The Best Tent-Only Campgrounds on the California Coast

I just love the golden state and with summer coming quick, I’m itching to get out there and do some coastal camping in California. The sun, the salty air. Something about it just makes you feel so good.

The only thing that’s tough about the California coast is it can be hard to get off the beaten path without going far into the backcountry. And well…that’s not always convenient. Sometimes you just want to hop in your car, drive and hour, and pitch a tent, and not have to worry about preparation. But that doesn’t mean that you want to be camping in a paved parking lot full of RVs either.

If you are looking to soak in some of that California soul, here’s the best places to go camping in California where there are no cars allowed.

Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park

Getting to the Channel Islands requires some effort, but with the chance to encounter dolphin pods, mola molas, and whales in the Santa Barbara Channel, the one hour Island Packers boat ride to Santa Cruz Island is all part of the fun. While camping is allowed year round on all 5 of the islands in Channel Islands National Park, the Scorpion Ranch campground at Santa Cruz is the most accessible for a weekend jaunt and also has the most developed facilities. Once the ferry lands on the island, it is a half mile walk from the pier to the large campground, which sits in a grove of trees surrounded by grasslands and coastal sage scrub. Once you get settled, there are 6 different trails that leave from the campground ranging from a quick 1/2 mile stroll to a more strenuous 8 mile hike that leads to expansive coastal vistas. What makes camping on Santa Cruz Island really unique, however, are the opportunities to get out on the water. Sea kayaking here is world-class with sea caves, rocky coastline, and kelp forests, and for an extra fee, Island Packers rents and transports kayaks out to the island. And don’t forget your snorkel and thick wet suit. Sightings of sea lions whizzing around the kelp forest are almost guaranteed. Reservations are required and sites get booked up months in advance, so plan ahead.

Planning a trip? Check out our post about the Top Things to Do on Santa Cruz Island!

Angel Island State Park Campground

With ferries departing from all over the San Francisco Bay area, Angel Island State Park in the middle of the Bay offers a quick and quiet escape from the commotion of the city. Coastal campsites are spread out all over the island, with views of the SF Bay Bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge, the famous cityscape, and the rolling Marin Headlands. All sites have potable water and a pit toilet. To explore the island, hit the trail to the top of Mt. Livermore, the island’s tallest point, or rent a bike from the Angel Island Company and cruise around the island’s permitter. When that stomach starts to growl, head to the Angel Island Cantina for lunch and wash down some super fresh Hog Island Oysters with a locally brewed Lagunitas IPA. Reserve your campsite here.

Wildcat Camp

Secluded in a grassy seaside meadow along Point Reyes National Seashore, a camping weekend at Wildcat Camp is a perfect place for beginner backpackers to get their feet wet. From the parking lot, the campground is a 5.5 moderate mile hike from the Palomarine trailhead in Bolinas. Along the way, the trail is packed with unobstructed views of the Pacific, as long as fog hasn’t rolled in. Besides the views and beach access from Wildcat, the main attraction is Alamere Falls, a waterfall that crashes down from the bluff onto the beach and is the only major waterfall in Point Reyes. Reservations are highly recommended, especially for the warmer months, as sites do book up in advance. Sites 6 and 7, while small, are considered the best due their isolated location and views from high up on the bluff. All sites are equipped with a grill and picnic table, meaning campers don’t have to skimp on meals during overnight trips.

Andrew Molera State Park, Big Sur

While most of the places to go camping in California’s Big Sur get snatched up months in advance, the 1/2 mile walk to the 24 first-come, first-served campsites at Andrew Molera State Park is enough deter some campers. This means if you arrive early enough in the day, you might just get lucky and snag a site right along the Big Sur River which runs right through the middle of the Park. The campground is an open meadow, so sites don’t afford a ton of privacy, but location more than makes up for that. Twenty miles south of Carmel, Andrew Molera has some of the best hiking trails in Big Sur, including an 8.8 mile loop along a coastal bluff with spectacular views that also provides access to a remote beach cove. If the loop is too ambitious, the campground itself is just a short walk down the river to Molera Beach, a two-mile long strip of quintessential central coast sand.

**Update: Part of the Big Sur road was washed out this summer. Make sure to check current park status before you head out to Andrew Molera.

Castle Rock State Park

Nestled high up in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Castle Rock State Park has two campgrounds located deep in the redwoods. The first is the Castle Rock Trail Camp which is a 2.6 mile hike from the main entrance parking lot. The 20 first-come, first served sites are each equipped with a fire ring and a table. The campground also has vault toilets, safe drinking water, and firewood available for purchase. Those looking for a bit more seclusion can venture further to the primitive Water Gap Trail Camp, where there are only 6 sites but no water. From either of these sites, campers have easy access to the Skyline to Sea Trail where they can spend the day hiking through old growth forests, with some wide open views of the Saratoga Gap. And while not directly on the coast, you’ll still get that ocean breeze, and with the beach less than thirty miles away, you can easily make a side trip on your way home.

If these don’t float your boat, make sure to check out my post about Hipcamp, a new reservation system where you can reserve campsites throughout California.

Where would you like to tent-camp in California? Share your plans in the comments!