Camping options near Santa Clarita range from rustic tent sites nestled in the San Gabriel Mountains to developed RV parks with full amenities. The area sits at elevations between 1,200-3,500 feet, creating varied camping microclimates that can be 10-15°F cooler than downtown Los Angeles in summer months. Winter temperatures often drop below freezing at higher elevation campgrounds, particularly from December through February.
What to do
Hiking at Malibu Creek: The campground connects to several hiking trails of varying difficulty levels, with the primary trails consisting of open fire roads. "There is also a visitor center in the park, but it has limited hours. The wildlife is abundant. There is plenty of birdwatching, and coyotes were wandering through the park and campground without fear," shares one camper at Malibu Creek State Park Campground.
Beach access camping: Located 45 minutes from Santa Clarita, Dockweiler offers oceanfront camping with urban proximity. "Right off a very nice coastal 20+ mile walking/biking path. Went to a concert last minute at SoFi just 15 min away," notes a visitor to Dockweiler Beach RV Park.
Stargazing at higher elevations: Little Pine Campground sits at a higher elevation with minimal light pollution. "Love this place. Makes you feel like your on top of the world. This place is about 1 hour from Glendale," writes a camper at Little Pine Campground.
What campers like
Clean facilities: Many campgrounds maintain well-kept bathroom facilities despite high usage. "The bathrooms were clean. Can't wait to go back. Walking distance to the beach. Best part," reports a visitor to Canyon Campground at Leo Carrillo State Park.
Privacy options: Some campsites offer more seclusion than others. "Site #13 feels more secluded than other sites on the campground. Only problem was it's on a slope. Not perfectly flat," notes a Little Pine Campground visitor.
Kid-friendly amenities: Many campgrounds feature play areas. "The playground was a bunch of old metal pieces that looked like you would surely break a leg so naturally my 2 and 4 year old LOVED it," writes a camper about Kenney Grove Park.
What you should know
Seasonal water levels: Water features may disappear during dry months. "There are some decent hiking trails nearby if you can bear the heat, but all the creeks are dried up so you can't really take a dip. It's much nicer and greener during the Spring or Fall."
Train noise: Several campgrounds near Santa Clarita experience railroad noise. "This trip we stayed down near the welcome center instead of Lot N and the experience didn't even seem like the same RV Park. No loud music, no barking dog, less dust, and dirt. There was however a train that ran around 3:30am every morning," notes a camper at Thousand Trails Soledad Canyon.
Site selection matters: Consider specific site locations when booking. "Our campsite was DISGUSTING. People left trash and cigarettes all over our campsite. Our neighbors were blasting music during all hours. We called security but they barely did anything."
Tips for camping with families
Bring quarters for showers: Many campgrounds require coins for shower facilities. "Bathrooms were clean. Need quarters for showers. There is no dump station on site. Sites are various sizes."
Pack shade structures: Tree cover varies significantly between campgrounds. "I came here during the summer and it was extremely HOT. Typically during the summer season, I like to find campgrounds that have a lot of lush trees so we can be under the canopies and stay cool."
Be wildlife aware: Various wildlife encounters are common. "On a hike right out of the park a few hundred yards, I came across a pair of bobcats—mom and cub—making their way to a running creek," reports a visitor at Millard Trail Campground.
Tips from RVers
Site access considerations: Some campgrounds have challenging layouts for larger RVs. "The sites are different, some shade some not. I wouldn't suggest for really large campers. But for a van, we had power, water, bathrooms and off season prices."
Parking configurations: Unusual hookup placements can require extra equipment. "The full hook up sites are for Model A's. So hook ups are on the opposite side and really close to the 'entrance' so we couldn't back in, we had to park our towing vehicle in the general parking area. We had our small travel trailer and thank God we had a 40 ft sewer hose."
Dry camping options: For those seeking more space, consider non-hookup areas. "The RV park has a hookup area and a dry camping area. The hookups are full of large rigs, very close one with another, in a parking lot style. The dry camp provides much more space, but only relatively small RVs."
