Anthony Chabot Regional Park's pet-friendly campsites accommodate both tent and RV camping with full hookup options including electric, water, and sewer connections. Dogs must remain on leash throughout the park, with several trails accessible to pets. Del Valle Campground in the East Bay Regional Park District allows pets at tent sites, RV spots, and cabins, providing shower facilities and reservable spaces. The campground sits in a wooded setting with spacious sites that offer decent views, though some campers note the presence of poison oak and star thistle just off trails—potential hazards for dogs exploring the area. Coyote Hills Regional Park and Garin Regional Park also welcome pets with electric hookups available at both locations.
Several campgrounds near San Lorenzo feature dedicated dog parks and pet exercise areas. Uvas Pines RV Park maintains a large, well-maintained dog park with beautiful grass, sturdy fencing, and water for pets. A nice walking trail along the creek provides additional exercise opportunities for dogs. Alameda County Fairgrounds RV Park permits pets with full hookup sites including water, electric, and sewer connections. French Camp RV Park receives positive reviews for its quiet atmosphere, clean facilities, and excellent dog parks. When camping with pets in the area, owners should be prepared for varying terrain and wildlife encounters. Many campgrounds enforce quiet hours to minimize barking disturbances, and foxtails in grassy areas can pose risks to pets, particularly during summer months.
$25 - $200 / night
"Midweek in June the park, which is fairly large, is still nearly empty."
"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"
$45 - $65 / night
"What they do have are scores of hookup sites for $60 / night and three tent / drive-in no hookup water-only sites for $45 / night."
"Since it's a new campground, the trees are young and don't supply much shade, but since it's close to the SF Bay, the bay breeze helps."
$30 / night
"Getting there: Super easy, look for the tallest mountain in the area, drive towards it, boom you're there. It was expensive to enter the park..."
"This mountain has many of hiking trails for various levels of hikers."
$35 - $165 / night
"We rarely make reservations to camp in California Beach Parks, as they are usually filled up weeks or even months in advance."
"No dogs allowed in the beach in the park but a short walk away there is a public beach that is dog friendly, so that was nice for our doggo."
"If you want a great little place with quick easy access to San Francisco that has a great view of the ocean this place is great! And affordable!"
"Very nice park for an on the water location, I've been to some where you can't even turn without hitting someone."
"The Fairview RV Park is a great Bay Area location easy to find right off hwy 680, in the Alameda county fairgrounds. The staff are all pleasant to work with and the park and facilities are clean."
"If the Alameda Fairgrounds are having an event, you can't beat this location, it's on the property."
"Clean, has some views from far border of the hills but the spots are tight and there is not much to do but hook-up."
"After-hours check-in was a breeze, as the checkin instructions were taped to the main door of the office at the park entrance."
$75 / night
"We walked through and enjoyed the nature areas so much. We continue to go back and spend time at Cayote Hills because it is so beautiful. We can't wait until thwe next time."
$100 / night
"Dogs are allowed they have picknic area's and a kite area.thete are several different entrances."
$15 - $200 / night
"Campsite amenities were great, easy access to water and bathrooms. Bathrooms were spotless the whole weekend, even though it was a holiday weekend and every site was booked."
"It’s a great escape from the craziness of the Bay Area without having to drive too far. The lack of cell reception really helps the feeling of being away from the city life."
TravelerWe have stayed here several times. It sits in the redwoods next to the San Lorenzo river in Felton Ca. Beautiful setting and great place for the kids to run around and have fun. Santa Cruz is only a 10 minute ride down Hwy 9. Mostly for RV camping bit there are several tent sights. Bathrooms are clean and showers good with lots of warm water.
TravelerWe went in mid March on a Thursday and the place was at capacity. Like most RV campgrounds, the spaces are very close together. The facility was clean and everyone was friendly. Since it was COVID, we didn’t actually have any personal contact with any of the staff except for the maintenance guy who brought us wood. The site is “on” the San Lorenzo river, but there weren’t many trails to walk on. Also, no trails to walk into town, except for on the fast moving road into town. The state park, on the other side, had numerous trails and was worth the short drive to get to. All in all, this was a pleasant place to stay for a few nights.
GuideWe stayed at Smithwoods October 18-20. We were in site J, on the point. It was nice and big. Full hook ups. We had a great view of the San Lorenzo River and Henry Cowell State Park. The staff is great and helpful. We had a small issue with our cable tv(no fault of theirs) and they came right over and fixed our issue. The place is dog friendly. We had our two dogs. Be ready for no cell or WiFi. We occasionally got 1 bar of cell service in our site if we stood in a certain spot. (AT&T)There was WiFi up at the office but it was inconsistent. Our son did his online school and he kept dropping off. But we worked through it. It was a short nice hike to the state park and the train through the red woods. Fun experience on a real steam locomotive. We would stay there again next time we are in the Santa Cruz area.
RangerHuge sites and very quiet. Downside is it is very shaded. Our two solar panels could barely keep our two batteries at half capacity. 5 mins from Roaring camp make a fun place to be. The visitors center is on the other side of the park, as is the San Lorenzo river. At present the river is very low and looks dank. The climate right now is chilly, wet and misty/overcast. The bathrooms are older but clean. It’s a quiet campground.
Also, no dump station. The nearest place is in Scotts Valley but it was closed on Sunday. After that the nearest station is New Brighton Beach, 30 mins away.
TravelerThis park has mostly long-term residents. It was super quiet, though there was a somewhat noisy road next to us. We were on the first site next to the road, so I suspect it would be a non issue for most of the sites.
The dog park is extremely well-maintained. Beautiful grass, very nice fence, a bench to sit on, water for your pets and plenty of space to run.
There a really nice stream to hike along. And underneath a bridge there are bat houses. We went under there at sundown and watched the bats come out. Strongly recommended!
The lady who runs the place was extremely nice and helpful.
Full hook-ups and relatively large, gravel sites with some shade. However, I needed to raise one wheel about 5 inches and another 2 to get level.
Short drive to downtown Morgan hill or Gilroy. And there’s a Camping World as well.
ScoutWe visited the first week of December 2020. The staff was helpful and the grounds were well maintained. Flat easy pull through with full hook-ups. Definitely in a canyon around the corner from Thousand Trails. You can see the stars at night and it is a very quiet campground. We were surprised at all the high-end rigs there, some full-timers. A nice dog park area and a stroll along the creek - our dog loved it. They recycle and are very environmentally aware. No pool or playground but lovely nature away from the hustle and bustle of silicon valley. It is about 6 miles to shopping and many restaurants. A very easy drive off the highway if you take the Tennant Road exit.
GuideCozy tight quarters but just enough room for a picnic bench, fire pit and hanging out area. This campground is covered entirely by redwoods with plenty of shade for a cool vacation. Spots were leveled with dirt. No tent camping allowed in RV sites.
Hookups at every campsite. Water Shore power Cable
Restrooms and Laundry requires a password code to get in provided at check in.
Restrooms had 3 stalls and 4 free showers available. Cleaned and stocked daily.
Check in office has the essential camping supplies if you forget something at home. (Ice, snacks, batteries, souvenirs) free K cup coffee provided 9 am - 5 pm. You can charge anything to your campsite and they will add it to your credit card on file.
$5 fire pit rentals for your entire stay
$9.95 bundle of wood
$3 fire starters
$3 magic flames
Wifi provided, however it would go out late at night after 10 pm until the morning time.
Check out time 11:00 am Check in time: 1:00 pm
Quiet hours 9:30 pm - 8:00 am
Clubhouse 9 am - 9 pm (Tv, couch, dinning tables, fridge, microwave, board games) deck with public BBQ area and plenty of seating that oversees the San Lorenzo River.
Short distance drive to Santa Cruz wharf and boardwalk.
Perfect woodsy campsite. Would recommend and return for future visits.
TravelerDog park, nice showers, nice bathrooms, trails to walk your dog, nice people, quiet.
I loved it here.
If you have a thousand trails membership ($52/month) then you get to stay at this campsite for free (up to 14 days) worth it
LegendHigh priced. Nice people at desk. Damon who helped us park was very friendly. Almost entirely high-priced big rigs, some of whom seem settled here but it's clean, 'orderly,' very quiet. Rigid rules keep the order; nice that no political flags/signs allowed. 2 dog parks and lots of grassy areas to take for a walk. Showers in locker-room/bldg, bathrooms nice and clean. Green grass. Also has laundry with 2.50 wash and.25 dry for 8 min. Skunk wandered by site in the night. Cool train sounds from nearby tracks at night. Was probably the most convenient to San Jose, otherwise we likely would've been in mtns. and too far away from town for our needs at the time. Would not be a regular choice for us.
San Lorenzo sits on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay at about 36 feet above sea level, where summers are warm with daytime temperatures averaging 72-78°F from June through September. The inland valley location means campers experience less fog than coastal campgrounds, though winds can pick up in the afternoon. Tree cover varies significantly between campgrounds in the area, with oak woodlands providing shelter at some locations while others offer more exposed sites.
Sunrise hiking trails: At Mt. Diablo State Park, the campgrounds provide access to numerous hiking options. "We watched the sunset over the Bay Area, whew, it was spectacular. Hiked to the top of the mountain, to the lookout point, on a trail through the woods and brush," shares Linda A. Expect temperatures to drop at night, as one camper notes, "windy - woken up ~3AM from strong winds."
Wildlife viewing: The East Bay parks feature abundant wildlife, particularly in early morning hours. At Del Valle Campground, "There was quite a bit of wildlife roaming through the park mainly in the early morning. I saw deer and turkeys roaming the campground," reports Uriel S. The campground's proximity to the lake creates diverse habitat zones for wildlife.
Beach exploration: Francis Beach Campground offers direct beach access for day trips from San Lorenzo. "The atmosphere here is wonderful. It's quiet and right on the beach. Some RV spaces with hookups back right up to the sand/vegetation," notes Michell C. The campground features both beach and bluff trails, with one camper mentioning, "You can walk for miles on the beach or on the bluff trails."
Quiet urban escapes: Dumbarton Quarry Campground provides a convenient retreat without traveling far. "This campground, while in the heart of Fremont, feels remote and safe in spite of being close to town. Sites are not huge, but arranged in such a way as to feel private," explains Michael D. Another camper adds, "The gate closes at 10PM, but you can exit the park over the tiger teeth at any time if you need to."
Modern facilities: Clean, functional bathrooms rate highly among campers. "Bathrooms were spotless and backing into our site was a breeze," notes Tim C. about Dumbarton Quarry. At Anthony Chabot Regional Park, campers appreciate "The showers were great. Hot and FREE!" as Ryan W. points out.
Cellular connectivity: Unlike more remote camping areas, many San Lorenzo area campgrounds offer good connectivity. Blake H. notes that Dumbarton Quarry has "excellent cellular reception on all carriers," while at Juniper Campground in Mt. Diablo State Park, a camper found "decent 10-15mbps ATT cellular service in most site locations, and also decent t-mobile, but ping was slow."
Water restrictions: Several campgrounds in the area have ongoing water limitations. At Mt. Diablo State Park, "Water is off, probably forever as CA will be in perpetual drought, so plan for that as well." Bring additional water containers for your stay.
Wildlife hazards: While wildlife viewing is a highlight, it requires preparation. At Half Moon Bay State Beach Campground, one visitor cautions, "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."
Gate closures: Some parks restrict nighttime access. At Mt. Diablo, "they lock you in at sunset; if you want to leave you have to call the fire department to open the locked gate," reports Blake H. Check each park's policies when planning evening activities outside the campground.
Playground access: When camping with kids, look for sites with play areas. Dumbarton Quarry offers "a great playground if you have small kids, and lots of gentle hiking trails," according to N V. The nearby trails provide additional exploration opportunities for children.
Pet considerations: For dog friendly campgrounds near San Lorenzo, prepare for pet fees. At Anthony Chabot, "there is a $2 per day dog fee that caught us off guard," warns Lori T. Many campgrounds enforce strict leash policies throughout all areas, including trails.
Educational opportunities: Coyote Hills Regional Park features cultural and natural exhibits suitable for children. "Very cool place, lots of history. You won't be able to see the whole place in a day," notes Michelle F. Trails often include interpretive signage appropriate for school-age children.
Site leveling: RV campers should prepare for uneven sites at some locations. At Anthony Chabot Regional Park, a visitor notes, "Sites, though asphalt, require some leveling." Bring leveling blocks even at parks advertising RV-friendly spots.
Spacing between sites: At Alameda County Fairgrounds RV Park, space can be tight. "Our slot 170 was very narrow, other spots had more space. You could not see that on the onlinemap," warns Stefan K. When booking, request information about site dimensions before arrival.
Urban convenience: Several pet friendly campgrounds near San Lorenzo offer convenient urban access. "The Fairview RV Park is a great Bay Area location easy to find right off hwy 680, in the Alameda county fairgrounds," says Pamela. This accessibility makes the area popular for shorter weekend trips.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near San Lorenzo, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near San Lorenzo, CA is Anthony Chabot Regional Park with a 4.6-star rating from 29 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near San Lorenzo, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 116 dog-friendly camping locations near San Lorenzo, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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