Best Tent Camping near Sausalito, CA

Tent camping near Sausalito, California provides access to several walk-in and hike-in tent-only sites within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Mount Tamalpais State Park. Haypress Campground in the Marin Headlands offers primitive tent camping with five hike-in sites less than a mile from the parking area. Bicentennial Campground, also in Sausalito, provides walk-in tent sites with basic amenities. Just north in Mill Valley, Pantoll Campground features 16 walk-in tent sites across a hillside with access to numerous hiking trails, including routes to Muir Woods and Stinson Beach. Bootjack Campground in Mount Tamalpais State Park offers additional walk-in tent camping options with year-round availability.

Most tent campgrounds in the area require campers to pack in their own gear from designated parking areas. Haypress Campground has no potable water, requiring tent campers to bring their own supply. According to reviews, the tent pads at Haypress are approximately 10' x 10', with each site featuring a picnic table and food storage locker. Pantoll Campground provides water spigots throughout the campground, fire pits, and picnic tables at each site. Fire regulations vary significantly between locations, with some sites prohibiting all fires while others allow them seasonally. The coastal climate brings fog, wind, and temperature fluctuations, particularly at exposed sites like those on Angel Island State Park, where campers report needing extra tent stakes for wind protection.

The backcountry tent camping experience near Sausalito offers remarkable proximity to urban areas while maintaining a sense of wilderness. One visitor noted that Haypress Campground was "very quiet and peaceful with beautiful stars and no artificial light or road noise" despite being just a 20-minute drive from the Golden Gate Bridge. Tent campers at Pantoll Campground recommend sites higher up the hill for greater privacy and less noise from the Panoramic Highway. Wildlife encounters are common, with raccoons frequently investigating campsites after dark. For those seeking more remote tent camping, Point Reyes National Seashore offers several backcountry tent campgrounds within a 30-45 minute drive from Sausalito, including Wildcat Campground, which requires a 5-6 mile hike to access.

Best Tent Sites Near Sausalito, California (39)

    1. Steep Ravine Campground — Mount Tamalpais State Park

    15 Reviews
    Stinson Beach, CA
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (415) 388-2070

    $25 - $100 / night

    "There is a separate bedroom, you could sleep 2 couples on beds easily with extra floor space and a small individual bunk for larger families."

    "And charcoal grills outside each cabin. A couple general use picnic tables scattered about. So those are the basics you can read anywhere."

    2. Pantoll Campground — Mount Tamalpais State Park

    15 Reviews
    Stinson Beach, CA
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (415) 388-2070

    $7 - $25 / night

    "Pantoll is a pretty campground located adjacent to the entrance to Mount Tamalpais.  You can hike to, bike to, take the bus to, or even drive to this campground.  "

    "Pantoll would be one of my favorite campgrounds of all time if not for the noise levels. One would think that quiet time would be respected in a backpackers campground, but not here."

    3. Sunrise Campground — Angel Island State Park

    9 Reviews
    Tiburon, CA
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (415) 435-5390

    $30 / night

    "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!"

    4. Bicentennial Campground — Golden Gate National Recreation Area

    7 Reviews
    Sausalito, CA
    3 miles
    Website
    +1 (415) 331-1540

    $25 / night

    "this is an excellent primitive campground with 3 sites."

    "3 sites, very close to each other/nothing separating them. Sites were clean."

    5. Haypress Campground — Golden Gate National Recreation Area

    5 Reviews
    Muir Beach, CA
    3 miles
    Website
    +1 (415) 331-1540

    $25 - $75 / night

    "Theses are limited  (5) hike in tent sites.  Not far in - less than a mile.  You are on your own here. Bring your own water.  No fires."

    "A hike-in campground in Tennessee Valley, a short 20 minute drive from the Golden Gate Bridge and the hustle and bustle of the City.  My family of three stayed here for one night in mid March.  "

    6. Alice Eastwood Group Camp — Mount Tamalpais State Park

    4 Reviews
    Muir Woods, CA
    6 miles
    Website

    $110 - $225 / night

    "Group B holds 25 and has more privacy. We had Group A and had a ton of day hikers invading our site."

    "Per my rating system, I usually reserve 5 stars for those parks that are worth traveling to from long distances (i.e. out of state)."

    7. Rob Hill Campground

    4 Reviews
    Sausalito, CA
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (415) 561-5083

    $92 - $140 / night

    "Looked like there was easily room for at least a dozen small tents at each of the sites and nice restrooms accessible via combination punch pad."

    "Pitch tent on wood chips. Level. Fire pits, water. Nice and close, yet feels a ways away. Accessible to many trails."

    8. Bootjack Campground — Mount Tamalpais State Park

    4 Reviews
    Stinson Beach, CA
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (415) 388-2070

    "Bootjack is a tent only, walk in campground. You park your car in the parking lot, and then carry your stuff uphill to your site. The site closest to the bottom is reserved for disabled."

    "Each campsite had a table and bench, wood grill area, and easy access got the restrooms, potable water, and trash cans (that are inside wooden boxes to deter wildlife)."

    9. Wildcat Campground — Point Reyes National Seashore

    14 Reviews
    Olema, CA
    18 miles
    Website

    "A very cool spot for backpacking in with 6-8 miles to hike in, depending on the trails you take. The tall grass gave some privacy between neighboring campsites. Nice to have a water spigot on-site."

    "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"

    10. Hawk Campground — Golden Gate National Recreation Area

    2 Reviews
    Sausalito, CA
    2 miles
    Website
    +1 (415) 331-1540

    $25 / night

    "Loved this spot tucked away in the Marin Headlands. Great views of the golden gate or Pacific in the far distance. Sites spread enough apart that no one was too close."

    "The location is amazing, however you need to make reservations through recreation.gov for one of the three sites up there. Also, it’s $25 as listed on the site."

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Showing results 1-10 of 39 campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Sausalito, CA

737 Reviews of 39 Sausalito Campgrounds



Guide to Sausalito

Nestled near the stunning coastline of Sausalito, California, tent camping offers a perfect escape into nature with breathtaking views and a variety of outdoor activities.

Tent campers like these nearby activities

Tent campers should check out local attractions

Unique features of the campgrounds

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Sausalito, CA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Sausalito, CA is Steep Ravine Campground — Mount Tamalpais State Park with a 4.7-star rating from 15 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Sausalito, CA?

TheDyrt.com has all 39 tent camping locations near Sausalito, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.