Where to Go Camping in the South Bay

Access to nature — and the abundance of beautiful campgrounds within driving distance — is one of the big perks of life in the Bay Area.

But if you’ve assumed you’ll always need to travel several hours to go camping, good news: There are actually a wealth of campsites right on your doorstep if you live in or near the South Bay.

Keep reading for some excellent options for camping within Santa Clara County (or very nearby), with a focus on campsites run by the county park system. Some include options for RV camping, and even one with yurts, if pitching a tent just isn’t your thing.

A quick note about reserving camping sites: For both Santa Clara County Parks and State Parks, reservations typically open six months in advance. You can reserve county park sites at parks.santaclaracounty.gov, and state parks at ReserveCalifornia.com (apart from Castle Rock State Park, which uses a different system).

You can also read more tips and tricks for successfully securing a camping spot in California, especially when they always seem to be booked.

Joseph D. Grant County Park 

At just under 11,000 acres, Joseph D. Grant is the largest park of 28 in the Santa Clara County Park system, just east of the San José foothills off Mount Hamilton Road.

“I always say Joseph D. Grant is sort of that hidden gem,” said Nadine Abousalem, the senior communications officer for the park system. “It does give you that state park feel, but it’s a county park. It’s just wide open space — it’s beautiful.”

In addition to almost 40 tent camping sites, Joseph D. Grant County Park offers eight equestrian sites where visitors can bring their horses and trailers and offers great stargazing opportunities for overnight campers.

Reserve a campsite at Joseph D. Grant County Park

Mount Madonna County Park

Santa Clara County calls Mount Madonna one of the county’s “most majestic” spots, and given that this county park allows you to bask among the towering redwoods just an hour from downtown San José, you might be inclined to agree.

The park has room for all kinds of visitors, with around 120 campsites offering spaces for tents, RVs, horse trailers and group camping. Mount Madonna is also the only park in the county system to offer a small — but very popular — selection of yurts for camping, which include bunk beds and futons, depending on size.

An added bonus: During the summer, when temperatures are peaking across the region, the dense forests of the Santa Cruz Mountain range help make the park a slightly cooler respite.

Reserve a campsite at Mount Madonna County Park

Henry W. Coe State Park 

Henry W. Coe State Park is actually the largest state park in Northern California, sprawling across nearly 90,000 acres in the Diablo Mountain Range. Offering canyons, creeks and miles of trails, this rugged terrain is particularly beautiful in springtime, when it fills with wildflowers.

The huge park offers traditional 20 drive-in campsites, including “primitive” campsites, as well as hike-in group camping spots — along with plenty of activities like fishing, mountain biking and backpacking by permit.

Reserve a campsite at Henry W. Coe State Park

Castle Rock State Park 

Largely in Santa Cruz County, Castle Rock State Park also extends into portions of San Mateo and Santa Clara counties and connects with other regional open space preserves.

This state park is famous for its sandstone outcroppings, including its namesake Castle Rock, and offers a superb place for rock climbing, as well as 34 miles of trails among forests filled with evergreens and black oaks.

The park offers over 20 primitive camping sites with water and pit toilets to trail hikers at the Castle Rock trail camp. But unlike other state parks, you can’t make a reservation through ReserveCalifornia.com and should instead use the Backcountry Trail Camp Request Form. Five of these sites will also be available to walk-ins without a reservation on a first-come, first-served basis.

Reserve a campsite at Castle Rock State Park

Sanborn County Park

Abutting Castle Rock State Park and other nature preserves, Sanborn County Park spreads over more than 3,400 acres of redwoods and tanbark oaks and offers 33 hike-in campsites for people willing to make a roughly 20-minute trek to their site.

With its 18 miles of trails, Sanborn County Park also offers accommodations for RV camping, and picnicking, and is surprisingly close to downtown Los Gatos and Saratoga.

The park is also one of several county facilities that offer spaces for rent for weddings and other events in Sequoia Peterson Grove.

Reserve a campsite at Sanborn County Park

Coyote Lake in Harvey Bear Ranch County Park

Perhaps best known for its fishing and recreational boating opportunities in the 3-mile long Coyote Lake reservoir, Harvey Bear Ranch Park in the hills east of Gilroy also offers 33 miles of trails for hiking, biking and equestrians.

Visitors who want more time to explore the park’s nearly 7,000 acres can stay overnight in any of 73 campsites for tents or RVs, including group camping sites.

Reserve a campsite at Coyote Lake

Uvas Canyon County Park 

With just over 1,100 acres of lush woodlands and several spots to enjoy flowing natural waterways and waterfalls, Uvas Canyon County Park, to the west of Morgan Hill, is a sure bet to lift your spirits.

With around 7 miles of hiking trails, the park offers 25 sites for tent campers, as well as group camping areas.

Online reviewers call Uvas Canyon “remote, yet very accessible,” and a place where you can find “peace and tranquility.” Be aware that at the time of publication, the county said that large vehicles, trailers, and RVs are “not recommended” to visit Uvas Canyon due to narrow road conditions.

Reserve a campsite at Uvas Canyon County Park

This story contains reporting by KQED’s Carly Severn.