Best Tent Camping near Sonoma, CA
Tent campsites near Sonoma, California range from coastal bluffs to mountain ridges, with several walk-in tent options within an hour's drive. Point Reyes National Seashore offers multiple tent-only campgrounds including Wildcat Camp and Sky Camp, while Mount Tamalpais State Park provides walk-in tent sites at Pantoll and Bootjack campgrounds. These established tent campgrounds typically require reservations through recreation.gov or the California State Parks reservation system, with most sites bookable up to six months in advance.
Most tent sites in the region feature picnic tables, food storage lockers, and access to vault toilets or flush restrooms. Pantoll Campground provides potable water spigots spread throughout the campground, while sites at Wildcat Camp include bear boxes and charcoal grills but prohibit wood fires except on the beach with a permit. Walk-in tent sites at Mount Tamalpais require campers to park at designated lots and carry gear short distances to their sites. A recent review noted that "sites up the hill require a bit of a hike-in but are farther from the road noise and busy parking lot." Fire restrictions vary seasonally, with complete bans common during dry summer months.
Tent camping experiences in this region offer unique coastal and forest settings not accessible to larger camping setups. At Point Reyes, tent campers can access secluded beaches and hiking trails directly from their sites. One camper described Wildcat Camp as having "tall grass that gave some privacy between neighboring campsites" with the beach "just yards away." Sites at Sky Camp sit on a ridge with panoramic views when fog permits. Haypress Campground in the Marin Headlands provides a more primitive tent camping experience with just five hike-in sites less than a mile from the parking area. These walk-in tent locations typically offer more solitude than drive-in campgrounds, though weekend nights can still be busy, especially during summer months.
