North Coast Camping

North Coast Camping Overview

California has literally thousands of campgrounds. Below, you'll find campgrounds from the Oregon border to the Sonoma Coast with conveniences like flush toilets and showers, as well as popular and unique campgrounds to help you narrow the choice. These include campgrounds in National Parks, State Parks, State Beaches, National Forests, State Forests, County Parks and privately owned resorts. Camping locations along the North Coast include old-growth redwood forests, headlands protruding out into the Pacific, recreational lakes, secluded coves and next to salmon-filled rivers. We've included as much detail as possible so you have a better idea of what to expect and whether reservations are required in advance.

PETS: Dogs are allowed at almost all campgrounds but must be kept on a leash, picked up after, and never left unattended. Most beach campgrounds allow dogs in the campground but not on the beach.

BEARS: Metal bear-proof lockers are provided in almost all campsites where bears are a problem. California bears rarely attack people without provocation and should not be feared, but a great deal of space and respect should be given to a bear. Please visit our Tips page for more information on bears and other precautions to consider.

CAMPING CHECKLIST - download our checklist of camping essentials and you won't forget anything at home.

REI - rents camping equipment including tents, sleeping bags, stoves, lanterns and more.

TIP: Looking for some late night campsite entertainment? Check out www.seasky.org for their celestial calendar including meteor showers.

California State Park Closures are expected to begin in 2012 because of California's budget crisis. Check here for an update on park closures.

North Coast Campgrounds
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Six Rivers National Forest is located in the coastal mountain range from the Oregon border south beyond Eureka. The only National Forest campgrounds with conveniences like flush toilets are found along the Smith River region in the northernmost part, off Highway 199. Below we've provided information on the most popular campgrounds in Six Rivers.

• Panther Flat Campground is located approximately 16 miles east of Crescent City on Highway 199. Campground is next to the Smith River and world class fishing. Activities include fishing, swimming and hiking. The campground has 39 campsites for tent or RV camping. Amenities include a picnic table, fire ring, barbeque, flush toilets and showers. Reservations recommended.
  Map  |   Reservations  |   Website  |   Other Ideas

• Patrick Creek Campground is located approximately 22 miles east of Crescent City on Highway 199. Camp is situated across the highway from the historic Patrick Creek Lodge. Campground is next to the Smith River and world class fishing. Activities include fishing, swimming and hiking. The campground has 13 campsites for tent or RV camping. Amenities include a picnic table, fire ring, barbeque, and flush toilets. Reservations recommended.
  Map  |   Reservations  |   Website  |   Other Ideas

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park Campground is located 9 miles east of Crescent City off Highway 199. This is one of three state parks in the region that are part of Redwoods National Park. Campground is next to the Smith River and world class fishing. Activities include boating, fishing, swimming, horseback riding and hiking. The campground has 69 campsites for tent or RV camping. Amenities include a picnic table, fire ring, flush toilets and showers. RV dumpstation, boat launch and visitor center onsite. Reservations recommended.

Jedediah Smith Redwoods
1375 Elk Valley Road
Crescent City, California 95531
(707) 458-3018
Map  |   Reservations  |   Website  |   Other Ideas

Del Norte Coast State Park Campground is located 7 miles south of Crescent City off highway 101. Campground is near Mill Creek and world class fishing. This is one of three state parks in the region that are part of Redwoods National Park. Activities include fishing and hiking. The campground has 131 campsites for tent or RV camping. Amenities include a picnic table, fire ring, flush toilets and showers. RV dumpstation. Reservations recommended.

TIP: Swimming is not safe at this beach due to rough seas and fridged temperatures.

Del Norte Coast Redwoods
1375 Elk Valley Road
Crescent City, California 95531
(707) 465-2146
Map  |   Reservations  |   Website  |   Other Ideas

Prarie Creek Redwoods State Park Campground is located 50 miles north of Eureka off Highway 101, in Orick. This is one of three state parks in the region that are part of Redwoods National Park. Activities include fishing, tidepool exploration, horseback riding and hiking. The campground has 75 campsites for tent or RV camping. Amenities include a picnic table, fire ring, flush toilets and showers. RV dumpstation and visitor center. Reservations recommended.

NOTE: Gold Bluffs Beach Campground is also situated within Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park and offers camping along the ocean. Campground has 25 campsites for tent or RV camping. First-come, first-served.

Prairie Creek Redwoods
127011 Newton B. Drury Parkway
Orick, California 95555
(707) 465-7347
Map  |   Reservations  |   Website  |   Other Ideas

Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park Campground is located 20 miles southeast of Eureka on Highway 101 and 17 miles east on Highway 36. A more 'off the beaten path' redwood forest. Campground is next to the Van Duzen River and world class fishing. Activities include fishing and hiking. The campground has 28 campsites for tent or RV camping. Amenities include a picnic table, fire ring, flush toilets and showers. Reservations recommended.

Grizzly Creek Redwoods
16949 Highway 36
Carlotta, California 95528
(707) 777-3683
Map  |   Reservations  |   Website  |   Other Ideas

Humboldt Redwoods State Park Campground is located 45 miles south of Eureka along the Avenue of the Giants and 20 miles north of Garberville. This park houses the world's largest old growth redwoods. Campground is next to the Eel River and world class fishing. Activities include hiking, fishing, horseback riding, boating and swimming. Five family campgrounds comprise 253 campsites for tent or RV camping. Amenities include a picnic table, fire ring, flush toilets and showers. Visitor center, boat launch and groceries onsite. Reservations recommended.

Humboldt Redwoods
Weott, California 95571
(707) 946-2409
Map  |   Reservations  |   Website  |   Other Ideas

Patrick's Point State Park Campground is located just a few miles north of Trinidad off Highway 101. Activities include fishing, tidepool exploration, whale watching, surfing and hiking. Three family campgrounds comprise 122 campsites for tent or RV camping. Amenities include a picnic table, fire ring, flush toilets and showers. Reconstructed Native American village onsite. Reservations recommended.

Patrick's Point
4150 Patrick's Point Drive
Trinidad, California 95570
(707) 677-3570
Map  |   Reservations  |   Website  |   Other Ideas

Benbow Lake State Recreation Area Campground is located 2 miles south of Garberville on Highway 101. Camp is next to Benbow Lake. Activities include hiking, swimming, fishing, boating and picnicking. Campground includes campsites for tent or RV camping. Amenities include a picnic table, fire ring, flush toilets and showers. RV dumpstation and boat rentals available. Reservations recommended.

Benbow Lake
1600 Highway 101
Garberville, California 95542
(707) 923-3238
Map  |   Reservations  |   Website  |   Other Ideas

Richardson Grove State Park Campground is located 7 miles south of Garberville on Highway 101. Camps are on both sides of the Eel River. Activities include Hiking, swimming and fishing. Three campgrounds comprise 157 campsites for tent or RV camping. Amenities include a picnic table, fire ring, flush toilets and showers. RV dumpstation, visitor center and groceries onsite. Reservations recommended.

Richardson Grove
1600 US Highway 101
Garberville, CA 95440
(707) 247-3318
Map  |   Reservations  |   Website  |   Other Ideas

Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area Campground is located just north of Leggett off Highway 101. This park is considered the 'gateway to tall trees country'. Camps are on both sides of the Eel River. Activities include hiking, picnicking, swimming and fishing. Three campgrounds comprise 152 campsites for tent only. Amenities include a picnic table, fire ring, flush toilets and showers. Reservations recommended.

Standish-Hickey
69350 U.S. Hwy. 101, Box #2
Leggett, California 95455
(707) 925-6482
Map  |   Reservations  |   Website  |   Other Ideas

Mendocino National Forest is located in the coastal and inland mountain ranges from Rockport in the north to Ukiah in the south. Below we've provided information on the most popular campgrounds in Mendocino.

• Eel River Campground is located approximately 11 miles east of Covelo on Highway 162 (Mendocino Pass Road). Campground is next to the Eel River and world class fishing. Activities include fishing, swimming and hiking. The campground has 15 campsites for tent or small RV. Amenities include a picnic table, fire ring, barbeque and flush toilets. First-come first-served.
  Map  |   No Reservations  |   Website  |   Other Ideas

• Middle Creek Campground is located approximately 8 miles north of Upper Lake on County Road 301 (Elk Mountain Road). Activities include fishing, swimming and hiking. The campground has 23 campsites for tent or RV camping. Amenities include a picnic table, fire ring and flush toilets. First-come first-served.
  Map  |   No Reservations  |   Website  |   Other Ideas

• Pogie Point Campground is located approximately 31 miles north of Upper Lake on County Road 301 (Elk Mountain Road). Camp is situated on north side of Lake Pillsbury. Activities include boating, fishing, swimming and hiking. The campground has 50 campsites for tent or RV camping. Amenities include a picnic table, fire ring, barbeque and flush toilets. First-come first-served.
  Map  |   No Reservations  |   Website  |   Other Ideas

• Sunset Campground is located approximately 31 miles north of Upper Lake on County Road 301 (Elk Mountain Road). Camp is situated on north side of Lake Pillsbury. Activities include boating, fishing, swimming and hiking. The campground has 54 campsites for tent or RV camping. Amenities include a picnic table, fire ring, barbeque and flush toilets. First-come first-served.
  Map  |   No Reservations  |   Website  |   Other Ideas

MacKerricher State Park Campground is located 3 miles north of Fort Bragg on Highway 1, near the town of Cleone. Activities include tidepool exploration, biking, hiking, horseback riding, abalone diving and freshwater fishing in one of two small lakes. The campground has 107 campsites for tent or RV camping. Amenities include a picnic table, fire ring, flush toilets and showers. RV dumpstation, visitor center and groceries onsite. Reservations recommended.

MacKerricher
Fort Bragg, California 95437
(707) 964-9112
Map  |   Reservations  |   Website  |   Other Ideas

Russian Gulch State Park Campground is located 2 miles north of Mendocino on Highway 1. Camp is located in Russian Gulch Creek Canyon which is known for its picturesque waterfall, bridge and Punch Bowl (collapsed sea cave in which the ocean churns). Activities include tidepool exploration, hiking, biking, abalone diving and fishing. The campground has 30 campsites for tent or RV camping. Amenities include a picnic table, fire ring, flush toilets and showers. Groceries onsite. Reservations recommended.

Russian Gulch
Highway 1
Mendocino, California 95460
(707) 937-5804
Map  |   Reservations  |   Website  |   Other Ideas

Van Damme State Park Campground is located 3 miles south of Mendocino on Highway 1. Park is known for its Fern Canyon, Cabbage Patch and Pigmy Forest. Activities include tidepool exploration, hiking, biking, kayaking, abalone diving and fishing. The campground has 74 campsites for tent or RV camping. Amenities include a picnic table, fire ring, barbeque, flush toilets and showers. RV dump station, visitor center, kayak rentals and groceries onsite. Reservations recommended.

Van Damme
Little River, California 95456
(707) 937-5804
Map  |   Reservations  |   Website  |   Other Ideas

Lake Mendocino Campground is located off Highway 101 north of Ukiah, off Highway 20. Activities include swimming, boating, water-skiing and fishing. Three campgrounds comprise over 300 campsites for tent or RV camping. Amenities include a picnic table, fire ring, flush toilets and showers. RV dump station and boat launch nearby. Reservations recommended.

Lake Mendocino
1160 Lake Mendocino Drive
Ukiah, California 95482
(707) 462-7581
Map  |   Reservations  |   Website  |   Other Ideas

Hendy Woods State Park Campground is located off Highway 128 between Navarro and Boonville. Situated beside the Navarro River and among two virgin redwood forests, popular activities include hiking, swimming, canoeing and kayaking. Fishing has been limited here for several decades. The campground offers 92 campsites for tent or RV camping and 2 primitive cabins. Amenities include a picnic table, fire ring, flush toilets, showers, amphitheatre and groceries. Reservations recommended.

Hendy Woods State Park
Philo-Greenwood Road
Philo, CA 95466
(707) 895-3141
Map  |   Reservations  |   Website  |   Other Ideas

Manchester State Park Campground is located on the north end of Manchester off Highway 1. Park is known for its 760 acres of beaches, sand dunes and flat grasslands. Activities include swimming, hiking, wildlife viewing fishing and horseback riding. The campground has campsites for tent or RV camping. Amenities include a picnic table, fire ring, and flush toilets. RV dump station. Reservations recommended.

Manchester
Manchester, CA 95459
(707) 882-2463
Map  |   Reservations  |   Website  |   Other Ideas

Gualala Point Campground is located north of Bodega Bay on Highway 1. Gualala offers 195 acres of forest, coastal headlands, beaches and river front. A visitor center features displays of Native American history and logging The campground has 104 campsites for tent or RV camping and several group campsites. Amenities include a picnic table, fire ring with barbeque, flush toilets and showers. The marina rents boats from jet skiis to houseboats. RV dumpstation, laundry, groceries and launch ramp onsite. Reservations recommended.

Gualala Point
42401 Pacific Coast Highway 1
Gualala, California 95497
(707) 785-2377
Map  |   Reservations  |   Website  |   Other Ideas

Liberty Glen Campground is located off Highway 101 west of Cloverdale and Geyserville. Situated on Lake Sonoma, Liberty Glen offers many recreational opportunities including boating, fishing, water-skiing, swimming and more. The campground has 96 campsites for tent or RV camping. Amenities include a picnic table, fire ring with barbeque, flush toilets and showers. The nearby marina rents boats from patio boats to kayaks. RV dumpstation onsite. Reservations recommended.

Liberty Glen - Lake Sonoma
3333 Skaggs Springs Road
Geyserville, California 95441
(707)431-4533
Map  |   Reservations  |   Website  |   Other Ideas

Stillwater Cove Campground is located north of Bodega Bay on Highway 1. Stillwater offers 210 acres of meadows, coastal forest and a small beach. Activities include scuba and abalone diving. Historic schoolhouse is within the park. The campground has 23 campsites for tent or RV camping. Amenities include a picnic table, fire ring, flush toilets and showers. Launch ramp for small boats is near the beach. Reservations recommended.

Stillwater Cove
22455 Pacific Coast Highway 1
Jenner, California 95450
(707) 847-3245
Map  |   Reservations  |   Website  |   Other Ideas

Salt Point State Park Campground is located off Highway 1 approximately 40 miles north of Bodega Bay. Situated along a rocky shoreline backed by forested hills, activities include hiking, fishing, horseback riding, diving and tidepool exploration. A Visitor Center has artifacts and details the history of when Salt Point was used as a sandstone quarry. Two campgrounds comprise 109 campsites for tent or RV camping. Amenities include a picnic table, fire ring and flush toilets. A nearby store offers groceries and supplies. Reservations recommended.

Salt Point State Park
25050 Highway 1
Jenner, CA 95450
(707) 847-3221
Map  |   Reservations  |   Website  |   Other Ideas

Austin Creek State Recreation Area Campground is located north of Guerneville on Armstrong Woods Road. Austin Creek is situated adjacent to Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve. Activities include camping, hiking, fishing, horseback riding and wildlife viewing. Bullfrog Pond campground offers 24 campsites for tent or small RV. Amenities include a picnic table, fire ring and flush toilets. First-come, first-served.

Austin Creek State Recreation Area
17000 Armstrong Woods Road
Guerneville, California 95446
(707) 869-2015
Map  |   No Reservations  |   Website  |   Other Ideas

Sonoma Coast State Beach Campground is located between Jenner and Bodega Bays on PCH (highway 1 - Pacific Coast Highway). The beach can be accessed from several points along PCH and features sand beach coves separated by rock outcroppings. Natural arches and secluded coves are abundant. One cove features a colony of harbor seals. Activities include camping, fishing, boating, surfing, tide pool exploration, horseback riding, whale watching and other wildlife viewing. Two campgrounds comprise 105 campsites for tent or RV camping. Amenities include a picnic table, fire ring, flush toilets and showers. RV dump station. Reservations recommended.

Sonoma Coast
Bodega Bay, California 94923
(707) 875-3483
Map  |   Reservations  |   Website  |   Other Ideas

ADDITIONAL camping is located throughout the Six Rivers National Forest from the Oregon border in the north, south to Fort Bragg. Most offer a table, fire ring and vault toilets. Many do not have running water. Reservations required at some campgrounds.

Six Rivers National Forest
1330 Bayshore Way
Eureka, California 95501
(707) 442-1721
Website  |   Other Ideas

ADDITIONAL camping is located throughout the Mendocino National Forest from Red Bluff in the north, south to Upper Lake. Most offer a table, fire ring and vault toilets. Many do not have running water. Reservations required at some campgrounds.

Mendocino National Forest
825 N. Humboldt Avenue
Willows, California 95988
(530) 934-3316
Website  |   Other Ideas

Camping by Region
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