Best Tent Camping near Ross, CA
Mount Tamalpais State Park offers several tent campgrounds near Ross, California, with options ranging from walk-in sites to more developed facilities. Pantoll Campground provides tent-only sites with picnic tables and fire pits on a steep hillside, while Bootjack Campground features historic stone grills and creek-side tent sites. Point Reyes National Seashore, approximately 15 miles northwest, offers additional backcountry tent camping at Wildcat, Glen, and Sky campgrounds, all requiring hikes of varying distances.
Most tent sites in the area require campers to park and walk to their designated spots, with distances ranging from 0.2 to 0.5 miles from parking areas. Potable water is available at most Mount Tamalpais campgrounds, though some backcountry locations may have limited or seasonal water access. Vault toilets or flush toilets are standard at established sites. Food storage lockers are provided at Point Reyes campgrounds to protect supplies from wildlife. According to one visitor, "Sites are fairly close together in bunches, but there was a bit of space between the groups." First-come, first-served policies apply at several locations, including Pantoll and Bootjack, while Point Reyes backcountry tent sites require advance reservations.
Tent campers in this region experience varying levels of privacy and exposure. Sites at higher elevations on Mount Tamalpais offer cooler temperatures but may be subject to fog and wind. As described in feedback on The Dyrt, "The campground is situated across a steep-ish hillside with water spigots spread out among the sites." Walk-in tent sites typically offer more seclusion than roadside campgrounds, with some providing ocean views or forest settings. Point Reyes backcountry tent campgrounds require hikes of 2-6 miles, creating natural buffers from crowds. Wildcat Campground places tent campers near beach access with views of the Pacific Ocean. Most primitive tent sites in the area have fire restrictions, with some allowing fires only in designated fire rings or on beaches with permits.
