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Best Dog-Friendly Camping in California

10,000
Reviews

Mackerricher State Park Campground accommodates both tent and RV camping with pets, providing trash collection and picnic tables across its sites. Dogs must remain on leashes no longer than 6 feet and are prohibited from trails and beach areas to protect local wildlife. Jumbo Rocks Campground in Joshua Tree National Park similarly allows pets but restricts them from backcountry trails. Alabama Hills Recreation Area offers free dispersed camping with pets and basic toilet facilities, though lacks amenities like trash collection or picnic tables. Many campers report encountering ticks in several California camping areas, particularly at Hardin Flat Road, necessitating thorough pet checks after outdoor activities.

South Carlsbad State Beach Campground features tent, RV, and glamping options along the coastline with pet-friendly sites, providing full hookups including electric, water, and trash disposal. Dogs must remain outside sensitive habitat areas but can access designated portions of the campground. Pinnacles Campground in Pinnacles National Park accommodates pets in tent sites, RV spots, cabins, and glamping accommodations with amenities including electric hookups, drinking water, and picnic tables. Weather consideration proves crucial when camping with pets in California's diverse climate zones, from coastal fog to desert heat. The campground at Hardin Flat Road provides comfortable camping despite the presence of many other groups nearby, creating a sense of security while offering proper waste disposal facilities.

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Best Dog-Friendly Sites in California (2,551)

    1. Mackerricher State Park Campground

    1463 Reviews
    Fort Bragg, CA

    $45 - $260 / night

    "This state park was so much fun, very dog friendly! Campgrounds were nice and well kept, and just a short walk to the beach! I highly recommend:)"

    "There are many sites next to the ocean."

    2. Jumbo Rocks Campground — Joshua Tree National Park

    119 Reviews
    Twentynine Palms, CA
    Website
    +1 (760) 367-5554

    $30 / night

    "They're situated between HUGE boulders so they're nicely tucked away from high winds that can sometimes pick up."

    "The campsites are tucked between massive granite boulders, offering natural windbreaks and a sense of privacy that’s hard to find elsewhere."

    3. Alabama Hills Recreation Area

    87 Reviews
    Lone Pine, CA
    Website
    +1 (760) 872-5000

    "Very cool rock formations all around you. Nice short trail nearby that takes you by a stream. Nearby to lone pine where I had one of the best patty melts ever."

    "Be prepared for to pack it all in and out coz you aren’t digging many cat holes. Tons of privacy at many sites."

    4. Pinnacles Campground — Pinnacles National Park

    91 Reviews
    Pinnacles, CA
    Website
    +1 (831) 200-1722

    $44 - $164 / night

    "The campground loop we were in was full and the sites are fairly close to your neighbor but it wasn't bad. The main reason being absolutely NO generators allowed so it was peaceful."

    "Per my rating system, this is very close to being 5 stars, meaning it's worth planning a trip from out of state just to visit this park and surrounding national/state forest for 3 days or more  The only"

    5. South Carlsbad State Beach Campground

    78 Reviews
    Carlsbad, CA
    Website
    +1 (760) 438-3143

    $50 - $650 / night

    "If you’re headed to San Diego, be sure to stop and check out Carlsbad just off of the 5. this awesome beach town is quintessential Southern California beach awesomeness and it is absolutely gorgeous."

    "South Carlsbad State Beach is extremely crowded (like many coastal campsites in Southern California), but has very easy access to your own space on the beach below the cliffs."

    6. Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park Campground

    67 Reviews
    Big Sur, CA
    Website
    +1 (831) 667-2315

    $50 - $75 / night

    "No other sites behind us. It felt secluded and private. Close to the bathrooms. And the bathrooms were clean. We didn’t have a river site but the river was right across from us."

    "I think it's a California State Park and Covid thing right now. There is some construction going on but it didn't effect our stay at all. We had a river site."

    7. Upper Pines Campground — Yosemite National Park

    65 Reviews
    Yosemite Valley, CA
    Website
    +1 (209) 372-8502

    $36 / night

    "Campground is close to curry village where showers, pool, market and pizza are available. Campground is near happy isles, where the trailheads for vernal falls, Nevada falls and half dome begin."

    "FYI, they are not joking about wildlife here, bear lockers are there for a reason and the animals are so comfortable and used to people they get close to camp."

    8. Indian Cove Campground — Joshua Tree National Park

    63 Reviews
    Twentynine Palms, CA
    Website
    +1 (760) 367-5554

    $55 / night

    "The sites are tucked into the rocks which block wind and kept us nice and warm at night. Bats flew just overhead for a couple hours and I thought it was magical!"

    "Cons: no park entrance from here. You have to drive 20/30 minutes out to the main road and back in to get to the main area of the park. The campsite next to us had some nasty anthills."

    9. Morro Bay State Park Campground

    62 Reviews
    Los Osos, CA
    Website
    +1 (805) 772-2560

    $35 - $165 / night

    "Unlike many state campgrounds you find near the highway or railroad tracks, this one is located a nice distance from the road.  Still, it is within walking distance to a small marina and restaurant."

    "It is only 2 miles away from Morro Rock and the adorable tourist town full of shops and eateries."

    10. Oceano Campground — Pismo State Beach

    65 Reviews
    Grover Beach, CA
    Website
    +1 (805) 473-7220

    $25 - $40 / night

    "Popular with families and groups Grass around tent sites still green. Most parking spots close to level but bring some blocks. Individual large restrooms with flush toilets and sinks."

    "It started raining cats and dogs during the night, 7am the rangers advised that evacuations could be in store....3pm we had to leave the campground and we were directed further down the coast to Oceana"

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Recent Dog-Friendly Camping Photos in California

1666 Photos of 2551 California Campgrounds

Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews in California

10000 Reviews of 2551 California Campgrounds

  • S
    Apr. 1, 2019

    Avila-Pismo Beach KOA

    Good base camp

    We stopped here for a few nights so we could hook up to shore power for a bit, do laundry, dump etc. The campground itself is small and old so the sites can be a little small for the larger rigs. Bathrooms and showers were clean. People who run it were extremely accommodating - it was difficult for us to access the dump hookup in our first assigned site (we have a macerater with a very short hose) so they moved us to a better site. Easy walking/biking access to Avila beach (4.8miles round trip), and quick drive from Pismo Beach and San Luis Obispo. They allow leashes pets and have a small dog park and pet “walk,” and while these are great, I also like to walk my dog around the whole campground when we can’t take her walks elsewhere, and this campground is very limiting. They have several signs up where dogs aren’t allowed.

    Overall, this is a great location if you want access to the beach and nearby towns with nice basic amenities.

  • N
    Sep. 26, 2021

    San Francisco North-Petaluma KOA

    Great camp for the kids

    This KOA is pretty big with plenty of options for RV sites. Wide variety of full hook-ups or partial hook-ups. Like most (if not all) KOAs, you can also tent camp or tent cabins. Good size dog park for the pets to run and be free, as well as plenty of fun activities to entertain the kiddos. For us, this is a great spot to shoot down the highway and pull in for a few days to get away from the hustle and bustle of normal life! Close to downtown Petaluma with plenty of premium shops and restaurants.

  • Amy and Alan R.
    Nov. 24, 2020

    Trona Pinnacles

    Magical Landscape

    A very out of the way place to plant yourself if you are looking for space. I never knew this was here and grew up camping in California. Filming for the remake of Planet of the Apes happened here. There is so much room and a huge choice when camping here, there isn’t however, potable water or shade unless you bring your own. Amazing views and stunning sunsets. Pretty decent star gazing as well, tho there are lights from Trona it’s self and a glow of light on the horizon to the south. We spent a few days camping with family here. It’s easy to social distance when you need binoculars to see most of the fellow campers in the area. There is one pit toilet at the main parking area and some people to camp there as well. Close to Spangler Hills Off Rd area as well.

  • Sunshine M.
    Oct. 21, 2022

    Rancho Seco Recreation Area

    All types of fun !

    I love this place because it is about 45 minutes from the house.  There's plenty to do with lots of great sites.  The first time we went, they didn't have any annual passes because they lady was out that day. But the other day, we were able to finally get a season pass.  You can fish, hike, or swim here. The campsites are spacious and you don't feel over crowded if there is a family next to you. It's pet friendly. The store was recently redone and they offer a wide variety of items, from keep sakes to any necessity you may have forgotten ( lighter, logs, clothes shoes, etc... )  There also boat rental that are a fair price, plus you get them for an hour or so. ( You will have to check the prices and availability. ) There's a dog park for the dogs to roam free off the leash, which also has access to water/ beach area for the dogs only.

  • Sabrina V.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 14, 2025

    Circle RV Resort

    It’s OK for a couple weeks

    Amenities isn’t all that great when they’re not maintained well. Gym has damaged equipment, pool has lose hand rails and heated pool is filthy. Pool furniture is outdated, broken and dirty. They will only play country music at the pool. The shower house looks like it has recently been updated but smells and has mold growing already. They do not allow any kind of camper except big rigs/trailers. They have a “dog park”, which is very small and smell horrendous due to there only being fake plastic grass. Most owners will also not clean up after their pets, so you or your dog may step into feces quite often there. RV park is between highway and main road - no quiet found here. Rules on what you’re allowed to put up for shade will vary depending on how much management likes you there. All in all an Ok place if you aren’t actually spending you time there.

  • haelie A.
    Nov. 1, 2022

    Laguna Seca Recreation Area

    racetrack!

    we stayed here for two days while camping in california- it was sweet! we had the whole tent/dry camping campground to ourselves this time of year.

    i couldn't find anything about rates online, so if you are trying to figure that out--- it's not the cheapest. dry camping ranges from 40-50$ and full hookup from 50$-60$, though i do think they have discounts for off season (november-....march? not sure.) waking up and watching the open track was super fun. lots of cool trails and viewpoints.

    > good thing to mention, we showered on the third morning. my (male) partners shower was hot, and my (female) shower was so freezing. so maybe showers in the male bathroom, although way grosser, are the move!

  • K
    Jul. 31, 2021

    SacWest RV Park & Campground

    Perfect for what it is.

    Perfect for what it is which is a basic parking lot RV park. The amenities are pretty great, lovely pool, petting zoo and my favorite the fenced dog park. Oh and they have a dog wash with leash clip!!! So many parks miss the opportunity for dog friendly features. They have the cleanest bathrooms i have ever experienced at an RV park.

    My only disappointment was the wifi connection specifically in communal spaces close to the office where it makes sense to have strong connection. Their rec room would be a perfect place to hey some work done if only the wifi was powerful enough. Since i was working on the road I was specifically in need of this amenity. I heard certain RV spots had great reception but unfortunately not ours.

  • Alejandro L.
    Feb. 19, 2021

    Mt. 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. ☺️⛺️

  • Gillian L.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 15, 2025

    Barstow-Calico KOA

    Beautiful

    We rolled in after dark. The office is open until 9 pm which was very nice. They sell snacks and supplies. There are cabins for rent along with tent sites in addition to backup and pull through sites. Our site had full hookups. The dog park at the back of the campground was decent size with a gorgeous view of the mountains. There are arched overhead lights through the lanes to help light in the dark. A word of warning, the campground has many oleander flower bushes which are toxic to humans and pets if ingested, so please use caution. There are signs warning of this.

Guide to California

California offers a variety of pet-friendly camping options, allowing you to enjoy the great outdoors with your furry friends by your side.

Pet-friendly campgrounds include Jumbo Rocks Campground

  • At Jumbo Rocks Campground, pets are welcome, making it a great spot for families traveling with dogs.
  • This campground features picnic tables and fire pits, perfect for a cozy evening with your pet after a day of exploring.
  • With numerous hiking trails nearby, you can enjoy scenic walks with your dog while taking in the stunning rock formations.

Dog-friendly activities while camping near Pinnacles National Park

  • Pinnacles Campground allows pets, and the surrounding area offers fantastic trails for hiking with your dog.
  • The campground has a pool, providing a refreshing spot for the whole family, including your four-legged companions.
  • Enjoy birdwatching and wildlife spotting in the park, where your dog can accompany you on many trails.

Dog owners appreciate the amenities at South Carlsbad State Beach Campground

  • South Carlsbad State Beach Campground features easy beach access, allowing you to take your dog for a fun day by the ocean.
  • The campground includes clean restrooms and showers, ensuring a comfortable stay for both you and your pet.
  • With a nearby camp store and restaurant, you can grab snacks and supplies without leaving your furry friend behind.

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