The Dyrt – find campgrounds for tents, RVs, cabins, glamping and more.
Open in App

Best Tent Camping near Union City, CA

746 Reviews

Tent camping options surround Union City in California's East Bay area, with several regional parks offering tent-only sites. Coyote Hills Regional Park in nearby Fremont provides established tent camping with hiking trails and marsh views, while Sunol Regional Wilderness offers more secluded tent sites in a natural setting about 15 miles east of Union City.

Most tent campgrounds in the East Bay regional parks require reservations and have limited amenities. While many sites include picnic tables and fire rings, campers should verify if drinking water is available as several parks like Garin Regional Park lack this basic service. The tent sites at Morgan Territory Regional Preserve and Las Trampas Regional Wilderness provide primitive experiences with minimal facilities. Many locations enforce restrictions on campfires during dry months, particularly from May through October when fire danger increases. Vault toilets are typically available at established sites, though backcountry locations may require campers to pack out all waste.

The tent camping experience near Union City offers unique advantages for those seeking outdoor experiences without traveling far from urban areas. Sites at Mount Diablo State Park's Juniper Campground provide tent campers with impressive views and hiking access. Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park offers tent sites nestled among towering trees for those seeking forest settings. Most tent areas see moderate use during summer weekends but remain relatively quiet midweek. Several locations provide access to extensive trail networks, making them suitable bases for day hiking or backpacking trips. A camper at Morgan Territory Regional Preserve noted: "Feels very off grid. Camp experience was smooth and the sun was shining." Tent sites generally accommodate 1-2 tents per pad with designated areas for cooking and food storage to minimize wildlife encounters.

Map showing campgrounds near Union City, CaliforniaExplore the Map

Best Tent Sites Near Union City, California (39)

Show More
Showing results 1-10 of 39 campgrounds

2025 Detourist Giveaway

Presented byToyota Trucks

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win

Union City Contest

Enter to Win

Recent Tent Camping Photos near Union City, CA

70 Photos of 39 Union City Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Union City, CA

746 Reviews of 39 Union City Campgrounds

  • Erin S.
    Mar. 16, 2022

    Pantoll Campground — Mount Tamalpais State Park

    Tent campground with plenty of hiking trails

    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.  If you choose to drive, just know that it can be impossible to find a place to park on busy weekends (you'll need to drop your stuff off, find a place to park along the road, then come back to park in the evening when the parking lot clears).  We hiked in.  On a weekend night in March, only four of the 16 sites were taken so we had no problem nabbing a spot.  The campground is situated across a steep-ish hillside.  Water spigots are spread out among the sites, but all the bathrooms are located down the hill near the parking lot.  Each site has a fire pit, picnic table, and a flat spot to pitch a tent.  Sites are fairly close together in bunches (for example, 2, 3, and 5 were close, 6 and 7 were close, but there was a bit of space between the groups). Firewood is sold at the ranger kiosk but they have limited hours. Some spots are larger than others, and very few can accommodate a house-size tent (you know what I mean - and no judging, I have a house-size tent for car camping).  We had our 3 person backpacking tent with us and it would have fit in all the sites.  Sites up the hill require a bit of a hike-in but are farther from the road noise and busy parking lot.  There is one dishwashing station near the bottom.  

    Pros: 

    - Location.  You can hike anywhere from this campground.  Down to Muir Woods in less than 3 miles.  Up to Rock Springs, Bolinas Ridge, and Mount Tam.  Down to Stinson Beach.  I could spend a week here exploring all the trails.

    - Amenties.  Dishwashing sink, many water spigots, food storage lockers, fire pits, toilets that flush.  And Wifi from the ranger kiosk (squee!!!) which we appreciated to check the weather and bus schedule (very poor Verizon signal).

    Cons: 

    - Noise from Panoramic Highway.

    - Busy parking lot with lots of people potentially moving around the campground (especially the lower sites). 

    - No reservations: FCFS only.

    Overall I'm really happy I finally got to chance to camp here and would recommend.

  • Rommel C.
    Oct. 31, 2022

    Live Oak Campground — Mount Diablo State Park Campground

    juniper campground - site 15 - end of october

    great campsite! be careful driving up the windy road and watch for the many cyclists. going up/down with you. 

    driving in was very easy; parking is right next to the site. the campsite itself was beautiful - panoramic views of the east bay area. i could recognize walnut creek, lafayette, danville and san ramon through the binoculars. site was clean, but the ground itself was very rocky. irritating that there wasn't really any level spots to set up the tent, so sleeping on a slant was a real treat (sarcasm). weather was very mild during the day; not too hot, nor too cold. nights were bearable in the high 50s, and by late night (cuz i kept waking up because of slanted sleeping), but felt like low 40s and slightly windy. make sure you bring thermals and a warm sleeping bag. sleeping pad is a definite must on the sharp rocks; be careful when stepping around in the tent with just socks on. 

    drought meant that flushing toilets were all locked.. as were the showers.. but from what i heard the "chemical toilets" (aka porta-potties) were an adequate substitute. water access had been shut off as well, so make sure you bring plenty of your own for washing and drinking. 

    critters - we didn't encounter any during our stay. no racoons, bears, mice, rats.. nada. just a ton of pincher bugs everywhere. not even many flies! we had those spinning fly deterrent things, though. maybe those really DO work? 

    ALSO because of the drought - NO WOOD FIRES ALLOWED. total/complete bummer to camp without a campfire. gas stoves and lanterns were permitted, though.

  • MarinMaverick
    Sep. 1, 2020

    Haypress Campground — Golden Gate National Recreation Area

    Hidden Gem

    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. You get a picnic table and a food storage locker, nothing else.

    Meadow sites against a row of trees. There is very little privacy between sites but the couple times I have been here it was not full.  It can get windy - there is some shelter under the tress. 

    Here you can strike out hiking through Tennessee Valley to the beach and beyond!

    Great for a close get-a-way and seclusion.

  • S
    Nov. 12, 2020

    Live Oak Campground — Mount Diablo State Park Campground

    Juniper Campground: hiked in

    We hiked up to Juniper campground from the Clayton side. The sites in the teens have less overhead shade but more privacy than those of higher numbers. The sites closest to the driving road/entrance/overlook will have the potential to be downwind of the bathroom, unfortunately.

    The campground is a dry campground - as in no alcohol.

    That said, we loved our site #15, and enjoyed the privacy it provided, plus the views (if you stand on the table or are tall). We didn't encounter critters. We had some trouble staking down on the rocky dirt. 

    This is a good campground to explore the rest of the summit areas, plus Rock City.

  • Rhiannon S.
    Jul. 23, 2017

    Lower Blooms Creek — Big Basin Redwoods State Park — CAMPGROUND CLOSED

    Beautiful Trails Through Towering Redwoods

    This was a long family camp trip in an amazing location. Our campsite was a walk-in, fairly secluded spot partially up a steep hill. There were only a handful of spots on that pathway, so there weren't many neighbors. Camp had a picnic table, fire ring, bear box, & lots of nearby trails & paths for exploring. Toilets with showers, and dishwashing stations were nearby as well.

    The highlight of this campground is the ample opportunity for wandering. There are many trails, easy walks through ancient redwoods, moderate trails to beautiful waterfalls, and tougher trails for dedicated hikers.

    At the lodge area, there's a store, restaurant, and gift shop, plus educational programs, family events, and community campfires. The kids went on a guided hike to become junior rangers, which gave the parents some free time in the afternoon.

    It's an amazing place to be, and we definitely need to spend more time there.

  • Juliana S.
    Sep. 20, 2021

    Castle Rock Trail Camp — Castle Rock State Park

    Pleasant setting with some noise from the shooting range

    I liked the trees, picnic tables, and fire rings at the sites. The sites were spaced nicely to allow for privacy. Frog Flat seemed a bit more secluded than the main camp. There was no water running at the site when I stayed there, but vault toilets were available. There is a nearby shooting range and you can hear the gunshots during the daylight hours.

  • Sara W.
    Aug. 23, 2018

    Coe Ranch Campground — Henry W. Coe State Park

    Easy Scenic Camping close to Bay Area

    Henry Coe State Park is easily accessible from the San Francisco Bay Area for a weekend getaway or short camping trip.

    The Coe Ranch campground has several tent-only campsites that can be reserved online ($8 transaction fee, $20/night), and the campground has parking for vehicles in a small parking area ~20-100 feet from the campsites. Campsites at this campground are aesthetically pleasing, with oak and pine trees around the perimeter of the campground, and there are scenic views of oak woodlands and the valley below. The picnic benches are conveniently located and provide a nice space for eating while camping at the site. Toilets are easily accessed from the campsites. Campfires are allowed in the fire rings only during non-fire season (no campfires during summer months). Dogs are allowed at the Coe Ranch Campground.

    Henry Coe SP has many great hiking opportunities, with beautiful wildflower displays in March and April, and also numerous opportunities for enjoying the beauty of the plants and wildlife seen along the hiking trails which are very accessible from the campground. Near the Coe Ranch campground there is a camp book store, which has some items for sale, including many field guides to wildlife and plants in the park. When the store is open, there is often a ranger available to answer questions about the park.

    My only compliant is that at the site we stayed at (CR005) the ground is quite compacted, so if you do not have an adequately thick sleeping pad, the ground may be uncomfortably hard to sleep on. Normally I have no trouble sleeping on the bare ground at campsites with a thin sleeping pad, so this was surprising. Bringing an extra pad may be a good idea if you are prone to sleep problems when the ground is too hard.

  • Larry W.
    Aug. 28, 2020

    Sugar Barge RV Resort & Marina

    Quiet, NO other tenters!

    We (party of 4) were there primarily because we rented a boat from their Marina. That went well! This is an RV campground & full-complement resort on Bethel Island, San Joaquin River Delta. Many RVers appear to be long-term or full-time residents.

    The tent-area was a clearing, fully backed up to the levee, with some shade and a water spigot. Appears to be only 4 “sites,” which are defined by picnic tables, GENEROUSLY spaced, no fire rings AND the Delta is h.o.t.! It’s also on the far edge of the property, so car traffic was MINIMUM — and NO generators were heard, even though the RV section is huge!!!

    The rest rooms were in the Marina building, a short walk. We would DEFINITELY return for boating and tenting!!!

  • Cococounty L.
    Apr. 25, 2020

    Briones Regional Park

    A nice spot!

    A few low spots. Cleared 12' barely with minor scrapes. Good parking and turn around. Lots of opportunities for horse riders in area. Pets on leash.

Guide to Union City

Tent camping near Union City, California, offers a variety of scenic locations where nature lovers can enjoy the great outdoors. With well-maintained facilities and numerous activities, these campgrounds cater to both novice and experienced campers.

Tent campers should check out Tilden Regional Park

  • Tilden Regional Park features stunning eucalyptus trees and offers access to fantastic hiking trails, including routes to Lake Anza and Lake Jewel.
  • The park allows campfires and pets, making it a great choice for families looking to enjoy a weekend getaway.
  • With amenities like drinking water and picnic tables, Tilden provides a comfortable camping experience just outside the urban hustle.

Tent campers appreciate these amenities at Joseph D Grant County Park

  • Joseph D Grant County Park boasts clean bathrooms with hot water and shaded oak spaces, perfect for a relaxing camping experience.
  • The park offers reservable sites with picnic tables and firewood, ensuring campers have everything they need for a cozy stay.
  • Enjoy hiking trails with beautiful views of Mt. Hamilton and nearby lakes, making it an ideal spot for outdoor enthusiasts.

Some prices for tent camping range from $20 to $40

  • At Coyote Hills Regional Park, tent camping is available in a clean environment, although it’s best suited for those who don’t mind some foot and car traffic.
  • Garin Regional Park offers a unique historical experience with picnic areas and kite-flying spots, making it a fun destination for families.
  • Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve provides a primitive hike-in site with breathtaking views, perfect for those seeking a more secluded camping experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Union City, CA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Union City, CA is Coyote Hills Regional Park with a 4-star rating from 2 reviews.

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

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

Keep Exploring