California Tent Campgrounds
Tent Camping in California
Car camping is also referred to as 'tent camping', where you drive to your destination and pitch a tent to sleep in. Minimal crowds w/ maximum scenery is what most seek. Peace and quiet all weekend is often the goal. Hiking trails, biking trails, horseback trails too. Few RV campers, if any; Small campgrounds located on one-lane roads, or better yet - dirt roads!
mountains • foothills • deserts • beaches • rivers • creeks • meadows • waterfalls • trailheads • parks • forests • groves • lakes
Whether you seek a developed campground: paved, level parking spot w/ toilets; or a primitive spot on a dirt road w/ creek and rock campfire ring... we have all of them listed on this web site. National Parks, National Forests, State Parks, county campgrounds, backpacking trailheads, free car camping, PG&E lake camps, 4x4 camp sites.
Here at Total Escape we focus mainly on the secluded camping - off the beaten path, forested back roads camp sites at no charge. Yes, free camping does exist inside California - if you know where to look, have a capable vehicle to reach it and also get the proper topographic maps. Dispersed camping requires that you obtain a free camp fire permit. Always study maps before hand at home and have a plan B and C ready when traveling. Some best hidden campgrounds published 10 or 20 years ago, may be well-known and busy today.
With the California population continuing to grow, traveling further back into the boonies may be needed to avoid the mass of tourists. Lakes, reservoirs, rivers and beaches are the most popular locations sought, especially in summer months... so you may wanna keep that in mind.
Below is a list of various terrains w/ great destinations all around California, w/ campgrounds or camping close by. For real peace and quiet, choose a small campground at the end of a road, or a free camp on the remote back roads.
Car camping is also referred to as 'tent camping', where you drive to your destination and pitch a tent to sleep in. Minimal crowds w/ maximum scenery is what most seek. Peace and quiet all weekend is often the goal. Hiking trails, biking trails, horseback trails too. Few RV campers, if any; Small campgrounds located on one-lane roads, or better yet - dirt roads!
mountains • foothills • deserts • beaches • rivers • creeks • meadows • waterfalls • trailheads • parks • forests • groves • lakes
Whether you seek a developed campground: paved, level parking spot w/ toilets; or a primitive spot on a dirt road w/ creek and rock campfire ring... we have all of them listed on this web site. National Parks, National Forests, State Parks, county campgrounds, backpacking trailheads, free car camping, PG&E lake camps, 4x4 camp sites.Here at Total Escape we focus mainly on the secluded camping - off the beaten path, forested back roads camp sites at no charge. Yes, free camping does exist inside California - if you know where to look, have a capable vehicle to reach it and also get the proper topographic maps. Dispersed camping requires that you obtain a free camp fire permit. Always study maps before hand at home and have a plan B and C ready when traveling. Some best hidden campgrounds published 10 or 20 years ago, may be well-known and busy today.
With the California population continuing to grow, traveling further back into the boonies may be needed to avoid the mass of tourists. Lakes, reservoirs, rivers and beaches are the most popular locations sought, especially in summer months... so you may wanna keep that in mind.
Below is a list of various terrains w/ great destinations all around California, w/ campgrounds or camping close by. For real peace and quiet, choose a small campground at the end of a road, or a free camp on the remote back roads.
Back Road Camping
- Angeles Campgrounds
- Anza Borrego Desert
- Big Bear & Idyllwild
- Big Sur Campgrounds
- Eastern Sierra Camping
- El Dorado Campgrounds
- Lake Almanor Campgrounds
- Lake Tahoe Campgrounds
- Lassen Lakes
- Campgrounds in Mendocino
- Mojave Desert Camping
- Mount Able
- Mount Pinos
- National Forests Calif
- Ojai Camping
- Pismo Beach Camping
- Plumas Campgrounds
- Santa Lucia Camping
- Sequoia Forest Camping
- Sierra Nevada Lakes
- SoCal Back Roads
- Stanislaus Campgrounds
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| Creek Camping on Tamarack Creek, Sierra NF |
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| Tahoe Campground Camping |