Backpacking/Camping in San Francisco, CA

This preserve features 65 miles of diverse trails and natural beauty.

Haypress in Tennessee Valley is a great campsite for any beginner backpacker or last-minute seasoned slackpacker. It’s an easy excursion just out of San Francisco city limits nestled in the quiet Golden Gate National Recreation Area in the North Bay.

Four campgrounds with four very different personalities.

Steep Ravine is straight out of a fairy tale. A coastal, camping kind of fairy tale set in Northern California. Cozy rustic cottages line the steep rocky cliffs, as cold and heavy waves break below.

Hidden within a redwood-filled canyon, Butano State Park is easily one of the most quiet and remote state parks on the peninsula.

The Snow Mountain Wilderness is a great weekend destination that offers plenty of trails, refreshingly high elevations, and gorgeous vistas.

Mount Diablo has got it all: hiking, cycling, and family camping.

A picturesque 5 -mile hike from the Crabtree trailhead. Perfect for beginner backpackers bringing along their dogs.

Begin in the Santa Cruz Mountains, hike through a redwood forest, and then end your journey at the Pacific Ocean.

Less than 30 minutes from the city and within the Redwoods is a perfect campground on Mt. Tam

This is a challenging, yet rewarding hike with a lot of elevation gain.

The largest of the islands that dot San Francisco Bay, Angel Island has an especially strong appeal for the camping and backpacking set.

Old-growth redwood forests, waterfalls, and some of the most beautiful coastal landscapes of the Bay Area: It’s hard to top an overnight trek along the famed Skyline-to-Sea Trail in Santa Cruz.

Mount Tamalpais State Park is a great place for a weekend camping getaway.

This is a gorgeous, pristine area located just north of Yosemite and offering a wide array of hiking, camping, and nature-viewing options.

Group camping at it's finest, bring 20 of your closest friends for a party in the redwoods.

The most incredible views from any California campground are at Kirby Cove. Just north of the Golden Gate Bridge, this highly sought after spot has it’s own beach and five campsites with panoramic views of the city, gazing up at the Golden Gate Bridge.

Dotted along the curve of Drakes Bay and the Inverness Ridge, the hike-in campsites at Point Reyes offer a relaxing coastal backpacking experience.

One of the best-kept secrets among Bay Area outdoor lovers, 1,991-acre Bothe-Napa Valley State Park is nestled in the heart of some of Northern California’s most coveted wine country.