Las Trampas Regional Wilderness in San Ramon offers limited camping facilities with basic access points for equestrians. The fenced camping area includes stone picnic tables, water fountains, and food storage lockers, though campers must hike their gear approximately 150 yards from the parking area to the campsite. The campground accommodates only 6-8 tent sites within a barbed wire enclosure designed to keep roaming cattle and wildlife away from the camping area. The parking lot at the Bollinger Canyon Road entrance provides space for approximately 30 vehicles, with street overflow parking permitted for horse trailers.
Multiple hiking trails from the Las Trampas Regional Wilderness campground connect to the Las Trampas ridge system, with direct trail access to Mt. Diablo. The trails feature a mix of wider open pathways and narrower woodland routes with significant elevation changes suitable for moderate to experienced riders. Trail riders frequently encounter wildlife including deer, cattle, raccoons, and various bird species throughout the park. The main Las Trampas ridge trail provides spectacular views of the East Bay and nearby Mt. Diablo for those willing to tackle the steep ascent. Reservations are required well in advance as the limited camping spots fill quickly, especially during summer months when temperatures in the region can fluctuate significantly between day and night.
$25 - $200 / night
"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"
$15 - $200 / night
"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"
"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."
$15 / night
"I have never camped here but hiked many trails."
$15 / night
"The 31-mile East Bay Skyline National Recreation Trail, part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail system, traverses"
$75 - $120 / night
"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!"
"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"
$15 / night
GuideSan Ramon, CA. Ok for a night’s stay. Address takes you to main entrance to fairgrounds where a person manning a booth directed us to drive around the fairgrounds to Gate 12 which is entrance to the RV park. Thank goodness there was still a person on duty at the main entrance or we would have not known what to do. We made reservations by phone and staff did not mention that we had to find Gate 12!
LegendThis site is a nice hidden gem that many won't know even has a campground. While tiny and available only for a small number of campers, if you can get a spot booked well in advance, you'll have the place nearly all to yourself. Located just off of 680, you'll take Bollinger Canyon Road where you'll head just north of Las Trampas Stables before coming to a round-about where there's ample parking for about 30 cars (no worries, overflow parking on the street is allowed).
From the parking lot, there's 3-4 hiking trails to take, but the one to the campsite is the only one heading south from the parking lot. You'll have to hike all your gear in from here, and it's about 150 yards, so not all that bad, but the pathway is a bit choppy in places, so you'll want to carry most of what you've got on your back (or head!). There's just a few simple amenities at the campground, where I could only count 6-8 or so places to park a tent. Once you're all set up, take the hiking trail straight up to Las Trampas hiking ridge (there's only one trail up from your campground, so if you're not panting, then you're heading in the wrong direction). Pass the cows grazing in the meadows to climb clear to the top for a most spectacular view of Eastbay and nearby Mt. Diablo.
The other 2-3 trails that you'll find here are all worth taking and all fairly easy-to-medium in difficulty, but anyone heading up to the ridge, will find at many places it is steep and can be difficult hiking (just apply the icy hot after your hike!). As for the campground itself, it is bare minimum - the ground is relatively flat, but the entire space is encased in a barbed wire fence area playpen to keep the roaming cattle and other wildlife from coming near the area. When we were there we saw deer, cattle, raccoons and many other four legged vermin running around the area. Inside of the pen though, there's 5-6 stone picnic tables, a water fountain, only a single locker to place your food (so first-come, first served!) and a double-mounted grill.
All in all, if your aim is to spend 2-3 days scouring Las Trampas ridge, then this is a great place to call home for a few days, but it lacks the amenities and natural serenity that you would normally expect when outbacking here in Cali. And if you get tired of the campfire food, it's SO easy to just head into nearby San Ramon for a classic In-N-Out burger (it's a staple here in Cali, but I'm not from here, so I don't get what all the fuss is about: sorry California, but Johnny Rockets burgers from Chicago still win out!) or for the best bite around, try out Zachary's Chicago-style Deep Dish Pizza (this Chicagoan approves!) and a frosty cold mug of Anchor Steam to wash it down with.
Happy Camping!
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.
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.
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.
ScoutThis location is easily accessible for all. Biking, trails for hiking and the gardens are gorgeous. Rvs and horses welcome.
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!
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
LegendMidweek in June the park, which is fairly large, is still nearly empty. The sites are fairly close to each other, which matters because one of the other campers is right next to mine (46) and doesn't understand basic camp etiquettes like not using generators all night or letting their dog wonder through other sites and the bathroom areas off-leash. Still the campsites all have decent views–though best ones abut the lake on the map. They look close to the lake on the map but they are actually way up high above it. There are trails running throughout the park and around the lake that are a mix of wider open trails and narrower, through the woods, but groomed trails with plenty of up and down to make for a good hike.
Lots of birds and wildlife–beware says the sign...all the signs, but I mostly only saw turkeys and a few water birds. Because the camp was empty, I moved over to site 56 when it was clear my neighbor was a camp d-bag. It was a pull through with a downhill slope in the site but not in the drive. The views and solitude over here were great with the setting sun through the trees, and the knowledge that the Bay in the distance.
There were a few other weird vibes in the park, namely some e-bikers charging up phones at the bathroom drinking 40s and smoking joints, while watching very loud sitcoms on the charging phones. They seemed mostly harmless, and were gone well before dark.
The warm waters* of Lake Chabot was beautiful and tempting as a siren, but don't touch it, or let your dog touch it, unless you want to get mutated like the Ninja Turtles...
Actually, that is a bad example. That would be awesome. The water will make you sick or your (or your pets) skin break out in a real not fun way. It is toxic. It will not make you a Ninja Turtle.
The showers were great. Hot and FREE!
Finally, this is a well-kept park with proactive rangers only limited by their working hours, and despite it being quite accessible to Oakland, the park felt like camping in the wilderness, even though I could hear cheers echoing through the canyon from a graduation somewhere below.
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.
*I don't know if it was warm. I didn't touch it.
Las Trampas Regional Wilderness offers dispersed camping opportunities near San Ramon, California at elevations ranging from 760 to 1,900 feet. The park spans 5,778 acres of rugged terrain with several entrance points along its boundary. Summer temperatures can vary significantly between daytime highs in the 90s and overnight lows in the 50s.
Hiking extended trails: The trails at Morgan Territory Regional Preserve connect directly with Mount Diablo trails, offering backpacking possibilities. "Feels very off grid. Camp experience was smooth and the sun was shining," notes camper Tyler S.
Exploring volcanic landscapes: Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve provides unique geological features on hiking trails. "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," explains Elliott B.
Horseback riding trails: The equestrian facilities at several San Ramon horse campgrounds connect to wider trail networks. "The trails feature a mix of wider open pathways and narrower woodland routes with significant elevation changes suitable for moderate to experienced riders," according to park information.
Lake activities: Del Valle Campground offers water recreation options beyond hiking. "Del Valle is one of the most beautiful lakes in the east bay. The water is perfect temperature. Great hikes, paddle boarding, kayaking, swimming and beginner windsurfing," shares Rosina A.
Wildlife encounters: The natural areas around Tilden Regional Park support diverse animal populations. "There are lots of turkeys, and watch out for poison oak on the trails. We camped in one of the group camp sites, which had a large covered pavilion which was nice. Tall eucalyptus trees surrounding the open grassy area of the campsite," reports holland G.
Urban accessibility: Many camping areas provide natural settings despite their proximity to urban centers. "Great local weekend getaway," writes Esther A. about Del Valle Campground, noting it's "a decent place for locals looking to get a break from routine but not intended to be a final destination."
Advance planning required: Most campsites in the area fill quickly, especially during peak seasons. At Anthony Chabot Regional Park, "It's popular, especially on the weekends, and I'd recommend reservations," advises Amanda P.
Horse facilities: Equestrian-specific campgrounds near San Ramon have varied accommodations for horses. Some offer water troughs, while others provide dedicated parking for horse trailers.
Limited amenities: Many regional preserves offer primitive camping with minimal facilities. "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," notes Stuart K. about a campsite in the area.
Beginner-friendly options: Skyline Wilderness Park provides accessible camping close to amenities. "A safe, beautiful, affordable property to spend outdoors time on. Convenient sites with complete hookup and also restroom/showers handy. The 800+ acres of hills, woods and fields offers archery, disc golf, hiking, horseback riding and more," Jamie G. explains.
Educational opportunities: Some parks offer nature programs for children. "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!" shares Nicholas M.
Weather preparation: Temperature swings can be significant in the San Ramon area. Pack layers for children, as daytime activities can be warm while evenings cool considerably.
Full hookup options: Several campgrounds near San Ramon provide complete RV services. At Alameda County Fairgrounds RV Park, "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," reports Pamela.
Size limitations: Many parks have restrictions on RV length or width. "Sites are grassy, some with trees, and pretty close together," notes N V. about one local RV park.
Cell service for remote work: Coverage varies by location but is generally reliable in most campgrounds. "I definitely recommend getting there well before the gates close because there were issues getting a hold of the camp host. Fortunately, we received an email with a gate code since it was locked when we got there at 5:01pm," advises Moriah M.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near San Ramon, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near San Ramon, CA is Anthony Chabot Regional Park with a 4.6-star rating from 29 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near San Ramon, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 16 equestrian camping locations near San Ramon, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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