The Santa Cruz mountains are a shocking vacation spot for campers in search of a California coastal getaway. From the Pacific Ocean, the fog rolls throughout valleys with cascading waterfalls and groves of old-growth redwoods to grassy ridges.
This area, which covers a lot of the coastal and mountainous space south of the San Francisco Bay Space, incorporates a various surroundings of redwood forests, golden coastal seashores and mountainous peaks, in addition to loads of protected public lands excellent in your subsequent Santa Cruz tenting journey.
Discover Central California Range With Santa Cruz Tenting
The recognition of tenting in Santa Cruz county doesn’t simply come from it’s lovely pure setting. For Bay Space campers, it’s a brief drive—down some winding roads—to get away from eight million neighbors. It may be laborious to seek out an out there spot, particularly through the peak summer time weekends, so plan your journey months upfront with reservations. Don’t stress an excessive amount of nonetheless, as Santa Cruz county provides sufficient tenting choices for practically everybody to discover a website.
This record collects just some of the quite a few Santa Cruz tenting choices, reviewed by campers on The Dyrt, that may take you from the mountains to the ocean. Have in mind many of those campgrounds are closed within the winter due to rains, so be sure that to test with the related authorities for the newest standing.
Picture from The Dyrt camper Journey M.
Massive Basin Redwoods State Park is California’s oldest state park. It’s additionally residence to the biggest grove of redwoods south of San Francisco. You’ll discover big timber who’ve referred to as this space residence for practically 2,000 years.
Nestled proper among the many timber is a 142-site campground providing tent and RV areas. The campsites supply fireplace rings, bear canisters and picnic tables—and loads of redwood logs and fairy rings for youths to mess around.
Tenting in Massive Basin Redwoods State Park offers you entry to 80 miles of trails, together with the favored Skyline-to-the-Sea three-day backpacking path. You may as well hike to the attractive Berry Creek Waterfalls.
“Even each single campsite is breathtaking so you possibly can’t lose… I felt like a child exploring this place, so small and insignificant within the massive scheme of issues. I’ll always remember this park, it can eternally maintain a spot in my coronary heart and soul.” —The Dyrt camper Brittany S.
The Simple Approach to Discover Final-Minute Campsites
Do you know some campers have:
- Pre-saved lists of hand-picked free tenting throughout the US
- Textual content messages for last-minute openings
- Scans arrange for Nationwide Park website openings
That is the best, most surefire approach to discover last-minute campsites each time, and it’s all included within the #1 tenting membership referred to as The Dyrt PRO. It prices simply $35.99 per yr and is a simple approach to be sure you have higher tenting journeys each time — and you could truly discover a spot final minute.
You may test it out free of charge at this time, you possibly can even use it free of charge for 7 days to be sure you prefer it. After the trial it’s $35.99 for a full yr — most campers discover it pays for itself after an evening or two. Should you camp greater than 2 instances per yr, it could be excellent for you.
Butano State Park won’t get as a lot consideration as different Santa Cruz tenting choices due to its relative small dimension, however that contributes to the park’s off-the-beaten-path really feel. The park’s Ben Ries campground is positioned deep within the Little Butano Creek Canyon, within the coronary heart of the campground.
You can see 21 drive-in websites and 18 walk-in websites nestled among the many lush ferns and redwoods, residence to banana slugs, newts, squirrels, woodpeckers and owls. There are fundamental facilities — flush bathrooms and dish washing stations, however no showers. Mountain climbing trails begin instantly from the campground.
“There are ferns rising in all places, and good yellow banana slugs cruising round in gradual movement, and a great deal of mushrooms if you happen to go in the appropriate winter situations (early season rain). It is a good spot any time of yr.” —The Dyrt camper Kelly M.
Picture from The Dyrt camper Megan B.
New Brighton State Seaside is a well-liked 95-acre park in Capitola alongside the Monterey Bay. Harbor seals, sea lions, dolphins, whales, and sea otters could be noticed within the water whilst you camp simply above them on a bluff. You may study human and animal migrations on this portion of the coast—just like the summer time and fall arrival of sooty shearwaters—on the Pacific Migrations Customer Heart.
The campground normally fills up six months upfront. There are over 100 websites on a wooded bluff overlooking the ocean, together with hook-up websites. There are rings for fires, usable provided that you purchase firewood on-site. It’s additionally a brief drive to Santa Cruz correct for some nightlife.
“Wonderful views and setting on this campground. Get up paddle board within the cove or go for a surf somewhat bit down the highway… One in all California’s higher state park!” —The Dyrt camper Megan B.
Picture from The Dyrt camper Kate L.
Portola Redwoods State Park is a well-liked getaway for Santa Cruz tenting from the hustle of close by Silicon Valley. The guts of the park is its grove of redwoods and the life round its two creeks, Fall and Pescadero. Begin on the beautiful customer’s lodge and head to a number of the park’s climbing trails to absorb the waterfall views and plush forest.
The state park has 55 massive household campsites for tents solely, no RV hookups. There are additionally 4 group tenting websites, a couple of hike-and-bike campsites, and some backpacking camps alongside the Slate Creek Path. The Dyrt campers warn about bugs — mosquitoes and yellow jackets — so be sure that to carry a pure bug repellent (or make your individual!)
“If the highway main into Portola doesn’t scare you off you’re in for a little bit of a deal with. Situated in secluded redwood forest the campground is quiet and serene. Fallen timber make for excellent climbing for the kiddos. The creek with sandy shore is nice for a day quiet down.” —The Dyrt camper Liz M.
Santa Clara County manages the Mount Madonna County Park, positioned between Gilroy and Watsonville. Included within the 4,600-acre park are redwood forests, but additionally oak woodland, dense chaparral and grassy meadows.
Mount Madonna is among the extra activity-filled parks within the area; each hikers and equestrians can benefit from the 14 miles of trails earlier than profiting from historic and cultural interpretive facilities close by. Campers may even reap the benefits of the various occasions held right here, together with weddings!
Tenting in Mount Madonna is obtainable at any one of many 118 drive-in and walk-in reservable campsites unfold all through 4 campgrounds. RV campers have a selection between 17 websites with partial hookups, all with entry to a dumping station. There’s even some yurts out there for reservation for these glampers who would like a mattress!
“A lovely spot in a redwood forest. Zero cell protection or Web. Useful to Sundown Seaside and to legendary farmlands. Good roomy campsites.” —The Dyrt camper Jeffrey C.
Sanborn County Park—managed by Santa Clara County—is so near the South Bay you possibly can assume you’re tenting in somebody’s yard, however the park nonetheless provides a distant really feel to campers. A part of that’s the walk-in-only tent campground, which means you must carry all of your stuff from the car parking zone up a gravel path to the campsite—nevertheless it’s very brief. The park gives assist to haul your gear, and there are lockers close to the campsites.
The campground is a well-liked jumping-off level for the Skyline-to-the-Sea path, and is near the hiking-friendly Citadel Rock State Park.
For RV campers, there’s a campground on the similar car parking zone. It’s open year-round with full electrical and water hookups and a dumping station. There are over 22 miles of trails within the park, so get these climbing sneakers prepared! In the summertime, the park can also be residence to Silicon Valley Shakespeare, an out of doors theater firm.
“I type of like this setup because it makes it really feel somewhat extra distant and also you don’t get bothered by automobiles continuously passing your website… The campground is filled with magnificent redwoods with a creek passing proper by way of.” —The Dyrt camper Kali C.
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park lies simply outdoors of the town of Santa Cruz. It combines the most effective of each worlds, the ocean and the forest. E book a cliff facet campsite for open vistas, or one nestled amongst timber for shade.
For a comparatively small park, the world packs a punch when it comes to range of panorama, from chaparral to a grove of old-growth coastal redwoods to the Santa Cruz Sandhills habitat—historical marine deposits now residence to endangered species. The Graham Hill campground is accessed east of Felton. There are 107 reservable websites, flush bathrooms and showers, and a camp retailer.
“That is an superior spot to camp with your loved ones. Mountain climbing and biking trails, nature walks, showers, flush bathrooms, it has all of it for the not so campy campers.” —The Dyrt camper J.D.E.
Picture from The Dyrt camper J.D.E.
Round half-hour south of Santa Cruz county lies a seashore that isn’t that crowded—a rarity on this area. The Sundown State Seaside is a well-liked spot for Santa Cruz tenting, however maintains as distant of a really feel as attainable on a California seashore, particularly through the low season or weekdays.
Sundown State is surrounded by strawberry fields. There are dozens of dune-protected household websites for tents and RVs (no hookups although) on a bluff. It’s a brief stroll down some stairs to the extensive open seashore. Distant-controlled glider lovers have a port to fly their planes.
“Good tons on a cliff above the seashore protected against the wind by some doug firs and eucalyptus. Seaside is lengthy and expansive with only a few individuals on a median day. Good place to take a stroll and calm down… Generally there’s an honest sandbar for browsing. At all times had fun at this campground.” —The Dyrt camper Mauriel O.
Close by Sundown State Seaside is one more beachside choice for Santa Cruz tenting; Manresa State Seaside. You’ll should haul in your gear from the car parking zone to one of many 60 tent-only campsites on the grassy Manresa Uplands overseeing the seashore. That provides the campground a extra distant, less-crowded really feel.
You’ll be rewarded with sweeping views of Monterey Bay, the sandstone cliffs and the forested hills of the Monterey Peninsula. There are good bogs and showers out there.
“I’ve been to this campground a handful of time, and hold coming again. Stroll up websites, clear restrooms, non-public seashore, you possibly can carry the pup and it’s off the crushed observe a bit. There are a LOT of raccoons, so pack up your stuff nicely.” —The Dyrt camper Lizzy C.
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