On a late fall camping trip, my family and I were headed to Picacho State Recreation Area. The remote desert park is situated along a scenic 9-mile stretch of the Colorado River on the border of Mexico near Yuma, Arizona. We were trying to get there before sunset, going as fast as the 18-mile dirt road would let us. We were later than planned. A day earlier, a wildfire closed the desert highway, and we set up camp nearby to wait it out. When we finally arrived, it was golden hour, the sinking sun playing off jagged pinnacles of volcanic rock all around us. We were properly awed by the unexpected andesite formations ignited by the last light鈥攁lmost like we planned it.
California might have more stunning campgrounds than any other state. The area boasts the most national parks of any state (nine), 280 state parks with over 15,000 campsites, 840 miles of coastline, three distinct deserts, and mountain ranges with some of the highest peaks in the lower 48. A staggering number of visitors flock to see these wonders, which makes getting a campsite at high profile destinations (ahem, Yosemite) a competitive sport. The good news is that tons of incredible spots don鈥檛 involve the .
From my home in Los Angeles, my camping preference is for California鈥檚 deserts, where I can get off the grid and soak up the solitude. I dig desert camping so much that I even 鈥Death Valley and Joshua Tree. But at some point, the deserts get too hot, and I head to the mountains or coast to keep up my four-season camping habit.
Below are some standout under-the-radar California campgrounds broken out by geography鈥攄esert, coast, and mountain. They range from free and dispersed, to supported, to sites with some serious amenities (hot tubs, what?). Pick any of these, and you鈥檒l be experiencing the state鈥檚 incredibly diverse landscape at its finest.
California’s Desert Camping听
Picacho Campground
Location: Picacho State Recreation Area, north of Yuma, Arizona
Located in California鈥檚 remote Colorado Desert, Picacho Campground is the main campground serving a stretch of the scenic lower Colorado River. The 54 campsites are huge and widely spaced, tucked amid striking ancient volcanic rock formations. For being so far out there, it鈥檚 surprisingly well-developed and maintained with concrete picnic tables, shade structures, fire pits, and bathrooms with solar showers.
Don鈥檛 Miss: Fishing for bass, catfish, and bluegill on the Colorado River. Take the short two-mile drive to Taylor Lake to see one of the river鈥檚 scenic backwater lakes. Hike the two-mile round-trip Stamp Mill Trail over volcanic hills for views of the river and mining ruins.
The Cost: $20 per night
Book It:
Kelso Dunes
Location: Mojave National Preserve
The dispersed sites at the Kelso Dunes sit on the edge of the largest dune field in the Mojave Desert. A jaw-rattling washboard road takes you past the official trailhead for the dunes (there鈥檚 no camping at the trailhead) to a collection of widely spaced campsites. Some have fire pits, and vault toilets are available. If you hear an eerie booming sound, that鈥檚 the singing sand; wind or footsteps trigger small avalanches and create deep vibrations.
Don鈥檛 Miss: You can technically climb the dunes anywhere, but there is an . Follow the three-mile round trip route to a high ridge where you will have sweeping views of, you guessed it, more dunes.
Pro Tip: If you are set on having a campfire, bring your own metal container in case you don鈥檛 get a site with a fire pit.
The Cost: Free
Book It:
Juniper Valley
Location: Weed, California
Awesome views are what make the sites at Juniper Valley a good pick. Two sites are perched in Northern California鈥檚 high desert near the Oregon border amid widely scattered Ponderosa pines, juniper, and manzanita. The lack of dense vegetation means that you have open views of a whole crew of impressive peaks in the Cascade Range鈥攕now-capped Mount Shasta, the distinctly shaped Haystack Butte, and Goosenest, an ancient volcano. The camping here is stripped down from the sparseness of the landscape to the amenities. Sites have a picnic table and access to potable water but no bathrooms or fire pits.
Don鈥檛 Miss: The crystal-clear night skies. Also, hiking in the nearby Shasta-Trinity National Forest. The four-mile out-and-back McCloud River Trail winds through a basalt lava rock canyon, passing three waterfalls with opportunities for summer swimming.
The Cost: $50 per night
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The Inn at Benton Hot Springs
Location: Benton Hot Springs, California
Hot springs are the reason the picturesque almost ghost town of Benton continues to exist. The 13 campsites at the Inn at Benton Hot Springs are a unicorn, each with its own hot tub filled by the natural underground springs on the property. The 1,255 acre-ranch is operated in conjunction with the Eastern Sierra Land Trust to preserve the property from development. Most visitors don鈥檛 leave the campsites, opting to prune up in the tubs while meditating on the foothills of the White Mountains and grazing cows in the field next door. Bring everything you need. The closest town with supplies is Bishop, California, 40 minutes south.
Don鈥檛 Miss: The nearby Volcanic Tablelands, named for a cataclysmic volcanic eruption 750,000 years ago, draws rock climbers for its fantastic bouldering and desert rats for the austere landscape and petroglyph sites.
The Cost: $95 for two-person sites, $105 for three-person sites, plus $10 per night additional person
Book It: up to one year ahead of time; book early
Ricardo Campground
Location: Red Rock Canyon State Park
Campsites at Ricardo Campground are tucked under an unexpected crop of red sandstone cliffs in the northern Mojave Desert. The cliffs rise up out of nowhere along flat and Joshua tree studded desert Highway 14, like you temporarily hallucinated Utah. Most people cut through it on the way to the Sierra Nevada Mountains or Death Valley, but it鈥檚 easy to access from Los Angeles, and a beautiful destination in the fall when temps are lovely.
Don鈥檛 Miss: Hike a series of short trails, including the Red Cliffs Trail and Hagen Canyon Nature Trail to get close to the fluted formations. Venture out on off-road adventures to nearby ghost towns and mining camps including the Burro Schmidt Tunnel, a .5-mile tunnel hand-dug through solid granite.
The Cost: $25 per night
Book It: . Sites can fill by Thursday night or Friday morning in the spring, fall, and on holiday weekends.
Blair Valley
Location: Anza Borrego Desert State Park
The largest state park in California, the Anza Borrego Desert State Park has badlands, palm oases, mountain peaks, and waterfalls all accessed by miles of unpaved roads and hiking trails. It also has 12 campgrounds and tons of open camping. Of all the options, Blair Valley is my go-to for a secluded base camp to explore the park. Primitive sites are scattered along low rocky hills ringing a wide valley. In wet years, this is a hotspot for spring wildflower viewing. There is a vault toilet near the entrance, and some of the campsites have fire pits.
Don鈥檛 Miss: Anza Borrego is a certified dark sky park, and Blair Valley is one of the best places in the park for stargazing. There are also a few short, interesting hikes that leave from the campground. A 2-mile round trip trail up the face of Ghost Mountain (Yaquitepec) leads to 360-degree views and the ruins of a 1930s adobe homestead. You can also check out pictograph panels and ancient grinding stones by following the trail signs at the end of the valley.
The Cost: Free
Book It:
California’s Coastal Camping
Jedediah Smith Campground
Location: Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
The Northern California coast is dotted with a long strand of redwood parks, with the Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park at the top, near the Oregon border. The campground setting has a primeval feel, situated in dense old growth forest along the scenic Smith River, where banana slugs frolic (okay, maybe move slowly and strangely). There are 89 sites with picnic tables, fire rings, and animal-proof lockers.
Don鈥檛 Miss: Hiking through lush rainforest on the park鈥檚 20 miles of trails. Try the 5-mile , which goes through redwood forest, periodically opening up to views of the Smith River. Or opt to drive the historic Howland Hill Road. The Smith River is good for fishing and kayaking.
The Cost: $35 per night
Book It: ; available up to six months ahead of time
Jug Handle Creek Farm
Location: Caspar, California
As if its location on the edge of Mendocino鈥檚 famously wild and rocky coast was not enough, Jug Handle Creek Farm has 33 acres of fir forest and meadow as well as its own native plant nursery, community gardens, and nature trails. The farm is actually a nonprofit nature center supporting nature restoration projects in Mendocino County and offering onsite educational programs for kids. There are 11 private campsites situated across the property in a forest or meadow.
Don鈥檛 Miss: A wooden staircase from the farm leads down to scenic coves with tidepools at Jug Handle State Reserve. Be on the lookout for Harbor seals.
The Cost: from $40 per night
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Freedog Farms at Cactus Flower Ranch
Location: Buellton, California
Freedog Farms is one of my favorite Hipcamp sites, a good resource for unique camping. At the ranch, optimally situated between Central Coast wine country and its beaches, campsites are terraced into 43 acres of rugged hills with incredible views.
Goats, chickens, and dogs run freely throughout the property, hence the name. There are also two vintage trailers where you can stay the night. Even if you are tent camping, the level of amenities automatically upgrades you to glamping status. The features include a central area with a barn for gathering, a firepit, cold dunk tank cowboy pools, hammocks, and a hot outdoor shower. This is a great spot for large groups and families with lots to do and plenty of space for the kids to roam. The owners always have projects in the works and, if they have time, they will give you a tour to go along with your welcome drink.
Don鈥檛 Miss: Have a beach day at nearby Gaviota, Refugio, or El Capitan beaches. Also, do the short hike in Nojoqui Falls Park to an 80-foot waterfall. Afterwards, the Folded Hills Winery Farmstead has a great spot for a picnic.
The Cost: $75 base rate for one person, plus $50 per person, per night; Ages 3-13 costs $10 per person, per night and those under 3 are free
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Jalama Beach
Location: Jalama Beach County Park
The thing that makes this particular beach so special is seclusion. Jalama Road leaves the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) and winds 14 miles through coastal hills to reach the rocky, windswept beach. Plus, the camping here is at beach level, a rarity along California鈥檚 dramatic, bluff-lined coast, with all 107 campsites beachfront or overlooking the ocean. The campground feels like a small village with hot showers, restrooms, water, and a general store with sundries, supplies, breakfast and a 鈥淛alama burger鈥 that people swear by. In addition to the tent and RV sites, the park offers seven cabins.
Don鈥檛 Miss: Jalama Beach for swimming, surfing, whale-watching, birdwatching, and surf fishing.
The Cost: $35 per night standard sites; $50 per night beachfront partial hook-up sites
Book It: ; reservations available six months in advance
California’s Mountain Camping
Mill Creek Resort
Location: Community of Mill Creek, south of Lassen Volcanic National Park
Mill Creek Resort makes a good base camp for visiting Lassen Volcanic National Park, located 11 miles north. The collection of accommodations, set on 12 acres of cedars and pines, is based around the historic 1930s Mill Creek Lodge. A wooded campground has tent and RV camping, vintage cabins, glamping tents, and retro trailer and RV rentals.
Don鈥檛 Miss: Lassen Volcanic National Park for its steaming fumaroles, idyllic meadows, clear mountain lakes, and volcanoes. Drive the park鈥檚 main road and then choose one of many hikes. Try the 3-mile Bumpass Hell trail past bubbling mud pots or hike the 2.8-mile round trip path from Hat Lake to Paradise Meadows, where you will want to twirl and sing 鈥淭he hills are alive!鈥澨
The Cost: Camping May through October, cabins year-round, from $28 per night tent sites, from $48 per night RV sites, from $90 glamping tents, trailers, RVs, and cabins
听听
Green Creek Campground
Location: Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, south of Bridgeport
Green Creek has 21 sites tucked into an aspen grove along the banks of the scenic waterway known for excellent fishing. The combination of first-come, first-served sites and the 11-mile unpaved road to the area can make getting a spot feel daunting, but if you鈥檙e willing to chance it, the campground is a gem. On a trip this past Labor Day Weekend, we showed up mid-Friday afternoon and landed a campsite, but they were all full by evening. Group sites are directly along the creek and can be reserved. If the campground is full, you can post up at one of the backcountry sites along Green Creek Road. Strictly no fires are allowed at these sites.
Don鈥檛 Miss: A moderate trail from the campsite heads into the Hoover Wilderness for a six-mile round trip hike through aspen groves to alpine Green Lake. Or change course entirely and head back out to CA-395 to visit Mono Lake, a high desert lake where limestone spires rise from the water to create a hauntingly beautiful sight with opportunities for swimming, hiking, and kayaking.
The Cost: $22 per night, $75 and $100 per night for group sites (25 and 50 people)
Book It: , late April to early October
Rock Creek Lake Campground
Location: Inyo National Forest, northwest of Bishop, California
The forest service leaves a wheelbarrow in the parking area so you can haul gear across Rock Creek to the 28 campsites, tucked into aspen and pine forest at 9,600 feet. It鈥檚 surrounded by the gorgeous John Muir Wilderness, known for granite peaks, creeks, and alpine lakes. Make sure to use the provided bear boxes and keep a bear-safe camp. On my last trip, a surprise visitor showed up at night, enticed by a neighbor鈥檚 buffet of un-stored food and drink.
Don鈥檛 Miss: Fishing and kayaking or canoeing the lake. on the other side of the lake, has kayak and canoe rentals (as well as a small store and breakfast). Trailheads for miles of spectacular hiking begin along Rock Creek Lake Road. Hike the 8-mile round-trip trail through Little Lakes Valley to several alpine lakes and meadows for one of the most scenic and popular trails in the area. For a little more solitude, check out the moderate nine-mile hike to Hilton Lakes.
The Cost: $35 per night
Book It: available six months in advance, May through September
Jenna Blough听is an avid camper and fan of western deserts. She is the author of three Moon travel guides to California including and . When she鈥檚 not planning her next camping adventure, you will find her hiking a canyon or driving a dirt road, because that鈥檚 where all the good stuff is. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and daughter and never gets tired of exploring the Golden State.
