California Camping Articles
Written from the availability data we measure every few minutes across 600+ California campgrounds.
California Campfires, how to Get a Permit in Five Minutes
How to get a California campfire permit online in five minutes: who needs one, what it covers, how long it lasts, and when fire restrictions override…
Camping Two Hours of the Bay Area: What Open on a Saturday
Camping near San Francisco on a Saturday: which campgrounds within two hours are fully sold out, which still have room, and when sites come back.
Dispersed Camping in California
Dispersed camping in California is free and never sells out. The rules, where it is near Big Sur, Yosemite, Joshua Tree and Kings Canyon, and the…
Lake Camping in California: Get the Best Sites
Lake camping in California, lake by lake. Tahoe, Folsom, Perris, June Lake, Shaver, Bass Lake, which booking system each uses, and where room appears.
The Yosemite Camping Lottery, What to Expect
The Yosemite camping lottery is only for Camp 4. How it works, what the odds aren’t, and the other ways into a Valley campsite when you lose.
Yosemite Entry VS Camping Reservations
Yosemite National Park reservations come in four kinds. Entry, campground, Half Dome and wilderness permits, and which one covers which.
When Do California Campsites Sell Out?
How far in advance to book camping in California, measured: 83% of state park weekend nights sold out, 10 of 36 beach campgrounds had nothing.
Six Ways to Still Camp in California This Weekend
Campsite sold out? What to do, in order of what works: a cancellation alert, midweek, the 8am release, first-come sites, forest campgrounds…
Camping Two Hours of Los Angeles: Whats Open on a Saturday
Camping near Los Angeles on a Saturday is mostly sold out, but sites come back. Which campgrounds open up, and when, from four weeks of alert data.
Recreation.gov vs ReserveCalifornia: Which California Parks Are on Which Site
Recreation gov runs national parks and forests. ReserveCalifornia runs state parks and beaches. Who has what, release rules, and which is harder to…
How the ReserveCalifornia 6-Month Booking Window Works
California state park camping reservations open six months ahead at 8am Pacific, one date a day. How to count back, and which parks fill first.
Yosemite Camping Reservations 2027: Every Release Date and Time
Mark your calendar for the 15th. That is the day Yosemite Valley campsites for 2027 become available, and the clock starts at 7:00am Pacific time on…
LA and co. Beach Camping: Malibu, Ventura and Orange County
Los Angeles has no beach campground of its own, but seven within about ninety minutes. Here is what each one is like, which sell out fastest, and…
San Diego Beach Camping: Which Don’t Sell Out
San Diego County has four beach campgrounds and more people who want a site than all four can hold. Here is what each one is like, which sell out…
Free vs Paid Campsite Alert Apps: What You’re Paying For
Free and paid campsite alert apps check the same public availability data. Here’s what you’re actually paying for, and when free is enough.
Why California Campsites Show a Lock Icon on ReserveCalifornia
A lock icon on ReserveCalifornia means a site was cancelled and is about to release, usually at 8am. Here’s what it means and how the release…
How to Get a California Campsite Near You
California campgrounds cancel constantly. Here’s how a cancellation alert actually works, and how to set one up free for state and federal parks.
How We Measure Campsite Availability
We keep tabs on California campgrounds, roughly 25,000 individual campsites, checked every few minutes around the clock. What follows is an…
Where People Camp in California
CampsiteScan keeps an eye campgrounds spread across California state parks, national forests and national parks. Add it all up and you get roughly…
A Free Alternative for Campnab in California
Campnab and CampsiteScan exist for the same reason: the campground you want is booked solid, somebody out there will cancel eventually, and you want…
Camping With Dogs on California Beaches
Most articles bury the real story: your dog can camp at nearly every drive-in site in the California state beach system. That part is easy. What…
The Hardest Campgrounds to Book in California, Measured
A ranked list of California's most sold-out campgrounds, built from our daily availability checks and updated as the data comes in.
California Beach Camping: What Actually Sells Out
Measured sellout ratings for every bookable campground on the coast, from the Malibu parks that never open up to the beaches with room.
Lower Pines Campground, Yosemite Valley
Live availability and a measured sellout rating for the most contested campground in Yosemite Valley, straight from our checks.