughout the island. Remember there will be fog and there will be wind. We try to get what they call the "group" kayak site. "
from $30 / night
Check Availability"The 31-mile East Bay Skyline National Recreation Trail, part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail system, traverses"
from $15 / night
Check Availability
ScoutI was woken up by law enforcement and asked to leave on my second night staying here. They will issue a citation (luckily they took mine away and gave me a warning) this needs to be removed as a dispersed site.
GuideThere are many spot. It's a parking lot and the spots are very snug. The edge by the ocean lost a few.
Staff is kind, helpful and responsive. Area is clean and very peaceful. It's a bit pricey. Our standard spot was $150.
GuideLike most/all east bay parks, this is well appointed for the masses. It’s also surrounded by rolling hills and close to suburbia. For many, these are positives. As an east bay resident they are for me as well. Del Valle is a bit more removed than many east bay parks. From my location in Fremont, it’s a one hour drive. A pleasant drive for the most part. I camp to get away for a bit and almost always to mountain bike. As such, I seek parks that have trails. Del Valle has a map of many trails. They also appear on many of the mapping services used by mountain bikers. Review those and digest them if this is also your intention - these are east bay parka style trails. In other words, mostly steep and loose fire roads, with many “social trails” sprinkled between. If you are compelled to stay legit/legal trails, bring an ebike. Now on to the camping. I picked a spot as far removed from any booked spot on the map. I triple checked this up until the day before I arrived. I want solitude! When I arrived Thursday afternoon, I was surprised to see the sites just 3 spaces away, on both sides, occupied. This is a fairly compact area. And while I’m sure they’re lovely folks, this isn’t what I expected on a Thursday. Saturday? Sure. Anyway… be aware that these reservation services aren’t completely reliable in that regard. The bathrooms and showers are amazing! Clean, smell good, cared for. Noteworthy is the hot showers in the camp grounds are free and your one push of the button provides water for two minutes I'd guess. Very nice! The space, 135 for me, is okay. A couple trees for shade, a nice table and fire pit. It’s now dark and the noise is minimal - mostly from the group campsite just down the hill. I’ll update this with more details in the coming days since it’s a 4 day visit.
Update 1: it’s my first morning here. Using starlink as there is no cell signal to be found. What I noticed last night was that this park is directly below the flight path to the local airports. Every couple minutes last night, a plane would fly overhead. According to flight aware, they’re at about 10,000 feet. If this will ruin your getaway, you’ve been warned.
Update 2: On Friday night, the majority of the spots were filled. Many large groups of people with varying degrees of consideration, but to their credit almost all (except the barking German Shepard) were quiet by 10PM. It was a bit more crowded come Saturday morning. Some friends came to visit for a mountain bike ride, and we set off at about noon. I had been complimentary of the facilities and bragged that I'd be taking a nice shower after our ride. Unfortunately, upon our return, there was no hot water and no lighting in the showers. And, sadly, someone decided to remove the tags and hangers from their TJ Maxx haul and leave them all over the floor of two of the showers.
Verdict: I'd only come back here in the springtime when it's likely to be green and have some water in the arroyo and only during the week. The density and composition of the people here was akin to being at Costco on a Saturday, and I only did that once.
GuideWe came in around 9pm. There's a board with names and site numbers on the office building. These are snug spots but we have enough room to put the slide out. It is a level gravel parking lot. There's not alot of places in San Fran to even day park. This is just fine. They do fill up fast. Called the next day to extend through Sat, they are booked solid.
Dog walk is through the gate at the back of the lot where abandoned railroad tracks are. There's a pond with some ducks and a walking path.
TravelerThis is a fun place for you and the fam either to camp or for the day.
The tide comes in and out here as it’s a low level island and the approach to access sometimes will be under water from the tide. It is just like that, not poorly maintained, just one short section that can get 6inches deep and is not an issue for anybody.
I stayed in a tent camper fold-out. I hugged the hedge next to a teardrop. Everyone was nice and it was a relaxing stay. Can launch boat/kayak or do all the wind surfing type sports they talk about.
LegendLas Trampas is one of those wonderfully odd camping experiences that almost feels like you’ve discovered something you weren’t supposed to know about. Despite sitting on the doorstep of Danville and San Ramon, this 6,050-acre preserve quickly trades suburbia for steep ridges, oak woodland, grasslands and some terrific views across the East Bay. And camping here is decidedly primitive: the Corral Area is a single reservable group campsite for 17–50 people, rather than a conventional campground with individual sites. That means lots of privacy, lots of space and very little resembling a traditional developed campground.
While my earlier review goes into considerably more detail, I thought I’d revisit this campground with a quick topline of HIGHLIGHTS and LOWLIGHTS - along with a fresh batch of photos.
HIGHLIGHTS: (1) Remarkable feeling of seclusion considering you’re only minutes from the suburban East Bay, with Oakland lying just beyond; (2) Having essentially one primitive group camping area makes this feel more like your own private campground than a conventional campsite; (3) Picnic tables, BBQs, food-storage box and a drinking-water spigot provide just enough infrastructure without spoiling the primitive experience; (4) Direct access to a huge trail network with Rocky Ridge reaching 2,024 feet and panoramic views toward Mt. Diablo and the surrounding valleys; and (5) Abundant wildlife, seasonal wildflowers, grazing cattle and those beautiful rolling East Bay hills make the setting the real amenity here.
LOWLIGHTS: (1) This is group camping only, with a 17-person minimum, so it simply doesn’t work for a couple or small family looking for an ordinary campsite; (2) No hookups, showers or flush toilets - here, primitive means primitive; (3) Water at the campsite should be considered unreliable, so bring your own rather than betting the weekend on the spigot; and (4) Many of the best trails are steep, exposed and short on shade, which can make hot-weather hiking considerably more strenuous than the beautiful scenery initially suggests.
Insider’s Tip: Bring more water than you think you’ll need and make time for a ridge hike. Las Trampas is one of those places where climbing a few hundred feet completely changes your perspective especially when the suburban Bay Area seemingly disappears beneath you, which is precisely what makes camping here so unexpectedly special.
Happy Camping!
TravelerHad a late check in after scheduling in the same day, but the staff were so welcoming and helpful over the phone! The campsite is so clean you could walk around barefoot. the scenery is so beautiful with sheep, cattle, mountains and a stream surrounding/on the property. Would definitely recommend
TravelerGreat place to stop overnight. I spent one night. Great views (obviously). Plenty of parking away from the crowd, quiet and secure.
Clean restrooms and trash cans everywhere.
ScoutThis is not a dispersed campsite , the locals are yuppies that think they run shit, we are supposed to be able to camp here 2 weeks at a time , I’m being ran off after 12 hours . I’m indigenous to north , ga being ran off public land in California
Camping spots near Pacheco, California cluster primarily around the foothills of East Bay mountains and near regional parks. This area experiences distinct seasonal changes with summer high temperatures often exceeding 90°F and winter lows dipping into the 40s. Nighttime temperatures can drop 20-30 degrees below daytime highs, particularly at higher elevations where wind exposure increases.
Hiking trails with elevation views: Angel Island State Park offers unique bay views from multiple vantage points. "We hiked to the top of the mountain, to the lookout point, on a trail through the woods and brush. We come every year and will continue the tradition in years to come," reports Linda A., who noted fire restrictions during dry seasons.
Volcanic exploration: Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve features self-guided volcanic tours on former quarry roads. Elliott B. describes the experience: "San Francisco East Bay residents actually have a volcano in their backyard at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve. Volcanic Trail, once a quarry haul road, contains most of the stops on the self-guided volcanic tour."
Wildlife observation: Campgrounds throughout the region offer wildlife viewing opportunities. Sarah F. at Mount Diablo State Park shares: "We ended up taking a long hike around 4-5 pm when it started to cool food down. We saw a mix of wildlife. Deer, hawks, wild turkeys. We saw an amazing sunset too."
Overnight bay views: Angel Island State Park provides unique overnight access to panoramic bay views. "The three 'Ridge' sites giving campers views that stretch from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Bay Bridge with the city and Alcatraz in between!" according to Randy B., who notes that reservations are highly recommended due to limited site availability.
Proximity to urban areas: Anthony Chabot Regional Park offers natural settings within short driving distance of urban centers. Amanda P. notes: "We love Anthony Chabot! The eucalyptus groves make the air smell wonderful, and there is so much wildlife to see (deer, turkeys, owls, etc.). It's a great natural area that is so conveniently located in the Bay Area."
Sunset viewing spots: Juniper Campground at Mount Diablo provides exceptional sunset viewing opportunities. According to Blake H., "It is absolutely worth it for the views of the east bay, and on a clear day, all the way to SF and the pacific. Truly one of the best camping views I've had."
Hot showers at select locations: Some campgrounds offer shower facilities, adding comfort to the camping experience. Ryan W. at Anthony Chabot Regional Park reports: "The showers were great. Hot and FREE!"
Food storage options: Juniper Campground — Mount Diablo State Park provides food storage solutions to protect supplies from wildlife. Jay L. reports: "Food locker: 2x. We used the one beneath the tree—raccoon did not get inside."
Road conditions: Access to mountain campsites involves winding roads with potential traffic. Blake H. notes about Mount Diablo: "Plan for a 45 minute drive from town to the top, longer if you're doing it on a weekend when you'll be waiting to pass cyclists (be very careful, do not pass on blind corners, this is a cycling destination)."
Wind exposure: Higher elevation sites experience significant wind, requiring proper preparation. Ben W. from Juniper Campground reports: "Lots of wind up this high, and not a lot of shelter, so plan accordingly."
Water availability: Skyline Wilderness Park offers full hookup options for RVs but primitive sites may have limited facilities. Blake H. notes about Juniper Campground: "Water is off, probably forever as CA will be in perpetual drought, so plan for that as well."
Temperature fluctuations: Campers should prepare for significant temperature variations. Brittney L. from Juniper Campground advises: "The weather in May was really nice imo. Not too cold at night with layers, & starts warming up quick in the morning."
Day use facilities: Several parks offer family-friendly activities beyond camping. According to Ethan K., "Tilden is great for anyone looking for a close park right outside of the Berkeley/San Fran area. It is a rather large park area that overlooks Berkeley. It also has a great lake/pond area for anyone to relax at."
Wildlife viewing times: Early evening offers prime wildlife watching opportunities. Sarah F. from Mount Diablo State Park recommends: "We ended up taking a long hike around 4-5 pm when it started to cool food down. We saw a mix of wildlife."
Campsite selection for privacy: Tilden Regional Park offers sites with varying levels of seclusion. Stuart K. notes: "Whether heading towards Lake Anza for a cool dip (beware the snapping turtles!), taking the kids to Tilden's Little Farm (bring your own carrots, kale and lettuce), an arduous bike up and down the Berkeley Hills or going for a stroll nearby Lake Jewel, you would be hard-pressed to find a better regional park near Oakland."
Tick awareness: Families should check for ticks after hiking, especially with pets. Lori T. at Anthony Chabot Regional Park warns: "Keep in mind that if you walk the single track trails with your dogs, you'll be spending some quality time with them later picking off ticks. Be aware of the poison oak as well."
Full hookup availability: Skyline Wilderness Park offers complete RV accommodations. Moriah M. notes: "The plus is friendly staff, amazing views, easy hookups, FREE showers and absolutely beautiful hikes that start right outside your door."
Site spacing considerations: Rich J. at Skyline Wilderness Park advises: "RV Campsites are nothing fancy and close together. But the park itself is nice...hiking trails, views, nature, and close to Napa."
RV site selection: Some sites offer better placement than others. Lori T. at Anthony Chabot Regional Park recommends: "All sites seemed relatively level. We stayed in site #5. Sites #1-4 back up to the Towhee Trail, so expect hikers to pass by close behind you. The better sites are #5-12 with #11 and #12 being the best."
Highway noise levels: When selecting RV parks near urban areas, noise can be a factor. Roxanna L. cautions about Tradewinds RV Park: "Full hookup but sites are very tight and it's noisy being right against the freeway. Other campers are noisy running their cars and motorcycles at night."
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Pacheco, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, Pacheco, CA offers a wide range of camping options, with 156 campgrounds and RV parks near Pacheco, CA and 3 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Pacheco, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Pacheco, CA is Live Oak Campground — Mount Diablo State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 17 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Pacheco, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 3 free dispersed camping spots near Pacheco, CA.
What parks are near Pacheco, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 18 parks near Pacheco, CA that allow camping, notably Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Point Reyes National Seashore.
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