Glamping around Woodside, California offers diverse camping opportunities at 800 to 2,600 feet elevation in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The region's microclimate brings cool, foggy mornings that often burn off by midday, with temperature swings of 30-40 degrees between day and night common even in summer. Most upscale camping options stay open year-round, though seasonal trail closures can occur after winter storms.
What to do
Hiking to waterfalls: Big Basin Redwoods State Park offers challenging trails to impressive waterfalls. "Best thing about this campground is proximity to the Berry Creek Falls... a huge series of water falls on a super long and strenuous hike," notes one visitor to Lower Blooms Creek. The park features over 15 miles of trails through ancient redwoods.
Coastal exploration: Walk along bluff trails and beaches near Half Moon Bay State Beach Campground. "You can walk for miles on the beach or on the bluff trails. Everyone is laidback which makes for a peaceful experience. Great sunsets!!" says one camper. The coastal trail extends approximately 4 miles along the shoreline.
Archery practice: Mount Madonna County Park offers a unique 28-target archery course through the woods. "There is an archery trail with 28 targets on a trail through the woods. We were there 3 days in a row and did 20 of the 28. It's really pretty and a cool challenge," explains a visitor who enjoyed this distinctive activity.
What campers like
Private walk-in sites: Sanborn County Park features secluded tent camping areas a short distance from parking. "This is a nice camping away from the car experience. It's a short walk up a paved path from the parking to the campsites. The park provides carts to help with hauling gear, and storage boxes are provided at the site," describes one Sanborn County Park visitor who appreciated the setup.
Unique forest features: Redwoods create their own microclimate at Mount Madonna Park. "This is the only place I've seen the redwood trees harvest the fog and make their own rain, which is pretty cool. In the morning it's raining under the redwood trees but not under the madrone or tan oak trees, which is wild," shares a camper at Mount Madonna County Park.
Glamping amenities: Luxury accommodation options near Woodside include comfortable cabin camping. "We stayed in a cabin in the huckleberry campground. The cabins were nice, and each cabin has 2 double beds, a table, and a wood stove. It can get cold at night in the redwoods so the wood stove was great at night," explains a visitor who enjoyed the glamping experience.
What you should know
Weather preparedness: Mountain temperature variations require extra clothing. "It is a lot colder here than on the valley floor. Prepare for it to be 40deg colder than Gilroy or San Jose. We weren't prepared & had to drive into town & buy more clothes!" warns a Mount Madonna camper about the significant temperature drops.
Campsite selection: Research site locations and privacy levels before booking. "When booking campsites here, I recommend taking some time to research the campsites as they vary in size and privacy," advises a camper. At Samuel P. Taylor State Park Campground, "sites are close, but have some privacy. Stream is accessible shallow. Beautiful trees."
Crowded weekends: Popular campgrounds fill quickly, especially on holidays. "Because of the holiday and the proximity to Oakland/San Fran, the campground was in FULL EFFECT with a gang of variant families camp site hopping," notes one camper who experienced the busy atmosphere during a July 4th weekend.
Tips for camping with families
Close-to-home options: Santa Cruz Mountain campgrounds provide convenient family getaways. "For families who want a quick trip over Golden Gate Bridge to introduce their children (or adults!) to the great outdoors, their first camp, nowhere is more convenient and instantly gratifying," explains a Samuel P. Taylor camper about the accessibility.
Kid-friendly activities: Streams and natural features keep children entertained. "This campground has a creek that runs through it that the kids loved playing in all day. The slugs were hanging out in trees all around us and it was so much fun looking for them," shares a camper about Big Basin, highlighting natural attractions for children.
Beginner-friendly sites: Santa Cruz North-Costanoa KOA offers structured family programming. "This is a great camp ground for families as well as seniors! We attended a presentation on the wild birds in the area that an employee provided, and then he took us on a hike through Costanoa and over to the ocean. Observed great activities for kids!" notes a visitor who appreciated the organized activities.
Tips from RVers
RV site variations: Hookup quality and spacing differ significantly between parks. At Mount Madonna, "The RV sites have both water and electric hookups which was great! There is a very convenient FREE dump station just inside the entrance to the park that we used as we departed," reports a satisfied RVer about the amenities.
Tight spacing considerations: Many coastal RV sites provide minimal separation. "RV sites are basically parking lot with 4' strips of grass in between, But it was March and mostly empty," notes a Sanborn County Park visitor, while another camper at Costanoa mentions, "The pull through spaces are extremely tight to the point that our slide out was hitting vegetation and our neighbors awning was about two feet from our Rv."
Road access challenges: Narrow mountain roads can complicate RV arrival. "To get to Sanborn you will have to drive up a narrow road. We didn't have any issue with a 21' though," advises an RVer who successfully navigated the access routes to the mountain campgrounds.
