J
Jonelle K.
Traveler
TravelerBear Mountain RV Park
Office closed.
Negative - One unisex bathroom/shower for the entire park. No code provided. Positive - Nice landscape. Fenced dog park.
Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Taft, CA
Carrizzo Plain National Monument Dispersed camping permits dogs throughout its free camping areas west of Taft. The natural landscape features rolling hills and open plains with unobstructed views of the night sky, making it popular among pet owners seeking solitude. No water, toilets, or developed facilities exist on site, so campers must pack in all necessary pet supplies and carry out waste. The camping areas remain peaceful with minimal crowds even during peak seasons. Ground squirrels populate the region, requiring dogs to be leashed to prevent wildlife chase. The area gets approximately 15 degrees colder at night than forecasted during winter months.
San Emigdio Campground and Valle Vista Campground both provide pet-friendly camping options with different amenities. San Emigdio features clean restrooms with sinks, numerous hiking trails within walking distance of campsites, and requires awareness of rattlesnakes for dog safety. Valle Vista offers more primitive facilities but compensates with exceptional valley views and alcohol-permitted policies. Both campgrounds maintain consistent pet policies requiring leashes no longer than 6 feet, waste cleanup, and prohibit leaving pets unattended at campsites. Buena Vista Aquatic Recreational Area provides waterfront camping with full hookups for RVs and pet access to shoreline areas. The lake area contains abundant wildlife including birds and ground squirrels that may attract dogs' attention. Multiple pet-friendly trails connect the campgrounds to surrounding wilderness areas, though limited shade requires consideration during summer months when ground temperatures can affect paw safety.
Best Dog-Friendly Sites Near Taft, California (86)
1. Buena Vista Aquatic Recreational Area
15 ReviewsTupman, CA12 milesWebsite+1 (661) 868-7000"Makes it nice to know that I can take my pets with me to the lake so that way they can have fun to. We brought our RV and we pulled in very late at night."
"Great spot next to the lake. Very windy at times. Lost of gopher holes in the soil."
2. Carrizzo Plain National Monument Dispersed
4 ReviewsMaricopa, CA9 milesWebsite"At the mentioned location we soon encountered a sign saying the motorized vehicles are prohibited from that point on."
"I’d suggest going a bit further in the plains on the main road and taking a further turnout to have some shorter grasses. really nice area though and no one around!"
3. Bakersfield River Run RV Park
25 ReviewsBakersfield, CA28 milesWebsite+1 (661) 377-3600$42 - $49 / night
"Convenient trail in the back of the RV site along the river with restricted access so you can walk your dog. The staff are great."
"Nice park adjacent to a great bike trail of 50+ miles. The river is not always running as in some of the pictures. Gravel pads concrete patios surrounded by grass."
4. Songdog Ranch
4 ReviewsNew Cuyama, CA17 miles+1 (805) 266-1314$40 / night
"I really enjoyed the ranch dogs coming to hang out with me! I'll be back to try one of the other sites with more amazing views!"
5. San Emigdio Campground
3 ReviewsPine Mountain Club, CA17 milesWebsite+1 (661) 858-1115"No access to showers, but restrooms are clean and have sinks. Beware of rattlesnakes. Lots of cool trails within 15 min walk of camp sight"
"Nice sunset views, and trails nearby. Enjoyed hearing the coyotes sing at sunset. Clean bathrooms. Park-like setting."
6. Valle Vista Campground
1 ReviewPine Mountain Club, CA18 milesWebsite+1 (661) 245-37317. Mcgill Campground And Group Campground
13 ReviewsPine Mountain Club, CA29 milesWebsite+1 (805) 434-1996$30 - $154 / night
"On our way to the forest, the air was so thick from the SQF complex fire that we turned around and stopped at a parking lot near Taco Bell to plan our next move."
"We love the camp hosts Harry and Carey and we were even going to try to squeeze in one more weekend trip here and as we were leaving they shut down all the national forests in California because of the"
8. Taft 10 Star Ranch
Be the first to review!Taft, CA4 milesWebsite+1 (661) 805-6747$10 - $1000 / night
10. Campo Alto Campground
5 ReviewsPine Mountain Club, CA24 milesWebsite+1 (805) 434-1996$30 - $154 / night
"Thankfully we arrived around 8:30pm and found walk-on site 17!"
"We were in spot 4 which was right next to the check in board. Despite the close proximity to the road the site was very big and had plenty of trees to throw our hammocks up and relax."
Recent Dog-Friendly Camping Photos near Taft, CA
57 Photos of 86 Taft Campgrounds
Jonathan E.
Carrizzo Plain National Monument Dispersed
Danielle L.
Buena Vista Aquatic Recreational Area
Linda S.
Songdog Ranch
Cuyama O.
Cuyama Oaks Ranch
Michael C.
Bear Mountain RV Park
Rachel
The Little Brave House
Makenzie P.
Bakersfield KOA Journey
Dani P.
Chula Vista Campground at Mt. Pinos
Tim G.
Bakersfield River Run RV Park
Lyle F.
Mcgill Campground And Group Campground
Swan R.
Reyes Creek Campground
Coddiwompling F.
Orange Grove RV Park
Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Taft, CA
537 Reviews of 86 Taft Campgrounds
- Kristi D.
LegendLake Casitas Recreation Area
Seems like a popular place
Economical for California and the area. Off the beaten path from all the craziness by the beach.
We are just passing through CA or it would not be my top spot. They nickel and dime a lot of things, showers pets. We paid online and we pull up and all of a sudden getting charged $5 a day extra for pets including a cat that doesn't leave the camper. Was not thrilled about that.
Otherwise, it was scenic, had a camp store, was close to restaurants, had a gate to drive into, so the place was pretty secure. Seemed like a lot of people gathered on the weekends.
We had the dirt campground which wasn't my favorite but all that was left, while the other campgrounds had cement pads. It was still pretty level.We did have cell reception, nice views and they had a water park for kids during summer months, though wasn't open while we were there.
- WWendy A M.
ScoutOrange Grove RV Park
Clean and Friendly
Clean, friendly, and easy full hookup...clean facilities Dog Park Swimming pool Wendy&Mario
Alejandro L.
GuideMt. Figueroa Campground
Make your own camp
While visiting Los Padres National forest on a Valentines Weekend, we unfortunately couldn’t do much camping near the higher altitudes due to high wind gusts so we headed toward the other camps, Davy Brown and Nina. Only problem was these were all reserved!! Why I hate most camping in California Bc nothing is ever available. Either way I hate these type of campgrounds where there are fire pits, and bathrooms, and typically more humans nearby. So we ditched that and settled on a campsite off the road since the sun was setting. It was off one of the many horse/hike trails and was at least flat and somewhat further from the road and hidden by brush and trees. It was a nice night and enjoyed a quiet night alone on the forest. We only needed to do an overnight since we were doing the wineries and we’re staying at an bed and breakfast the next night. Overall it was nice but rather stay in 2 other spots we found that could make for future camping trips. ☺️⛺️
- SSoham S.Traveler
Love’s travel stop Bakersfield
Good spot
Good spot to stop. They have dedicated RV hook up sites. I didn’t need hook ups since I was only there for a night stop therefore I don’t know the rates. Dog park is always a great thing to see at loves locations!
- DDouglas T.
RangerBear Mountain RV Park
Bakersfield, CA
My first complaint is there is absolutely no signage into this campground. If not for GPS’s insistence we would have definitely missed. The sites are average for our 43’ motorhome. It’s all sand, no grass. Small grassy dog park which was nice. Soon as we got parked and went outside the smell of sewer greeted us. While it was a beautiful day to have the door open it was just way too unpleasant. There are no picnic tables and it’s pretty basic. The girl in the office was very pleasant. I guess it was ok for a 1 night stay even tho it is a ways off of the 5 fwy.
Michael C.LegendBear Mountain RV Park
What this place lacks in amenities, it more than makes up for with the staff
It took two tries to finally make it here. Our motorhome slide refused to slide. But a month later we made it. Feb 3 and it’s 70 degrees. Nice soft breeze. No pool. But our fur kids said the TWO dog parks made up for it. Judith the resident staff person was a ROCKSTAR in getting our reservations changed and rebooked. The spaces and long and plenty of side room for slides.. that you know…. Slide Definitely making this a come back to park.
- mmary F.Legend
Cachuma Lake Recreation Area
Mostly a good camp
Huge campground! Variety of sites from dry to full hookups. Anything with hookups is cramped though. We originally booked FHU and opted out for much more spacious dry site. Dry sites really vary but all are largish. Fire pit at 409 put in a strange location so that we is located on the back side of our trailer. Really no other way we could have configured it. For such a large park with so many amenities I cannot believe the dog park is downright tiny. But park during week is largely vacant so a lot of space to let your dog run (which is against policy). Sure the place is a muddy mess is the rain. Ground squirrels got the place all torn up but hey they were there first. Generally this is a great destination resort! Go see the monarch butterflies in Goleta in winter months. They overwinter there!
- Sarah M.Guide
Bear Mountain RV Park
Good single night stop
Stayed here a single night on my way through the Bakersfield area. This RV park has everything you’re going to need and nothing more. An overwhelming majority of the spaces are for monthly residents, and you can tell most of the campers there are seasoned veterans. Right now the office is closed, I believe due to Covid, so you just fill out a form and drop it in a mail slot then pick out one of the sites. The area is quiet enough, but you can definitely hear the soft whir of cars on the highway close by. Camp seems dog friendly with a couple of very small fenced in grassy patches for pets to relieve themselves. There really isn’t much in the area in the way of markets or grocery stores.
Guide to Taft
Camping options near Taft, California range from basic to full-service sites at elevations between 1,000-5,000 feet. Winter temperatures in this region typically drop 10-20 degrees at night compared to daytime highs, with summer highs regularly exceeding 95°F. The landscape transitions from desert flatlands to pine forests as you move into higher elevations of the surrounding Los Padres National Forest.
What to do
Hiking accessible trails: At McGill Campground, there's a convenient 1/4 mile hiking trail around the site that's "perfect for kids exercising some independence," according to Karilyn O. For more advanced hiking, the surrounding forest "allows for plenty of hiking opportunities either long or short depending on what you feel up to," as Jessica notes about Campo Alto Campground.
Water activities: Buena Vista Aquatic Recreational Area offers opportunities for boating and fishing. Camper Jennifer O. mentions that "people do like their jet skis there so if that bothers you then maybe find another place." The lake area has seasonal considerations as Bob H. notes: "Lake was nice and not many boats."
Wildlife viewing: The region provides opportunities to observe local wildlife. Cathy C. shares that at waterfront non-electric sites, they "enjoyed the birds and squirrels." Ground squirrels are particularly common throughout the area, creating uneven terrain at some campsites.
What campers like
Stargazing opportunities: The clear night skies away from urban light pollution make for excellent stargazing. At Carrizzo Plain National Monument Dispersed, Jonathan E. experienced "very quiet and peaceful" conditions where "the stars were also quite visible with minimal light pollution."
Spacious campsites: Many campers appreciate the well-spaced sites that provide privacy. Jessica mentioned Campo Alto's sites are "HUGE" and surrounded by "utterly breathtaking beauty and quiet." Similarly, Wendy S. noted that at Buena Vista, "the campsites are unique in that they are all pull through, but really pull along. There's lots of space and you are not on top of each other."
Seasonal fruit: Orange Grove RV Park offers a unique camping experience among fruit trees. As Semi H. states, "The oranges are absolutely fantastic and makes you wonder why you can't get the same quality in a store." The grove setting provides "a little privacy between sites and a little fun," according to Corey O.
What you should know
Weather preparation: Temperature variations can be significant. At Carrizzo Plain, Jonathan E. warns that winter temperatures can be "about 15 degrees (F) colder than was forecasted (20 F vs 35 F) at night, so be prepared to be a bit chilly if visiting during the winter."
Wildlife considerations: The presence of ground squirrels affects terrain at several campgrounds. Claudia H. noted "lots of gopher holes in the soil" at Buena Vista, while Wendy S. elaborated that "the campground is full of pocket gophers and ground squirrels so lots of uneven ground."
Limited facilities: Valle Vista Campground and other more primitive sites have minimal amenities. As Kyle mentions, the campground "gets pretty hot in the summer" but offers a "great view of the valley on a nice clear day."
Frequently Asked Questions
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Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Taft, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Taft, CA is Buena Vista Aquatic Recreational Area with a 4.2-star rating from 15 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 86 dog-friendly camping locations near Taft, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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