Campgrounds in California
22 van-friendly campgrounds in California
View California Van Life Guide →Channel Islands National Park
Ventura, CA
Californias Galapagos. Boat-accessible island camping with endemic foxes and incredible kelp forests.
Emerald Bay State Park - Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe, CA
Stunning lakefront camping at Emerald Bay with views of Fannette Island. Crystal-clear waters and granite peaks.
Inyo National Forest Dispersed
Mammoth Lakes, CA
Hundreds of miles of forest roads with free dispersed camping near Mammoth Lakes. Enjoy lakes, hiking, and fishing. Best in summer and fall.
Tuolumne Meadows Campground
Yosemite Valley, CA
High country camping at 8600 feet elevation in Tuolumne Meadows. Access to stunning alpine trails and meadows.
Hendy Woods State Park Campground
Boonville, CA
Towering old-growth redwoods surround this peaceful Anderson Valley campground. Cool creek swimming and mushroom foraging.
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
Big Sur, CA
Redwood-shaded camping along Big Sur River with iconic coastal views. Waterfall hikes and scenic drives.
Upper Pines Campground
Yosemite Valley, CA
The most popular campground in Yosemite Valley with direct access to Half Dome, El Capitan, and Yosemite Falls trails.
Lassen Volcanic NP - Manzanita Lake
Mineral, CA
Volcanic lake camping beneath boiling springs and steam vents. Lassen Peak summit hike rewards with panoramic views.
Azalea Cove - Sequoia NF
Springville, CA
Riverside camping beneath giant sequoias in the Sierra Nevada. Swimming holes and towering trees.
Lava Beds National Monument
Tulelake, CA
Volcanic cave camping in remote Northeast California. Over 700 caves, Native American rock art, and solitude.
Trinity Lake Campground
Trinity Center, CA
Serene lake camping in remote Northern California. Boating, fishing, and mountain solitude far from crowds.
Pinnacles NP - Chaparral Campground
Paicines, CA
Volcanic spires and condor watching in central California. Spring wildflowers are spectacular.
Klamath River Campground
Klamath, CA
Riverside camping on the Klamath River near the redwood coast. Salmon fishing, kayaking, and fog-drenched forests.
Butano State Park - Santa Cruz Mountains
Pescadero, CA
Redwood-shaded camping in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Coastal fog and ancient forests.
Doheny State Beach Campground
Dana Point, CA
Beachfront camping steps from the Pacific Ocean in Orange County. Surfing, tide pools, and warm California vibes.
Kern River County Park
Kernville, CA
Whitewater rafting and fishing beneath Sierra peaks. Hot springs nearby.
Mendocino Pass Campground
Willits, CA
Coastal range camping near the Mendocino Coast. Redwood groves, fern canyons, and misty mornings.
Los Padres National Forest - Big Sur
Big Sur, CA
Dozens of Nacimiento-Fergusson Road pull-offs with ocean views. Free dispersed camping along narrow road.
Joshua Tree North BLM Dispersed
Joshua Tree, CA
Popular BLM land north of Joshua Tree with wide open desert camping. Great sunrises and stargazing. No water available on site.
Furnace Creek Campground
Death Valley, CA
Desert oasis camping in Death Valley National Park. Shade trees, swimming pool access, and general store nearby.
Angeles National Forest - Wrightwood
Wrightwood, CA
Mountain forest camping just an hour from LA. Ponderosa pines, wildflowers, and trail access to Mount San Antonio.
Borrego Palm Canyon Dispersed
Borrego Springs, CA
Anza-Borrego State Park surrounding BLM areas with free dispersed camping. Beautiful desert scenery. Bring your own water.
I've spent more nights sleeping in my van along the California coast than I can honestly count. California van life is something else — you can wake up to fog rolling through redwood groves in the morning, drive three hours south, and fall asleep to the sound of Pacific waves crashing against black sand beaches the same evening. After years of bouncing between campgrounds, BLM land, and the occasional Walmart parking lot, we've put together this guide to the spots we keep coming back to. Whether you're chasing free camping in California's desert or looking for a proper campground with showers near Yosemite, we've got you covered.
California Van Life Overview
California is massive, and the camping options change dramatically depending on where you are. The coast is foggy and cool from Mendocino down to Santa Cruz, the Central Valley bakes in summer, and the southern deserts are legitimately dangerous from June through August if you don't respect the heat.
Best seasons: Spring (March-May) and fall (September-November) work almost statewide. Summer is great for the northern coast and mountains, brutal in the south. Winter is perfect for Southern CA deserts.
Key regulations: BLM land is your best friend for free camping — California has tons of it, especially in the southern deserts. National Forests usually allow dispersed camping outside designated sites. State Parks require reservations (book early, they sell out weeks ahead). Coastal areas have strict fire restrictions from June through October.
Wildfire warning: If you're camping in California between July and October, check fire conditions daily. We've had to evacuate mid-trip twice in the last three years. Download the Watch Duty app before you go.
Campgrounds by Region
Southern California (LA, San Diego, Deserts)
Southern California gets a bad rap for being crowded and expensive, but once you leave the city limits, there are some genuinely special spots. The deserts around Joshua Tree and Anza-Borrego are world-class van camping territory, and the coastal options near Malibu are hard to beat if you don't mind the premium prices.
Joshua Tree National Park (Black Rock Campground)
- Location: Joshua Tree, CA
- Type: National Park
- Cost: $36/night (includes park entry)
- Highlights: The only developed campground inside the park with running water. Book months ahead for peak season. The stargazing here changed how we look at the night sky.
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
- Location: Big Sur, CA
- Type: State Park
- Cost: $35/night
- Highlights: Tucked into a redwood canyon steps from the Pacific. This is the quintessential Big Sur camping experience. The hike to Pfeiffer Beach (purple sand, keyhole arch) is a must.
Mount Carmel Campground
- Location: Big Sur, CA
- Type: State Park
- Cost: $35/night
- Highlights: Quieter than Pfeiffer Big Sur and closer to the coast. Our go-to when Pfeiffer is booked out (which happens constantly in summer).
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
- Location: Borrego Springs, CA
- Type: State Park (with extensive BLM land nearby)
- Cost: $25/night (campground) / Free (BLM dispersed)
- Highlights: Massive park with both developed sites and hundreds of miles of free dispersed camping on surrounding BLM land. Come in spring for wildflowers. The wind caves are surreal.
Malibu Creek State Park
- Location: Calabasas, CA
- Type: State Park
- Cost: $35/night
- Highlights: Closer to LA than you'd expect, but feels like a different world. The creek pools are perfect for cooling off in summer. We come here when we want nature without driving six hours north.
D.L. Bliss State Park
- Location: Tahoe City, CA
- Type: State Park
- Cost: $35/night
- Highlights: Right on Lake Tahoe with a private beach. This is our summer pick when we need alpine air and cold water. Arrive early — the campground fills by noon on weekends.
Central California (Big Sur, Yosemite, Coast)
This is the California most people picture — redwoods, granite cliffs, and coastline that makes you stop the car every five minutes. Yosemite is the crown jewel, but the surrounding national forests offer way more flexibility for van lifers on a budget.
Yosemite Valley Campground
- Location: Yosemite Valley, CA
- Type: National Park
- Cost: $36/night (includes park entry)
- Highlights: Sleeping beneath Half Dome is a bucket-list experience. Reservations are a nightmare to get (they open on the 15th of each month, six months out — set an alarm). The free shuttle means you don't need to move the van once you're parked.
Redwood National and State Parks
- Location: Northern CA Coast
- Type: National/State Park
- Cost: $35/night (Jedediah Smith) / Free (national park areas)
- Highlights: These trees are older than civilization. The drive through the parks is genuinely spiritual. We stayed at Jedediah Smith and did morning walks through the fog that I still think about regularly.
Lassen Volcanic National Park
- Location: Northern CA (near Redding)
- Type: National Park
- Cost: $26/night
- Highlights: Yosemite's quieter, weirder cousin. Boiling springs, sulfur vents, and virtually no crowds. The Manzanita Lake campground is one of the most underrated spots in the state.
Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Location: Boulder Creek, CA
- Type: State Park
- Cost: $35/night
- Highlights: After the 2020 CZU fire, this park is slowly reopening. The ancient groves survived, and the recovery story makes visiting feel meaningful. Check current status before you drive out.
Northern California (Redwoods, Shasta, Wine Country)
Northern California is where we go when we want to feel genuinely remote. The redwoods stretch into a coastline that rivals Big Sur, and Mount Shasta anchors the north with high-altitude camping that's almost alpine in feel.
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
- Location: Orick, CA
- Type: State Park
- Cost: $35/night
- Highlights: Roosevelt Elk graze in the meadows near the campground. We've seen them every single time we've stayed here. The combination of redwood groves and ocean access is hard to find anywhere else.
Mount Shasta City KOA
- Location: Mount Shasta, CA
- Type: Private (KOA)
- Cost: $45/night
- Highlights: Full hookups, clean facilities, and a view of the mountain that makes the price worth it. Good base camp for climbing Shasta or just hiking around the volcano.
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
- Location: Whiskeytown, CA (near Redding)
- Type: National Recreation Area
- Cost: $26/night
- Highlights: Free-dispersed-style camping at campground prices. The trails here are quiet and the waterfall hikes are genuinely impressive. Good overnight stop between the coast and Lassen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is free camping actually available in California?
Yes, but you need to know where to look. BLM land in Southern California deserts (especially around Joshua Tree and the Mojave) offers genuinely free dispersed camping. National Forests like Shasta-Trinity and Eldorado also allow dispersed camping outside designated campgrounds. The key is that free camping usually means no water, no toilets, and no cell service — come prepared.
When should I avoid camping in California?
Late summer (August-October) is peak wildfire season, especially in Northern and Central California. If you're flexible, plan desert trips for winter and coastal trips for fall. Summer in the southern deserts is dangerously hot — temperatures regularly exceed 110°F and people die every year from heat exposure out there.
Do I need a Discover Pass or similar permit?
California doesn't have a Discover Pass (that's Washington). Instead, you'll need the America the Beautiful Pass ($80/year) for national parks, or individual park entry fees. State Parks charge per vehicle. If you're hitting multiple California state parks in one trip, the annual pass ($125) pays for itself after about four visits.
How far in advance should I book California campgrounds?
For popular spots like Yosemite, Pfeiffer Big Sur, and D.L. Bliss — book the moment reservations open (usually six months out). For less popular state parks, two to four weeks is usually fine. BLM dispersed camping is first-come, first-served year-round, which is why so many van lifers rely on it.