San Carlos

Frank Valley Group Horse Campground

This is a nice little campsite that’s about one mile north of Hwy 1 at Muir Beach

Alice Eastwood Group Campground

Steep Ravine Cabins and Campground

Get in on a little secret that lies just across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco

You'll find a huge picnic table, firepit, food storage locker, and ample flat areas for tents at site #6.

Environmental campsite #1. Ocean and cabin views from the site.

View from Cabin 8 (one of the best in my opinion)

Pets

Electricity Hookup

Toilets

Campfires

Potable water

Picnic table

Pantoll Campground

Just off of Panoramic Highway from Mill Valley in Mt

Campsites #6 and #7 are spacious and adjacent to each other. If you can snag them both, you can fit a good-sized crew of friends here!

Bootjack Campground

After being closed for 40 years, the Bootjack Campground was recently renovated and reopened for premiere Mount Tamalpais camping

Mount Tamalpais State Park

See redwoods, trail run, and climb the Bay Area’s second tallest peak.

Find & reserve the best hot spring campsites near San Carlos, California. Tent, cabin & RV camp on private & State Parks, on local farms, vineyards & nature preserves.

The best hot spring campgrounds near San Carlos, California

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Santa Cruz

Bass Lake

Monterey

Half Moon Bay

Pismo Beach

Mammoth Lakes

June Lake

Morro Bay

Limekiln State Park

Butano State Park

Modesto Reservoir Regional Park

Castle Rock State Park

Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

Russian Gulch State Park

Big Basin Redwoods State Park

RV parks

Glamping

Cabins

Camping with hiking

Camping with horseback riding

Camping with climbing

Dog-friendly RV parks

Showers

Waldhaus Redwood Retreat

Tucked away in the Portola Redwoods, you will find your very own bohemian grove.  Designed by prominent architect in San Francisco, your will find 4 comfortable cabins, modern open kitchen and spa-like bathrooms.  Less than an hour away from the Silicon Valley, this is our weekend sanctuary.  Like John Muir once said - “Keep close to Nature's heart... and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.”  

Entry to bathrooms on left side of the building, outdoor dining area

Fireplace fires allowed! Perfect for hangouts and s'mores

Enjoying the hammock in the main clearing

Driveway on left leading to main building and hwy

Water Hookup

Hot Tub

Wifi

Next to the yurts are wooden platforms you can set your tent up. 

Lupin Lodge

Lupin Lodge is a family-friendly, clothing-optional destination resort located in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Our yurts are fully furnished with a queen-sized bed, heater, fan, electricity, and Wi-Fi. Alternatively, guests may choose to car camp or rent a campsite during their stay. Shared bathroom facilities, showers, and the Community Kitchen are located nearby and available to guests 24/7. Our property highlights include scenic hiking trails, our pool and hot tub area, sauna, tennis court, lounge area, and our Clubhouse Restaurant that serves Saturday night dinner. At Lupin, guests enjoy a quiet, comfortable escape into nature while remaining conveniently accessible by car, just 10 minutes from downtown Los Gatos. 

Tent option when you book through Hipcamp

Cooking equipment

Audrey Edna Cabin at Alpine Ranch

Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) protects open space on the Peninsula and in the South Bay for the benefit of all.

Situated on top of a ridge with expansive redwood forest and coastal views, the Audrey Edna&nbsp;Cabin provides a completely private&nbsp;gathering place and destination for visitors with reservations. The cabin&nbsp;has spectacular views of forest, sky, ocean and the Butano ridgeline. It's a short hike to 8000+ acres of county parkland where you can hike, bike and ride horses (though please note, there are no facilities for horse boarding at the cabin.)&nbsp;The cabin is located at Alpine Ranch, a property adjacent to Sam McDonald County Park that was protected by Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST).&nbsp;

Whether you are looking for an active experience or just want to relax in a peaceful, remote setting, there's something here for everyone.

This is a rustic hike-in cabin designed for a introductory pack-in experience.&nbsp;Bedding is not provided. It is about a 1.7-mile hike on a rolling dirt road from the Sam McDonald County Park parking lot, with about 650 feet of elevation gain. Most hikers can reach the cabin in an hour or less.&nbsp;Guests should plan to arrive at least 2 hours before sunset, and pack water and&nbsp;flashlights or headlamps. Guests with limited mobility, please contact us for information regarding accommodations that will allow you to access this shared resource.

*A note about reservation availability: On the weekends, POST offers priority reservations for the&nbsp;cabin to our partners at the San Mateo County Health Department and Park Rx to provide patients with&nbsp;equitable access to the benefits of nature. Occasionally, we have last-minute public weekend reservation availability due to cancellations. The cabin is reservable up to 3 months in advance, on a rolling basis.

Love the idea of a hike-in cabin, but unable to visit us Sunday-Thursday? Check out the nearby Sierra Club Hiker's Hut in Sam McDonald County Park.&nbsp;

Property History: 

At one time, the ridge of the Santa Cruz Mountains was a thriving center for trade between tribes of the coast and the bay, which we still find evidence of today in cultural sites and artifacts throughout the region. Native people have cared for this land since time immemorial, including the local Muwekma and Ramaytush Ohlone who are still active in the area today. This property specifically is host to a tributary to one of just a handful of waterways that support salmonids in this region, which are a species of tremendous importance to native people. 

Over 1000 acres here were eventually purchased by entrepreneur Ridgeway Rowley, who built a home on the ranch in the 1880s as part of an unsuccessful wedding proposal to Fannie Page, daughter of a local mill owner (ever heard of Page Mill Road?) After being rejected by Fannie, Rowley operated the ranch for a decade in conjunction with his work as District Attorney and publisher of the Palo Alto Weekly, before eventually returning to his hometown of Cortland, NY, where he lived as a bachelor until his death. Over the course of the 20th century, the ranch was divided, some parts of which became Pescadero Creek County Park. POST purchased the 350 acre home property, now called Alpine Ranch, in 2012 through our Heart of the Redwoods campaign, an initiative to protect 20,000 acres of Redwoods in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Alpine Ranch borders Pescadero Creek County Park and Sam McDonald County Park, adding to the area’s protected open space and containing more than a mile of tributaries to Pescadero Creek, which flows year-round and is a major spawning stream for steelhead trout.

The Audrey Edna Cabin at Alpine Ranch is situated at one of the property's most scenic overlooks. The cabin was built in the early 1900's, and completely reconstructed up to modern building codes by POST in 2018 so that all could enjoy this special place.

Morning view from bedroom 1 (french doors open to a cute deck)

Bedroom 1 (single bed on the left not pictured)

Santa Cruz Mountains Staycation

Located in the peaceful, forested Chemeketa Park neighborhood, our Airstream Caravel is situated in a perfect resting spot for road cyclists, mountain bikers, Santa Cruz surfers, and winery fans looking to recharge before their next adventure! The Airstream is conveniently located on our driveway property, so you'll have easy access to-and-from the quaint and cute downtown area of Los Gatos, nearby hiking trails, and scenic routes along Highway 17.

Moon Crest Valley Ranch

Join us to host your next getaway at the beautiful Moon Crest Valley Ranch. A perfect spot for intimate get togethers that immerse you in nature and offer breathtaking views and countless activities on over 45 acres. This is a magical spot for our family and we can’t wait to share it with yours.  You will be the exclusive campers on the property after booking and the owners will reside in their house.
Potential activities on site include Private Hiking Trails, Breathtaking Ocean Views, Bocce Ball, Wiffle Ball, Golf Chipping, Soccer, and more...
Guests are responsible for bringing their own camping gear.  Of note, the main campsite is 1/2 mile hike from parking and has a portable camping toilet setup.  
One of our favorite spaces is the barn area which has a fire pit, multiple seating areas with views, an oversized picnic table, bocce ball, a grill and even a TV.  This is a must hangout spot during the evenings for many guests before they hike back up to the campsite to retire for the night.  There is also a portable toilet at the barn for guest convenience.
Moon Crest Valley Ranch is located less than 10 minutes from the beautiful Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay and 15 minutes from scenic Main Street Half Moon Bay.
We are also only 1/2 mile away from the Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve Trailhead that has an additional 30+ miles of gorgeous trails to explore. Bring your hiking shoes or bike!


Hiking from the campground back down to the barn.  Beautiful views down the canyon at the campsite.

Enjoy a fun game of soccer during your stay.

A view down the Purisima Creek Canyon from the campsite up top on the property.

Overhead drone shot of the campground which includes a golf chipping range, small soccer field and wiffle ball field.

The golf chipping range is the host's personal favorite.  Work on your chips from 13 and 31 yards!

The best hot spring camping near San Carlos

Top-rated campgrounds near San Carlos

1. Mount Tamalpais State Park

Top-rated campgrounds near San Carlos

1. Mount Tamalpais State Park

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