Camping Information

Attention
Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations 4331 states that campsites cannot be sold or resold in any unit, except as permitted by California State Parks and includes sales activities which encroach on the sales rights of a vendor authorized to sell such products, or services pursuant to a concession contract with the department.

Creating Multiple User IDs

Please note our California State Parks Reservation Policy:  Reservations that are made for California State Parks are for personal use only.  Any resale, transfer, use for profit activity, or memberships that are not approved in advance by the State are strictly prohibited and will be subject to immediate cancellation without notice, refund or reimbursement.  For most of our parks, there is a 30-night maximum stay limit per customer in a calendar year; please check individual park policy limits.  Creating multiple user IDs to bypass the 30-night rule is not acceptable.  Reservations made under individual unique multiple user IDs will not be honored.  If you attempt or participate in any prohibited or unlawful activities, your account may be blocked, terminated and cancelled without notice and you may not be allowed to make any reservations or open new accounts.

Reservation Policy Updates

The terms and conditions of the reservation system have been updated as follows: 

Modification Policy: Our visitors can now only modify their reservations up to two times, with the exception of Crystal Cove Beach Cottages where no modifications are allowed.

Reservation Policy: Reservations made on Reserve California are for personal use only. Any resale, transfer, use, for profit activity, or memberships that are not approved in advance by California State Parks are strictly prohibited and will be subject to immediate cancellation without notice, refund or reimbursement. If you attempt or participate in any prohibited or unlawful activities, your account may be blocked, terminated and cancelled without notice and you may not be allowed to make any reservations or open new accounts. There are currently no approved vendors to operate as third party partners.

Reservation Booking Window

Reservations can be made six months to the day in advance of the arrival date (rolling window). Each new date opens at 8 a.m. PST. Reservations can be made as late as two days prior to your planned arrival, subject to availability.

Checking In & Out

You may check in to your campsite any time after 2 p.m. on your reservation start date. 

When you arrive, present your reservation voucher or confirmation number and a form of photo identification.

If you arranged for a discount when you made your reservation, proof of eligibility must be shown at this time.

Campsite assignments are made upon your arrival unless your reservation is in a site specific park. If you reserve two sites in a non-site specific park, park staff will try to assign adjacent campsites, subject to availability.

Dogs must be kept on leashes no longer than 6' and in a tent or enclosed vehicle at night. Except for service animals, pets are not allowed in park buildings, on trails, or on most beaches.

Check out by noon on your departure date.

Please leave the campsite in good condition. The camper who follows you will appreciate it.

Cancellation Policy

Attention:
If you need to change your arrival/departure date and/or site, you must call ReserveCalifornia at 1-800-444-PARK or log into ReserveCalifornia.com by 6 pm the day before your arrival date.  If you cancel your reservation after 6 p.m. the day before your arrival date you will be charged a cancellation fee of $7.99, the first night’s campsite fee and your reservation fee will be forfeited.

Cabin reservation holders will forfeit the first night fees when cancelling 6 or fewer days prior to arrival.

For cabin and other alternative camping, please check the park specific cancellation policies on www.ReserveCalifornia.com under Alerts and Important Information, Site Alerts, and confirmation letter.

The $7.99 reservation fee is non-refundable. 

If you cancel a reservation, a cancellation fee of $7.99 will be assessed per reservation. Cancellations can be made online or by calling our Customer Call Center at (800) 444-PARK (7275).This service is available 7 days a week, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. PST (except New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day). Customers will be charged a $7.99 cancellation fee if cancelled after 6:00 p.m. the day before arrival, and will forfeit the unit fee for one night and the $7.99 reservation fee. Customers will be charged a $7.99 cancellation fee if cancelled before 6:00 p.m. the day before arrival and forfeit the $7.99 reservation fee.

A campsite will be held for you until 12 p.m. the day after your arrival date. If you have not called the park before that time, you will be considered a "no show" and the park will cancel your reservation. You will be refunded the amount paid for the campsite, less the non-refundable $7.99 reservation fee, the $7.99 cancellation fee, and one night use fee. If you miss your first day but plan to arrive later, you must call the park each day to hold the remainder of your reservation.

If you must leave the park one or more days early, a cancellation fee of $7.99 and reservation fee of $7.99 will be assessed per reservation; you must check out before 12 p.m. Retain your camping confirmation letter until you have received your refund or your charge card has been credited. Allow at least 30 days to receive your refund.

Modification Policy:  If you need to change your arrival/departure date and/or site, you must call ReserveCalifornia at 1-800-444-PARK or log into ReserveCalifornia.com by 6 p.m. the day before arrival. Visitors will be charged a $7.99 modification fee per reserved campsite for change in dates, sites, parks, extending or shortening stay requests. Two Modifications may be made to an existing reservation with the exception of Crystal Cove Cottages. No modifications will be accepted for Crystal Cove Cottages.

If California State Parks closes a campground due to an emergency or disaster, our reservation provider will make every effort to notify you. In the event of an evacuation or park closure, you will receive a refund for nights the park was evacuated and/or closed.

In cases of inclement weather, when the campground remains open, but you choose to leave, refunds will be issued based on the early out policy.

Family Camping

Family campsites accommodate up to eight (8) people. They are developed campsites with amenities that vary from park to park, and may include fire pits or fire rings, picnic tables, showers, a water supply, and a cleared area for your tent.

Each campground has a limit on the consecutive number of nights a camper may stay. Once this consecutive night limit has been reached, the campground must be vacated, and no one in the party may return to camp in the same park for 48 hours.

A parent or guardian must accompany youths under 18 years of age. The Supervising Ranger may approve the stay of a youth that presents written consent from the parent or guardian that states the dates of the authorized stay and the park name.

Fees include entry for 1 vehicle and 1 legally towed vehicle or trailer, additional vehicles will be charged per night at the park. Although your site may hold 2 or more vehicles, your reservation only covers 1 vehicle (except for group or specialty sites).

A maximum of two (2) licensed vehicles/autos, travel, boat, and utility trailers-may be parked at most campsites.

You may make two reservations per park and camping start date.

Campers may stay in the same park up to 30 nights in a calendar year.;

Group Camping

Group campsites accommodate groups as small as nine (9) or as large as 100, depending on the park. At some campgrounds, group sites can be combined for larger groups. Your reservation agent can help you with names and locations of these campgrounds.

Youth groups (under 18 years of age) must be accompanied by at least one (1) adult for every 15 youths.

Stays are limited to seven (7) nights.

RV Dump Stations

California State Parks wants to thank our park visitors for helping us keep our parks and environment clean. In 2018, State Parks installed new RV dump station collection systems at ten state park units as part of a pilot program to help us protect the environment and are added amenities for our visitors.

Following the success of the initial pilot program in 2018, an additional eleven park units have been added to the program. The service is available for campers, day-use or transient visitors for $10-$20 per use, depending on the location. Please note that visitors with current reservations arriving on or after April 13, 2021, who are interested in using the RV dump stations may be required to pay the use fee. The price per campsite for these state parks does not include the use of a dump station.

State Park Unit Number of Stations Status Dump Fee
State Historic Parks
Colonel Allensworth 1 2018 install $10
 
State Parks
Cuyamaca Rancho 2 2018 install $10
MacKerricher 2 2018 install $10
Red Rock Canyon 1 2018 install $20
Saddleback Butte 1 2018 install $10
Van Damme 1 2018 install $10
Hearst San Simeon 2 New install $10
Morro Bay 1 New install $10
Malibu Creek 1 New install $10
 
State Beaches
San Elijo 2 2018 install $10
Silver Strand 1 2018 install $10
South Carlsbad 2 2018 install $10
Huntington 1 2018 install $10
Half Moon Bay 1 New install $10
New Brighton 4 New install $10
Pismo 1 New install $10
Doheny 1 New install $10
San Onofre 6 New install $10
 
State Vehicular Recreation Areas
Oceano Dunes 3 New install $10
 
State Recreation Areas
Lake Perris 3 New install $10
Silverwood Lake 2 New install $10

Environmental Camping

Environmental campsites are located in relatively undisturbed natural settings. Each site has a table, a clearing for your tent, and a primitive toilet nearby. Environmental campsite fees and hike-in distances vary between parks.

Plan ahead to arrive at your campsite before dark.

No pets are allowed, except service animals.

Stays are limited to seven (7) nights. 

Accessible Campsites

Visitors reserving accessible campsites are required to possess a valid Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) Disabled Placard or Disabled License Plate and corresponding Identification Card issued by DMV.  Disabled veterans possessing a valid Disabled Veteran's License Plate and corresponding identification card also meet the requirement.

If you require an accessible campsite, you must specify this at the time of the reservation.

Whether use is subject to reservation or on a first-come, first-served basis, unoccupied accessible campsites shall be held for persons with disabilities until 5:00 pm each day. If an accessible campsite is not occupied by 5:00 pm the site may be occupied on a first-come, first-served basis to a person without a disability for one night only. This process repeats daily.

 

Alternative Camping

California State Parks also has alternative camping, such as rustic cabins, cottages, lodging, tent cabins, floating campsites, and yurts.  Please check the following parks and their websites for more information.

Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds
https://www.visitasilomar.com

Marconi Conference Center
(415) 663-9020

Mendocino Woodlands (Group Camps)
https://www.mendocinowoodlands.org/bookings-events

Pfeiffer Big Sur Lodge
http://www.bigsurlodge.com/

Pigeon Point Light Station Hostel
http://www.norcalhostels.org/pigeon

Point Cabrillo Light Station
http://pointcabrillo.org/rentals/

Links to the following alternative camping sites are coming soon. California State Parks moved to a new reservation system to make it easier for you to reserve camping and lodging sites. For more information, such as FAQs, please visit www.ReserveCalifornia.com.

  • Anza-Borrego Cabins
  • Big Basin Tent Cabins
  • Bothe-Napa Valley State Park (10 yurts; 3 cabins)
  • Brannan Island State Recreation Area
  • Calaveras Big Trees Cabins
  • Clear Lake Cabins
  • Columbia Hotel and Cottages
  • Crystal Cove Beach Cottages
  • Cuyamaca Rancho State Park
  • Hendy Woods State Park
  • Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
  • Lake Oroville State Recreation Area Floating Campsites
  • Little Basin State Park
  • Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park
  • McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park Cabins
  • Mount Tamalpais State Park
  • Sue-meg State Park 
  • Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
  • Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park (Elk Prairie Campground)
  • Richardson Grove State Park
  • Samuel P. Taylor Cabins
  • San Clemente State Beach/ Holidays Vintage Trailers

Horse/Equestrian Overnight Camping

California State Parks provides overnight horse sites or group horse sites.  Please check the following parks for more information.  Reservations can be made at www.ReserveCalifornia.com.

  • Anza-Borrego Desert SP (10 horse sites)
  • Cuyamaca Rancho SP (Group Horse and 14 Horse Sites)
  • Humboldt Redwoods SP (2 Group Horse and 4 Horse Sites)
  • Lake Oroville SRA (15 Horse Sites)
  • Lake Perris SRA (7 Horses Sites)
  • Montana de Oro SP (2 Group Horse and 3 Horse Sites)
  • Mount Tamalpais SP (Group Horse)
  • Samuel P. Taylor SP (Group Horse)