Looking for the most beautiful places to camp in California? You’re in luck. The Golden State is home to some of the most breathtaking camping destinations in the world. From towering redwoods and granite cliffs to pristine beaches and desert landscapes, California’s best camping spots offer incredible diversity for outdoor enthusiasts.
Here are some of the most beautiful camping destinations in California, ranked by natural beauty and popularity.
1. Yosemite Valley
Nothing quite compares to waking up with a view of Half Dome. Yosemite Valley’s iconic campgrounds (Upper Pines, Lower Pines, and North Pines) put you in the heart of one of the most beautiful places to camp in California.
Granite cliffs tower thousands of feet above while waterfalls cascade nearby. You can walk to Mirror Lake, take the shuttle to numerous trailheads, or simply sit back at your campsite and watch climbers tackle El Capitan.
Summer reservations are notoriously competitive, but for good reason. The valley’s natural wonders, combined with excellent facilities and endless hiking opportunities, make this the ultimate California camping experience.
2. Big Sur
The rugged meeting of land and sea at Big Sur creates a camping experience that’s hard to beat. Kirk Creek Campground sits atop ocean cliffs, offering unobstructed Pacific views and the sound of crashing waves to lull you to sleep.
Meanwhile, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park lets you camp among towering redwoods just minutes from the coast. Morning fog rolls through the canyons, creating mystical scenes as sunlight filters through the trees.
Spend your days exploring hidden beaches, hiking through redwood groves, or watching for migrating whales. The combination of forest and ocean makes this stretch of coast one of California’s best camping destinations.
3. Joshua Tree National Park
Welcome to one of California’s most otherworldly landscapes. Jumbo Rocks Campground puts you right in the middle of Joshua Tree’s iconic boulder fields, where massive rock formations create natural playgrounds for climbers and explorers.
Hidden Valley Campground offers a more intimate setting surrounded by the park’s namesake trees reaching toward the desert sky. The stargazing here is incredible, with some of the darkest night skies in Southern California.
During the day, you can boulder hop, rock climb, or hike through vast desert gardens. Spring brings wildflower blooms that transform the desert into a colorful canvas, making this one of the most beautiful places to camp in California’s desert region.
4. Sequoia National Park
Camping beneath the largest trees on Earth is a humbling experience. Lodgepole Campground serves as a perfect base camp for exploring the Giant Forest, where you can walk among ancient sequoias that have stood for thousands of years.
Cold Springs Campground offers a more secluded experience at higher elevation, surrounded by sugar pines and firs. The air is crisp and clean, carrying the sweet smell of cedar and pine.
Nearby trails lead to alpine meadows, crystal clear streams, and incredible viewpoints of the Great Western Divide. The massive sequoias create a sense of timelessness that makes everyday worries fade away, earning this park its place among California’s best camping spots.
5. Lake Tahoe
The pristine waters of Lake Tahoe provide a stunning backdrop for camping adventures. D.L. Bliss State Park offers some of the best beach camping in California, with sites near impossibly clear waters and smooth granite boulders.
Emerald Bay State Park presents panoramic views that will take your breath away, especially during sunrise and sunset. The water here ranges from deep blue to emerald green, creating a mesmerizing display that changes with the light.
You can swim, kayak, or paddleboard in the crystal clear waters, hike the Tahoe Rim Trail, or simply relax on perfect beaches. This alpine paradise ranks among the most scenic places to camp in California.
6. Redwood National and State Parks
Camping in the redwood forest feels like stepping back in time. Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park offers sites nestled among these ancient giants, where Roosevelt elk often graze in nearby meadows.
Jedediah Smith Campground sits along a pristine river, surrounded by some of the tallest trees on Earth. The forest floor is carpeted with ferns and wildflowers, while beams of sunlight create ethereal scenes as they filter through the canopy hundreds of feet above.
Short walks from your campsite lead to pristine streams, hidden groves, and beaches where you might spot whales during migration season. For those seeking California’s best camping destinations, the redwoods offer an unparalleled experience.
7. Point Reyes National Seashore
Point Reyes offers a unique blend of coastal and backcountry camping experiences. Coast Camp provides direct access to wild beaches and tidepools, where you can watch harbor seals lounging on the sand.
Sky Camp sits high on a ridge, offering sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean and Drakes Bay. The peninsula’s famous fog creates dramatic scenes as it rolls across the landscape, and the region’s dairy farms add a pastoral charm to your hiking adventures.
Wildlife viewing opportunities abound, from tule elk to elephant seals, and the Point Reyes Lighthouse offers one of California’s most dramatic coastal views.
8. Death Valley National Park
Don’t let the name fool you. Death Valley offers some of the most stunning desert camping in California. Furnace Creek Campground provides a central location to explore the park’s otherworldly landscapes, from the salt flats of Badwater Basin to the colorful Artist’s Palette.
Wildrose Campground offers a cooler alternative at higher elevation, surrounded by pinyon pines and desert wildflowers in spring. The landscape here is vast and extreme, with towering sand dunes, marble canyons, and volcanic craters.
Night skies are among the darkest in the country, offering incredible stargazing opportunities. This unique landscape provides one of the most distinctive places to camp in California.
9. Kings Canyon National Park
Kings Canyon rivals Yosemite in beauty but offers a more secluded experience. Sunset Campground puts you in the heart of the Grant Grove area, where you can walk among giant sequoias, including the General Grant Tree.
Cedar Grove Campground sits deep in the canyon along the Kings River, surrounded by towering granite walls that rival Yosemite’s. The rushing river provides a constant soundtrack, and nearby trails lead to thundering waterfalls and alpine meadows.
The park’s relative remoteness means fewer crowds and more opportunities for solitude among some of California’s most dramatic scenery.
10. Mount Shasta Region
Camping near California’s most iconic volcano offers a unique high-altitude experience. Panther Meadows Campground sits on the mountain itself, surrounded by wildflower meadows and stunning views of the surrounding landscape.
Castle Lake Campground provides access to an alpine lake perfect for swimming and fishing, with views of Mount Shasta reflecting in its crystal clear waters. The area is known for its pristine mountain springs, mystical vibe, and excellent hiking trails.
Summer brings colorful wildflower displays, while fall paints the landscape in vibrant autumn colors, making this one of California’s best camping spots for mountain lovers.
11. Mammoth Lakes
The Mammoth Lakes Basin offers high Sierra camping at its finest. Lake Mary Campground sits beside its namesake lake, surrounded by jagged peaks and pine forests.
Twin Lakes Campground provides stunning mountain views and excellent fishing opportunities. The area offers endless outdoor activities, from hiking and mountain biking to kayaking and fishing. In summer, wildflowers carpet the meadows, and the crisp mountain air carries the scent of pine and sage.
The nearby town of Mammoth Lakes provides convenient access to restaurants and supplies without sacrificing the wilderness experience that makes this one of the most beautiful places to camp in California.
12. Channel Islands National Park
Camping on California’s Channel Islands feels like visiting another world. Scorpion Canyon on Santa Cruz Island offers a unique island camping experience, with opportunities to kayak through sea caves and spot island foxes.
Water Canyon on Santa Rosa Island provides solitude on pristine beaches where you might see dolphins playing in the surf. The islands offer a glimpse of California as it once was, with endemic plants and animals found nowhere else on Earth.
The journey to reach these campgrounds adds to the adventure, and the reward is camping in one of California’s most unique and pristine environments.
13. Angeles National Forest
Despite its proximity to Los Angeles, the Angeles National Forest offers genuine wilderness experiences. Crystal Lake Campground surrounds a beautiful mountain lake with excellent swimming and fishing.
Buckhorn Campground provides a cool retreat in the high country, surrounded by oak and pine forests. The San Gabriel Mountains create a dramatic backdrop, and the Pacific Crest Trail passes nearby.
In spring, wildflowers blanket the slopes, while fall brings crisp temperatures and changing colors. It’s hard to believe you’re just an hour from the city when you’re surrounded by such pristine mountain wilderness.
14. Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen offers a unique volcanic landscape with comfortable camping options. Manzanita Lake Campground provides stunning views of Lassen Peak reflected in the calm waters of the lake.
Summit Lake Campgrounds offer high-country camping with easy access to swimming and fishing. The park features bubbling mudpots, steaming fumaroles, and crystal clear mountain lakes.
Hiking trails lead through otherworldly volcanic landscapes and past emerald meadows filled with wildflowers. The park’s high elevation provides relief from summer heat and some of the clearest night skies in California.
15. Mendocino Coast
The Mendocino Coast offers a perfect blend of forest and ocean camping. Russian Gulch State Park features a sheltered campground near a dramatic ocean cove and a 36-foot waterfall.
MacKerricher State Park provides camping options near expansive beaches, tidepools, and whale watching opportunities. The rugged coastline here is dotted with sea stacks and hidden coves, while coastal trails wind through windswept bluffs.
The area’s famous fog creates mysterious and beautiful scenes, especially when it parts to reveal stunning ocean sunsets, making this one of California’s best camping destinations for coastal adventures.
16. Mount Tamalpais State Park
Just north of San Francisco, Mount Tamalpais offers incredible coastal camping experiences. Steep Ravine’s rustic cabins and campsites sit on a cliff above the Pacific, offering dramatic ocean views and the constant sound of waves.
Pantoll Campground provides a forest setting with easy access to panoramic coastal views. The mountain’s extensive trail network leads through redwood groves, along coastal ridges, and to hidden beaches.
On clear days, you can see the Farallon Islands and San Francisco Bay, while fog creates magical conditions as it rolls over the mountain.
17. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
California’s largest state park offers some of its best desert camping. Borrego Palm Canyon Campground sits at the base of desert mountains, near palm oases and seasonal waterfalls.
Blair Valley provides pristine backcountry camping under some of Southern California’s darkest skies. Spring brings spectacular wildflower displays, transforming the desert into a carpet of color.
The park’s vast wilderness contains hidden slot canyons, ancient pictographs, and unique desert wildlife. The silence and solitude here provide a perfect escape from the modern world.
18. Trinity Alps Wilderness
The Trinity Alps offer a taste of the Swiss Alps in Northern California. Bridge Camp provides riverside camping along the crystal clear Trinity River, perfect for swimming and fishing.
Ripstein Campground offers a more remote experience surrounded by towering peaks and alpine meadows. The wilderness area features jagged granite peaks, alpine lakes, and meadows filled with wildflowers.
The remote location ensures smaller crowds than more famous mountain destinations, while the scenery rivals California’s most beautiful places to camp.
19. Pinnacles National Park
California’s newest national park offers unique camping opportunities. Pinnacles Campground provides comfortable sites near dramatic rock formations created by an ancient volcano.
The park features towering rock spires, talus caves, and unique wildlife including California condors. Spring brings brilliant wildflower displays, while the rock formations create spectacular scenes at sunrise and sunset.
The park’s location away from major cities ensures dark night skies perfect for stargazing, adding to its appeal as one of California’s best camping spots.
20. Sierra National Forest
The Sierra National Forest offers classic Sierra Nevada camping experiences. Wishon Point Campground sits above a beautiful reservoir with mountain views in all directions. Huntington Lake Campgrounds provide access to a mountain lake perfect for swimming, fishing, and sailing.
The forest contains countless hidden lakes, rushing streams, and granite peaks. As one of the most scenic places to camp in California, this area delivers pure Sierra magic without the crowds.
Fall brings spectacular color displays as aspens turn golden, while summer offers perfect temperatures for outdoor activities. Despite its natural beauty, the area sees fewer crowds than nearby national parks, making it one of California’s best-kept camping secrets.
