Northern California RV Camping

Yosemite Valley

Towering mountains, majestic redwood forests, world-famous vineyards and hundreds of miles of coastline represent just a few of the destinations found in Northern California. State and national parks protect some of the most beautiful locations, while simultaneously providing excellent opportunities to camp and enjoy the great outdoors.

Special Considerations

Visitors to northern California destinations inhabited by bears, such as Yosemite National Park, should be aware that wild bears frequently pass through campgrounds looking for food. Campers traveling in an RV should stow food where it can't be seen and make sure that all windows, doors and vents are firmly sealed whenever leaving an RV unattended. Bears have been known to break into vehicles searching for anything that gives off a strong odor. As a result, even items like trash, soap and toothpaste should be stored out of sight. Campers using pop-up trailers or soft-sided campers should never leave food inside.

Yosemite National Park

El Capitan in Yosemite National Park

Yosemite Park wows visitors with impressive granite edifices, shimmering waterfalls and ancient sequoia groves. The park's most iconic attractions, such as Yosemite Falls, Half Dome and El Capitan are all within Yosemite Valley, but less visited sites outside of the valley can prove equally stunning. Visitors traveling in an RV have 10 campgrounds to choose from. Of these, only Upper Pines Campground has a dump station year round. RV length is limited to 30 feet, or 35 feet for a trailer. Yosemite National Park's official website strongly encourages visitors to make advance reservations.

Yosemite National Park
P.O. Box 577
Yosemite, CA 95389
209-372-0200
nps.gov/yose

Redwood National Park

A typical redwood forest

Old-growth redwoods are the tallest trees in the world, and they can reach heights of over 300 feet. These towering trees grow in large numbers along the jagged coast in Redwood National Park, which is about 75 miles south of California's border with Oregon. Four campgrounds can be found in the park. Of these, Mills Creek Campground is the largest, containing145 RV and tent sites. While utility hookups are not available, a dump station, access to hot showers, and handicapped-accessible restrooms do exist at this campground.

Redwood National Park
1111 Second Street
Crescent City, CA 95531
707-464-6101
nps.gov/redw

Big Sur

At Big Sur, steep coastal mountains plunge dramatically into the Pacific Ocean. Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park is one of several state parks in the region, but according to its official website, this is the park most visitors associate with the name "Big Sur." The park surrounds the Big Sur river as it gushes through the surrounding hills and forests on its way to the sea. A campground at the park features RV campsites, a dump station and hot showers. The maximum RV length is 32 feet; 27 feet for a trailer.

Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
Big Sur Station #1
Big Sur, CA 93920
831-667-2315
parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=570

Bothe Napa State Park

Beautiful vineyards cover the floor and lower hillsides of Napa Valley, but the surrounding hills are still home to forests, creeks and occasional redwoods. Bothe Napa State Park is home to miles of hiking and equestrian trails as well as a swimming pool and an RV-accessible campground. The maximum RV length for the park's campground is 31 feet; the maximum trailer length is 24 feet.

Bothe Napa State Park
3801 St. Helena Highway N.
Calistoga, CA 94515
707-942-4575
parks.ca.gov/?page_id=477

References

• Yosemite RV camping
• Redwoods Camping
• Bothe Napa Valley
• Big Sur