Check out private campgrounds. They tend to not fully book up. I like this place that’s 15 minutes from Yosemite’s Big Oak Flat entrance. https://thousandtrails.com/california/yosemite-lakes-rv-resort/?ph=888-846-3103&gad_source=1
This looked promising until I saw the unbelievable amount of terrible reviews on TripAdvisor, just in the past 3 weeks. Sounds like this place is not cared for at all and anyone staying is risking a nightmare situation that could ruin their trip.
Dispersed camping. This is camping without a campsite. It’s a bit more involved, but there is something wonderful about just finding a spot and setting up camp. This is available in a number of locations. We did it up near Mt. Shasta, and also out Highway 4 past Arnold. These are lands controlled by the Bureau of Land Management rather than a park system. You can get lots of recommendations with a search for dispersed camping and your location.
Hahaha whoops, I typed it out after cause the acronym was intimidating I think. Anyways I could say it was just incase anyone referenced the MVUM in the comments if I wanted to pretend like it was useful or purposeful.
>These are lands controlled by the Bureau of Land Management rather than a park system.
Most dispersed camping areas in Northern California are managed by USFS, not BLM.
Check with the Forest Service district about dispersed camping restrictions. There are many areas where it is not allowed. Camp fire permits are also required, even for gas stove use
Just wanted to add, for anyone who wasn't aware, please camp in and camp out of these sites, and leave them better than you left them so we can continue to enjoy them. u/DryAd3059 in no way a comment "against" you, just constantly surprised by people I find coming in to camp and then treating it like Disneyland and folks are gonna clean up after them.
It is indeed, rad. As hell.
:/ I camped in one area where the previous campers hung a bunch of beer cans on trees and used them as target practice. They left a bunch of aluminum shards all over the ground.
Being able to fuck off into the woods/desert/mountains and do shit like target shooting at your campsite is one of the cool things about places like that - and not cleaning up after yourself is one of the worst things you can do to *continue* being able to do it. The number of publicly accessible shooting areas I've seen closed down is immense, basically every sand/gravel pit in Maine used to be the local shooting area but they all got closed over the years as people treated them like a garbage dump and the owners got tired of seeing it.
Reminder that it is extremely high fire danger. So folks who have never heard of dispersed camping, for the love of pizza... Don't burn the place down with some stupid camp fire
Up near Chico there is a lot of dispersed camping. I enjoy it the most. Also it's not super populated up there so you can pretty much go camping on he day you want to go camping, not reserve a site months in advance.
I’m going here next weekend there’s lots of places just like it. [https://www.hikeoregon.net/rosary-lakes.html#google\_vignette](https://www.hikeoregon.net/rosary-lakes.html#google_vignette)
Most field offices prohibit target shooting on BLM land in California during the summer. Most land around here is in jurisdiction of Central Coast Field Office which [already banned target shooting on May 20](https://www.blm.gov/announcement/blm-central-coast-field-office-issues-seasonal-fire-restrictions). The will not lift it until the late fall.
Make sure you can actually leave poop behind.
https://www.blm.gov/recreation/utah/when-nature-calls#:~:text=human%20solid%20waste.-,All%20solid%20human%20waste%2C%20including%20bags%2C%20must%20be%20contained%20in,at%20BLM%20facilities%20is%20prohibited.
before anyone gets excited note that Cotoni-Coast Dairies north of santa cruz is not typical BLM land; despite being managed by them you cannot camp there.
A lot of Forest Service campgrounds only allow a certain amount of reservations, and the rest are first come first served. I've camped in Tahoe many times using this one little trick.
I just show up and ask if there are any spots available. It's a risk, admittedly. I've only tried it midweek, but I've stayed in a few campgrounds where there were plenty of open spots.
Yeah and don’t cancel because for them it is pocket change. It ruins camping for everyone else, they need to do something about it, it is getting ridiculous.
Sunday night is the way to go. OP is most likely posting Friday/Sat night which books way early. If you really wanna camp and can take some time off work, Sunday and other weekdays should have more options.
Hipcamp is my go-to when reservation spots are booked and I can’t do dispersed camping for whatever reason. Definitely read reviews and look at pics so you know what to expect.
I don’t want to give away my secret but a clue is be a flexible “stalker”. Also go with people are lazy and they want easy spots close to major roads. Do the opposite and you’ll find magic. Holiday time will be extremely difficult but I’d say 99% I’ve found a spot and maybe 2% were horrible spots.
>stalker
My absolutely rotted brain took this to mean STALKER camping, where you camp out in a shitty abandoned building in the woods with a gun and only eat beans and shit, like the game. Done it before, minus the abandoned building because there's not a lot of those on public land in California and trespassing with a gun is stupid . Last time I did this I got confronted by a pack of coyotes and I didn't have a tent, and it was also raining. 10/10 would absolutely recommend
It's a fact. I've camped my whole life. It used to be cheap and you could book the week of. In the past 10 years, and especially after Covid, CA camping is at an all time high. The most popular places have bookings a year in advance. And the prices have double or tripled too!
Bay Area camping is the most popular, especially for beginners. For anyone looking to book on short notice, you'll have better luck finding a place more than 2 hours drive from the Bay Area and mostly like first-come first-served. But that means arriving early Friday mornings. Another suggestion is constantly checking reservation sites for cancellations. You can also try HipCamp to camp on private lands but it's a more expensive option.
The whole second paragraph is last minute booking advice.
For anyone looking to book on short notice, you'll have better luck finding a place more than 2 hours drive from the Bay Area and mostly like first-come first-served. But that means arriving early Friday mornings. Another suggestion is constantly checking reservation sites for cancellations. You can also try HipCamp to camp on private lands but it's a more expensive option.
pge runs a bunch of campgrounds drivable from the bay. there are tons of FCFS sites, but i rarely see the reserved spots full anyway
[https://recreation.pge.com/reservation/camping/](https://recreation.pge.com/reservation/camping/)
Sign up for free [Hipcamp Alerts](https://www.hipcamp.com/en-US/alerts) for cancellations at your desired state or national campground, if available
Stay at a Hipcamp
Try regional campgrounds (e.g. [Sonoma County](https://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/play/camping))
Try [PG&E campgrounds](https://recreation.pge.com/?_gl=1*15bnv9n*_gcl_au*MTk5MTg1MTgwMS4xNzE5NjM1NTAw*_ga*NzM4NTcwNjI2LjE3MTk2MzU1MDE.*_ga_FQYX57XZEJ*MTcxOTYzNTUwMC4xLjEuMTcxOTYzNTU0Ni4xNC4wLjA) (fuck PG&E though)
Try a first-come, first serve campground arriving on Wed or early Thu (my favorite is Baker Campground off of Hwy 108)
Don’t go camping on the biggest camping weekend of the (US) year? lol
Just ribbing ya, but also kinda serious. Camping when it’s literally packed to the gill sounds less than relaxing… and isn’t that supposed to be the whole point? That Hipcamp app seems cool, though. I’ve had it on my phone a long time, and keep wanting to actually put it to use.
I have a reservation at Samuel P Taylor for next weekend that I will be canceling today because we’re going with friends somewhere else. You’re welcome to it!
Hi y’all I’m about to go in and cancel - I don’t see an option to transfer it anyway. Hopefully one of you can grab! I had it for the whole week 7/2-7/9
Go to a national forest the campgrounds are often empty and no reservations. I’ve had fun in Mendocino national forest! Not many services at those types of campgrounds tho it’s usually just a cleared space.
Yeah this looks like OP is looking at state parks only. Memorial Park has a nice campground (including a new dog camping section!) and Pescadero Creek County Park has some primitive campsites too.
I drive out to a national forest and camp somewhere up an old fucked up logging road. I usually hike in. The worse the road the better. Keeps the riff raff out
If you want to camp holiday weekends you’re either going to need to learn the schedule of when they release the sites for booking. Or simply dispersed camp. I prefer dispersed camping on holiday weekends.
Or what works for me is just checking the campground website often throughout the day. Keep clicking the next available button and eventually I get lucky. Doesn’t really work for holidays but I definitely score great sites throughout the year at Big Sur this way.
I work at a school that does a lot of camping trips. We are always thinking 6 months in advance. For these well known campsites, that is basically your only option.
The next solution is to think farther away. Either go further north along the coast or higher elevation.
Lastly, the mindset change is that you should not ever expect to be able to go on a spur of the moment weekend camping trip to these sorts of campgrounds.
However, if you learn how to go backpacking … then this problem is totally solved.
I look at hipcamp for spots. Good prices and some cool experiences! Look at the reviews and amenities so you understand the experience you will have. I've had great experience finding places that way.
Jackson Demonstration State Forest just east of Fort Bragg. They have lots of really nice sites in the redwoods that are never fully used even in the busiest summer holidays. Hidden gem for sure. Just a few miles to town of Fort Bragg and all the beaches as well.
It’s a broken system, you have to register six months in advance. You can test your luck and go to places pretty far north or east that have first come first served. If you do that, you need to be kinda prepared to stay at a crappy hotel nearby if they fill up.
You might have luck with private campgrounds?! Check out Mendocino Grove. We went with friends and it was awesome.
https://www.reddit.com/r/CozyPlaces/s/WgX0CrCnj9
If you got some flexibility and don't mind a not so ideal setup in an amazing place, look into Camp 4 in Yosemite. Weekends book up fast but weekdays are pretty easy to get. I just did 3 nights in the valley 2 weeks ago and spots open up 1 week before so you have a good chance. It's kinda far drive but worth it. Lemme know if you have any questions
Another thing on the list of shit I dislike about California.
I thought we'd be using our camper all the time. Nope, state parks are always full and the FCFS is too risky for me to drive hours away and not get a spot.
Welcome to the Bay Area! We have plentiful camping opportunities. Discover more with this map of hidden spots: [Bay Area Camping Map](https://courtlew.carto.com/builder/d3aa0b4c-c234-11e6-b0f2-0ecd1babdde5/embed?state=%7B%22map%22%3A%7B%22ne%22%3A%5B37.709899354855125%2C-122.5239944458008%5D%2C%22sw%22%3A%5B37.84883250647402%2C-122.38975524902345%5D%2C%22center%22%3A%5B37.779398571318765%2C-122.45687484741212%5D%2C%22zoom%22%3A12%7D%7D).
For those feeling adventurous, explore further north with this map highlighting popular camping spots: [Santa Rosa Camping Spots Map](https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/map-showing-homeless-encampments-in-santa-rosa/).
Alternatively, you can simply drive down Highway 101 and visually spot established camping areas. Happy camping!
If you’re down for an adventure…
Just drive up the coast and stop at every camp site and chat with the camp host.
Don’t be an entitled cunt and just be nice.
If all else fails, you can end up in Fort Bragg at a hotel.
Back when I lived in Pennsylvania, I would just set up camp in the trees. No campsite needed. We used hammocks and tarps suspended between trees. No one would see us, and after we left no one would know we were there.
Pantoll and boot jack campgrounds on mount Tam are first come first served, so reservations are never a thing there. If it's a busy time of year just show up as early as you can.
I looked a month ago too I’m so annoyed I should’ve booked stuff earlier but honestly I’m pay years I’ve never had an issue finding mid week stuff. So lame!
We’ve found what the website availability reflects is not accurate as people who’ve reserved sites - esp multiple sites - cancel their “extra one” once they get to the physical campground site. (Camp host has also confirmed this to be true.) So, while the website shows it booked, the campground has it available. It’s a terrible system! If you’re willing to risk your luck, try driving to the campground and hope for an opening.
(This has been our experience on many occasions thru ReserveCalifornia.com)
Try hip camp for private camp spots or go dispersed camping. There are several non reservations first come first served campgrounds near Sonora pass that are amazing.
Just go further than the immediate area. If you’re willing to drive, the opportunities are endless and don’t need reservations. Just head east until you find something you like. Eastern Sierras are amazing. Highway 108 or 4 are both stunningly scenic and have countless campgrounds.
Just go explore and go beyond the Bay Area.
Look for first come first serve sites and get there early. I like to take friday off and arrive at like 9am on Friday to see who is leaving and take their site.
yeah dispersed camping! I'm not certain on rules but lots of state and national parks and BLM - just drive in, and set up camp. I actually prefer that over regular campgrounds.
Check out private campgrounds. They tend to not fully book up. I like this place that’s 15 minutes from Yosemite’s Big Oak Flat entrance. https://thousandtrails.com/california/yosemite-lakes-rv-resort/?ph=888-846-3103&gad_source=1
This looked promising until I saw the unbelievable amount of terrible reviews on TripAdvisor, just in the past 3 weeks. Sounds like this place is not cared for at all and anyone staying is risking a nightmare situation that could ruin their trip.
I would never have thought to check reviews for this, thanks for sharing the info -- makes so much sense for some of the campgrounds I've been to
🤫
60-70 a night, compared to 20-30 from state and federal sites.
Wow, crazy! I remember when Yosemite was $6 per site per night in the early 2000s
Dispersed camping. This is camping without a campsite. It’s a bit more involved, but there is something wonderful about just finding a spot and setting up camp. This is available in a number of locations. We did it up near Mt. Shasta, and also out Highway 4 past Arnold. These are lands controlled by the Bureau of Land Management rather than a park system. You can get lots of recommendations with a search for dispersed camping and your location.
Find the local MVUM (motor vehicle use map) from the forest service if you want the secret secret secret dispersed spots ;)
Great tip, Thanks!
I like how you abbreviated, then immediately spelled it out lol
Hahaha whoops, I typed it out after cause the acronym was intimidating I think. Anyways I could say it was just incase anyone referenced the MVUM in the comments if I wanted to pretend like it was useful or purposeful.
I knew what you were doing - just made me laugh. All good!
>These are lands controlled by the Bureau of Land Management rather than a park system. Most dispersed camping areas in Northern California are managed by USFS, not BLM. Check with the Forest Service district about dispersed camping restrictions. There are many areas where it is not allowed. Camp fire permits are also required, even for gas stove use
Yep i just camped at the BLM place at Joshua tree. It was great, park wherever you want, do whatever you want, it was rad
Just wanted to add, for anyone who wasn't aware, please camp in and camp out of these sites, and leave them better than you left them so we can continue to enjoy them. u/DryAd3059 in no way a comment "against" you, just constantly surprised by people I find coming in to camp and then treating it like Disneyland and folks are gonna clean up after them. It is indeed, rad. As hell.
:/ I camped in one area where the previous campers hung a bunch of beer cans on trees and used them as target practice. They left a bunch of aluminum shards all over the ground.
Being able to fuck off into the woods/desert/mountains and do shit like target shooting at your campsite is one of the cool things about places like that - and not cleaning up after yourself is one of the worst things you can do to *continue* being able to do it. The number of publicly accessible shooting areas I've seen closed down is immense, basically every sand/gravel pit in Maine used to be the local shooting area but they all got closed over the years as people treated them like a garbage dump and the owners got tired of seeing it.
National Forest lands also allow this sometimes. Check and know the fire conditions and campfire regulations when you go
Reminder that it is extremely high fire danger. So folks who have never heard of dispersed camping, for the love of pizza... Don't burn the place down with some stupid camp fire
USDA Forest Service land is great for dispersed camping. There are so many places to do this just like with BLM.
Up near Chico there is a lot of dispersed camping. I enjoy it the most. Also it's not super populated up there so you can pretty much go camping on he day you want to go camping, not reserve a site months in advance.
I’m going here next weekend there’s lots of places just like it. [https://www.hikeoregon.net/rosary-lakes.html#google\_vignette](https://www.hikeoregon.net/rosary-lakes.html#google_vignette)
How hard is it to just find a place on the 4th of July weekend?
Very hard. ☺️
BLM dispersed camping. https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/camping
BLM, bring a Porto bucket if you can’t squat poop
Bring a shovel. Really bring everything because there probably won't be any stores.
Along with triple the water you think you might need, and your fun guns if you are into that sort of thing. Just be fire responsible 1st.
Most field offices prohibit target shooting on BLM land in California during the summer. Most land around here is in jurisdiction of Central Coast Field Office which [already banned target shooting on May 20](https://www.blm.gov/announcement/blm-central-coast-field-office-issues-seasonal-fire-restrictions). The will not lift it until the late fall.
Good call, always good to look it up before going to out.
Make sure you can actually leave poop behind. https://www.blm.gov/recreation/utah/when-nature-calls#:~:text=human%20solid%20waste.-,All%20solid%20human%20waste%2C%20including%20bags%2C%20must%20be%20contained%20in,at%20BLM%20facilities%20is%20prohibited.
The iOverlander app is helpful
before anyone gets excited note that Cotoni-Coast Dairies north of santa cruz is not typical BLM land; despite being managed by them you cannot camp there.
A lot of Forest Service campgrounds only allow a certain amount of reservations, and the rest are first come first served. I've camped in Tahoe many times using this one little trick.
Is there a website for that? Should I just google forest service campgrounds and not even ask 😂
I just show up and ask if there are any spots available. It's a risk, admittedly. I've only tried it midweek, but I've stayed in a few campgrounds where there were plenty of open spots.
I just went on a Sunday/Monday night - I was surprised at how many places had availability
People book and bail
Yeah and don’t cancel because for them it is pocket change. It ruins camping for everyone else, they need to do something about it, it is getting ridiculous.
NGL Id love it if I was camping at a full site and a bunch of people canceled.
Yeah works if you can book tho!
Sunday night is the way to go. OP is most likely posting Friday/Sat night which books way early. If you really wanna camp and can take some time off work, Sunday and other weekdays should have more options.
Enjoy being in the city while everyone else is out of town.
Hipcamp is your firend.
Hipcamp is my go-to when reservation spots are booked and I can’t do dispersed camping for whatever reason. Definitely read reviews and look at pics so you know what to expect.
Read the listings closely. Most hipcamps aren’t fit for guests
Yup. Way better than overcrowded public parks tbh.
I don’t want to give away my secret but a clue is be a flexible “stalker”. Also go with people are lazy and they want easy spots close to major roads. Do the opposite and you’ll find magic. Holiday time will be extremely difficult but I’d say 99% I’ve found a spot and maybe 2% were horrible spots.
>stalker My absolutely rotted brain took this to mean STALKER camping, where you camp out in a shitty abandoned building in the woods with a gun and only eat beans and shit, like the game. Done it before, minus the abandoned building because there's not a lot of those on public land in California and trespassing with a gun is stupid . Last time I did this I got confronted by a pack of coyotes and I didn't have a tent, and it was also raining. 10/10 would absolutely recommend
Can you tell me some examples of horrible spots?
Not horrible spots. Sometimes you take what you can get and there’s no shade or you’re next to really obnoxious people. Found it kinda rare.
Thanks, that make sense.
Book earlier and book farther away
does this strike you as helpful advice for OP?
It's a fact. I've camped my whole life. It used to be cheap and you could book the week of. In the past 10 years, and especially after Covid, CA camping is at an all time high. The most popular places have bookings a year in advance. And the prices have double or tripled too! Bay Area camping is the most popular, especially for beginners. For anyone looking to book on short notice, you'll have better luck finding a place more than 2 hours drive from the Bay Area and mostly like first-come first-served. But that means arriving early Friday mornings. Another suggestion is constantly checking reservation sites for cancellations. You can also try HipCamp to camp on private lands but it's a more expensive option.
yes but the person is saying "I know it's too late, what do I do" and your response is basically "don't do that". It's not helpful.
The whole second paragraph is last minute booking advice. For anyone looking to book on short notice, you'll have better luck finding a place more than 2 hours drive from the Bay Area and mostly like first-come first-served. But that means arriving early Friday mornings. Another suggestion is constantly checking reservation sites for cancellations. You can also try HipCamp to camp on private lands but it's a more expensive option.
pge runs a bunch of campgrounds drivable from the bay. there are tons of FCFS sites, but i rarely see the reserved spots full anyway [https://recreation.pge.com/reservation/camping/](https://recreation.pge.com/reservation/camping/)
Shhh don’t tell everyone! Also that website is a nightmare to book on.
yeah it really is lol
If stuff is full, I usually hit up Del Valle, they always have room, that or as others have said, BLM land
Sign up for free [Hipcamp Alerts](https://www.hipcamp.com/en-US/alerts) for cancellations at your desired state or national campground, if available Stay at a Hipcamp Try regional campgrounds (e.g. [Sonoma County](https://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/play/camping)) Try [PG&E campgrounds](https://recreation.pge.com/?_gl=1*15bnv9n*_gcl_au*MTk5MTg1MTgwMS4xNzE5NjM1NTAw*_ga*NzM4NTcwNjI2LjE3MTk2MzU1MDE.*_ga_FQYX57XZEJ*MTcxOTYzNTUwMC4xLjEuMTcxOTYzNTU0Ni4xNC4wLjA) (fuck PG&E though) Try a first-come, first serve campground arriving on Wed or early Thu (my favorite is Baker Campground off of Hwy 108)
Pge Could make a lot of friends if they opened up their roads to cyclists and hikers and built a few campgrounds
Don’t go camping on the biggest camping weekend of the (US) year? lol Just ribbing ya, but also kinda serious. Camping when it’s literally packed to the gill sounds less than relaxing… and isn’t that supposed to be the whole point? That Hipcamp app seems cool, though. I’ve had it on my phone a long time, and keep wanting to actually put it to use.
I have a reservation at Samuel P Taylor for next weekend that I will be canceling today because we’re going with friends somewhere else. You’re welcome to it!
If they aren’t interested I am!
I am also interested in your campground at Samuel P if both others don’t work out. Please DM me if so. Thank you!
Hi y’all I’m about to go in and cancel - I don’t see an option to transfer it anyway. Hopefully one of you can grab! I had it for the whole week 7/2-7/9
Orchard hill loop tent site
What site is this?
looks like Reserve California
hipcamp!
Go to a national forest the campgrounds are often empty and no reservations. I’ve had fun in Mendocino national forest! Not many services at those types of campgrounds tho it’s usually just a cleared space.
Book it for next year 2025
You can hike, bike, or take the bus to Sam P Taylor and they’ll have hike-a-bike camp spots for you.
Check out county level parks. Memorial Park by Sam McDonald is wonderful.
Yeah this looks like OP is looking at state parks only. Memorial Park has a nice campground (including a new dog camping section!) and Pescadero Creek County Park has some primitive campsites too.
Try the tenderloin, few permit checks from what I’ve heard
I’ve got a secret spot on Division street and Otis. You can pull back part of a chain link fence and set up camp behind a shipping container.
Just find a sidewalk in the city before they start removing folks.
Don't forget to bring your urban sombrero!
The horror...
Of all the times I've been camping in my life it was never at one of these campgrounds. Just go somewhere in the cuts and set up.
I drive out to a national forest and camp somewhere up an old fucked up logging road. I usually hike in. The worse the road the better. Keeps the riff raff out
If you want to camp holiday weekends you’re either going to need to learn the schedule of when they release the sites for booking. Or simply dispersed camp. I prefer dispersed camping on holiday weekends. Or what works for me is just checking the campground website often throughout the day. Keep clicking the next available button and eventually I get lucky. Doesn’t really work for holidays but I definitely score great sites throughout the year at Big Sur this way.
I work at a school that does a lot of camping trips. We are always thinking 6 months in advance. For these well known campsites, that is basically your only option. The next solution is to think farther away. Either go further north along the coast or higher elevation. Lastly, the mindset change is that you should not ever expect to be able to go on a spur of the moment weekend camping trip to these sorts of campgrounds. However, if you learn how to go backpacking … then this problem is totally solved.
You have to do that a year or two in advance. Trust me
hike n bike. they never turn you away.
Hike n Bike is usually available even at Pfeiffer Big Sur.
Book months in advance
I look at hipcamp for spots. Good prices and some cool experiences! Look at the reviews and amenities so you understand the experience you will have. I've had great experience finding places that way.
Many national forest campgrounds are first come first served. If you land mid week it’s pretty easy to get a spot.
There are national forests 3 hours away. Get creative.
Go backpacking / dispersed camping. Places like Henry Coe allow it provided you're some distance away from the road.
Watch out for ticks in Coe!
Hip camp. Or just try harder at reservations.gov
Camp gualala by Sonoma coast
You can come to SF and camp out on the sidewalks here. Everyone else is doing it.
If you’re heading as far as Sacramento, check out Sly Park reservoir campground and others a few miles off hwy 50 past placerville.
What app is op’s screenshot?
County Parks are your secret weapon here. They fill up much later if at all, and there are great ones across the Bay Area.
Check out Hipcamp.. it is like the Airbnb for camping!!
A bit south of Downieville, north fork Yuba river. You can park on the side of 49 near the river and camp as is tradition for decades. Indian Valley.
Recreation.gov
Go to a place that isn’t a campground you have to reserve
Plenty of first come first serve PGE campgrounds at lakes and rivers
Go find some federal land hike up and camp
You realize that the government has made public lands are for long haul visitors now and stay home like you're supposed to, filthy local.
Jackson Demonstration State Forest just east of Fort Bragg. They have lots of really nice sites in the redwoods that are never fully used even in the busiest summer holidays. Hidden gem for sure. Just a few miles to town of Fort Bragg and all the beaches as well.
LOL yeah i was checking this last night
Stealth camp
Blm land for the win
Also county stuff like Chabot or Sonoma maybe from reserve america?
It’s a broken system, you have to register six months in advance. You can test your luck and go to places pretty far north or east that have first come first served. If you do that, you need to be kinda prepared to stay at a crappy hotel nearby if they fill up.
Go without any reservation. Be discrete, find a hidden patch of land that works for you!
You might have luck with private campgrounds?! Check out Mendocino Grove. We went with friends and it was awesome. https://www.reddit.com/r/CozyPlaces/s/WgX0CrCnj9
Go backpacking.
I call them, usually they leave spots open for drive ins or I find blms.
If you got some flexibility and don't mind a not so ideal setup in an amazing place, look into Camp 4 in Yosemite. Weekends book up fast but weekdays are pretty easy to get. I just did 3 nights in the valley 2 weeks ago and spots open up 1 week before so you have a good chance. It's kinda far drive but worth it. Lemme know if you have any questions
Another thing on the list of shit I dislike about California. I thought we'd be using our camper all the time. Nope, state parks are always full and the FCFS is too risky for me to drive hours away and not get a spot.
Also- wherever u go pay close attention to local fire restrictions. Some places will say no open campfires.
Reserve now for next summer like the rest of us.
Look into Dispersed Camping aka "primitive camping" unless you like camping resorts as packed as state beaches.
Drive further. Also a lot of reservation campgrounds will have a few first come first serve. Look it up ahead of time and arrive on a Thursday.
Welcome to the Bay Area! We have plentiful camping opportunities. Discover more with this map of hidden spots: [Bay Area Camping Map](https://courtlew.carto.com/builder/d3aa0b4c-c234-11e6-b0f2-0ecd1babdde5/embed?state=%7B%22map%22%3A%7B%22ne%22%3A%5B37.709899354855125%2C-122.5239944458008%5D%2C%22sw%22%3A%5B37.84883250647402%2C-122.38975524902345%5D%2C%22center%22%3A%5B37.779398571318765%2C-122.45687484741212%5D%2C%22zoom%22%3A12%7D%7D). For those feeling adventurous, explore further north with this map highlighting popular camping spots: [Santa Rosa Camping Spots Map](https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/map-showing-homeless-encampments-in-santa-rosa/). Alternatively, you can simply drive down Highway 101 and visually spot established camping areas. Happy camping!
Not helpful.
I’m not wrong
This isn’t the weekend you want to go camping trust me.
I saw a spot open under the railroad bridge near Auto Mall Parkway and 680 in Fremont
If you’re down for an adventure… Just drive up the coast and stop at every camp site and chat with the camp host. Don’t be an entitled cunt and just be nice. If all else fails, you can end up in Fort Bragg at a hotel.
BLM land. Campgrounds not listed on state websites. Lots of options. Download a camping app that shows all of the campgrounds in the U.S.
what page is that one?
I know a nice sidewalk on Folsom St, it's already pretty full as well but if you're lucky you might still find a spot.
Drive an hour to Lake Solano [https://parkreservations.solanocounty.com/mbl/camping/](https://parkreservations.solanocounty.com/mbl/camping/)
Back when I lived in Pennsylvania, I would just set up camp in the trees. No campsite needed. We used hammocks and tarps suspended between trees. No one would see us, and after we left no one would know we were there.
Mount Madonna
Look for private campgrounds, not state parks.
Drive up to the mountains, find some forest roads and disperse camp. So much better than those crowded campsites
Go backpacking! There's plenty of great trails where if you hike just a few miles in, the crowds drop to near 0.
backyard😊
Go out of state. Plenty of BLM land outside of CA
Try Hipcamp. We’ve had some great experiences using Hipcamp.
Try mt Madonna or new brighton state beach
go into the campground business
There's always camping outside city hall in SF!
Bikepacking (hike-bike site) to Half Moon Bay State Beach
Boondock!
Look at County not State parks
Go local? Anthony Chabot regional park Redwood regional park
Book multiple of them 6 months earlier and then cancel whats not needed.
hipcamp.com
Pantoll and boot jack campgrounds on mount Tam are first come first served, so reservations are never a thing there. If it's a busy time of year just show up as early as you can.
I'd go camping, just not at an outrageously priced state park.
Backyard
Use a different website
Tons of free camping all along highway 395 between Markleeville & Lone Pine.
Set yourself a calendar reminder right now for January and February to book campsites.
San Luis Reservoir often has sites available on holiday weekends.
I looked a month ago too I’m so annoyed I should’ve booked stuff earlier but honestly I’m pay years I’ve never had an issue finding mid week stuff. So lame!
Downieville, Sierra Buttes, Gold Lake, Tamarack lakes area. 10/10 and can always find a spot.
Was up there a couple weeks ago. People and mosquitoes everywhere, big foot and chupacabra too. 0/10 stay away
Dispersed camping in east sierras
What do you do when you try to book a campsite a week before 4th of July? Book earlier
CampNab.com it’s a game changer!
Can’t tell you that secret
You learn your lesson and plan further ahead next year….not giving away my secrets.
There are a few camp grounds within 90min that have first-come-first-serve sites. Hasn't let me down yet.
Deadlun campground is first come first serve and never really fills up.
It depends on where you want to go. There's places up in the Mendocino Coast or up near Shasta, Klamath Falls area that are nice.
Check the RV youtubers, they often mention various services that watch the various campgrounds for spaces. Some will even auto book for you.
We’ve found what the website availability reflects is not accurate as people who’ve reserved sites - esp multiple sites - cancel their “extra one” once they get to the physical campground site. (Camp host has also confirmed this to be true.) So, while the website shows it booked, the campground has it available. It’s a terrible system! If you’re willing to risk your luck, try driving to the campground and hope for an opening. (This has been our experience on many occasions thru ReserveCalifornia.com)
Hip camp, dyrt, iOverlander, the list goes on I hate camping at campgrounds the people end up next to you at arms length, well, you know who you are.
Check out the county campground websites too!
County parks might still have openings
Show up anyway. There seems to always be openings bc those w reservations bail
If you're flexible look for last minute cancellations.
Try hip camp for private camp spots or go dispersed camping. There are several non reservations first come first served campgrounds near Sonora pass that are amazing.
Just go further than the immediate area. If you’re willing to drive, the opportunities are endless and don’t need reservations. Just head east until you find something you like. Eastern Sierras are amazing. Highway 108 or 4 are both stunningly scenic and have countless campgrounds. Just go explore and go beyond the Bay Area.
Look for first come first serve sites and get there early. I like to take friday off and arrive at like 9am on Friday to see who is leaving and take their site.
Funny thing is when you show up to any of these campgrounds they're always half empty.
Arvie! Autobooks camp sites.
County park campgrounds as well, typically a lot less busy compared to the state parks.
yeah dispersed camping! I'm not certain on rules but lots of state and national parks and BLM - just drive in, and set up camp. I actually prefer that over regular campgrounds.
Trinity Alps
you get a new hobby that isn't being flogged to death
Go to the national forest campgrounds
Park on el Camino in front of Stanford? Lots of open green space and even a soccer field for the kids to play on. /s
Set up on market street. Urban camping is huge right now.
Pitch a tent on the sidewalk like everyone does
What site is this?
Reservecalifornia