Searching for a tent campsite near Rancho Palos Verdes? Find the best tent camping sites near Rancho Palos Verdes. Each tent campsite offers quick access to one or more of Rancho Palos Verdes's most popular destinations.
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Located in the cliffs and canyons of the Santa Monica Mountains, Topanga State Park features 36 miles of trails through open grassland, live oaks and spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean.
The park is located entirely within the Los Angeles city limits and is considered the world’s largest wildland within the boundaries of a major city. Excellent recreational opportunities for hikers as well as mountain bikers (restricted to fire roads) and equestrians.
The park is bound on the south by Pacific Palisades and Brentwood, on the west by Topanga Canyon, and on the east by Rustic Canyon. Numerous geologic formations can be found in the park, including earthquake faults, marine fossils, volcanic intrusions, and a wide variety of sedimentary formations.
$7 / night
Hermit Gulch Campground is Avalon’s only camping facility located within city limits. The campground is situated in Avalon Canyon near the Nature Center and the Wrigley Memorial and Botanical Garden.
The campground offers a nice view of the surrounding hills that are home to a wide variety of endemic plant and animal species. Hermit Gulch Trail is accessible from the campground, and there's access to other hiking trails nearby.
Hermit Gulch is great for first-timers and experienced campers alike. Being so close to town allows easy access to groceries, shopping, restaurants, tours, sight seeing and nightlife.
Gate may be closed due to High Fire danger. Elevation: 1900-Foot ElevationAmenities: 6 hike-in__campsites- Picnic tables and campfire rings, vault toilets, no piped water.__Seasonal stream water may be available (treat before using). However, water flow may be low or non-existent due to reduced rainfall.Hiking: Just a short hike__to the 50' Millard Falls. __Fees: Camping - Adventure Pass/America the Beautiful Pass Required. Campsites are first come-first served. No reserving or holding of campsites allowed._ Day use -__Adventure Pass/America the Beautiful Pass Required.Millard Trail Camp may occasionally be closed due to bear activity. Be Bear Aware.
All campsites at China Camp Campground are HIKE-IN SITES for tent-camping only. Visitors must handcarry all equipment from the parking lot to the campsites. Campsites range from 50-300 yards from the parking lot. Eight persons maximum are allowed in each site. Check in time is 2pm or later and check out is Noon.
Enroute camping is available for RV's with a grey water holding tank for one night only. No dump station or hook-ups are available. Enroute Camping is limited to space availability. Check in for enroute camping is 6pm and check out is 9am.
A "Hike and Bike" site is available for those who travel to China Camp on foot or by bicycle.
$35 - $175 / night
Water is from a stream - come prepared with your own or have a way to filter/purify
5 Hike-in campsites- Picnic tables and campfire rings, vault toilets, trash receptacles, no piped water available. Seasonal stream water (treat before using). However, water flow may be low or non-existent due to reduced rainfall. Please bring enough water for cooking, cleaning, drinking, and extinguishing campfires.
Equestrian: Hitching Rail (52 linear feet).
Gould Mesa Trail Camp is a hike-in campground located 2 miles from Ventura Street on the Gabrielino Trail. Being only a few miles away La Canada-Flintridge, it offers a quick-respite for the weary hiker. Those choosing to start in Altadena near the Jet Propulsion Laboratories will walk through riparian groves along a tranquil steam surrounded by steep ridges. The trek to Gould Mesa Trail Camp is 5.1 miles round trip with 300 feet of elevation change.
Legend
The Point Mugu NAS campground is part of the military MWR program, therefore you need to be active duty or retired from one of the uniformed services, or be sponsored by someone who is.
The campground is located right on the beach overlooking the iconic Point Mugu rock to the south, and a nice quiet estuary to the north that is full of birds, seals, and other wildlife. There is a whole spectrum of camping and lodging options svailable, from simple basic tent camping, to reserving one of their yurts, to car or RV camping with full hookups, to cabins and even a very nice beach motel. All are location by the base MWR outdoor recreation facility which has all kinds of beach and camping gear available to check out, like snorkels and surfboards and more, and staff to advise about local hiking and recreational trips in the area.
The tent sites are very basic and very close together, but the surroundings are worth it! We didnt stay in one of the yurts but hope to next time, they are beautiful and a nice intermediate option between tenting and motel. The RV area is heavily used but clean and nicely maintained, and in a beautiful location right on the beach!. The beach motel iis adjacent, and the cabins are located in a much more secluded area off on their own to the east.
The beach is beautiful, clean and well maintained and not as heavily used as the nearby state beaches off base, which is a real treat
There are a few base eateries and a grocery store on the base just a few minutes drive away so it is easy to restock provisions if needed.
The hiking opportunities within even half hour drive off base from the campground are amazing, lots of state parks, national forests, state beaches, nature preserves and more with incredible hiking trails. This location is also very convenient to Ventura where you can catch a national park ferry to the Channel Islands for day trips.
This campground is highly recommnded, and our favorite go-to place to stay whenever we are in the LA area!
Scout
Have camped at new port dunes several times, they have a beach front for group tent camping on the sand, and also have tent camping in the resort. You can camp with RV's, Trailers, tents, and they also rent out cabins. In the middle of the lagoon they have blow up obstacle in the water to climb on.. great place to relax. It's pretty pricey because it's a resort but well worth the trip.
Scout
The Dyrt shows "Tent" sites, but it's only for RVs
Ranger
The first thing you should know about Tapo Canyon Park is that for actual tent camping, you will be in either decomposed granite or concrete. The second thing is that there is no cell service and no phone landlines there.
The park is very nice, and very well maintained. There is a large grass area with an upgraded playground, ample covered picnic area for large groups, and an archery range (private, but open to the public on Saturdays).
The archery range is one of the best in California. There is a members area and the original range is open to the public on Saturdays from 9-1, with a nominal $5 fee.
The campsites are designed for RVs. I have camped here in a tent and there is no way to drive a stake into the ground. The sites are fairly large and well spread out for an RV lot.
Each site has a fireplace, picnic table, and full hook ups. There is not much shade. The sites are very well maintained daily by the camp host Terri.
At night you can hear the coyotes calling as they roam the rugged hills, but don't worry it's a very safe park.
I would give the park 4 stars for camping in an RV, 2 stars for tent camping, the facility as a whole is probably a 4.
TravelerThis is a great camping spot. The beach is across the street. Facilities are closer then that. The Navy Exchange down the street has camping supplies. The cost for a tent site is $10. An unbelievable place.
Traveler
Stayed for a quick weekend when hubby still had to work. no tent camping, but RV and wood cabins. easy to get in and out of but the 91 freeway is overhead and loud. Nothing stopped us from enjoying ourselves and relaxing. bike path nearby as well as washing and having fun.
Traveler
Bikepacked in for a quick overnighter. Settled on one of the 6 tent sites. Nice campground, active stream in the middle of summer. Waterfall 30 minutes hike upstream. It was a bit busy during the day. They close the gate at 10 pm I beleive, so the evening was nice and quiet.
Traveler
Very well maintained campground with RV and tent sites. It’s right on the PCH so you get some great views of the pacific and the beach is just across the highway. It’s a bit noisy since the PCH is a heavily traveled highway and isn’t very remote, if that’s what you’re looking for. Great campground for families.
Guide
I didn’t actually stay here as I was looking for a tent camping spot, but I did drive around the facility and it was super clean and looked like a great spot if you’ve got an RV. Pool and clean bathrooms available, host also mentioned it has WiFi access.
Daily rates started at $65 a night, which was a little out of my budget, but if you’ve got the money and you’ve got the rig I’d totally recommend staying here!
Guide
This is a great park in Southern Orange County. I have tent camped here for years with my kids in the Live Oak campground and never had a bad experience. There are hiking trails everywhere with lots of wildlife to watch. I switched to a travel trailer several years ago and now use Ortega Flats campground. The sites are big and well spaced, with 30 amp electric. The water is off for the time being. The dump station is very close by and easy to access.
Traveler
This is a great small, hike in camp ground with no privy but decent tent sites. There's no running water but the creek is usually running so come prepared with your own water and something to treat the creek water with. Check for fire restrictions and dig your cat holes at least 200 feet from the water. Or bring WAG bags and pack it back out. Very much like Hoegees campground. Good for families abs Scouts.
Ranger
After experiencing both amenities this place is more or less for RVs and 4/10 as for they do have the tent camping on the steep incline and not too many sites but for RVs couldn't be happier plus the people here are nice and friendly you do have your Karen's but you're going to have them everywhere we enjoyed the lake the view the weather it could have been better over here will definitely be returning you can stay for 20 days and then you have to leave for 60 days and that's fine with me I'm looking forward to returning
Traveler
Great car camping location with lots to do. Plenty of camp sites but they fill up fast, especially during the summer on weekends. Very comfortable with all the amenities and enough space in between sites for low noise. Very beautiful with tall cedar, pine, fir and spruce with a nice creek in the wet season. Trails going all over the place, some easy some steep and wild life every where you look. Simple tent sites to bigger trailer pads for every type of camper. Probably the best campground in SoCal. Great for kids.
Guide
I can't deduct stars for how crowded it was during Labor Day Weekend. I think it was a treat that we were able to book on a fairly short notice for a holiday weekend. The pool is awesome and huge compared to other campgrounds. It was overly crowded this Labor Day weekend but what do you expect, right? It was hot. They had a live band, movie night, roomy campsites. It was loud and rowdy in the tent camping area but calm in the RV area. I had T-Mobile and had ZERO reception here. I have since dropped T-Mobile and got Verizon because it seems like T-Mobile reception is terrible at most campsites. We are looking forward to going back soon.
Guide
Giant oval loop with camp sites all along both sides. Rv sites, tent sites and equestrian (horse) sites. Paved road is good for bike riding. Behind my Camp site was a few different hiking paths. Restroom buildings have water, toilets, and showers. It says to bring quarters for the showers but they were free. Each site is typical... Picnic bench, fire pit, and metal grill. No gathering fire wood, gotta buy it at local grocery or gas station. $20 a night. Lots of families with kids. Feels really safe here. Saw the park rangers driving around and the front has a gate guard who checks you in. Also only 10 minutes away from city.
Traveler
This is a beautiful campground up in the hills above Altadena with a great view of the valley below. Lots of greenery and flowing water in the winter season with wildlife all along the trail and campground. Tables and fire stoves (check for permits) at most of the 12 tent sites but no running water, trash or privy so bring WAG bags and pack out. One of the old campgrounds, like First Water and has a neat history in the hiking books. The best way to get here is from Eaton Canyon, park legally on the streets, take the truck road up to and through Henninger Flats for about a mile past the flats. Look for a small footbridge at that point and follow the trail to Idlehour. Not a fun hike on scorching hot days due to the lack of shade, but on cooler foggy days it's a great trip. About 8 miles round trip. Very secluded and there's trails down to the stream in Eaton Cyn above the waterfall. DON'T CLIMB DOWN THE FALLS OR YOU'LL BE ON THE EVENING NEWS!
Guide
I have been camping here for many years. The sunsets are always beautiful and the weather is usually awesome!
The shoreline may be covered in rocks or not, it depends on the tides and the past storms. This is not a great swimming beach but if relaxing, short walks and sunsets are your thing, it’s a great spot.
The ocean has some resident sea doggies and dolphins which are always fun to watch! Might even spot a 🐳 whale at the right time of year!
The campground is getting smaller as Mother Nature has been taking her beach back. Previous storms have taken a lot of the north end and a couple on the south end.
The toilets are out houses and there is some water across the campground road. The camp host has wood for sale. The highway can be loud at times but it will quite down at night so you can hear waves and rocks rolling. Oh and bring your own shade. Winds can kick up so be prepared!
I have an RV but if you tent camp, watch the tide water marks and monitor your distance or you might just get wet! LOL.
Happy Camping! 🏖⛺️
GuideQuick and easy is my trips to Thornhill Broome!
5 miles north of Neptune’s Net, Los Angeles/Ventura county line at Point Magu Rock!
Depending on the time of year, the beach may be very rocky or it may be smooth. This is not a great beach to swim and if you tent camp, be sure to know where the high tide line is!
The bathrooms are out houses. No showers but there is water facets scattered across the road. This is dry camping only but you can dump after your stay at Sycamore Cyn campground which is only a mile or so away.
This campground is a line of spaces right on the beach and up against PCH. The car noise does slow down at night so you can hear the waves crashing!
The winds can kick up pretty good here also! Be prepared to baton down the hatches!
There are dolphins and seals that swim back and forth. Pelicans and sea gulls. If you’re really lucky, you might see whales!
There’s a camp host selling wood but nothing around unless you drive back to Neptune’s.
Dogs need to be on a lease...despite my video! LOL
You will be sited if they catch your dog off lease!
RangerA fun place to camp and surf! This campground is literally on the beach, along the PCH with picnic tables and fire rings it’s one of the few on the beach that actually allows fire. There’s not much to this campground, it’s simple and straight to the point... just surf and sand. If you’re looking for more you will be disappointed. Sites are fairly close together with limited options for RV’s but if you’re tent camping and don’t mind neighbors, it’s just enough. Sites run approximately $35 a night for a standard site, depending. There’s a camp host and ranger at the entrance but keep in mind they lock the gates for vehicles entering at night and if you leave you can not get back in until they re-open next day! Doesn’t matter if you have a pass or not you can not re-enter and there is no permitted parking on the highway as a backup option. This campground is vulnerable to flooding, due to location. Some photos have been included of the campground when it’s flooded as well, so that it may give travelers a better idea of what they may encounter if conditions aren’t exactly in their favor. But if you’re just looking for a simple night on the beach with friends like us, some surf and a beer... this will do the trick!
Scout
I stayed here Labor Day weekend for tent camping! So, since I don't plan to camp here again for awhile, I should let you in on the secret(?) that the best campsite is Site 29!!! Reserve this one if you can!! It's the furthest away from the road and taxi dropoff, so it can be frustrating if you have to lug all your stuff, but it's well worth it. This site is much larger than the other sites. I think it's because it's at the end and it's not big enough to make into 2 separate sites. There's also a lot of shade relative to the other sites, which generally don't have much. This of course changes depending on the time of day. Site 29 also seems to be more separated from the other sites, whereas the other sites seem to be stacked on one another.
The ranger was very helpful. The bathrooms were pretty clean and well-stocked the whole time, which is impressive since it was such a busy weekend.
The shuttle is $2 exact change.
I appreciate that there are covered trash cans scattered amongst the sites so we don't all have to lug our trash to a big smelly dumpster.
The ranger said that AT&T and Verizon have service at the campground. My friends have Sprint and they did not have service.
Ok that's all I can think of for now. Have fun camping here! :)
ScoutThere is no denying that this is a spectacular place to stay, our site was right next to the beautiful lake and what a beautiful vision to wake up to every morning. The downfall is the park is extremely spread out, and it gets very very crowded on the weekends. If you are coming here for peace and quiet, especially on the weekends, you might want to look elsewhere because the boom boxes go past quiet time and people love to party here. Staff did not enforce quiet time in our section "F" at all and am sure it wasn't from a lack of being able to hear them. We stayed here for close to a week, never used the facilities because they were just too far away. You have to drive to go to the laundry room, use the pool or access the office if you get a site by the lake, didn't know that. Come the weekend it is wall to wall people, even tent camping on the lawn is wall to wall tents. It is very expensive to stay here and we prefer a resort where we could find the atmosphere more relaxing. We did not, for safety reason, confront the offenders to ask them to turn down their music. I am all for freedom of everything, but neighbor flying Trump flag was a bit much. I am not here to have political rhetoric in my face. The irony of this resort is they require you to sign a page long terms and conditions yet they don't abide by them themselves! Saturday night music and people partying till past 1 AM yet they say quiet time is 10 pm. At 9am the boom box competition started up again. So inconsiderate of your fellow campers! We love the grounds but cant wait to leave to get a good nights sleep.
ScoutVery large park for RV, cabin and tent camping. As it's listed as a "resort", we figured it would be pretty upscale. Disappointment upon our arrival. Floods have been in the area and much of the sites were closed and being cleaned?? The road closest to our site was washed away (from earlier reviews it's been months), so a long jog or drive around the perimeter to get us to the pool, laundry and hot tub…speaking of which, the pool, hot tub and laundry facilities all needed attention. You could actually see people's footprints (bottom of pool and on pool and hot tub entry steps)…that much sand, dirt, etc…I didn't venture in. When we arrived, we started driving around to find the best site for our rig. We're a 32ft class A w/20ft enclosed cargo trailer tow. So, all in all about 55ft. Well, that wasn't easy. Most of the park's electric and some sewer connections didn't exist or were "down" for repair. We have yet to actually SEE someone working on these issues. We are currently here and checked in for a two-week stay. After some boon docking prior to our arrival, we wanted all the bells and whistles the park boasted they had. Took us just over THREE HOURS to find a decent spot. Many levels to this park and most didn't have a decent WiFi (we have our own router) signal. Some sites had dumpsters blocking them from being a true "pull-thru". That left us with about two areas to choose from. It's dusty, dirty, and, really, not ready to be called a "resort"….more rustic than we'd been looking for or what website photos showed. We would not recommend this "resort" to anyone. Several folks with dogs they let simply sit outside and bark, poo, etc….strict rules against that, in most all resorts we've ever visited. Unless you plan on tenting, cabin or what have you, it's not worth it. Very disappointing! :(
GuideI took my family here for a 5 night stay during the week from Sunday to Friday.
Although the park itself is clean and rangers are nice I did not feel safe with the amount of permanent campers and sketchy characters camping here. There were mostly beat up rv’s with beat up cars next to them and very few families tent camping.
The gates never closed so there were cars coming and going at all hours of the night. The first night we had neighbors right next to us show up at 10:30pm to setup camp. They were extremely loud and didn’t care who heard them. We gave them the benefit of the doubt for a good hour or more thinking once they got their tent up they would quiet down. That never happened. This couple continued being loud and even left in their car at midnight playing loud music to then come back and continue being loud once inside their tent. We could not sleep with their constant talking. At one point they left their campsite on foot and went right through ours. When they returned about an hour later they were laughing and doing who knows what in their tent. They continued their own party until 4:30am.
Although there is a host on site rangers seem to disappear and go home well before 10pm which is considered quiet time.
There was absolutely nothing we could do from our tent. There was no answer when calling so we lost a whole nights sleep.
Once the sun came up we decided to see what these neighbors looked like so we could kindly ask them to be quiet the next night as we were staying 3 more nights. They looked like the type of people who wouldn’t care and we did not want them to retaliate against us. We did talk to the ranger station but they didn’t seem to want to address the situation besides offering a different site for us. We had to tear down everything and move camps. After multiple loading trips we were at our new campsite. We were just happy to be away from those sketchy people.
The next nights we tried to make the best of it but I wasn’t fully comfortable and didn’t feel safe in this campground knowing anyone could just drive in whenever they wanted.
If you’re looking for a safe campground to take your family look at a campground that has a strict quiet policy and a closing time so there is no entry after 10pm.
Traveler
It’s pretty crazy to be camping among the million dollar homes but thankful we can. It’s a beautifully maintained spot on the cliff overlooking the ocean. So much nicer than many of the Southern California beach spots in that there is a bit more space and it's much nicer than a parking lot. Plus the fantastic benefit of miles of hiking trails right from the back of the campground and the ocean and beach right in front. Something for all. And if you want to go have a posh meal or shopping that’s just a minute away too.
Be sure to go take a look at the Crystal Cove cottages while here, it’s a pretty special spot. Try and hit up the Shake Shack too!
Only downside is not being able to have a fire but we just used our propane portable fire pit. Spots in the back have hookups and spots in the front are tent. The tent spots are a bit nicer and would fit small trailers.
Ranger
We love this place in so many ways! If you love Fall and trees and the California golden sun... this place is the place to be! It has it all in one. We’ve stayed here so many times and still find something new to love about it the next time we stay. Absolutely beautiful place in Summer and in Fall/Winter months the trees and crisp air will not disappoint. Just cross the street and you can surf all day and be by the fire all night. Very well maintained campground, with a perfect little store on premises to aid your every need. Rangers and staff are friendly and very helpful. You’ll pay $10-$45 a night here, either as regular camping (tent/RV) or as a hike and bike. They do accept reservations but walk ins as well. We’ve never had any trouble finding a solid site with first come first serve for those that are last minute travelers. It quite literally has everything you’ll need here (including showers), so you can enjoy your trip without worry! Lots of fun trails for inexperienced hikers and experienced but overall, we just love this place!
TravelerGreat campground! Set up your tent right on the sand. I woke up and opened my tent to see dolphins playing in the water. Picnic table and fire pit at each site.
Traveler
Spacious sites, enough for groups and numerous tents.
Tent camping near Rancho Palos Verdes, California, offers a unique blend of coastal beauty and outdoor adventure, perfect for nature enthusiasts looking to escape the city.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Rancho Palos Verdes, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Rancho Palos Verdes, CA is Two Harbors Campground with a 4.1-star rating from 11 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 38 tent camping locations near Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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