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Camping in California: campsites, permits and passes

Camping in California starts in one of a few places: ReserveCalifornia (state parks) for state park campsites, Recreation.gov for federal campgrounds, or free dispersed camping on National Forest and BLM land. Here's where to book each, plus permits, passes and licences.

Most people go to:

State park campsites

California state park campgrounds are booked through ReserveCalifornia (state parks) ↗. Book as early as you can for summer and holiday weekends, and check each park's page for cabins, yurts, group sites and pet rules.

National parks in California

• Channel Islands National Park
• Death Valley National Park
• Joshua Tree National Park
• Kings Canyon National Park
• Lassen Volcanic National Park
• Pinnacles National Park
• Redwood National Park
• Sequoia National Park
• Yosemite National Park

Campgrounds in national parks are booked on Recreation.gov. See every park, monument and historic site in California on the National Park Service California page ↗.

National forests and free camping

California's national forests include Inyo, Sierra, Los Padres, Shasta-Trinity, Angeles. Developed campgrounds are booked on Recreation.gov (some are first-come, first-served), and most national forest land allows free dispersed camping away from developed sites, usually for up to 14 days. Check the forest's rules and any fire restrictions first.

California also has large areas of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land, where dispersed camping is generally free and allowed for up to 14 days in one spot unless posted otherwise. See BLM recreation ↗.

Permits and lotteries

• Half Dome cables (Yosemite) use a permit lottery on Recreation.gov.
• Mount Whitney day hikes and overnights use a permit lottery on Recreation.gov.
• Popular Yosemite campgrounds open in batches months ahead and sell out within minutes.

Fishing and hunting licences

Licences for California are sold by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife ↗, online or at local retailers. Rules and seasons differ by species and water, so check before you go.

Passes

The America the Beautiful pass covers entrance fees at national parks and many federal lands in California. State parks usually sell their own day or annual passes; see ReserveCalifornia (state parks).

Best time to camp in California

Coast and foothills almost year-round; Sierra high country July to September; deserts October to April.

Questions

Packing checklists

Nearby states (California)