k
kelly E.
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GuideNapa County Fairgrounds
Great location, clean bathrooms, great water pressure and temperature in the showers. Very nice sunrise and sunsets here thru the trees.
Tent Camping near Tiburon, CA
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The San Francisco Bay Area offers several tent camping options near Tiburon, California, with most sites located within a short drive across the Golden Gate Bridge in Marin County. Angel Island State Park provides the closest tent camping to Tiburon at Sunrise Campground, accessible only by ferry from the Tiburon terminal. Mount Tamalpais State Park offers multiple tent-only options including Pantoll Campground, Bootjack Campground, and Steep Ravine Environmental Campground, all within 10-15 miles of Tiburon.
Most tent sites in the area require walk-in access from parking areas, with distances ranging from 0.2 to 0.5 miles to reach campsites. Facilities typically include picnic tables, food storage lockers, and vault or flush toilets. Water availability varies significantly between campgrounds - Angel Island and Mount Tamalpais sites generally provide potable water, while Golden Gate National Recreation Area campgrounds like Haypress and Bicentennial often require campers to bring their own. A camper noted that at Haypress Campground, "These are limited hike-in tent sites. Not far in - less than a mile. You are on your own here. Bring your own water."
Tent campers frequently encounter fog and wind, particularly at coastal sites. The exposed locations offer stunning views but require proper gear. At Angel Island's Sunrise Campground, sites provide panoramic vistas of San Francisco Bay, with one visitor reporting that "Angel Island is a unique backpacking experience" where "you'll want to bring enough stakes to guy out your tent as there isn't any wind protection from trees or boulders." Many campgrounds in the region operate on reservation systems through Recreation.gov or ReserveCalifornia, though Pantoll and Bootjack Campgrounds remain first-come, first-served. During summer weekends, arriving early is essential as parking lots fill quickly, especially at popular trailheads like those in Mount Tamalpais State Park.
Best Tent Campgrounds near Tiburon (39)
1. Steep Ravine Campground — Mount Tamalpais State Park
"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."
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $25 - $100 / night
2. Pantoll Campground — Mount Tamalpais State Park
"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. "
"All sites are a small walk up on a hill kind of steep. Ranger station at parking lot that sells firewood. Water faucets, bathrooms. No showers. Bear lockers."
Check Availabilityfrom $7 - $25 / night
3. Sunrise Campground — Angel Island State Park
"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!"
"Angel Island is a unique backpacking experience, one I'd gladly do again."
2 Sites AvailableAvailable this weekend
from $30 / night
4. Bicentennial Campground — Golden Gate National Recreation Area
"this is an excellent primitive campground with 3 sites."
"3 sites, very close to each other/nothing separating them. Sites were clean."
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $25 / night
5. Haypress Campground — Golden Gate National Recreation Area
"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. "
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $25 - $75 / night
6. Rob Hill Campground
"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."
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $105 - $170 / night
7. Alice Eastwood Group Camp — Mount Tamalpais State Park
"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)."
1 Site AvailableAvailable this weekend
from $110 - $225 / night
8. Wildcat Campground — Point Reyes National Seashore
"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"
9. Hawk Campground — Golden Gate National Recreation Area
"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."
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $25 / night
10. Bootjack Campground — Mount Tamalpais State Park
"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)."
"Most sites are near the road and you’ll hear bicycles all night. Though, you can see the city shine in the distance. Cost us $25"
Drive Time
- 22 min from San Francisco, CA
- 36 min from Vallejo, CA
- 43 min from Santa Rosa, CA
- 47 min from Napa, CA
Recent Tent Camping Photos near Tiburon, CA
63 Photos of 39 Tiburon Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Sunrise Campground — Angel Island State ParkR
Hawk Campground — Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Haypress Campground — Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Bicentennial Campground — Golden Gate National Recreation AreaC
Alice Eastwood Group Camp — Mount Tamalpais State Park
Bootjack Campground — Mount Tamalpais State Park
Pantoll Campground — Mount Tamalpais State ParkS
Steep Ravine Campground — Mount Tamalpais State Park
Wildcat Campground — Point Reyes National SeashoreM
Glen Campground — Point Reyes National SeashoreL
Sky Campground — Point Reyes National Seashore
Tent Camping Reviews near Tiburon, CA
820 Reviews of 39 Tiburon Campgrounds
- jjacqueline P.
ScoutPelican Point RV Park
Has hot showers & laundry room! A 5 min walk to the ocean as well. Super peaceful
- t
tom S.GuideSugarloaf Ridge State Park Campground
Excellent campground
We arrived and looked at our site and needed sun to recharge our batteries so the attendant let us pick one from the available list. A bit dusty but well worth it for the amenities.
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
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 Tiburon
Tent camping near Tiburon, California typically requires foggy morning preparation, with coastal sites experiencing significant temperature changes throughout the day. The Marin Headlands area sits at elevations between 800-1,500 feet, creating microclimates that can be 10-15 degrees cooler than downtown Tiburon. Most campgrounds in this region are walk-in only, requiring campers to park and carry gear short distances to their sites.
What to do
Hike to Tennessee Beach: From Haypress Campground, take an easy trail to the shoreline. "There are owls perched in eucalyptus trees next to the campsite, and coyotes. Came across one on the way back from a sunset hike to the beach," notes Jill F. The trail is mostly flat, making it accessible for most fitness levels.
Beach camping at Point Reyes: Wildcat Campground offers beach access just yards from your tent. "The tall grass gave some privacy between neighboring campsites. Nice to have a water spigot on-site," shares Taylor A. The beach walk to Alamere Falls takes about 30 minutes each way.
Sunrise city views: Camp on Angel Island for unique perspectives of San Francisco. "When the last ferry leaves, you have the island practically to yourself. It is pretty awesome," writes Bryan R. Plan to hike the 5-mile perimeter trail early morning for the best photo opportunities.
What campers like
Overnight Muir Woods access: Alice Eastwood Group Camp lets you avoid the crowds. "Good walk down the hill to John Muir Woods and visitor center. Not too bad hike back up to camp," reports Dan H. The campground sits above the main tourist entry points, allowing for early morning redwood exploration.
Rustic coastal cabins: Steep Ravine Campground provides simple shelter with amazing ocean frontage. "These cabins are well worth the cost. 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," explains Amber D. The cabins cost $100 per night plus reservation fees.
Privacy through terrain: Campers appreciate the natural separation at Bootjack Campground. "The sites are very close to the parking lot (and the main road) so it was easy to haul everything up and back from the car. The amenities at the camp were terrific!!" reports rylee. Each site includes a wood grill area and nearby potable water.
What you should know
Reservation challenges: Most sites near Tiburon book extremely quickly. For Steep Ravine, "You need to be ready to click 'reserve' on the website at no less than 5 minutes before the window opens for your dates of interest, which was 6 months ahead of time," advises Adam.
Wildlife encounters: Small animals frequently visit campsites. "Lots of raccoons at night, so lock everything away," warns Samantha T. about Pantoll Campground. Food lockers are provided at most sites, but bring steel wool to block small openings.
Water availability: Many campgrounds require you to bring your own supply. "These are limited (5) hike in tent sites. Not far in - less than a mile. You are on your own here. Bring your own water," explains MarinMaverick about Haypress Campground.
Tips for camping with families
Whale watching camps: Position your tent at Hawk Campground for possible sightings. "Loved this spot tucked away in the Marin Headlands. Great views of the golden gate or Pacific in the far distance," notes Mary D. Bring binoculars for potential whale spotting between January-May.
Historical exploration: Angel Island offers educational opportunities. "Also fascinating history. The island is well equipped with various bathrooms that include flush toilets and sinks," Haley C. mentions. The Immigration Museum provides context similar to Ellis Island for the west coast.
Weather preparation: Temperature swings require extra clothing. "It can get very windy and chilly at night, so come prepared with a sturdy tent and warm clothing," advises Haley C. Pack layers for children, especially wind-resistant outer shells for coastal sites.
Tips from RVers
No true RV sites available: Traditional RV camping isn't supported near Tiburon. "RV, pop-up and camper-truck camping is not allowed in the Presidio. No hook-ups available," explains Elliott B. about Rob Hill Campground. Most sites are tent-only with walk-in access.
Parking limitations: Securing a parking space can be challenging. At Pantoll Campground, "I don't recall if you get a dedicated parking space with a campsite or not, but parking can be a challenge here due to the popularity of the various trailheads, and the limited parking," cautions Michael I. Arrive early to secure a spot.
Road access challenges: Roads to campgrounds often include steep sections. "Just be ready for a winding drive with some sharp turns and sheer cliffs," warns Michael W. regarding access to Mount Tamalpais State Park campgrounds. RVs over 25 feet are not recommended on these routes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent
campsite near Tiburon, CA?
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Tiburon, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Tiburon, 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
Tiburon, CA?
What is the best site to find tent camping near Tiburon, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 39 tent camping locations near Tiburon, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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