15 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Skyline Wilderness Park in Napa provides equestrian-friendly camping with trail access for riders. The park features dedicated campsites that accommodate horses and their owners, located approximately 20 miles north of San Rafael. Sites include picnic tables and access to drinking water. Horse trails connect to a larger network within the 850-acre wilderness area, offering varied terrain through oak woodlands and grasslands. The campsites remain open year-round with full amenities, though spring visits offer optimal trail conditions when wildflowers bloom along the riding paths.
Las Trampas Regional Wilderness, situated east of San Rafael, offers additional horse camping options with direct access to over 5,000 acres of wilderness. The park's equestrian-friendly campsites connect to more than 40 miles of multi-use trails that climb steep hillsides with panoramic views of Mount Diablo and the San Francisco Bay. Riders should note that many trails feature significant elevation changes, making them moderately challenging for horses. Water access is limited along some trail sections, requiring riders to carry sufficient supplies during longer excursions. Trail conditions remain best during spring and fall months when temperatures are moderate and seasonal creeks provide natural water sources for horses. Reservation requirements typically include documentation of current vaccination records for equine visitors.
"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."
"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"
"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"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"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"The 31-mile East Bay Skyline National Recreation Trail, part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail system, traverses"
from $15 / night
Check Availability"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 Availability"It’s close to the entrance but the driveway only had a slight grade. Mostly folks with trailers. The sites are not too close together but it is easy to see into the surrounding neighbors."
"Spring Lake has been that for us. We have been here for 2 weekends in the last few months."
from $35 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $75 / 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.
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."
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.
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
GuideWe 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 that's only 5 minutes away....would definetly be back here again
Horse trails in Sonoma County provide equestrian camping options within a one-hour drive of San Rafael. The region features volcanic terrain with elevation changes from sea level to over 2,000 feet in certain wilderness areas. Trail conditions vary seasonally, with winter months often bringing muddy sections while summer offers drier but sometimes dusty riding conditions.
Visit tidal beaches: At Wildcat Campground, equestrians can enjoy coastal riding with beach access. "The 3.2 kilometer (2.0 miles) round-trip walk to Alamere Falls is one of the main draws of this campground," notes Elliott B. The beach area allows for spectacular sunset riding opportunities.
Hike redwood groves: Bothe-Napa Valley State Park trails wind through redwoods, providing shaded riding during summer months. "Nice hiking trails in the park though they are closed currently (Dec 2020) due to the fire in the area. There was no damage to the campground even though the fire burned into the grounds," reports Robert S.
Explore volcanic formations: The volcanic trail system at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve offers unique riding experiences on former quarry roads. A reviewer explains, "The diverse hike to reach the campground is stunning. The hike changes drastically over the course of the six miles ranging from lush forests to grassy fields to breathtaking coastal views."
Trail diversity: Coast Campground connects to multiple trail systems with varying difficulty levels. "The Muddy Hollow and Estero trails are nice and not heavily traveled. There have been Mountain Lion sightings as of early 2018, so take caution and be aware of recent sightings," advises Michael I., highlighting the importance of wildlife awareness when horseback riding.
Water access: While not all trails have water sources, some seasonal creeks appear during spring. "Trail conditions remain best during spring and fall months when temperatures are moderate and seasonal creeks provide natural water sources," confirms one experienced rider. Campers appreciate the natural water features for horses during these seasons.
Privacy between sites: Anthony Chabot Regional Park offers well-spaced equestrian sites. "The eucalyptus groves make the air smell wonderful, and there is so much wildlife to see (deer, turkeys, owls, etc.)," writes Amanda P. The spacing between sites allows horses to rest without disturbance from neighboring campers.
Reservation requirements: Most equestrian sites require advance booking, especially during peak season. At Las Trampas Regional Wilderness, "if you can get a spot booked well in advance, you'll have the place nearly all to yourself," advises Stuart K.
Trail closures: Seasonal trail closures affect riding options, particularly after heavy rains or during fire season. "Be careful of the poison oak, it is prevalent there as it is so anywhere in Northern California," warns Robert S., pointing out an additional hazard riders should watch for.
Gear preparation: Pack appropriate tack for varying terrains. "The hike to the campsite went by fast. Only 1.8 miles, not too bad on the elevation gain either," notes Char A., describing a trail that horses can navigate comfortably when properly equipped.
Choose beginner-friendly trails: Flatter sections of Las Trampas are suitable for younger riders. "Pass the cows grazing in the meadows to climb clear to the top for a most spectacular view of Eastbay and nearby Mt. Diablo," suggests Stuart K., highlighting opportunities to see grazing animals that children enjoy.
Plan wildlife viewing opportunities: Bodega Dunes Campground offers abundant wildlife sightings. "We did see a few foxes, or the same fox a few times, so make sure to keep camp sites clean," advises Michael I., emphasizing both the opportunity and responsibility of wildlife encounters.
Schedule around crowds: Weekdays offer quieter trail experiences for family rides. "The weekends usually are full, it clears out Sunday evening so during the weekdays it is really nice," notes Robert S., providing practical timing advice for families planning equestrian camping trips.
Trailer parking accommodations: Some parks offer designated horse trailer parking areas with pull-through sites. "RV Campsites are nothing fancy and close together. But the park itself is nice...hiking trails, views, nature, and close to Napa," reports Rich J. from Skyline Wilderness Park.
Elevation considerations: Larger rigs may struggle on steep access roads. "The road in is fairly winding with a bit of a drop down the cliff. If you're heading in at dusk or dawn, go slow. You will see deer stepping through the road," warns Ryan W., providing important safety information for those hauling horse trailers.
Water hookups location: At several equestrian campgrounds, water hookups are positioned to serve both campsites and horse areas. "Sites are level with minimal need for blocks. Staff are friendly. Native garden is very nice," notes Adam B., describing practical site conditions important for setting up an RV with horses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near San Rafael, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near San Rafael, CA is Wildcat Campground — Point Reyes National Seashore with a 4.8-star rating from 15 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near San Rafael, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 15 equestrian camping locations near San Rafael, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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