16 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Horse-friendly campground options are limited near Rodeo, California, with only Tilden Regional Park providing equestrian access in the vicinity. Located in the East Bay hills overlooking Berkeley, Tilden's trail system accommodates horses on designated multi-use paths, though camping areas are primarily basic with minimal equestrian-specific amenities. The park features towering eucalyptus trees with distinctive arbor scent that distinguishes it from other NorCal camping destinations. While Tilden doesn't offer dedicated horse corrals or stalls, the park allows horses on wider fire trails and paved roads with specific restrictions on certain segments, including the Round Top Peak area.
The East Bay Skyline National Recreation Trail traverses the region, connecting Tilden with other equestrian-accessible areas including Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, where horses are permitted but without dedicated water troughs or hitching rails. Riders should note that most narrow-gauge trails at Sibley prohibit horses, limiting equestrian use primarily to fire roads and the Skyline Trail segment between the visitor center and Old Tunnel Road. Trail conditions vary seasonally, with poison oak present along some routes. The volcanic landscape offers unique riding terrain with sweeping views of Mount Diablo, Vollmer Peak and surrounding parklands. Horse owners must keep their animals under control at all times and should bring their own water, as drinking facilities for horses are limited throughout these parks.
"This location is easily accessible for all. Biking, trails for hiking and the gardens are gorgeous. Rvs and horses welcome."
"We only stayed overnight the staff was very friendly,lots of stuff to do around the campsite from hiking,mtb,watch horses, frisbee golf and then you have napa where you can get wine,brewery,and restaurants"
"Anthony Chabot Campgrounds sits high up on the Castro Valley Hills overlooking Lake Chabot. There are several awesome hiking trails going down to the lake as well as some equestrian trails."
"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"
from $25 - $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"The 31-mile East Bay Skyline National Recreation Trail, part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail system, traverses"
from $15 / night
Check Availability"in an open meadow on a bluff overlooking the ocean with a short walk to the beach and a 3.2 kilometer (2.0 miles) round-trip walk to [Alamere Falls](https://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/alamere_falls.htm"
"Really great site right next to the water and beach. The hike in is pretty easy and beautiful. We had fun making a fire on the beach at night. It's pretty windy, so be prepared."
"We just stayed here for 2 nights, great location very close to Calistoga and not to far from Saint Helena! Next time i would love to try out a cabin or yurt."
"Good access to wineries close by. Only real downside was that because of the dry conditions we could not have a campfire."
from $43 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $75 / night
Check Availability"This campsite is centrally located on the peninsula. Access to several roadside dog friendly beaches within minutes. The bay and the beach are within walking distance to campground."
"There are also equestrian trails, so you can book a horseback ride from a local ranch as well!!"
from $45 / night
Check Availability"West Marin offers an incredibly picturesque location to explore, and Coast Camp is about as good as it gets."
"The beach offers tidepools close by as well as a great place for beach fire (permit needed). There are two routes to hike in."
from $30 - $90 / night
Check Availability"This hidden gem hides behind the vineyard crested mountain range just due south of Livermore."
"After time spent here at this oasis in the middle of Eastbay, California, you’ll very much feel like part of this place with its endless trails, fantastically well-kept camping grounds and the warm hospitality"
from $15 - $200 / night
Check Availability
RangerThis campsite is centrally located on the peninsula. Access to several roadside dog friendly beaches within minutes. The bay and the beach are within walking distance to campground. The bathrooms are clean and the showers are coin operated. Sites are flat and semi private. The staff is friendly and campground is large.
LegendAnthony Chabot Campgrounds sits high up on the Castro Valley Hills overlooking Lake Chabot. There are several awesome hiking trails going down to the lake as well as some equestrian trails. The hiking trails go around the lake. Dogs are allowed but they should be on a leash. Lake Chabot has a marina that rents boats for recreational use and fishing. It's a few miles driver to get there from the campgrounds. I only gave it 4 stars because of that. They have tent and RV campsites, but no RV hookups.
GuideIt is always windy and therefore cold on the beach. That is why there are such big sand dunes.
Regardless, a beautiful place to visit and camp. There are also equestrian trails, so you can book a horseback ride from a local ranch as well!!
LegendSibley Regional Preserve
San Francisco East Bay residents actually have a volcano in their backyard at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve. Originally called Round Top Park, Sibley shares with Temescal and Tilden Parks the distinction of being one of the East Bay Regional Park District's original parks.
The Sibley backpack camp is a small, primitive hike-in site for a maximum of 15 campers (although this would be super cramped in my opinion, unless it a bunch of small kids), a moderate 0.2 mile walk from the parking lot (NO VEHICLE ACCESS). The site has basically 360 degree views of Mount Diablo, Vollmer Peak and Tilden Park. There are only two tent pads - approximately 10'x25' and 10'x20'. Site has 2 picnic tables, 1 serving table, and a pit toilet close by which was very clean and well maintained.
During the day you’ll have lots of people walk semi/sorta by the campground, but there is no reason that anyone would walk through your area as if they did they’d tumble off and down the side of a nice steep hill…
No wood fires or BBQs are allowed; only camp stoves are allowed for cooking, your night time enjoyment.
Drinking water is 0.2 miles from camp at the trail head so keep that in mind before it gets too dark to hike back and forth for a drink.
There are several trails providing tons of access throughout the preserve. The 31-mile East Bay Skyline National Recreation Trail, part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail system, traverses the preserve along the ridgeline between Wildcat Canyon and Anthony Chabot Parks. Round Top Road goes from the Sibley visitor center to the top of Round Top. Round Top Loop Trail circles Round Top peak. Volcanic Trail, once a quarry haul road, contains most of the stops on the self-guided volcanic tour.
Dogs are allowed throughout this section of the park and in camp on leash but are not allowed on the adjacent Huckleberry trails. Also, the EBRPD lists, dogs “must be under owner's control at all times” and must not disturb other animals or park visitors, but I definitely saw a lot of loose well behaved dogs running free.
Bikes are allowed on the fire trail, but there are lots of hikers and dog walkers in this park so be mindful. Also, Horses are allowed but there is no hitching rail and no water troughs in the park (or at least that I saw anywhere).
If you decide to try and bike be mindful that most trails are hiking and equestrian only. A few trails are multi-use. Bicycles are not allowed on narrow-gauge trails, except on the Skyline Trail between the Sibley visitor center and Old Tunnel Road. Bicycles are allowed on the wider-gauge fire trails and paved roads but are not allowed on Sibley Round Top from EBMUD water tank road junction to top of Round Top Peak.
Vehicles must be parked in the staging area and display a valid overnight parking permit: 3 parking permits are included in the reservation and will be mailed 5 days in advance. No additional parking permits are available. Otherwise, you can actually get here via public transport by Taking the AC Transit CB bus to the Mountain Blvd stop, them walk about 3 miles to the park.
While you can check if it’s already reserved online. Reservation must be completed at least 5 days in advance by calling 1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327-2757, press option 2.
ScoutThis location is easily accessible for all. Biking, trails for hiking and the gardens are gorgeous. Rvs and horses welcome.
RangerSkyline Wilderness County Park is a great little campground just outside of downtown Napa. There are always a lot of RVs there, but thankfully the tent section is separate from most of the RVs. The tent area leaves a little to be desired and is basically just a stretch of grass with picnic tables, BBQs and very little separation or cover from trees. Of course you don’t really think wilderness camping when you think of Napa Valley.
Despite being close to town there is actually quite a bit to do in the park and once you get back from the campground a bit you can really feel kind of far away from the congested Napa Valley. There are quite a few hiking trails and some offer beautiful views of the valley. By far the most popular is the Lake Marie Trail and Fire Road and Manzanita is popular with mountain bikers.
The River to Ridge Trail is nice and provides access to the Kennedy Park, the Napa River, and miles of bike paths, but check at the kiosk if the gate next to highway 221 (Soscol Ferry Road) is open and I have found it to not have a very consistent schedule.
According to a couple of friends that are pretty die-hard disk golfers, the course at Skyline is one of the best and most challenging in the area. I found it to be pretty fun, especially is your expectations are extremely low.
Being Napa Valley there is of course wine tasting and having a parking spot at the campground you have the perfect opportunity to take an Uber or car service to ensure your safety while enjoying Napa’s most famous export.
This is not a park that will provide you with memorable hikes or photos for your Instagram, but it is a decent place to stay in Napa if you’re the type that prefers to sleep in a tent or RV over a very pricey hotel.
RangerThis campground is nice with newer bathrooms and shower facilities, but it's also very open and exposed. Great access to Spring Lake's water-based activities and hiking trails, plus easy access to Trione-Annadel State Park for hiking and mountain biking. Howarth Park, a city park, also borders Spring Lake Regional Park and provides access to boating and fishing on Lake Ralphine, plus they have a small train, carousel, tennis courts, and a softball field. Overall a good campsite for families in need of lots of recreation options, but not the best for those wishing to "get away from it all."
Scoutas 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 if we brought dogs! we were at #45, family sites and there were families with kids all over. there even was a patch of grass for kids to play on. trails nearby good for easy mountain biking and hiking
LegendWhat a find! This hidden gem hides behind the vineyard crested mountain range just due south of Livermore. Once you get off the 680/580 highways, you'll be immediately swept into a different wind-strewn, rocky landscape that you'll have to wind around several bends on some decent inclined well-paved roads before making your arrival to Del Valle regional park.
You'll have to pay the$10 to get through, but this is one of the few parks where that fee, if maximized, is a great investment. The campgrounds here are all incredibly well maintained, spacious (perhaps a bit too spacious and open in some places). With a great number of trails to take in any direction, the great find here is the well-appointed lake that rents kayaks, paddle boats and canoes. There's even horses you can rent nearby if you get tired of all the hiking.
There's plenty of places to picnic if you get tired of eating at your campsite. Be wary of the weekends, especially long holiday weekends where this park gets completely overrun. Other than this, it's a fantastic camping site.
Happy Camping!
Horse-friendly camping options near Rodeo, California extend beyond Tilden Regional Park, with several alternatives within a 45-minute drive. Northern California's coastal climate brings morning fog and afternoon clearing to many equestrian camping areas, with summer temperatures averaging 65-75°F and winter temperatures dropping to 45-55°F. The region's oak woodlands and coastal grasslands create diverse trail systems accessible to horses.
Shoreline riding routes: At Wildcat Campground, riders can access beach areas with permits. "The 3.2 kilometer (2.0 miles) round-trip walk to Alamere Falls is one of the main draws of this campground," explains one visitor, though riders should verify horse access as some narrow trails have restrictions.
Volcanic terrain exploration: Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve offers unique riding landscapes. "Most narrow-gauge trails are hiking and equestrian only. Bicycles are not allowed on narrow-gauge trails, except on the Skyline Trail between the Sibley visitor center and Old Tunnel Road," notes one camper. The park's volcanic history creates distinctive riding terrain with elevation changes.
Lake perimeter trails: Del Valle Campground provides water-adjacent riding paths. "We hiked in and car camped. Fun to see the wildlife and nature all around. Can get hot during summer but close to the lake to swim and paddle board," shares a visitor. Horses are permitted on designated trails away from swimming areas.
Rural sanctuary proximity: Skyline Wilderness Park offers equestrian access minutes from urban areas. "The 800+ acres of hills, woods and fields offers archery, disc golf, hiking, horseback riding and more. Very friendly, helpful staff. Bonus: short drive to Downtown Napa," notes one camper, highlighting the park's accessibility.
Equestrian-friendly amenities: Anthony Chabot Regional Park provides facilities that accommodate riders. "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. There is an extensive network of trails accessible from the campground," shares a visitor.
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Horse riders frequently encounter native species. "We were here as a stop in our road trip so it was a perfect stay. Lots of people were doing the trail but unfortunately we didn't have time to do it," explains one Skyline visitor. Morning rides typically offer the best wildlife viewing opportunities.
Seasonal trail conditions: Rainy periods can affect trail accessibility. "Pick a spot in the shade if possible. I really enjoyed this campground," advises a camper at Bothe-Napa Valley, noting that summer heat can be challenging for horses and riders.
Water access planning: Most equestrian trails have limited water sources. "Drinking water is 0.2 miles from camp at the trail head so keep that in mind before it gets too dark to hike back and forth for a drink," shares a Coast Camp visitor, highlighting a common consideration for all parks in the region.
Reservation requirements: Competitive booking windows affect horse camping sites. "These sites are in high demand, but totally worth the wait to experience. The hike in was somewhat lengthy but the views make it seem far less daunting," notes a Wildcat Camp visitor.
Kid-friendly horse observation: Bothe-Napa Valley State Park offers opportunities to watch equestrians. "I love a shower and they also have a pool open Memorial Day to Labor Day. Pick a spot in the shade if possible," recommends a visitor, noting facilities that complement horse-watching activities.
Beginner-friendly trails: Look for designated easy routes. "The weather is always great too! Tilden offers a lake in the middle to swim in and fish. The campsites have lots of fire pits," explains a camper, describing amenities that support mixed-activity family trips.
Wildlife education opportunities: Many parks offer ranger programs. "We saw a doe within 10 mins of setting up camp just a few steps away," shares a Skyline camper, illustrating the natural encounters that can become teaching moments.
Equestrian parking requirements: Bodega Dunes Campground provides space for horse trailers. "The sites are generally smaller pull-in sites geared more toward tents, vans, and small travel trailers. There are just a handful of sites that can accommodate bigger RVs," explains a visitor, highlighting limitations that apply to most area campgrounds.
Trail access from RV sites: Many campgrounds require short drives to equestrian trailheads. "The 31-mile East Bay Skyline National Recreation Trail, part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail system, traverses the preserve along the ridgeline," notes a Sibley visitor, describing connections that may require parking separate from camping areas.
Generator restrictions: Most horse-friendly campgrounds limit noise. "No generators are allowed which isn't an issue since there are full hookups at all 12 RV sites," explains an Anthony Chabot camper.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Rodeo, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Rodeo, CA is Skyline Wilderness Park with a 4.2-star rating from 30 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Rodeo, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 16 equestrian camping locations near Rodeo, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
