Join the fun near San Miguel. With tons of outdoor activities and scenic camping, this is an excellent vacation spot for all kinds of travelers. San Miguel is an adventure-filled destination for those who love the outdoorsy camper lifestyle. But it's also great for those who prefer to spend time near the city, exploring and sightseeing. Get the dirt on all the best camping near San Miguel. Browse campgrounds by amenities, site types, and more.
"The temperature at the lake often exceeds 100 in the summer. There is ample space for camping . You’ll need reservations if you want a hookup . Boat ramps are available."
"The lake is everything. A few years ago it was dried up. Thank you rain! Now it’s back and better than ever."
"The lake is 1/2 mile away, so very convenient. The park is loaded with really nice hiking trails. We are enjoying our weekend stay."
"Tucked in the forest along the Nacimiento River is this nice little campground with just a few campsites (9 or 10 sites total)."
"So beautiful and right next to a creek with fish to play in. The views from the top of the mountain when driving to the ocean are the most beautiful views in the world!"
"We camped at a primitive spot off the road on the way to the main camp. It was very quiet. Do watch for the cow patties!"
"Alder Creek campsite is 8 miles offroad from Hwy 1 in the Big Sur area. 4x4 is definitely recommended."
$30 - $60 / night
"If you're trying to find a great spot in Big Sur, you found it, this is a great spot to pitch a tent and enjoy being near the ocean and the redwoods forests! "
TravelerWe camped here February 24-26, 2025. The forest service website indicated the campground is open all year, but when we arrived on the site one through four were available. Beyond site number five was a locked gate. Site five was closed due to “hazardous tree“. The stream was running plentifully and gave a lovely background noise. Sites 1 & 2 share a parking pad which is almost level. Site 1 is completely exposed and quite spacious and full of ground squirrel disruption. Site 2 is very convenient to the parked car, and it was our choice because we sleep in our van. Most of the water taps were not operable but the one by the toilet near the entrance did work and was labeled “non-potable, not for drinking or cooking”. The tap in site number 2 had no handle and was dripping at a rapid pace so we hung a bucket on that tap and use the collected water for handwashing. There were trash cans conveniently located to all of the sites, and there was a good supply of toilet paper, but even though the weather was cool, the toilet closest to the entrance was a bit smelly. It is a pit stop for people driving over or back on Naciemiento-Ferguson Road. I noted that reviewers indicated that they were plagued by flies and yellow jackets in the mid summer, but we had only a couple of flies, no yellow jackets. The weather was predicted to be sunny and pleasant with highs of 70° based on checking the weather reports for Jolon, California. It was almost a new moon and the stars at night we’re gorgeous. There was heavy dew which turned into frost in the early morning. We saw the occasional lizard and a couple of slow moving salamanders. We saw no raccoons, and considering that they have switched from having dumpsters to having trash cans I suspect that raccoons are not a problem. There was a posted memo dated February 2 reported that for the Monterey Ranger district, campfire restrictions were lifted until March 25, due to sufficient rain having been received. We walked the loop of the other campsites; some of them have the picnic table and fire ring located some distance from the parking spot, a few are possibly suitable for RV camping but most of those would require at least some leveling. I don’t know when they plan to open the rest of the sites, but probably March would be a good time to come and enjoy this campground. Bring your own drinking water. The fee is expensive for a no-water campground, but I was willing to pay the discounted price with my lifetime senior pass.
LegendFull disclosure, I did not camp here (all the sites were full). However, I was passing through and wanted to take a look. All of the sites have great views of the Pacific Ocean which is about 100 feet below. There is very little tree cover, which means very little shade and it seemed like there was a slope going on (might be hard to get a level site). I talked with the ranger/camp host in charge (mostly because he had an amazing, huge, beautiful bloodhound dog) and he said that even though there is no water available in this campground it is very popular and usually full from May until October. You can buy water for $5 a gallon,so be sure to come with plenty of your own water! In the winter months you apparently can watch whales migrating just off the coast. The vault toilet was very clean and well maintained, and each site had a picnic table and fire ring with grill. You are allowed to forage for firewood, but you really won’t find any in or around the campground, so be prepared to pay out the nose for firewood ($12 a bundle!!). You will have better luck heading into the Los Padres National Forest (inland) to gather firewood. It’s only a couple of miles. Just up the road are Sand Dollar Beach and McWay Falls, and there are hiking trails all over the hills (including one trailhead directly across the street from the campground).
LegendIf you can’t secure a spot on the coast in Big Sur, this might be a nice option for you. Tucked in the forest along the Nacimiento River is this nice little campground with just a few campsites (9 or 10 sites total). There really isn’t room for RV’s or campers (I think the limit is 25 feet), so most of your neighbors will be tents. Sites are set right next to the river which drowns out any road noise. Sites are also fairly close to each other, tho there is some underbrush and there is great tree cover for shade. Most sites have good hammocking trees. The vault toilet is fairly clean and each site has a picnic table and fire pit with grill. These sites are not reservable, so first come first serve. It’s only about 10 or so miles to the coast and there are lots of hiking trails nearby both in the forest and on the coast.
LegendLegend[ LOCATION -5 Stars ]
[ AMENITIES -4.5 Stars ]
[ CLEANLINESS -5 Stars]
GuideThe best part of this campground is access to the beach. We were there in early July and the water was like ice but absolutely beautiful. The campground itself was ok, it was a bit more primitive than I’m used to, but the sites themselves were nice. Each had a picnic table and fire ring. Most of the sites were nice sized as far as I could tell. There are no showers and only vault toilets so I wouldn’t stay here for more than 2 nights. Another perk is how it feels so far removed from civilization, but it’s really not.
LegendThis is a gem of place to camp with only one black mark against it (I’ll get to that in a minute). This site is run by the US Forest service and sits alongside the really pretty Nacimiento River. If you don’t mind the noise from the road, the best two sites with the river running next to them are right in front across from the pay station and host site. The river is great for wading and supposedly for fishing. There are some swimming holes further up the river (but still in the campground area) as well. There are no hookups for RV’s and the road is very narrow; probably not the ideal place to bring your rig, which makes it perfect for tent camping. Some sites are really private and spread out, and others are on top of each other. They all have picnic tables and fire rings with grills, and there was water available. Alright, now for the bad part. The vault toilets were terrible! They definitely needed to be pumped out, and were in desperate need of a good cleaning. The flies and smell was overwhelming. They had obviously been “maintained” as they were stocked with toilet paper, but that was the extent of that. There are lots of nearby hiking trails to pick from and you are not too far from the coast.
TravelerIf you want to escape, this is the place. No signal, hardly ever see any other people and tons of open space and trails for motorcycles and quads. Dry camping only. No water available but there is a vault toilet and picnic tables.
TravelerI was attending a weekend Jeep event at Pismo Dunes and had booked a space in the OHV area on the beach. When I got there the wind was so bad it was impossible to put up a tent. So I looked up this place, which is probably 1/2 mile from the entrance to the beach.
The campground has mixture of tent and pull-through sites. All sites have full hookups, and include a fire ring and picnic table. The bathrooms were clean and had showers, but everything was very old. There was also a pool and laundry rooms on the property.
The sites were flat, but there was no barrier between you and your neighbors. The RV sites looked very cramped but the tent sites seemed adequately spaced for the most part. I stayed in site 252 which appeared to be some kind of double site, because there were two sets of hookups in the space (one of which required a large pole in the middle of the site).
In spite of the convenience of the location, there were drawbacks. The campground is narrow and situated directly between PCH and the railroad tracks on either side. So traffic noise was significant, and as an added bonus, every now and then Amtrack would roll past.
Over all, it met all the basic needs, was well maintained, and was close to the beach. And the noise was probably less than I would get sleeping in the OHV camping area.
Tent camping near San Miguel, California, offers a blend of scenic beauty and outdoor adventure, perfect for nature enthusiasts looking to escape the hustle and bustle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near San Miguel, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near San Miguel, CA is Lake San Antonio - North Shore with a 4.8-star rating from 5 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 7 tent camping locations near San Miguel, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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