Bay
Area camping
(links to pages for parks with hiking, or nearby)
North Bay (Marin, Sonoma, and Napa Counties)
• Angel Island. Hike-in campsites. (For descriptions, go to the Angel
Island website)
• Austin Creek State Recreation
Area. Tent and backcountry campsites.
• Bothe-Napa Valley State Park.
Tent and RV campsites.
• China Camp State Park. Walk-in
campsites.
• Doran Regional Park. RV and tent campsites. Since this park is situated
on an exposed, sandy spit on the south side of Bodega Harbor, there's not much
privacy.
• Marin Headlands (GGNRA). Walk-in
and group campsites. (For descriptions go to the GGNRA
camping page)
• Mount Tamalpais State Park. Walk-in
campsites at Pantoll and cabins at Steep Ravine Environmental Campsites. The Pantoll
sites are well-shaded, but uncomfortably close to both Panoramic Highway and the
Pantoll parking lot.
• Point Reyes National Seashore. Hike-in campsites. (For descriptions go
to the Point
Reyes camping page)
• Samuel P. Taylor State Park. Tent
and RV campsites.
East Bay (Alameda and Contra Costa Counties)
• Anthony Chabot Regional Park.
Tent and RV campsites.
• Del Valle Regional Park. Tent,
RV, and youth group campsites.
• Mount Diablo State Park.
Tent and RV campsites.
• Sunol Regional Wilderness. Tent
and group campsites.
South Bay (San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz Counties)
• Big Basin State Park. Tent,
walk-in, and RV campsites, and tent cabins.
• Butano State Park. Tent and
RV campsites.
• Castle Rock State Park.
Hike-in campsites.
• Half Moon Bay State Beach.
Tent and RV campsites, on a bluff just above the ocean.
• Henry W. Coe State Park. Tent
and RV campsites, plus backcounty camping.
• Henry Cowell Redwoods State
Park. Tent and RV campsites.
• Grant County Park. Tent, RV,
and youth group campsites.
• Sam McDonald County Park. Youth
group campsites and horse camp.
• Memorial County Park. Tent,
RV, and group campsites.
• Mount Madonna County Park.
Tent, RV, group, and youth group campsites.
• Portola Redwoods State Park.
Tent and RV campsites.
• Sanborn-Skyline County Park.
RV and walk-in campsites.
• Uvas Canyon County Park. Tent
and youth group campsites.
Recommended reading:
Camping and Backpacking the San Francisco Bay Area, by Matt Heid (order
this book from Amazon.com). All bay area camping and backpacking destinations
are described in this book, which includes park maps for the car and hike-in campgrounds,
and trail maps for the backpacking excursions. General trail info helps in planning
hikes. I do wish Heid's book encompassed coastal Sonoma County campgrounds like
Pomo Canyon and Bodega Dunes, and there are no campgrounds maps, a feature I really
miss. Despite those quibbles, this is a great guide for bay area campers who love
to hike.
Go to Bay Area Hiker Home page
