Where to Find the Best Free Camping in California

Big Sur (Los Padres National Forest) - Offers stunning coastal views and rugged landscapes, with several free dispersed camping areas.

[{"selector":"#anim-349686bf-34b9-412b-9ff4-b959fb0ad335","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e50b2af3-f646-422b-acd5-e5b6cc59f9b2","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7193835c-0062-4152-83ac-5e3fa50af5ad","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d8544431-322f-4289-b938-0d26848a0cb3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-104.49735%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park - Provides desert camping with beautiful scenery and minimal facilities, perfect for stargazing and solitude.

[{"selector":"#anim-e8f3cf16-5da8-4586-ab34-e7d2a348029a","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-90ced1f5-36bf-4062-a552-0ed097f8496a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4e042aab-b4ef-4716-9ebe-e75290bd8ea8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bd00a811-9bf2-4bab-a326-93c63c4708ca","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-104.49735%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

King's Canyon National Park - Features free dispersed camping options in the park’s backcountry with beautiful forested areas and mountain views.

[{"selector":"#anim-1ce5d137-c253-4859-9ca1-a03421597927","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fad3fa54-9982-43f8-8ee8-fb9e3f740b6a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-774decaa-8c31-4da5-a6af-b149c30cb2eb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e397228e-d42f-4da3-af24-da9c98227ae2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-104.49735%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land near Joshua Tree - Offers numerous free camping spots around Joshua Tree National Park

[{"selector":"#anim-7564a14f-3dba-4246-ac57-33916fae728e","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d1fcf37f-c872-484f-9403-5035ce4e3506","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2c04537c-1c2a-4dc8-a43b-042eff73e496","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6a13b4c9-5d9d-414b-933f-995164a38d4d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-104.49735%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Lassen National Forest - Includes various free campsites with opportunities to explore volcanic landscapes and serene lakes.

[{"selector":"#anim-40dd2a23-943c-4865-8701-7a7dc8a9ae7c","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-161c53c0-141e-4cc3-a6b1-4ef24e073df3","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fc4bd80b-5112-4a63-9d31-d67912f78725","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f7d910b6-e036-4fc7-b94c-4a2be2c2c84b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-104.49735%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Plumas National Forest - Features multiple dispersed camping areas with scenic views of forests, rivers, and lakes.

[{"selector":"#anim-8bb797e3-905c-418b-89c2-e9d094251126","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-78b1d0fa-56bb-4e17-accc-409c40af375d","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5aa29711-5520-48b7-a790-0c6c00d02f98","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f58d59fe-4e40-4480-9323-eb197820b5be","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-104.49735%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Shasta-Trinity National Forest - Provides several free camping options near Mount Shasta and along beautiful forested areas and lakes.

[{"selector":"#anim-c7168615-e347-4c34-a02a-91259f145363","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-90d0a32b-9c2a-49df-b028-9ebb13fd987b","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c5330a61-4311-40a5-9055-2e6ec6473762","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7c997029-e6e4-426a-b2f3-94d93f18d4b7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-104.49735%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Mendocino National Forest - Offers numerous dispersed camping sites with access to wilderness and remote, peaceful locations.

[{"selector":"#anim-2d03bcfc-d0a9-4b79-b379-1991b77c3946","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-42a163b2-7be3-49ef-bf9c-f143f263be20","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ebf8e906-ef3c-46df-bfb1-45e54222fcf1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-18a9e5eb-47b4-4ff4-b4a1-b3355ef9b20e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-104.49735%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

click below for more stories