Camping in California

Hipcampers are spoiled for choice in California, where landscapes come supersized.

91% (6229 reviews)
91% (6229 reviews)

Popular camping styles for California

Star Hosts in California

Available this weekend

12 top wheelchair-accessible campgrounds in California

96%
(5036)

Jug Handle Creek Farm

20 sites · RVs, Tents33 acres · Caspar, CA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ **PLEASE NOTE** Construction of our new bathrooms will be taking place through January of 2025. Construction will take place between the hours of 7:30am and 5:30pm, Monday through Thursday, and it will be noisy. We apologize for the disruption, but look forward to being able to offer this amenity to our campers in the future! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jug Handle Creek Farm and Nature Center is a nonprofit with a five minute walk to Jug Handle State Reserve, Jug Handle beach and the Ecological Staircase trail. We offer 11 unique campsites with plenty of space and privacy. Each site has two picnic tables, a fire ring, parking for two cars and plenty of space for your tents. Our 33 acres include a native plant nursery, community gardens, forests, meadows, and nature trails. Our site has lots of nature trails, is peaceful and beautiful and just a 5-minute walk to Jug Handle Beach and the Jug Handle Preserve. Our Mission: We offer a welcoming and supportive environment for people of all backgrounds to explore nature and connect with the natural word. Nature stewardship is central to our non-profit mission and as an organization we are engaged in many nature restoration projects throughout Mendocino County. We also provide a supportive learning environment for nature education for disadvantaged youth during the school year. If you teach k-12 and would like to bring your classroom to Jug Handle contact us about special rates and our immersive nature education programs.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Showers
from 
$40
 / night
98%
(806)

Walden Ranch

2 sites · Tents300 acres · Linden, CA
Walden Ranch began with the purchase of a neighboring 20 acres. Couple that with the inspiration of Thoreau's lines and life at the real Walden Pond, the ranch has grown to nearly 300 acres and the small ranch pond has grown to a 5-acre lake with a 3-acre forest and home. Scouts, family and church groups use the site for gatherings. Available are canoes, bonfire, and exploring the ranch's 300-head cattle, llamas, poultry and wildlife. Pitch your tent in a forest setting alongside a lake on a working cattle ranch. Watch wildlife or hike to smaller lakes on the ranch. Other animals include dogs, llamas, geese, chickens, and  horses. The ranch is within a 20 minute drive to either Stockton or Lodi, CA and is surrounded by vineyards, orchards and pastures.  Outdoor flush toilets, sink, tables and fire ring available. Forested area is set amidst grazing lands.  This "Walden" even has willow trees slipped from Walden Pond, MA. Owner looks forward to sharing this peaceful, special spot! 
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Showers
from 
$30
 / night
97%
(3376)

Salmon Creek Ranch

7 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents400 acres · Bodega Bay, CA
Located within 45 minutes of the wine country and 2 miles from the coast, our property is 400 acres of rolling hills and redwood groves, with a creek running along its base. With miles of trails meandering through quiet woods and meadows, you will be able to revel in the tranquility of a private preserve, without sacrificing easy access to some of Sonoma County's most famous attractions. A hundred years ago, this land was used to graze sheep. Remnants of the old fence lines can still be seen in places, along with old cement troughs. Since then, the land has been left to its own devices, passing through many hands, most famously owned by two brothers in the 1980's who built a truly amazing tree house in the forest which has been featured in several magazine articles. It was revamped and updated in 2016 by a master craftsman, using fallen redwood logs found on the property and is now a unique structural work of art, available for overnight stays. We produce 100% grass fed, dry-aged beef on our certified organic pastures and have a store on site if you would like to purchase delicious steaks, ribs, ground beef for hamburgers or some roasts to take home. Our cattle graze on the native grasses, never grain, and drink only water produced from our own springs. We also raise Kiko meat goats and produce pastured, certified organic duck eggs on a commercial basis. Whether it's surfing at sandy beaches, award-winning clam chowder, a wine tour, horseback riding or a hot air balloon ride you're after, you won't have far to drive if you make our ranch your base camp. You may see a family of deer appear suddenly, or a few Scottish Highland cows which we allow to roam freely over the property. There are over twenty species of wild birds that grace this protected spot, so bring your binoculars! A portion of your fee goes towards protecting native flora and fauna as part of our private wildlife preservation program. A limited number of private, widely spaced camp spots are available for visitors. The Eagles' Nest Treehouse (mentioned above) is very isolated and you may or may not even be aware that there are other people within miles of you. For those who value nature, seclusion, quiet and the artistry of old growth redwood, this is the place for you.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Showers
from 
$96
 / night
99%
(420)

Wendy & John Farm

6 sites · RVs, Tents80 acres · Ferndale, CA
For Ferndale, the village: check out https://www.visitferndale.com/souvenir-edition About our property: There is a gentle spirit throughout these beautiful 80 acres of evergreen forests and pastures. What can you expect? Quiet, beauty, birdsong, ocean roar, widely spaced campsites (only 5 on the 5 acres set aside for camping), extra stuff if you need or want it (fresh bread, soup, cobbler; free firewood, local tips on travel and where to hike or what to visit), etc. Or total solitude if you want it. Bring your (most breeds) dogs if you wish. Starlink internet means you can Zoom in the forest. Walk to the beach along a no-shoulder country road (or drive). Teach your toddler how to build a dam in the shallow creek. Read. There are no visible neighbors, no ambient light or sound. The air is clean and clear and the water is potable from an artesian spring on the property. No electricity at the sites, no generators allowed. (Charge your electronics at the farmhouse.) My aunt and uncle bought the property in 1947 from the first European settler, Paolo Gabrielli, who immigrated in early 1914 from northern Italy with slips of his grapevine in the lining of his coat. (The grapevine still grows over the back deck.) Paolo's wife Felicita and their three children stayed behind; they were to follow within the year. In the country outside of Ferndale, California, Paolo purchased the property one mile from the ocean and built a Tyrolean-style house, a chicken house (with a grappa still under the main floor), an outhouse, a corral, and a barn. He purchased 7 cows. And then, it was August 1914, and the War to End All Wars broke out in Europe. Felicita and the children, living in their village on the Austrian border, were interned in a prison camp in Austria with the rest of the village's residents. The Gabriellis' young daughter died there. Six years passed before Felicita and her sons, Virgil and Louis, were able to join Paolo in America. In 1938, Virgil--Fr. Gino--became the first Ferndale boy to serve Mass in his hometown church. Felicita died in 1940, and Paolo closed the dairy and moved into Ferndale. In 2013, we invited the people who had been children in the 1920s and '30s and who had come to this ranch after Sunday Mass to gather with other Italian families for polenta, wine, and music. These old-timers came to our house with photographs and maps and Mass cards and diaries, and shared their memories of a childhood in this place that still embraced them. What can you expect? Quiet, beauty, birdsong, ocean roar, widely spaced campsites (only 5 on the 5 acres set aside for camping), extra stuff to purchase if you need or want it (fresh bread, soup, cobbler). Free firewood, local tips on travel and where to hike or what to visit. Or total solitude. Bring your (most breeds) dogs if you wish (males must be neutered). Starlink internet means you can Zoom in the forest. Walk to the beach along a no-shoulder country road (or drive). Read. There are no visible neighbors, no ambient light or sound. The air is clean and clear and the water is potable from an artesian spring on the property. No electricity at the sites, no generators allowed. (Charge your electronics at the farmhouse.)
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Showers
from 
$55
 / night
98%
(583)

River Ridge Ranch -722 acres

14 sites · Lodging, Tents722 acres · Springville, CA
Swimming in North Fork Tule River, miles of hiking trails on ranch. River Ridge goes from 1,000' elev. to 3,000' elevation. Hike right on the ranch. We are between Sequoia National Park (about an hour) and the Giant Sequoia National Monument (16 miles to groves up Hwy 190 and no entrance fee). Choose from individual tent sites, group tent sites, tiny cabins. the 5-acre Compound or the Entire Ranch. There are 33 giant sequoia groves in our Southern Region of the Giant Sequoia National Monument, some easily driven to, and some remote. Our ranch is a nature preserve and an education demonstration site, teaching sustainable and regenerative land use practices. River Ridge Institute, our non-profit, hosts a variety of events for the public. Please note: you are expected to leave the ranch and kitchen area as you found it, i.e., dishes washed thoroughly and dried and put away, recycling separated from trash, food scraps in compost buckets, sticky marshmallow removed from forks and surfaces (ick!). Thank you. Enjoy: The Kitchen has a 3-burner cooktop, large fridge, microwave, full dishes and utensils and pots and pans with a big washing area in the back. Propane barbecue grill.. There's a River Barn to use as a remote space and Turtle Cove for swimming. Saturday morning Farmer's Market in downtown at 9 AM - Noon. Ancestral land of the Foothill Yokuts tribe. Homesteaded in 1859, owned by the Negus family from 1909-2000. Barbara and I bought it to save it from subdivision and it's now protected by a Conservation Easement and acts as a community center for the arts, music, poetry, gatherings and outdoor education. We're both biologists, so, just ask us. Please see the Rules and Safety section to review our Waiver of Liability.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Showers
from 
$40
 / night
82%
(51)

Quail Ridge RV Park & Campground

30 sites · RVs17 acres · Strawberry Valley, CA
Quail Ridge RV Park has almost 17 acres nestled in the Plumas National Forest. We do NOT have direct water access. We are surrounded by six lakes, with Sly Creek and Lost Lake Reservoirs being the closest (about 3 mi. north of us), two major rivers and Feather Falls, the 3rd largest waterfall in California (trail is currently closed until Spring of '24). Outdoor activities abound with fishing, swimming, boating, canoeing, kayaking, paddle boarding, hiking trails and mountain biking trails. You can also explore the local rivers and try your luck at gold panning. Our park is primarily divided into three areas: (1) RV sites for weekend RV's that have full hook-ups, which include 30/50 amp. electric, water and septic connection (no pull through sites); (2) an area in the middle of the park where permanent residents live; and (3) an area for volleyball, badmitten and playground on the opposite side of the park. Sorry, but due to the always present fire danger, no wood burning fires are allowed. You may use your own propane fire ring or propane or charcoal grill. We have clean laundry and showers and flush toilets on the north side of the park. There is one shower and one flush toilet for each men and women that are handicapped accessible. Showers cost $1 for 12 minutes of hot water. Cell phone service is spotty. AT&T/Cricket and sometimes Verizon work the best. We now have free Wi-Fi in the park! Quail Ridge RV Park is very pet friendly. However, we cannot accept aggressive breed dogs, or Pit-Bull mixed dogs (sorry, but our insurance company restricts these breeds). Please identify the dog breed when you are making a reservation. Visit us at quailridgerv.com
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Showers
Trash
from 
$60
 / night
99%
(180)

OrangeRay~Three Rivers

2 sites · Lodging1 acre · Three Rivers, CA
OrangeRay, home of Pixie's Place Animal Sanctuary & Hospice was founded in 2007, when I left L.A. for the forest by the river to create, and to expand my shamanic pursuits. Being that Three Rivers was home to the socialist Kaweah Colony in the 1800's; which helped in the founding of Sequoia National Park; the area is rich in history. Poet John Muir was enchanted and inspired by this area; Walt Disney fell under her spell as well when he envisioned a "Swiss Chalet" style resort which never came to fruition. The water wars of California began right here; gold rush...right here! "Kaweah" is the name given by the Indians for the sound the Crow makes. Three Rivers literally sits on slabs of quartz crystal, making rock hunting superb! As an energy practitioner, the quartz heightens the healing process; as well as creating an energy vortex. My property sits on an area that was once an Indian village, and then the school house for the children of the pioneers. There was a huge Hare Krishna Colony up here in the 60-70's. As a photographer and filmmaker, the lighting up here is amazing! The night skies literally pulsate with their celestial canopy. A great spot to sky watch as well! The property is not kid-friendly, and is not really here for children as much as it is offered for the inner child in adults. WE ARE 420 friendly which is in opposition to most "family" landscapes....so please note this is not personal but I prefer no children xo Also, I prefer no pets, as it disrupts the balance here with the animal residents :)
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Trash
Cooking equipment
from 
$75
 / night
95%
(162)

Blue Moon Orchard Retreat

9 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents8 acres · Lemon Cove, CA
This place is our sanctuary, our own private slice of heaven.  There is an abundance of love and peace here on the farm...even the animals are full of love and affection.  Some of the Olive Trees in our Orchard have been here for over 100 years!! The soil is rich and healthy. We use no fertilizers or pesticides preferring to let nature do her thing.Learn more about this land:Camp in our Orchard!  We are a small Olive and Citrus orchard and ranch.  There are lots of Olives & Citrus during their seasons. Olives Sept-Dec Citrus Dec-May. The Ranch consists of Chickens, Sheep, Goats, Cats, and our ranch dog Merlin.  2 miles to Kaweah Lake with fishing boats, patio boats available to rent from the marina. 15 miles to the quaint town of Three Rivers...River Rafting, fishing etc. 20 miles to the Visitor Center of Sequoia National Forest. Near Mineral King hiking trails. 37 miles to The General Sherman.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Trash
from 
$32.40
 / night
95%
(160)

Lake Concow Campground

99 sites · RVs, Tents80 acres · Oroville, CA
Ancestors of Maidu people lived here long ago. European settlers arrived and took control of the area. In recent history, a multi-cultural group of community members formed the Konkow Partnership to attempt to hold, steward, and preserve the wilderness that survives here. We look forward to your post fire visit. Learn more about this land: Congratulations Campers!  The campground is reopened after the last couple of years of wild fires and tough winters. We are reopened even as repairs and upgrades are being made. Thank you to all visitors who love this place for your patience as we continue to improve the features of the Campground. Stay tuned for progress reports. We hope to see you real soon. Visit, fish, or camp in a rare jewel forest, hidden in the Sierra/Cascade foothills, less than an hour's drive to Chico, Oroville, or Paradise. Surviving forests of mature cedars, pines, oaks, and madrones provide shady camping, fishing along the lake shore, or picnicing along the banks of the creek that runs through a recovering creekside area. Stargaze or fly kites in our Great Meadow or admire copious wildflowers and other native plants on over 80 acres of wilderness. We provide a variety of recovering wilderness areas near water faucets, pit toilets and an RV dump station. Our site features mature forests, grassy meadows, a year-round creek in a fire recovery zone. The site also features lakefront shoreline access for bank fishing, a central fire pit and lots of space for group camping. Fires are permitted in the central pit when weather allows. The Lake Concow/Konkow Campground is a wilderness sanctuary and houses many variety of rare and endangered plants, animals, and insects. Please be aware of and give respectful space to all of the residents of the park. The list of year round residents may include poison oak, thorny berry vines, mosquitoes, ticks, spiders, deer, eagles, osprey, owls, squirrels, skunks, foxes, bears, mountain lions, snakes, bats, and more. Please be responsible for personal camp supplies and trash. The Campground is a Pack In/Pack Out location and garbage cans are supplied near the office house near the entrance. Good hiking shoes, protective clothing, and hats are recommended. All Campground faucets supply delicious, potable water tested regularly. The modern listings spell the name Concow, Ancestors spelled it Konkow. Both are correct, though may give different search results. There is plenty of room for parking large vehicles and for turning around. TOW VEHICLES MUST STAY THE DURATION OF THE CAMPING VISIT. Sorry, we DO NOT allow towed-in-and-dropped-off campers or 5th wheel trailers at this time. This may change as clean up work progresses through the year. Stay tuned for updates. Thank you.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Showers
from 
$20
 / night
87%
(196)

Lightworks ranch

8 sites · RVs, Tents85 acres · Willits, CA
The peace, quiet and beauty of nature is the theme at our property. This land is dedicated to the re-sacralization of culture. The spot was an ancient Native American camping area. People have found arrowheads, stone beads and grinding stones on the land. We offer various types of camping sites, as well as a teepee - so please read each listing for specific amenity and location information. We sell firewood on site. The amount and variety of wildlife is astonishing, with bear, deer, turkeys, fox, coyote, bobcat, Eagles, River otter, salmon and steelhead, with a wide variety of songbirds during migration. Easy access from road, close to town, tall oak trees, privacy, creek with salmon within a five minute walk, mountains, wildlife, barn owl nest box. Please note that during late summer, creek does not flow on surface but always has swimming holes where the salmon and steelhead wait for Fall rains to carry them down to the Eel river and eventually to the ocean, until they return as adults to spawn again. Guests love staying here: "Elderberry camp was really great! It was a large site, plenty of space, shade, and parking. Very peaceful and good distance between other sites although we were pretty much the only campers out there. Outhouse was clean and there was drinking water. We spent most of our Saturday in Eel River which was great. The water was perfect for swimming and fishing, our husbands caught some big ones. Stephen was very nice and accommodating, the honey and eggs we asked for were a nice addition too!" Helpful0 Report
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Showers
from 
$55
 / night
99%
(1168)

Sierra Circles Sculpture Garden

7 sites · RVs, Tents100 acres · Murphys, CA
Thank you Hipcamper's for many great years of support. The sculpture garden and campground features, continue to grow. We will be closed for the winter, October 28 through April 4. New art installations and outdoor shower will be completed, while closed. Historic Brice Station 100 acres, was a horse stop on the Ebbetts Pass stage line. Horses were fed, watered and swapped here, over 100 years ago. Today, Brice station hosts a ceramics gallery and school, vineyard and tasting room, Blacksmith school, Concert series, Shakespeare performances and Master artist, Michel Olson's, Sierra Circles Sculpture Garden and campground. Born in Berlin, Germany, he has spent much of his life performing, guiding, studying, while travelling and becoming an accomplished artist in wood, stone and iron. Two of his gypsy rigs and several large art installations, are in the meadow next to the forested 6 site campground. Installation include, 100 ft sacred circle, yin/yang, sun dial and calendar. Quadruple Branch Arch. Avenue of art. Glass and Brass over Grass. Stone stage with two bell racks. Wheels of time. Florence the Freightliner. Glass henge. Chain henge. Family altar. Double sand box. Stone spiral Each, of the 6 campsites, have art installations as well. Site 1 is spacious with multiple tent sites, art Steel TeePee, and nice shade oak. Picnic table and some chairs. Parking for 4 cars. Sites 1 and 6 together, with kitchen area, makes a great group site. Site 2, is our largest single site. Multiple tent sites. 2 tables. Branch arch way. Parking for 6 cars. Hammock friendly trees. Site 3, is our cozy site. Multiple tent sites. Wood wizard and frog carving. Picnic table. Parking for 3 cars Site 4, has our second metal TeePee, with melted bottle suncatchers. Multiple tent sites. Picnic table. Parking for 3 cars Site 5, has Wood Henge, made from one enormous tree. Multiple tent sites. Picnic table. Parking for 3 cars. Site 6, has a burningman bicycle fence, and ski lift chair swing. Multiple tent sites. Picnic table. Parking for 3 cars. Brice Station Winery, tasting room. Open Fri. - Sun. 12 to 6pm .Quyle Kilns Pottery Gallery, School and ceramic art studio Wed thru Sunday 10am to 6pm Paul Quyle Blacksmith school. C.B.A. member. First and third Sat 9am. Brice Station Vineyard, tasting room and concerts bricestation.com Simply put, art, nature camping, with a hint of history, at its best. Children are full price and must be attended to. No trailers over 14 ft. No campsite open fires June thru Oct. Communal kitchen/crafts area with large tables, BBQ and cook top available. Propane fire rings and counter top stoves allowed in campsite. Leashed dogs welcome, please pick up after. Please no extra loud music or voices.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Trash
from 
$59
 / night

Under $50

Dog-friendly getaways

Value Prop
Value Prop
Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field
Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

Camping in California guide

Overview

Golden coasts. Redwood forests. Fiery desert canyons. Alpine lakes framed by snowy peaks. But the best memories are in the details—seeing a gray whale breach off the rugged north coast, feeling the sun on your face on a Southern California shore, or maybe enjoying s’mores beside the crystal waters of Lake Tahoe. Trails climb from campgrounds to immense granite domes in Yosemite while Joshua trees beckon for attention in the eastern deserts. The best part? There’s somewhere amazing to camp year-round.

Where to go

North Coast

Camping beneath redwoods—the tallest trees in the world—is a hard-to-beat highlight of the north coast. The majestic groves scattered across Redwood National & State Parks are an excellent choice for first-timers. Further south, from Eureka to Mendocino and eventually San Francisco, you’ll find a string of private and state park campgrounds tucked along rugged coastlines marked by bluffs, coves, dunes, and tidepools.

Central Coast

Stretching from Monterey south to Santa Barbara, the Central Coast scores points for scenery and variety. Plus, it’s a convenient escape from the urban hassles of San Francisco and Los Angeles. Redwoods, waterfalls, and windswept bluffs border Highway 1 in Big Sur, while waves crash beside state parks north of Santa Barbara. For a remote camping experience, campsites at Channel Islands National Park off the coast of Santa Barbara can oblige.

SoCal Beaches: Los Angeles to San Diego

The golden beaches of Southern California are the stuff of lazy days and pop songs. And fantastic camping for those inclined. The best campsites line-up beside the coast between Newport Beach and Dana Point in Orange County, with a few more perched on coastal bluffs north of San Diego. Not surprisingly, these oceanfront sites fill fast, so book early.

Sierra Nevada Mountains

Granite domes and lush Alpine meadows border campgrounds in Yosemite National Park, while enormous sequoias are the draw in Kings Canyon and Sequoia national parks. Campgrounds beside alpine lakes and the sparkling blue waters of Lake Tahoe are always postcard-pretty.

Southern Deserts

For surreal sunsets, striking rock formations, restless sand dunes, and spring wildflowers, head east. Nine campgrounds and plenty more right outside await at Death Valley National Park, home to the lowest spot in the U.S. Joshua trees and picturesque boulders keep Hipcampers happy at Joshua Tree National Park while Anza-Borrego Desert State Park serves up fantastic desert hiking outside San Diego. High season is late fall through spring, when temperatures are pleasant.

Safety at Hipcamp

Inclusion Policy
Inclusion Policy
Inclusion Policy
Hipcamp Hand

Safety partners

Recreate Responsibly

About us

Camp Your Way™

Find the perfect site to match your camping style. Explore the largest collection of private campsites, RV parks, cabins, and glamping—including 120,000+ sites you won’t find anywhere else. Explore our maps, filter by your camping style, read real camper reviews, and book directly in our app. Hipcamp is the simplest way to find yourself outside under the stars.

Download the Hipcamp App

© 2024 Hipcamp, Inc. All rights reserved.
Hipcamp is created with ❤️ and hope for our future.