Camping in California
Every California camping guide our team has shipped — campgrounds, free dispersed sites, RV parks, family picks, backcountry permits, and seasonal calls.
Published guides
Winter Camping in California: Open Sites, Bad Weather, Real TalkA retired ranger's straight talk on winter camping in California — open sites, bad weather, gear that matters, and when to just cancel.By Buck Tanner
Best Months to Camp in California (And the Ones to Skip)When to camp in California by region and month — the shoulder-season sweet spots, the high-sierra window, and the months to skip entirely.By Riley Cobb
California Camping Permits & Reservations: How They Actually WorkHow California camping reservations actually work across Recreation.gov, ReserveCalifornia, wilderness permits, and the FCFS sites blogs pretend don't exist.By Wren Holloway
When Is Camping Season in California? Month-by-Month RealityCalifornia's camping season isn't one season — it's a vertical stack. A month-by-month look at when to go where, from Joshua Tree to Tuolumne.By Wren Holloway
Camping Near the Biggest City in California — Under 90 MinutesRanger-picked campgrounds within 90 minutes of Los Angeles — beach, mountains, and the ones I'd send my own family to.By Buck Tanner
Mountain Camping in California: Elevation Picks for Cool NightsA retired ranger's picks for high-elevation California campgrounds — Eastern Sierra, Yosemite, Sequoia, and northern spots where the nights actually get cold.By Buck Tanner
Beach Camping in California: What You Actually GetThe Coast Highway is a lie of scale. On the map it looks like a ribbon of pullouts and pocket beaches you could drift down over a long weekend; in practice it…By Wren Holloway
Lake Camping in California: 10 Sites With Real Water AccessTen California lakeside campgrounds where the water actually meets the tent — from Wrights Lake to Convict to Manzanita, with a ranger's honest picks.By Buck Tanner
Pet-Friendly Camping in California: Where Dogs Are Genuinely WelcomeWhere to actually take your dog camping in California — Forest Service picks, state park exceptions, and the rules that trip folks up.By Buck Tanner
Family Camping in California: Picks That Won't Drive You NutsNine California family campgrounds that actually work with kids — real bathrooms, short drives, swimmable water, and booking tips that save you money.By Riley Cobb
California State Parks for Camping: The Ones Worth the DriveA working list of California state parks with campsites actually worth the drive — from Sue-meg and Jedediah Smith to Anza-Borrego and Plumas-Eureka.By Wren Holloway
RV Campgrounds in California: Hookups, Sites, Honest Reviewshonest reviews of california rv parks and campgrounds — full hookup spots, state beaches, forest service deals, and what's actually worth the money.By Riley Cobb
Free Dispersed Camping in California: Where We Actually Pull InWhere to actually pull in for free dispersed camping in California — BLM and national forest sites from the Eastern Sierra to Modoc, with the rules that matter.By Wren Holloway
Best Campgrounds in Californiahonest roundup of california's best campgrounds — big sur, joshua tree, yosemite, tahoe, the north coast — plus what to skip and how to actually book.By Riley Cobb
Backcountry Camping in California: Permits, Routes, Bear NotesA working guide to California backcountry camping — wilderness permits, real routes from the Sierra to the Lost Coast, and bear-storage habits that actually hold up.By Wren Holloway