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jacqueline P.
Scout
ScoutPelican Point RV Park
Has hot showers & laundry room! A 5 min walk to the ocean as well. Super peaceful
Tent Camping near San Ramon, CA
3 campgrounds with availability next weekend
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Tent campgrounds near San Ramon, California offer diverse terrain and proximity to scenic parks and preserves. Las Trampas Regional Wilderness provides primitive tent sites with a unique setup where campers hike their gear about 150 yards from the parking lot to a small camping area. Mount Diablo State Park's Juniper Campground is another option for tent campers seeking established sites with designated amenities. Morgan Territory Regional Preserve also features backcountry tent sites that provide a more secluded experience.
Most tent sites require reservations made well in advance, particularly for weekend stays. The region's tent campgrounds typically include basic amenities such as picnic tables and fire pits, though fire regulations vary seasonally. According to one visitor, Las Trampas has "5-6 stone picnic tables, a water fountain, only a single locker to place your food, and a double-mounted grill." Potable water is available at some sites like Juniper Campground, but limited at more primitive locations. Many tent campgrounds are enclosed with barbed wire fencing to keep wildlife out, especially in areas with active raccoon populations and grazing cattle.
The terrain at tent campsites varies from relatively flat clearings to more rugged surfaces. Juniper Campground offers spacious tent sites with nearby bathrooms and showers, making it suitable for tent campers seeking more developed facilities. In contrast, Morgan Territory provides a genuine backcountry feel that one camper described as "very off grid." Weather conditions significantly impact the tent camping experience, with summer temperatures at Mount Diablo potentially reaching over 100°F. Higher elevation sites offer cooler temperatures but may experience strong winds. Many tent sites serve as excellent basecamps for day hiking, with multiple trail systems accessible directly from camping areas. Wildlife sightings are common, including deer, raccoons, and coyotes at several of the tent-only areas.
Best Tent Campgrounds near San Ramon (35)
1. Juniper Campground — Mount Diablo State Park
"We didn’t have a reservation, but got 1 upon arrival around 2pm. Our site had nearby bathrooms, showers & trash. It included picnic table, fire pit, food storage boxes, & is very spacious."
Check Availabilityfrom $30 / night
2. Morgan Territory Regional Preserve
Check AvailabilityCampground full next weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $15 / night
3. Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park
"Magical :) I feel at Peace at Such a Beautiful Location. Its a Must see."
Check AvailabilityCampground full next weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $75 / night
4. Sunol
"Great backpacking getway. Many day hikers here but you can backpack as well. I camped on a beautiful ridge."
"I have never camped here but hiked many trails."
Check AvailabilityCampground full next weekend
Get a text when available5. Coyote Hills Regional Park
"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."
Check AvailabilityCampground full next weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $75 / night
6. Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve
"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"
Check Availabilityfrom $15 / night
7. Tilden Regional Park
"Tilden Park is perfect for anyone whose interested in wildlife and hiking in perfect climates. Tilden offers a lake in the middle to swim in and fish. The campsites have lots of fire pits."
"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."
Check Availabilityfrom $75 - $120 / night
8. Briones Regional Park
"A few low spots. Cleared 12' barely with minor scrapes. Good parking and turn around. Lots of opportunities for horse riders in area. Pets on leash."
Check AvailabilityCampground full next weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $75 - $200 / night
9. Sunrise Campground — Angel Island State Park
"Angel Island is a unique backpacking experience, one I'd gladly do again."
"Angel Island is a California State Park, but it's surprising how many visitors do not know of the 10 campsites scattered around the island!"
Check AvailabilityCampground full next weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $30 / night
10. Round Valley Regional Preserve
Check AvailabilityCampground full next weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $15 / night
Drive Time
- 32 min from San Jose, CA
- 34 min from Vallejo, CA
- 44 min from Stockton, CA
- 47 min from Napa, CA
Recent Tent Camping Photos near San Ramon, CA
55 Photos of 35 San Ramon Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Morgan Territory Regional Preserve
Sunol
Sunrise Campground — Angel Island State ParkR
SkyWanda Sanctuary
Bicentennial Campground — Golden Gate National Recreation AreaC
Hawk Campground — Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Black Mountain Backpacking Camp
Joseph D. Grant County Park
Haypress Campground — Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Alice Eastwood Group Camp — Mount Tamalpais State Park
Castle Rock Trail Camp — Castle Rock State Park
Bootjack Campground — Mount Tamalpais State Park
Tent Camping Reviews near San Ramon, CA
630 Reviews of 35 San Ramon Campgrounds
Laura K.ScoutCalifornia Delta's Snug Harbor
This campground needs a lot of work including docks, boat births and sites need pads and less weeds, stickers, burs.
C. K.
TravelerSan Mateo Memorial Park
Redwood canopy
Around this time of year, park is practically empty during weekdays. Nice and quiet and peaceful place where you can slow things down
T T.
GuideDumbarton Quarry Campground on the Bay
Great safe place in sourh east bay
Great location with spaces in safe SE bay area location and reasonable prices New development small young trees limited natural shade
Kylee R.
RangerCaswell Memorial State Park Campground
Caswell Memorial State Park
Lots of sites with privacy! Bathrooms are clean and they have coin operated showers. Dumpsters and water in various spots. Right on the river, a small beach access. Saw some cats. Bear box, picnic table, and fire pit at each spot.
Tom T.ScoutDumbarton Quarry Campground on the Bay
Open sky great starlink users.
Very quiet campground at night. See stars clearly. Use the fire pit after 730pm when the wind has calmed down.
- TTwindaddyGuide
Del Valle Campground — East Bay Regional Park District
East Bay Parks - IYKYK
Like most/all east bay parks, this is well appointed for the masses. It’s also surrounded by rolling hills and close to suburbia. For many, these are positives. As an east bay resident they are for me as well. Del Valle is a bit more removed than many east bay parks. From my location in Fremont, it’s a one hour drive. A pleasant drive for the most part. I camp to get away for a bit and almost always to mountain bike. As such, I seek parks that have trails. Del Valle has a map of many trails. They also appear on many of the mapping services used by mountain bikers. Review those and digest them if this is also your intention - these are east bay parka style trails. In other words, mostly steep and loose fire roads, with many “social trails” sprinkled between. If you are compelled to stay legit/legal trails, bring an ebike. Now on to the camping. I picked a spot as far removed from any booked spot on the map. I triple checked this up until the day before I arrived. I want solitude! When I arrived Thursday afternoon, I was surprised to see the sites just 3 spaces away, on both sides, occupied. This is a fairly compact area. And while I’m sure they’re lovely folks, this isn’t what I expected on a Thursday. Saturday? Sure. Anyway… be aware that these reservation services aren’t completely reliable in that regard. The bathrooms and showers are amazing! Clean, smell good, cared for. Noteworthy is the hot showers in the camp grounds are free and your one push of the button provides water for two minutes I'd guess. Very nice! The space, 135 for me, is okay. A couple trees for shade, a nice table and fire pit. It’s now dark and the noise is minimal - mostly from the group campsite just down the hill. I’ll update this with more details in the coming days since it’s a 4 day visit.
Update 1: it’s my first morning here. Using starlink as there is no cell signal to be found. What I noticed last night was that this park is directly below the flight path to the local airports. Every couple minutes last night, a plane would fly overhead. According to flight aware, they’re at about 10,000 feet. If this will ruin your getaway, you’ve been warned.
Update 2: On Friday night, the majority of the spots were filled. Many large groups of people with varying degrees of consideration, but to their credit almost all (except the barking German Shepard) were quiet by 10PM. It was a bit more crowded come Saturday morning. Some friends came to visit for a mountain bike ride, and we set off at about noon. I had been complimentary of the facilities and bragged that I'd be taking a nice shower after our ride. Unfortunately, upon our return, there was no hot water and no lighting in the showers. And, sadly, someone decided to remove the tags and hangers from their TJ Maxx haul and leave them all over the floor of two of the showers.
Verdict: I'd only come back here in the springtime when it's likely to be green and have some water in the arroyo and only during the week. The density and composition of the people here was akin to being at Costco on a Saturday, and I only did that once.
- C. K.Traveler
San Mateo Memorial Park
Under the Redwoods
Nothing like camping under the redwoods with sounds of streams nearby. Restrooms and facilities are clean and well maintained. Park Rangers are extremely nice and helpful.
Dawn S.GuideMarin RV Park
Great to see the City
We came in around 9pm. There's a board with names and site numbers on the office building. These are snug spots but we have enough room to put the slide out. It is a level gravel parking lot. There's not alot of places in San Fran to even day park. This is just fine. They do fill up fast. Called the next day to extend through Sat, they are booked solid.
Dog walk is through the gate at the back of the lot where abandoned railroad tracks are. There's a pond with some ducks and a walking path.
Guide to San Ramon
Tent campsites near San Ramon, California range from rustic backcountry sites to developed campgrounds with basic amenities. The region features rolling hills between 1,000-3,800 feet elevation with oak woodlands and chaparral ecosystems. Summer temperatures frequently exceed 90°F at lower elevations, while fall brings milder weather and fewer campers.
What to do
Hiking at Mount Diablo: The Juniper Campground provides direct access to summit trails with significant elevation gain. "The hike is pretty nice to the summit from there," notes camper Ben W., who recommends avoiding July visits when temperatures reached 104°F.
Wildlife watching: Morgan Territory Regional Preserve offers backcountry sites with ample wildlife viewing opportunities. Camper Tyler S. describes the experience as feeling "very off grid" with good sun exposure, making it ideal for nature observation.
Swimming at Lake Anza: Tilden Regional Park provides access to Lake Anza for cooling off. Nicholas M. notes, "Tilden Park is perfect for anyone whose interested in wildlife and hiking in perfect climates. Tilden offers a lake in the middle to swim in and fish."
What campers like
Spacious tent sites: Juniper Campground at Mount Diablo gets high marks for site layout. "Our site had nearby bathrooms, showers & trash. It included picnic table, fire pit, food storage boxes, & is very spacious," writes Brittney L., who visited in May.
Regional trail access: Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve connects to extensive trail networks. "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," notes Elliott B.
Overnight stargazing: The tent camping areas at higher elevations provide excellent night sky viewing opportunities. Holland G. mentions Tilden's unique setting: "Tall eucalyptus trees surrounding the open grassy area of the campsite," creating partial canopy for stargazing in clearings.
What you should know
Food storage requirements: Las Trampas Regional Wilderness has limited food storage options. A camper notes the area has "only a single locker to place your food (so first-come, first-served!)" and warns about "raccoons and many other four legged vermin running around the area."
Water availability varies: Many tent sites require carrying in water for overnight stays. In Morgan Territory, the primitive nature means "the water source questionable and unreliable," according to camper MarinMaverick, who "hiked in all the water I needed."
Reservation timing: Popular tent campsites fill quickly, especially for weekend dates. Brittney L. reports getting a site at Juniper Campground without a reservation by arriving around 2pm on a weekday, but this is uncommon during peak season.
Tips for camping with families
Bring shower supplies: Mount Diablo's Juniper Campground has shower facilities, but Ben W. advises "BRING SHOWER SHOES AND SOAP UR GOING TO WANT IT" after a hot day of hiking.
Consider educational options: Nearby Tilden Park offers family-friendly attractions. Nicholas M. mentions 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!"
Check age restrictions: Some primitive tent sites have minimum age requirements for safety reasons. The Sibley backpack camp limits group size and Elliott B. notes it's "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)."
Tips from RVers
Limited RV access: Most tent campsites near San Ramon don't accommodate RVs. At Briones Regional Park, Cococounty L. notes: "A few low spots. Cleared 12' barely with minor scrapes. Good parking and turn around."
Consider hybrid camping: Some RV owners use tent sites as base camps while parking vehicles elsewhere. Michelle F. mentions at Garin Regional Park: "I not sure they allow RVs. Dogs are allowed they have picknic area's and a kite area."
Check road conditions: Access roads to tent campsites often have steep grades and tight turns. Stuart K. warns about Tilden's location: "What this campground lacks in ambiance, grooming and amenities, this location makes up for by putting you smack dab in the middle of some very phenomenal hiking."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent
campsite near San Ramon, CA?
Which is the most popular tent campsite near San Ramon, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near San Ramon, CA is Juniper Campground — Mount Diablo State Park with a 4-star rating from 2 reviews.
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tent camping near
San Ramon, CA?
What is the best site to find tent camping near San Ramon, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 35 tent camping locations near San Ramon, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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