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Best Tent Camping near Pescadero, CA

572 Reviews

Tent camping options near Pescadero, California provide access to scenic coastal forests and redwood groves with multiple state parks offering tent sites. Castle Rock State Park and Butano State Park both feature tent campgrounds with walk-in sites surrounded by redwoods. Black Mountain Backpacking Camp in Monte Bello Open Space Reserve offers a more secluded tent camping experience accessible by a 1.5-mile hike, making it suitable for beginner backpackers looking for a taste of backcountry camping.

Most tent campgrounds in the Pescadero region feature shaded sites with varying amenities. Butano State Park provides tent campers with fire pits, picnic tables, and animal-proof food storage lockers at each site. Castle Rock Trail Camp has fire rings and picnic tables but may have limited or no drinking water available. Toilet facilities vary from flush toilets at Butano to vault toilets at Castle Rock and Black Mountain. Pescadero area tent sites are typically situated on natural forest floors with minimal grading, providing a true outdoor experience. Seasonal considerations include cooler coastal temperatures, especially in evenings when campers should prepare for temperatures dropping to the 50s.

Tent camping in the redwood groves creates a distinct experience with natural canopies providing ample shade. Sites at Butano are well-spaced for privacy, with some walk-in options for those seeking a more primitive feel while maintaining access to basic amenities. The hiking opportunities from these tent campgrounds are extensive, with trails leading through redwood forests and, in some locations, offering ocean views on clear days. One camper noted, "The park has great hikes, thick with Redwoods, immediately you feel like you are in Ewok territory." Black Mountain Backpacking Camp provides a more secluded experience with fewer people, making it ideal for tent campers seeking solitude. As another visitor described, "The campground is small, and not many people actually showed up to use their sites, so we had the place mostly to ourselves."

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Best Tent Sites Near Pescadero, California (34)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Pescadero, CA

53 Photos of 34 Pescadero Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Pescadero, CA

572 Reviews of 34 Pescadero Campgrounds

  • Erin S.
    Mar. 16, 2022

    Pantoll Campground — Mount Tamalpais State Park

    Tent campground with plenty of hiking trails

    Pantoll is a pretty campground located adjacent to the entrance to Mount Tamalpais.  You can hike to, bike to, take the bus to, or even drive to this campground.  If you choose to drive, just know that it can be impossible to find a place to park on busy weekends (you'll need to drop your stuff off, find a place to park along the road, then come back to park in the evening when the parking lot clears).  We hiked in.  On a weekend night in March, only four of the 16 sites were taken so we had no problem nabbing a spot.  The campground is situated across a steep-ish hillside.  Water spigots are spread out among the sites, but all the bathrooms are located down the hill near the parking lot.  Each site has a fire pit, picnic table, and a flat spot to pitch a tent.  Sites are fairly close together in bunches (for example, 2, 3, and 5 were close, 6 and 7 were close, but there was a bit of space between the groups). Firewood is sold at the ranger kiosk but they have limited hours. Some spots are larger than others, and very few can accommodate a house-size tent (you know what I mean - and no judging, I have a house-size tent for car camping).  We had our 3 person backpacking tent with us and it would have fit in all the sites.  Sites up the hill require a bit of a hike-in but are farther from the road noise and busy parking lot.  There is one dishwashing station near the bottom.  

    Pros: 

    - Location.  You can hike anywhere from this campground.  Down to Muir Woods in less than 3 miles.  Up to Rock Springs, Bolinas Ridge, and Mount Tam.  Down to Stinson Beach.  I could spend a week here exploring all the trails.

    - Amenties.  Dishwashing sink, many water spigots, food storage lockers, fire pits, toilets that flush.  And Wifi from the ranger kiosk (squee!!!) which we appreciated to check the weather and bus schedule (very poor Verizon signal).

    Cons: 

    - Noise from Panoramic Highway.

    - Busy parking lot with lots of people potentially moving around the campground (especially the lower sites). 

    - No reservations: FCFS only.

    Overall I'm really happy I finally got to chance to camp here and would recommend.

  • Rommel C.
    Oct. 31, 2022

    Live Oak Campground — Mount Diablo State Park Campground

    juniper campground - site 15 - end of october

    great campsite! be careful driving up the windy road and watch for the many cyclists. going up/down with you. 

    driving in was very easy; parking is right next to the site. the campsite itself was beautiful - panoramic views of the east bay area. i could recognize walnut creek, lafayette, danville and san ramon through the binoculars. site was clean, but the ground itself was very rocky. irritating that there wasn't really any level spots to set up the tent, so sleeping on a slant was a real treat (sarcasm). weather was very mild during the day; not too hot, nor too cold. nights were bearable in the high 50s, and by late night (cuz i kept waking up because of slanted sleeping), but felt like low 40s and slightly windy. make sure you bring thermals and a warm sleeping bag. sleeping pad is a definite must on the sharp rocks; be careful when stepping around in the tent with just socks on. 

    drought meant that flushing toilets were all locked.. as were the showers.. but from what i heard the "chemical toilets" (aka porta-potties) were an adequate substitute. water access had been shut off as well, so make sure you bring plenty of your own for washing and drinking. 

    critters - we didn't encounter any during our stay. no racoons, bears, mice, rats.. nada. just a ton of pincher bugs everywhere. not even many flies! we had those spinning fly deterrent things, though. maybe those really DO work? 

    ALSO because of the drought - NO WOOD FIRES ALLOWED. total/complete bummer to camp without a campfire. gas stoves and lanterns were permitted, though.

  • MarinMaverick
    Sep. 1, 2020

    Haypress Campground — Golden Gate National Recreation Area

    Hidden Gem

    Theses are limited  (5) hike in tent sites.  Not far in - less than a mile.  You are on your own here. Bring your own water.  No fires. You get a picnic table and a food storage locker, nothing else.

    Meadow sites against a row of trees. There is very little privacy between sites but the couple times I have been here it was not full.  It can get windy - there is some shelter under the tress. 

    Here you can strike out hiking through Tennessee Valley to the beach and beyond!

    Great for a close get-a-way and seclusion.

  • S
    Nov. 12, 2020

    Live Oak Campground — Mount Diablo State Park Campground

    Juniper Campground: hiked in

    We hiked up to Juniper campground from the Clayton side. The sites in the teens have less overhead shade but more privacy than those of higher numbers. The sites closest to the driving road/entrance/overlook will have the potential to be downwind of the bathroom, unfortunately.

    The campground is a dry campground - as in no alcohol.

    That said, we loved our site #15, and enjoyed the privacy it provided, plus the views (if you stand on the table or are tall). We didn't encounter critters. We had some trouble staking down on the rocky dirt. 

    This is a good campground to explore the rest of the summit areas, plus Rock City.

  • Rhiannon S.
    Jul. 23, 2017

    Lower Blooms Creek — Big Basin Redwoods State Park — CAMPGROUND CLOSED

    Beautiful Trails Through Towering Redwoods

    This was a long family camp trip in an amazing location. Our campsite was a walk-in, fairly secluded spot partially up a steep hill. There were only a handful of spots on that pathway, so there weren't many neighbors. Camp had a picnic table, fire ring, bear box, & lots of nearby trails & paths for exploring. Toilets with showers, and dishwashing stations were nearby as well.

    The highlight of this campground is the ample opportunity for wandering. There are many trails, easy walks through ancient redwoods, moderate trails to beautiful waterfalls, and tougher trails for dedicated hikers.

    At the lodge area, there's a store, restaurant, and gift shop, plus educational programs, family events, and community campfires. The kids went on a guided hike to become junior rangers, which gave the parents some free time in the afternoon.

    It's an amazing place to be, and we definitely need to spend more time there.

  • Juliana S.
    Sep. 20, 2021

    Castle Rock Trail Camp — Castle Rock State Park

    Pleasant setting with some noise from the shooting range

    I liked the trees, picnic tables, and fire rings at the sites. The sites were spaced nicely to allow for privacy. Frog Flat seemed a bit more secluded than the main camp. There was no water running at the site when I stayed there, but vault toilets were available. There is a nearby shooting range and you can hear the gunshots during the daylight hours.

  • Sara W.
    Aug. 23, 2018

    Coe Ranch Campground — Henry W. Coe State Park

    Easy Scenic Camping close to Bay Area

    Henry Coe State Park is easily accessible from the San Francisco Bay Area for a weekend getaway or short camping trip.

    The Coe Ranch campground has several tent-only campsites that can be reserved online ($8 transaction fee, $20/night), and the campground has parking for vehicles in a small parking area ~20-100 feet from the campsites. Campsites at this campground are aesthetically pleasing, with oak and pine trees around the perimeter of the campground, and there are scenic views of oak woodlands and the valley below. The picnic benches are conveniently located and provide a nice space for eating while camping at the site. Toilets are easily accessed from the campsites. Campfires are allowed in the fire rings only during non-fire season (no campfires during summer months). Dogs are allowed at the Coe Ranch Campground.

    Henry Coe SP has many great hiking opportunities, with beautiful wildflower displays in March and April, and also numerous opportunities for enjoying the beauty of the plants and wildlife seen along the hiking trails which are very accessible from the campground. Near the Coe Ranch campground there is a camp book store, which has some items for sale, including many field guides to wildlife and plants in the park. When the store is open, there is often a ranger available to answer questions about the park.

    My only compliant is that at the site we stayed at (CR005) the ground is quite compacted, so if you do not have an adequately thick sleeping pad, the ground may be uncomfortably hard to sleep on. Normally I have no trouble sleeping on the bare ground at campsites with a thin sleeping pad, so this was surprising. Bringing an extra pad may be a good idea if you are prone to sleep problems when the ground is too hard.

  • Cococounty L.
    Apr. 25, 2020

    Briones Regional Park

    A nice spot!

    A few low spots. Cleared 12' barely with minor scrapes. Good parking and turn around. Lots of opportunities for horse riders in area. Pets on leash.

  • MarinMaverick
    Aug. 17, 2020

    Castle Rock Trail Camp — Castle Rock State Park

    Skyline to the Sea Trail or Rock Climbing

    This is sweet hike in trail camp.  We have used it for two purposes.  First when were were climbing in Castle Rock State Park and this was our hub and second when we were doing the Skyline to the Sea Trail and wanted a easy first day.  This is primitive. There is a shelter with tables in the event there is rain.  Then there are scattered sites, some with tables for you to find a tent site.  If busy - you will be sharing.

    Shaded, though hike down can be in the open. Primitive restrooms. Water available. Picnic Tables.

    Great home base for climbing - good trail camp for the march to the sea.

Guide to Pescadero

Nestled along the stunning California coast, Pescadero offers a variety of tent camping options surrounded by nature's beauty. From towering redwoods to serene creeks, campers can immerse themselves in the great outdoors.

Some prices for tent camping range from $20 to $40

Local activities to enjoy while tent camping

Tips for tent camping near Pescadero

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Pescadero, CA is Ben Ries Campground — Butano State Park - CLOSED INDEFINITELY with a 4.8-star rating from 18 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 34 tent camping locations near Pescadero, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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