Car Camping options near SF Bay Area

March 29, 2023 5:32 PM

I'm looking for recommendations for place to carcamp that are no more than 3hrs away from the SF Peninsula. I'd like to avoid crowds and noise. Trip is planned for next week but last-minute externality means I need to find a new locale.

I'd love to camp somewhere remote without many people around. Need no amenities, and don't mind digging my own latrine. I've camped at KOAs and Costanoa, which I love but am looking for something less human-filled and less glampy.

I had a very sweet situation setup to carcamp at the end of next week - a friends' private few acres along a river in Gold Country. But the forecasted rains create a significant risk I won't be able to drive up and out of the location once I'm down there.

Thanks!

posted by jerome powell buys his sweatbands in bulk only to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (8 answers total)

Depending on how far south you start, you might be able to make it to the northern edge of Los Padres National forest. There's lots of distributed primitive camping available at established single-party sites, accessed by one lane forest roads that are too small and steep for camper trailers. It may take a bit of luck and sense of adventure, but you can find some really isolated and beautiful spots.
posted by SaltySalticid at 6:25 PM on March 29, 2023 [1 favorite]

There are several National Forests within 3-4 hour drive of the Bay Area. Generally if I want quiet I just look at the NF map and pick anywhere that isn't a "OHV" campground or area. The state parks are perpetually packed with tourists (and they've gotten very expensive!). If you want to get away from other people you don't have to go very far down a dirt road in any of the NFs to find it.
posted by bradbane at 7:52 PM on March 29, 2023

We enjoyed our stay here last year. they have 4 sites, and the caretaker is nearby. not sure if that qualifies as "not many people." It felt a bit pricy given the primitive facilities but we just chalked that up to California prices, since we're from the other coast :)
posted by mrgoldenbrown at 8:27 PM on March 29, 2023

I'm a fan of Hendy Woods State Park in Mendocino County. It's about 2.5 hours from the city.
posted by BlahLaLa at 9:21 PM on March 29, 2023 [1 favorite]

With that radius, you're probably going to be camping with or near people, but you'll have easy access to daytime activities that get you away from people. The general rule is the more coastal you want to be, the more crowded a drive-in campground will get.

For all recommendations, double check that the campground is open. Fires and landslides can close them at a moment's notice. Don't find that out upon arrival (speaking from personal experience). If you can, phone ahead where that is available to see if you can get a site reserved, if you can't get a reservation via Reserve California. These are all places I know and love, and this time of year (with the weather being what it is) you might have a relatively people-free experience. Three north and three south:

Bothe-Napa Valley State Park
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park
Samuel Taylor State Park
Limekiln State Park
Kirk Creek Campground (very difficult to snag a spot here, but you can sometimes snag a spot if you get there early in the morning, and it's right next to Limekiln so if you're already there it's worth a shot).
Pinnacles National Park

These are all car carmping places that I frequented as a hardcore ultralight through-hiker married to a person who preferred a campsite with toilets, so they all have access to trails into the wilderness (KOA serves its purpose on long trips but none of these are like a KOA at all). I moved away from the US two years ago and these are all places that pull at my heartstrings, so I'm envious of your weekend getaway. Have fun!
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 2:51 AM on March 30, 2023 [2 favorites]

Seconding Samuel Taylor state park! Absolutely gorgeous little spot in the redwoods with a river.
posted by ananci at 5:35 AM on March 30, 2023

Dispersed Camping in Mendocino National Forest. Forest Service dispersed camping is sometimes technically limited to established primitive sites (you'll know it by the fire ring usually, sometimes just a picnic table), but I think as long as you don't act up, start cooking meth, or ignore posted no-go roads the FS will leave you alone or at least only come check on you.

California Free Dispersed Camping Guide. I don't think there's a ton of BLM land near the coast, you'll probably need to go East.

With dispersed camping in California, you'll want to make absolutely certain you understand the general fire rules, the fire rules that particular day, or just plan to use a camp stove and have no fire.

If you want to split the difference, there's a bunch of Hipcamp spots in the vicinity that are just spots on someone's ranch or acreage. It may have a porta-potty, because catholing quickly becomes a landmine situation and local codes may forbid in-ground poop collection, and it's kind of becoming part of the Leave No Trace ethos to bag it out and dispose elsewhere.

You may need to dig around in the Forest Service and BLM rules too, actually, as they may also now require you take it with you.
posted by Lyn Never at 6:05 AM on March 30, 2023 [2 favorites]

Head north up Route 1. There are several state park campgrounds around Bodega Bay and this time of year, they shouldn't be packed. Wright's Beach springs immediately to mind but I know there was another one in walking distance from Bodega Bay RV Park and it was amazing.
posted by mygothlaundry at 12:39 PM on March 30, 2023