FRIDAY FIVE
Camping in California has exploded in popularity, and as crowds have grown, so have the wait times for popular campsites. Nowadays, an escape to the great outdoors requires a lot of advance planning. Not only do you need to plan what to bring and what food to pack, you usually have to make a reservation for a campsite months in advance — like, end-of-last-summer in advance.
For many, this takes the fun out of camping. How are you expected to know if you’ll be available on a particular weekend in July 2020 to camp in Big Sur? Luckily, there are a handful of camping sites located within the Bay Area or just a short drive away that take first-come-first-serve reservations. Here are our favorite spots for last-minute camping.
1. Pantoll Campground
Located in Mt. Tamalpais State Park, Pantoll Campground is just the right distance from the city for you to make the most out of a last-minute camping trip. Plus, the views are panoramic, which means nature’s television won’t disappoint. If it’s clear enough, you might be able to see the Farallon Islands during the day as well as the city and the East Bay. Pantoll is also a short walk from the parking lot (about 100 yards), which makes car camping feasible. Each site has a table, a food locker, and a rock barbecue set. There are no showers, but there are flushable toilets. The 16 campsites operate on a first-come-first-serve basis, so it’s highly recommended that you get there first thing in the morning—like, 7:00 a.m.—to secure a spot. The cost is $25 per day to camp.
3801 Panoramic Highway (Mill Valley, CA) |parks.ca.gov
2. Henry W. Coe State Park
You don’t need to go far to hike in the backwoods of the country and camp under the stars. Head over to Henry W. Coe State Park, Northern California’s largest state park, in Morgan Hill; it has a plethora of walk-in camping sites that can be reached by a range of daylong hikes (one hour for inexperienced hikers, 10 hours for dedicated hikers). The locations of the camping sites range from less than a mile to over 20 miles from the park headquarters, and the fee is only $5 per person each night. Take note: The amenities are slim, but picnic tables and a nearby vault toilet are usually available. It’s imperative to know where the closest water source is because you’ll most likely have to bring your own water supply. Starting in early June, wood or charcoal campfires are not allowed in the provided fire rings, but you can bring a gas camping stove for cooking if necessary.
9100 E Dunne Avenue (Morgan Hill, CA) | coepark.net
3. Juniper Lake Campground
Reservations to camp on the beach at Tomales Bay fill up fast, but we swear Juniper Lake is the next best thing (or even better). This adorable beachside campground, which requires a four-hour drive from San Francisco, is located 13 miles from the quaint town of Chester in Lassen Volcanic National Park. The pristine lake is a quiet, off-the-beaten path destination — not even motorboats are allowed, which makes it a great spot for water sports, like paddle boarding and kayaking. There are pit toilets, but there is no potable water. Campsites are on a first-come-first-serve basis and cost $12.
Chester Juniper Lake Road (Chester, CA) | nps.gov
4. Lake Sonoma Marina Campground
Wine country is fun and all, but it’s even better when you can spend the night and do it again the next day. The only problem is that staying at a hotel in Napa or Sonoma is usually quite pricey. Lucky for us, Lake Sonoma is home to a spectacular campground that doesn’t fill up like crazy in advance. Reservations are best made online, but you can get a site a day in advance during the next couple of months. Lake Sonoma offers hiking, fishing, and waterskiing, along with pretty plush amenities, such as a deli, a toilet, and a fire pit. However, there is no potable water on-site. The cost is $30 a night for one vehicle and a maximum of eight people.
Lake Sonoma (Sonoma) | lakesonoma.com
5. Salt Point State Park
Perched on sandstone cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Salt Point State Park on the Sonoma coast offers extensive campgrounds and stunning views. Fun fact: sandstone from the area was quarried to construct buildings and streets in San Francisco during the mid-1800s, and Gerstle Cove still includes evidence of this activity. Most campsites can be reserved, and there is also a site for overflow camping, available on a first-come-first-serve basis. The reservable campsites include a fire ring, a picnic table, and a food locker; drinking water and restrooms are also available, but no showers. Rates range from $5 a night for those who are hiking and biking in to $35 a night at the Gerstle Cove and Woodside Campgrounds.
Salt Point State Park | parks.ca.gov
