Boondocking in California!
Boondocking in California is an experience of contrasts, from its sunny beaches to its snowy mountains, from its bustling cities to its serene deserts. For those who love nature and adventure, boondocking in California can be a rewarding way to explore the Golden State. Boondocking, or camping without hookups, is allowed on most public lands in California, but there are some rules and regulations that you need to know before you hit the road. We give you an overview of the best places to boondock in California, as well as some tips and tricks to make your experience safe and enjoyable.
California Boondocking Map
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California Boondocking Maps
Dispersed Camping Near Big Bear, CA
Updated: July 19, 2024
Dispersed camping near Big Bear, CA can be tricky to find, but there are several options available if you're willing...
Dispersed Camping in Sequoia National Forest
Updated: July 19, 2024
Dispersed camping in Sequoia National Forest has risen in popularity due to the forest's close proximity to the Los Angeles...
Places for Free Camping Near Yosemite National Park
Updated: July 19, 2024
There are places just outside of Yosemite National Park that allow free camping. Camping inside the Park requires a reservation...
California Rest Area Map
Updated: July 19, 2024
Locations of every official California DOT rest area presented on a map, as sourced from California Department of Transportation, including...
Where to Find BLM Land Near Anza Borrego Desert State Park
Updated: July 19, 2024
There is lots of BLM Land surrounding Anza Borrego Desert State Park. Much of it lies adjacent to the southern...
Can You Camp Anywhere in Anza Borrego Desert State Park?
Updated: July 19, 2024
Yes, for the most part you can camp anywhere in Anza Borrego Desert State Park, as long as your vehicle...
Dispersed Camping at Joshua Tree National Park
Updated: July 19, 2024
Much of the dispersed camping near Joshua Tree National Park lies in a few sites on BLM land to the...
Places to Camp for Free in California
Imperial Dam LTVA, Winterhaven, CA
Updated: October 15, 2024
Imperial Dam LTVA is one of eight Long Term Visitor Areas operated by the Bureau of Land Management. It's one...
Sidewinder Road, Ogilby, CA
Updated: October 15, 2024
Sidewinder Road runs through the ghost town of Ogilby and into lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management. This...
Pilot Knob LTVA, Felicity, CA
Updated: October 13, 2024
Camping at Pilot Knob LTVA Pilot Knob LTVA is one of eight (8) Long Term Visitor Areas managed by the...
Cowboy Camp, Clearlake, CA
Updated: September 21, 2024
Cowboy Camp is a free, developed campground offered by Ukiah Field Office of California, Bureau of Land Management. It was...
Bogard Campground, Susanville, CA
Updated: September 21, 2024
Bogard Campground is a free, developed campground offered by Lassen National Forest. Located 1.75 miles off Highway 44, it's also...
Persido Bar River Access, Orleans, CA
Updated: September 19, 2024
Persido Bar River Access is a free, dispersed camping offered by Klamath National Forest. It's located along CA-96, about 20...
Pine Creek Road, Pine Valley, CA
Updated: September 18, 2024
Camping Along Pine Creek Road If you enter Pine Creek Road off of Sunrise Highway (Laguna Meadow Road if you...
Ferry Point River Access, Happy Camp, CA
Updated: September 2, 2024
Ferry Point River Access is a free, dispersed camping area offered by Klamath National Forest. It's a large flat area...
Wingate Bar River Access, Happy Camp, CA
Updated: September 2, 2024
Wingate Bar River Access is a free, dispersed camping area offered by Klamath National Forest. It's a wide shoulder along...
Savage Rapids River Access, Seiad Valley, CA
Updated: September 1, 2024
Savage Rapids River Access is a free dispersed camping area offered by Klamath National Forest. It's located right at the...
Portuguese Creek River Access, Seiad Valley, CA
Updated: September 1, 2024
Portuguese Creek River Access is a free, dispersed camping area offered by Klamath National Forest. It's a small area with...
Sluice Box River Access, Seiad Valley, CA
Updated: September 1, 2024
Sluice Box River Access offers free, dispersed camping within Klamath National Forest. There is enough room here for a few...
Blue Heron River Access, Hamburg, CA
Updated: August 13, 2024
Blue Heron River Access is a free, dispersed camping area and river access site offered by Klamath National Forest. Limited...
Brown Bear River Access, Horse Creek, CA
Updated: August 13, 2024
Brown Bear River Access is a free, developed campground and river access site offered by Klamath National Forest. There are...
Gottville River Access, Yreka, CA
Updated: August 12, 2024
Gottville River Access is a free, developed campground offered by Klamath National Forest. It's primarily used as a launch point...
Skeahan Bar River Access, Yreka, CA
Updated: August 12, 2024
Skeahan Bar River Access is a free, boondocking area offered by Klamath National Forest. It's primarily a launch point for...
Bridge Flat Campground, Fort Jones, CA
Updated: August 11, 2024
Bridge Flat Campground is a free, dispersed campground operated by Klamath National Forest. This was at one time a developed...
Red Bank Campground, Forks of Salmon, CA
Updated: August 11, 2024
Red Bank Campground is a free, developed campground offered by Klamath National Forest. With five (5) campsites, it's small, and...
Mulebridge Campground, Etna, CA
Updated: August 11, 2024
Mulebridge Campground is a free, developed campground offered by Klamath National Forest. It has four campsites on the North Fork...
Hotelling Campground, Forks of Salmon, CA
Updated: August 1, 2024
Hotelling Campground is a free, developed campground offered by Klamath National Forest. It has four campsites right on the South...
East Fork Campground, Forks of Salmon, CA
Updated: August 1, 2024
Camping at East Fork Campground Access to East Fork Campground is paved all the way from the town of Callahan...
Big Flat Campground, Weaverville, CA
Updated: July 29, 2024
Big Flat Campground is a free, developed campground offered by Klamath National Forest. There are nine campsites, with picnic tables...
Sulphur Springs Campground, Happy Camp, CA
Updated: July 29, 2024
Sulphur Springs Campground is a free, developed campground offered by Klamath National Forest. There are six campsites, but they all...
Norcross Campground, Happy Camp, CA
Updated: July 29, 2024
This is a free, developed campground offered by Klamath National Forest. It comes with four large campsites, suitable for any...
Beaver Creek Campground, Klamath River, CA
Updated: July 27, 2024
Beaver Creek Campground is a free, developed campground offered by Klamath National Forest. It's a small (8 sites) campground on...
Orr Lake Campground, Macdoel, CA
Updated: July 27, 2024
Orr Lake Campground is a free, developed campground offered by Klamath National Forest. Orr Lake is a popular fishing area...
Deer Mountain / Chuck Best Snowmobile Park, Weed, CA
Updated: July 27, 2024
Deer Mountain / Chuck Best Snowmobile Park is a free, campground and snowmobile park offered by Klamath National Forest. With...
Grandview Campground, Bishop, CA
Updated: July 26, 2024
Grandview Campground is a free, developed campground offered by Inyo National Forest. The campground has 23 sites spaced on two...
Kennedy Meadows Campground, Kennedy Meadows, CA
Updated: July 25, 2024
Kennedy Meadows Campground is a free, developed campground offered by Inyo National Forest. Located on the Pacific Crest Trail near...
Hartley Springs Campground, June Lake, CA
Updated: July 25, 2024
Hartley Springs Campground is a free, developed campground offered by Inyo National Forest. Located between June Mountain and Obsidian Dome,...
Glass Creek Campground, Mammoth Lakes, CA
Updated: July 25, 2024
Glass Creek Campground is a free, developed campground offered by Inyo National Forest. It's a large campground, with 66 sites,...
Deadman Campground, Upper & Lower, Mammoth Lakes, CA
Updated: July 25, 2024
Deadman Campground, Upper & Lower, are free, developed campgrounds offered by Inyo National Forest. With 20 campsites between the two,...
Big Springs Campground, Mammoth Lakes, CA
Updated: July 25, 2024
Big Springs Campground is a free, developed campground offered by Inyo National Forest. Located between Mammoth Lakes and June Lake,...
Wolf Creek Dispersed Campground, Markleeville, CA
Updated: July 22, 2024
Wolf Creek Dispersed Campground is a free, boondocking area offered by Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. It's only amenities are a set...
Centerville Flat Dispersed Campground, Markleeville, CA
Updated: July 20, 2024
Centerville Flat Dispersed Campground is a free, dispersed camping area offered by Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. The only amenities found here...
Upper Virginia Creek Primitive Campground, Lee Vining, CA
Updated: July 19, 2024
Upper Virginia Creek Primitive Campground is a free, developed campground operated by Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. It's smaller than its sister...
Lower Virginia Creek Primitive Campground, Lee Vining, CA
Updated: July 2, 2024
Lower Virginia Creek Primitive Campground is a free, developed campground offered by Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. 22 campsites with fire rings...
Camino Cove Campground, Pollock Pines, CA
Updated: June 29, 2024
This is a free, developed campground offered by El Dorado National Forest. With 32 campsite units, some with picnic tables...
Wentworth Springs Campground, Pollock Pines, CA
Updated: July 7, 2024
This is a free, developed campground offered by El Dorado National Forest strictly for high clearance, 4WD vehicles. There are...
Airport Flat Campground, Pollock Pines, CA
Updated: July 7, 2024
Airport Flat Campground is a free, developed campground offered El Dorado National Forest. There are 16 campsites with picnic tables...
Corral Canyon Campground, Campo, CA
Updated: June 23, 2024
Corral Canyon Campground is a free, developed campground offered by Cleveland National Forest. There are 20 campsites with picnic tables,...
Bobcat Meadow Campground, Campo, CA
Updated: June 23, 2024
Bobcat Meadow Campground is a free, developed campground operated by Cleveland National Forest. There are 20 campsites available with picnic...
Sycamore Flat Campground, Pearblossom, CA
Updated: June 23, 2024
Sycamore Flat Campground is a free, developed campground offered by Angeles National Forest. With 12 campsites located off of Big...
Southfork Campground, Valyermo, CA
Updated: June 22, 2024
Southfork Campground is a free, developed campground offered by Angeles National Forest. There are 21 campsites with picnic tables, fire...
Mt. Pacifico Campground, Palmdale, CA
Updated: June 22, 2024
Mt. Pacifico Campground is a free, developed campground offered by Angeles National Forest. It has eight (8) campsites with picnic...
Guffy Campground, Wrightwood, CA
Updated: June 22, 2024
Guffy Campground is a free, developed campground offered by Angeles National Forest. There are six (6) campsites with picnic tables...
Sawmill Campground, Lake Hughes, CA
Updated: June 21, 2024
This is a free, developed campground offered by Angeles National Forest, with eight (8) campsites. picnic tables and campfire rings,...
Oak Flat Campground, Castaic, CA
Updated: June 21, 2024
This is a free, developed campground offered by Angeles National Forest, located close to I-5 freeway, about 15 miles north...
Pine Camp Yellow Post Site
Updated: June 16, 2024
This is a single primitive campsite identified by a yellow post and a fire ring. It's officially marked at Yellow...
Pit Camp Yellow Post Site
Updated: June 16, 2024
This is a single campsite marked by a yellow post. It's officially designated on forest service maps at Yellow Post...
Gobbler’s Knob Yellow Post Site
Updated: June 16, 2024
Officially marked at Yellow Post Site #16 on USFS Maps, this is a single campsite identified by a yellow post....
Alpine Canyon Yellow Post Site
Updated: June 16, 2024
Officially marked as Yellow Post Site #12, this is a single primitive campsites identified by a yellow post located about...
Paiute Yellow Post Campsites
Updated: June 22, 2024
These are a series of two yellow post campsites located along North Fork Lytle Creek along the north side of...
Fall Camp Yellow Post Site
Updated: June 22, 2024
Fall Camp, also known as "Yellow Post Site #10", is located along North Fork Lytle Creek, or Paiute Road. It's...
Stockton Flats Yellow Post Campsites
Updated: September 18, 2024
This is a series of seven (7) campsites, each marked by a yellow post, and numbered 3 through 9. Each...
Lone Camp, Lytle Creek, CA
Updated: June 22, 2024
This is a single "yellow post" campsite located along the creek side of Lytle Creek Road lies about 500 further...
Cold Camp, Lytle Creek, CA
Updated: June 22, 2024
This is a single "yellow post" campsite located along the north side of Lytle Creek Road right at the fork...
Thomas Mountain Yellow Post Sites
Updated: June 16, 2024
Thomas Mountain Yellow Post Sites, Idyllwild, CA How Crowded: These sites are extremely popular. Site #1 is the most popular because...
Thomas Mountain Yellow Post Site #1
Updated: June 16, 2024
Thomas Mountain Yellow Post Site #1 Yellow Post Campsites offer boondockers offer up to 14-days of continuous free camping with the closest...
Stone Creek Yellow Post Sites
Updated: June 16, 2024
Stone Creek Yellow Post Sites, Idyllwild, CA 4WD is definitely required to get to these two sites. The road up...
South Ridge Yellow Post Sites
Updated: June 16, 2024
South Ridge Yellow Post Sites, Idyllwild, CA These three Yellow Post sites are suitable only for cars, vans, pickup trucks,...
Snaggletooth Primitive RV Camp
Updated: June 16, 2024
Snaggletooth Primitive RV Camp, Needles, CA What makes Snaggletooth a great place to boondock is that it remains largely unnoticed by most...
Scissors Crossing Parking Area
Updated: September 16, 2024
Scissors Crossing, Anza Borrego Desert State Park Anza Borrego Desert State Park is perhaps the only park within the California State...
Santa Rosa Yellow Post Sites
Updated: June 16, 2024
Santa Rosa Yellow Post Sites, San Bernardino NF These fifteen (15) yellow post sites are all located along Santa Rosa...
Owens River Road, Mammoth Lakes, CA
Updated: June 16, 2024
Owens River Road, Inyo National Forest, California Owens River Road starts from US-395 at a tiny hamlet called “Crestview”, about...
Keller Peak Yellow Post Sites
Updated: June 16, 2024
Keller Peak Yellow Post Sites, San Bernardino NF Note: These sites are normally closed due to heavy snow from late...
Joshua Tree BLM South, Chiriaco, CA
Updated: June 16, 2024
Joshua Tree BLM South, Chiriaco, California Chiriaco Summit is the name of a gasoline station stop along I-10, about 5...
Joshua Tree BLM North
Updated: June 16, 2024
Joshua Tree North BLM How Crowded: There’s usually a lot of campers here during the winter season, but because this area...
Hot Springs LTVA, Holtville, CA
Updated: June 16, 2024
Hot Springs LTVA, Holtville, California While technically not free camping, Hot Springs LTVA offers “dirt cheap” boondocking in the California desert...
Hayfield Rocks BLM
Updated: June 16, 2024
Hayfield Rocks, BLM Camping Note: Hayfield Road is hard packed gravel, though the access road into the campsite can get...
Gold Park Road
Updated: June 16, 2024
Gold Park Road, BLM Camping Note: Gold Park Road has areas of soft sand, and it’s easy to get stuck...
Goff Flat Yellow Post Site
Updated: June 16, 2024
Goff Flat Yellow Post Site, Idyllwild, CA Campsite is suitable for any sized RV. How Crowded: This site is lesser known,...
East Flats Road
Updated: June 22, 2024
East Flats Road, San Bernardino NF How Crowded: This area gets heavily used during the warmer months, though there are plenty...
Coon Creek Yellow Post Sites
Updated: June 22, 2024
Coon Creek Yellow Post Sites, San Bernardino NF Note: Sites 1-10 and 15-19 have been mapped above. We have not...
Coldwater Canyon Yellow Post Sites
Updated: June 16, 2024
Coldwater Canyon Yellow Post Sites, San Bernardino NF Note: All three sites require 4WD to access. Site #17 is large...
Clark’s Ranch Yellow Post Site
Updated: June 22, 2024
Clark’s Ranch Yellow Post Site, San Bernardino NF How Crowded: This single site is frequently occupied during the warmer months. You’re...
Chiriaco Summit Campground
Updated: June 16, 2024
Chiriaco Summit Campground How Crowded: Rarely crowded, almost always plenty of campsites available. How Noisy or Peaceful: Usually very peaceful. Cellular Phone...
Buttercup Sand Dunes, Winterhaven, CA
Updated: June 16, 2024
Buttercup Sand Dunes, Winterhaven, California What actually makes Buttercup Sand Dunes such a popular place for overnight boondocking is that it’s so...
Black Mountain Yellow Post Sites
Updated: June 16, 2024
Black Mountain Yellow Post Sites, San Bernardino NF, San Jacinto Ranger District 4WD is definitely required due to steep inclines...
Big Bear Yellow Post Sites
Updated: June 22, 2024
Big Bear Yellow Post Sites, San Bernardino NF Note: At one time there were as many 50-60 of these yellow...
Apple Canyon Yellow Post Sites
Updated: June 16, 2024
Apple Canyon Yellow Post Sites, San Bernardino NF Site #1 – Suitable for large RVs, easy to get into, however offers...
California State Camping Laws and Regulations
Is Nude Camping in California Legal?
Updated: July 17, 2024
No, nude camping in California is not legal. The Golden State has a statewide law that makes being nude outdoors...
Can You Sleep On the Side of the Road in California?
Updated: July 19, 2024
This article is specific to roads, highways, and Interstates in the unincorporated areas of California (not inside city limits), presuming...
Can You Stay Overnight in California Rest Areas?
Updated: July 19, 2024
Yes you can. The official rules in California state that you can stay for a maximum of eight (8) hours...
California Rest Area Rules
Updated: July 19, 2024
Learn the full set of laws and regulations about overnight parking at California rest areas, as sourced from California Revised...
Is Boondocking Legal in California?
Updated: July 19, 2024
Yes, Boondocking is legal in California. It just depends on where. It's totally legal on federal lands managed by the...
Federal Lands in California
Sequoia National Forest Camping Rules
Updated: July 19, 2024
These official Sequoia National Forest Camping Rules were gathered from Orders issued by the Supervisor of Sequoia National Forest, along...
