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Difficulty Finding Camping in/near the SF Bay Area

In San Francisco you can just pitch a tent anywhere, no reservation needed.

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No one respects the quite hours around here unfortunately and it's always too damn foggy to see the stars.
 
I spent a week at the Costanoa KOA, which is by Pescadero a few weeks back and booked the day before I showed up.

The tent campsite sucked though since fires weren't allowed. The coastal hiking was nice and they do have saunas as well as a nice restaurant there.
 
kiwi_outdoors said:
sorry - you are on the wrong planet (or at least at the wrong time, state)

BTW - you can get away if you are young and fit - but wife and I are no longer young so we too are impacted by too many campers and too few campsites

We were able to camp at Pinnacles Campground on the night of the "maybe meteor storm" (it never happened) - and we had no close-by neighbors.
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pinnacles - mega ticks in my prior experience. i mean like - pants coated with those motherfuckers. was totally traumatized. will NEVER go back.

WRT OP - super dense local population + finite local open space = you’re screwed. acute fire danger has closed those limited spaces even further. your only hope for immediate gratification is taking time off during the week.
 
xgambit said:
In San Francisco you can just pitch a tent anywhere, no reservation needed.

p426523893-3.jpg
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:laughing:thumbup

so far in 2022, we’ve camped three times at Rob Hill Campground in the Presidio here in San Francisco:

SFMCjohn said:
biker lifestyle in SF, 06/04/22:

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and twice at Kirby Cove:

78C88407-E0F8-4C24-AA58-738BC0306B98 by San Francisco Motorcycle Club, on Flickr

Kirby Cove pic is campsite #1, de best one, view-wise. :gsxrgrl

we just do the mid-week cancellation thing.
it’s fairly easy if you sit in front of a computer at work all day,
just have to keep checking for new cancellations … :ride:party
 
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OMG!!! So many great responses in this thread. Mr. BayArean- Congrats on Retirement. I'm 5 years away!!!

Yeah, I guess that we are screwed by living in such a wonderful place, with so few campsites. My favorite place is Portola Redwoods SP. It is only 30 minutes from my house, and they allow dogs too.
I also LOVE Memorial County Park, but they do not allow dogs.

I use a tent. My Wife and I also backpack, so that is another option.

Regarding the suggestion about the Dumbarton Bridge campground,,,, let me apologize to you, because that place is GARBAGE!!!!!!!! I cannot believe that they spent all of that $$ on building that place. You are literally camping in a PARKING LOT!!! I was excited when I heard about it opening, because it's right over the bridge from my house, but I went to visit it and was totally disappointed. Even the RV spots are jammed packed. A Wal-Mart parking lot is a much more attractive option.

Regarding Costanoa- I just cannot fathom paying the insane fees for what they charge. It's CRAZY!!!! You can camp right up the road at Butano SP or at Memorial CP for 1/10th of the price. You can stay in a 4 star hotel for less $$ than what Costanoa charges for a tent with no bathroom.

I checked out HipCamp, and they also seem crazy. People are trying to charge $150/night to allow you to sleep in their back yard!?!?!?!??

I looked into Sanbourn CP, but the reviews make it sound like you get a lot of "Loud Idiots" there, because it is really close to the city limits and super close to the parking lot.

I did do a backpack trip to Castle Rock SP a few weeks ago. It scared the crap outta me scrambling over those rocks, with a sheer drop off on one side, while carrying a 60 lb pack on my back- all the while trying to appear to be brave in front of my 9 y/o Granddaughter and Wife. :laughing

My Wife spoke with a guy, who arrived at a nearby campsite with his 6 y/o Daughter. He was pissed, because of how "dangerous the trails are" getting in there. He took the side where you have to hold onto cables to keep from falling off of the cliff.

On the way out, I took the "Fire Road", which puts you out next to the Los Altos Rod and Gun Club. We then walked Skyline back to my truck.

bikeama said:
Bay Area is always tight for camping. Retirement will help mid-week. What are you camping in/with? The wife and I have been doing more dispersed camping. Fewer people and free. I have been able to find camping at Veterans Park in Monterey mid-week. First Come First Served, no reservations. Prewitt Ridge Campground Big Sur is a great view you will need higher clearance.

There are a few services that will watch for cancelations for you. Wandering Labs is just one of them.

These are a few of the sites I use to find camping.

US Campgrounds by state

Free Campsites

US FS Campgrounds

Campendium

Recreation.gov

HipCamp

Phone apps we use. iOverlander and All Stays.

My camper 2021 Beyond 22C
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Thank you for all of that info. I will check those out.

Like I said, I mainly use a tent, but I do have a p/u truck with a shell, so I can sleep in the back if I need to.

I don't mean to sound so negative, but I'm just ranting about over crowded conditions of the BA.
 
I decided that I will get a Premium Membership to "Wandering Labs". It is worth the $30 fee for the service that they provide.

Like I said- I LOVE Memorial Park and Portola Redwoods SP, so it would be awesome to be able to learn about cancellations to either of those.

Thanks!!!!
 
Oh man why the Steve Wallis hate, he's hilarious, I've been watching him for years. Heck even Joe Robinet got into the "guerilla camping" trend by camping in a Walmart snowbank this past winter. :laughing

As for me, yea I pretty much drive out of the Bay Area and into USFS land if I want to do any kind of camping. Los Padres NF still has some pretty cool spots if you avoid the popular Instagram-famous ones and avoid going on major holiday weekends.
 
lefty said:
I decided that I will get a Premium Membership to "Wandering Labs". It is worth the $30 fee for the service that they provide.

Like I said- I LOVE Memorial Park and Portola Redwoods SP, so it would be awesome to be able to learn about cancellations to either of those.

Thanks!!!!
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Let us know how Wandering Labs works for you. I have not tried it. Learned about it camping in Yosemite. Our camping neighbor told us they used it to get their spot. The price is not bad.

Good for you still using a tent, I think in NPs close to 50% are still tents. We started tent camping with our kids. Moved to a Four Wheel Camper when I retired. Still miss going to some of the places the FWD took us. But loving the class B van. Guess I am getting old.
 
Fremont Peak near San Juan Bautista is an awesome ride up and views are incredible!
 
Lighthouse - Isleton CA (tent camping or RV)
Sugarbarge - Bethel Island CA (RV Site only)

Those are my go tos when I wanna stay local, kick it on the Delta, and get some good fishing in.
 
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