Free camping
Free camping in California, on the public-land road network.
Zoom into the map below, click any purple forest service road, and open a pin in Apple Maps, Google Maps, or Waze. Save spots for later — all stored on your device.
Last updated June 28, 2026 · Editorial maintained by Kimbo Campers
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Tiles: OpenStreetMap contributors (streets) · Esri World Imagery (satellite). National forest boundaries + forest service road network: USFS Enterprise Data Warehouse. National park boundaries: NPS Land Resources Division.
About
How free dispersed camping works in California.
California has 18 national forests (the most of any state — Angeles, Cleveland, Eldorado, Inyo, Klamath, Lassen, Los Padres, Mendocino, Modoc, Plumas, San Bernardino, Sequoia, Shasta-Trinity, Sierra, Six Rivers, Stanislaus, Tahoe, plus the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit), 9 national parks (Yosemite, Joshua Tree, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Death Valley, Lassen Volcanic, Redwood, Channel Islands, Pinnacles), several national monuments and preserves (Devils Postpile, Lava Beds, Mojave National Preserve), and ~15 million acres of BLM land concentrated in the Mojave, Carrizo Plain, Alabama Hills / Eastern Sierra corridor, and the southern California desert. Free dispersed camping is allowed on most BLM and USFS land under the standard 14-day rule.
The rules vary by who manages the land. USFS dispersed camping across California's 18 national forests follows the federal default: pull off any forest service road into a previously-used site, camp up to 14 days in a 30-day window, pack out everything you packed in. BLM dispersed camping follows the same general framework, with iconic CA-BLM destinations including Alabama Hills (the BLM-managed dispersed area at the foot of Mt Whitney near Lone Pine) and the Mojave Trails National Monument. National parks (Yosemite, Joshua Tree, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Death Valley, Lassen, Redwood, Channel Islands, Pinnacles) do NOT allow vehicle dispersed camping inside park boundaries — in-park developed campgrounds are reservation-only on recreation.gov. One important exception: Mojave National Preserve (NPS-managed, 1.6 million acres east of Barstow) is a rare NPS unit that does allow free roadside dispersed camping, similar to BLM rules. Cleveland NF (San Diego), Angeles + San Bernardino NFs (LA mountains), and Los Padres NF (Big Sur + central coast) have limited dispersed compared to the Sierra Nevada due to fire-closure regulations and adventure-pass requirements at developed sites.
The map below covers California's public land. Click any purple forest service or BLM road for coordinates plus a one-tap link to Apple Maps, Google Maps, or Waze. California's geography is the most varied of any state in the program — the Coast Range and central coast (Big Sur / Los Padres NF) is camp-able year-round in mild weather, the Sierra Nevada is summer-only at altitude above 7,000 feet (with most Tioga Pass and high-country roads closed November through May or June), the Eastern Sierra (Bishop / Mammoth / Alabama Hills) is spring-and-fall best at lower elevations but summer-only above the Inyo NF treeline, the Mojave and Sonoran desert BLM corridors are winter-best (extreme summer heat), and the far-north Klamath / Modoc / Lassen region behaves like an extension of the Pacific Northwest (summer-best, snow-closed winters). Fire restrictions and seasonal closures change weekly during fire season (June through October) — quarterly map refreshes cannot track them in real time.
By the numbers
Free camping in California, by the numbers.
Public-land acreage, governance, and access facts for California, sourced from the federal and state agencies that manage the land.
National forests in CA
18 (most of any state in the country)
Source: USFS Pacific Southwest Region
Federal forest land
~20.8M acres
Source: USFS Region 5 (Pacific Southwest) annual summaries
BLM-managed public land
~15M acres
Source: BLM California State Office
National parks in CA
9 (Yosemite, JTree, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Death Valley, Lassen, Redwood, Channel Islands, Pinnacles)
Source: National Park Service
USFS / BLM dispersed stay limit
14 days in any 30
Source: 36 CFR 261.58 (USFS) and 43 CFR 8365 (BLM)
Yosemite NP annual visitors
~3.9M (no in-park dispersed)
Source: NPS Visitor Use Statistics
Alabama Hills BLM (Lone Pine)
~30,000 acres (BLM Bishop Field Office)
Source: BLM Bishop Field Office
Mojave National Preserve
~1.6M acres (rare NPS unit that allows free dispersed)
Source: NPS Mojave National Preserve
Inyo NF — Eastern Sierra dispersed
~1.9M acres (Bishop / Mammoth / Tioga Pass corridor)
Source: USFS Inyo National Forest
Rules at a glance
Dispersed-camping rules in California, by land manager.
Quick reference for the rules across every public-land type in California. See the FAQ + Permits sections below for the full version of each rule.
| Land manager | Dispersed allowed | Stay limit | Fees / permits |
|---|---|---|---|
| USFS — National Forest | Yes | 14 days in any 30 | Free dispersed (CA Adventure Pass $30/yr for SoCal NF trailheads) |
| BLM — Public Land | Yes | 14 days in any 30 | Free dispersed (Alabama Hills, Mojave Trails, Eastern Sierra) |
| NPS — National Parks | No (Mojave NP exception — see below) | Reservation-only at developed in-park sites | $30-$35 / vehicle 7-day pass per park · America the Beautiful $80 covers all |
| NPS — Mojave National Preserve (rare exception) | Yes | 14 days in any 30 (NPS-managed but BLM-style rules) | Free dispersed camping at established roadside pull-offs |
| CA State Parks (280 parks) | No | Reservation-only at developed CGs | $5-$10 day-use · $25-$45 / night camping (reservecalifornia.com) |
Permits & passes
What you need to pay or carry in California.
Most BLM and USFS dispersed camping in California is free with no permit. These are the exceptions and add-ons by destination.
Yosemite NP entrance + in-park campground reservations
Required to enter Yosemite NP. In-park campgrounds (Upper Pines, Lower Pines, North Pines, Wawona, Tuolumne Meadows, Crane Flat, Hodgdon Meadow, White Wolf, Bridalveil Creek, Camp 4, etc.) reservable on recreation.gov up to 5 months ahead.
$35 / vehicle 7-day entrance pass · $26-$36 / night per CG site
nps.gov ↗Joshua Tree NP entrance + in-park campground reservations
Required to enter JTree NP. 9 in-park campgrounds (Black Rock Canyon, Hidden Valley, Jumbo Rocks, Belle, White Tank, Ryan Mountain, Sheep Pass, Indian Cove, Cottonwood) reservable on recreation.gov.
$30 / vehicle 7-day entrance pass · $20-$25 / night per CG site
nps.gov ↗California Campfire Permit
Required (free) for any dispersed campfire on state, federal, or private land in California — including BLM, USFS, and Mojave NP dispersed sites. Even when not in a restricted-fire stage, the permit itself is required by law.
Free (online from CalFire — 5-minute application)
readyforwildfire.org ↗California Adventure Pass (SoCal NF trailheads)
Required for parking at developed trailheads in the four southern California NFs: Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres, San Bernardino. NOT required for dispersed camping itself — only for parking at fee trailheads en route.
$5 / day · $30 / year
fs.usda.gov ↗Mt Whitney Permit (Inyo NF / Sequoia NP)
Required for any day-hike or overnight backpacking summit attempt of Mt Whitney (14,505 ft — highest peak in lower 48). Lottery system on recreation.gov, applications due in February for the May-October season.
$15 / person reservation fee · highly competitive lottery
recreation.gov ↗BLM vs USFS
BLM vs USFS dispersed camping in California.
California's BLM-vs-USFS distribution is unique in the program. USFS has ~20.8M acres across 18 admin NFs (most of any state in the country), versus ~15M acres of BLM. But unlike most BLM-rich states (NV, ID, MT, OR) where the BLM audience uses destination names rather than the agency brand, **California's BLM audience uses BOTH** — Alabama Hills is searched both as 'BLM Alabama Hills' and just 'Alabama Hills', Carrizo Plain as both 'BLM Carrizo' and just 'Carrizo Plain'. The keyword research found 22 keywords specifically containing 'BLM' (6,580 vol) — more than any other state except Utah. The Mojave + Eastern Sierra are CA's two BLM strongholds; the Sierra Nevada and Northern California are USFS-dominated.
| Category | BLM (Bureau of Land Management) | USFS (US Forest Service) |
|---|---|---|
| Acreage in CA | ~15M acres (Mojave + Eastern Sierra + Carrizo + Lost Coast) | ~20.8M acres across 18 admin national forests (most in country) |
| Typical stay limit | 14 days in any 30 | 14 days in any 30 |
| Typical fees | Free dispersed | Free dispersed (CA Adventure Pass for SoCal NF trailheads — $5/day or $30/yr) |
| Where it dominates | Alabama Hills (Lone Pine), Mojave Trails NM, Carrizo Plain NM, Eastern Sierra around Bishop, the Lost Coast / King Range | Sierra Nevada (Yosemite-adjacent Stanislaus + Sierra + Inyo NFs), far-northern CA (Shasta-Trinity, Klamath, Lassen), SoCal mountains (Angeles, Cleveland, San Bernardino, Los Padres) |
| Best season | Spring + fall for desert BLM (Mojave, Carrizo); year-round for Alabama Hills + Eastern Sierra lower elevations | Summer at Sierra Nevada altitude (most Inyo/Sierra/Stanislaus dispersed Nov-May snow-closed above 7,000 ft); year-round for SoCal coast NFs (Los Padres, Cleveland) |
Frequently asked
Free camping in California, answered.
Is dispersed camping legal in California?
Yes. Dispersed camping is legal on most BLM land and USFS land in California, subject to the standard 14-day stay limit and the rules of whichever agency runs the specific area. Iconic free-dispersed BLM areas include Alabama Hills (Lone Pine, Eastern Sierra) and Mojave Trails NM. National parks (Yosemite, Joshua Tree, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Death Valley, Lassen, Redwood, Channel Islands, Pinnacles) do NOT allow vehicle dispersed camping inside park boundaries — in-park developed campgrounds are reservation-only on recreation.gov. Mojave National Preserve is the rare NPS exception that DOES allow free roadside dispersed camping, similar to BLM rules. California state parks always require entrance and camping fees plus reservations.
Where can I camp for free in California?
Free dispersed camping in California is concentrated in five main regions. Eastern Sierra (Inyo NF and BLM lands around Bishop, Mammoth Lakes, Lone Pine, June Lake, Convict Lake, McGee Creek, Rock Creek — this is the marquee free-dispersed cluster in the state, including the iconic Alabama Hills BLM area at the foot of Mt Whitney). Yosemite-adjacent national forests (Stanislaus NF north, Sierra NF south, Inyo NF east via Tioga Pass — for free dispersed near Yosemite since the park itself allows zero). Joshua Tree-adjacent BLM (Mojave Trails NM south of JTree along Hwy 62, Big Morongo Canyon Preserve west, plus the rare-NPS-that-allows-dispersed Mojave National Preserve 90 miles north). Far-north California (Klamath, Modoc, Lassen, Six Rivers NFs around Mt Shasta, the Trinity Alps, and the Lost Coast). Plus Cleveland NF dispersed corridors in the San Diego mountains (Mt Laguna area) and Los Padres NF along the Big Sur backcountry and Santa Lucia range.
Can I camp inside Yosemite National Park?
Only at developed reservation-only campgrounds. Yosemite National Park allows zero vehicle dispersed camping inside park boundaries. The 13 in-park campgrounds include the popular Yosemite Valley sites (Upper Pines, Lower Pines, North Pines, Camp 4), Wawona, Bridalveil Creek, Hodgdon Meadow, Crane Flat, White Wolf, Tuolumne Meadows (Tioga Road, summer only), and a few smaller ones — all reservable on recreation.gov, typically booked months ahead. For free dispersed camping near Yosemite, head into the surrounding national forests: Stanislaus NF north of the park (Highway 120 corridor toward Sonora Pass), Sierra NF south of the park (Bass Lake area, Fish Camp gateway, Forest Roads off Highway 41), or Inyo NF east of the park (Tioga Pass eastside down into Mammoth Lakes — opens late spring through fall depending on snowpack). The park requires a $35 per-vehicle 7-day entrance pass.
Can I camp inside Joshua Tree National Park?
Only at developed reservation-only campgrounds. Joshua Tree National Park has 9 in-park campgrounds (Black Rock Canyon, Hidden Valley, Jumbo Rocks, Belle, White Tank, Ryan Mountain, Sheep Pass, Indian Cove, Cottonwood) — all paid plus reservation on recreation.gov, with the busiest sites booked months ahead in spring and fall. For free dispersed camping near Joshua Tree, head south to the BLM-managed lands along the Hwy 62 / Mojave Trails National Monument corridor, or west to Big Morongo Canyon Preserve. Mojave National Preserve, 90 miles north of JTree, is the unusual NPS unit that DOES allow free roadside dispersed camping — worth knowing about. Park entrance fee is $30 per vehicle for a 7-day pass.
Do I need a permit for free camping in California?
Most BLM and USFS dispersed camping in California does not require a permit. Exceptions: many Cascade and Sierra wilderness areas (Ansel Adams, John Muir, Desolation, Mokelumne, Carson-Iceberg, Hoover, and others) require a free wilderness permit for overnight backcountry camping (self-issued at trailheads, or limited-entry permits for some Mt Whitney + Cottonwood Lakes + Bishop Pass trailheads via recreation.gov). Sequoia and Kings Canyon backcountry require permits. The California Coastal Trail backcountry (along Lost Coast / Sinkyone / King Range BLM) requires registration. California Adventure Pass ($5/day or $30/year) is required for parking at certain developed trailheads in Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres, and San Bernardino NFs (the four southern California NFs) — not required for dispersed camping itself, just for parking at fee trailheads. Each NP requires its own per-vehicle entrance fee ($30-$35 typically).
Where is the best free dispersed camping in the Eastern Sierra?
The Eastern Sierra is California's marquee free-dispersed corridor. The single biggest BLM-dispersed destination is Alabama Hills (BLM Bishop Field Office, just east of Lone Pine at the foot of Mt Whitney — famous for 400+ Hollywood film locations) which allows free roadside dispersed camping with standard 14-day BLM rules. Around Bishop, the Inyo NF includes McGee Creek Road (dispersed pull-offs on Forest Road 4S01 south of Crowley Lake), Rock Creek Road (Inyo NF dispersed corridor west of Tom's Place), and the Bristlecone Pine Forest area (White Mountains east). Around Mammoth Lakes, Inyo NF includes Convict Lake area (developed CGs + dispersed on adjacent Forest Roads), the June Lake Loop (Highway 158, several Inyo NF developed CGs + some dispersed pull-offs), and Devils Postpile NM corridor. Most Eastern Sierra dispersed is summer-only at altitude (most Inyo NF roads close November through May above 8,000 feet); lower-elevation BLM around Bishop and Alabama Hills is camp-able year-round.
Are there fire restrictions for dispersed camping in California?
Yes — California has the most-restrictive fire regulations of any state in the program. CalFire issues statewide fire restrictions plus per-county and per-forest closures, updated weekly during fire season (typically May through November). Stage 1 typically prohibits open campfires outside designated rings. Stage 2 typically prohibits all campfires plus most off-road vehicle use plus chainsaw and welding work. Stage 3 closes the land entirely. Most Southern California NFs (Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres, San Bernardino) issue blanket campfire bans during summer months — propane stoves are the only option. The Eastern Sierra (Inyo NF) and Sierra Nevada NFs issue restrictions on a rolling basis. California also has a California Campfire Permit requirement (free, online from CalFire) for any dispersed campfire on state, federal, or private land — even when not in a restricted-fire stage. Always check the specific forest, BLM district, or CalFire status before lighting a fire.
Can I camp at Alabama Hills?
Yes — Alabama Hills is one of the most iconic free dispersed camping areas in the country. Located just east of Lone Pine at the foot of Mt Whitney in the Eastern Sierra, Alabama Hills is BLM-managed (Bishop Field Office) with roughly 30,000 acres of pinnacles, boulders, and arches that have served as the backdrop for over 400 Hollywood movies. Dispersed camping is allowed throughout the area with the standard 14-day BLM stay limit. Movie Flat Road off Whitney Portal Road is the most popular dispersed corridor — first-come first-served, no reservations, no fees, no facilities (pack out all waste, including human). The area can fill on weekends in spring and fall (the best seasons — summers are hot, winters can snow but are usually camp-able). High-clearance is helpful for the inner roads but most dispersed pull-offs are accessible to any passenger vehicle. Lone Pine has full services (fuel, food, water) 5 minutes away.
Featured regions
Where to look first in California.
Five regions that account for most of the high-quality free dispersed camping in the state. Each one is a multi-day base.
USFS — Inyo NF + BLM Bishop Field Office
Eastern Sierra — Alabama Hills, Bishop & Mammoth (MARQUEE)
The Eastern Sierra is California's marquee free-dispersed corridor — the biggest pure-free-dispersed cluster of any region in the program. Alabama Hills (BLM-managed, ~30,000 acres at the foot of Mt Whitney near Lone Pine — 400+ Hollywood films, dispersed allowed under standard 14-day BLM rules) is the iconic centerpiece. Around Bishop: McGee Creek Road, Rock Creek Road, and the Bristlecone Pine Forest area (Inyo NF). Around Mammoth Lakes: Convict Lake, June Lake Loop, Twin Lakes Mammoth, Devils Postpile NM corridor (Inyo NF dispersed plus paid developed). Most Inyo NF dispersed at altitude is summer-only (above 8,000 feet closed Nov-May); lower-elevation BLM around Bishop and Alabama Hills is year-round camp-able.
37.37°N, 118.40°W
USFS — Stanislaus / Sierra / Inyo (NPS — Yosemite for in-park)
Yosemite-adjacent NFs (Stanislaus, Sierra, Inyo via Tioga)
Yosemite National Park allows zero free dispersed camping inside park boundaries — all 13 in-park campgrounds are paid + reservation on recreation.gov. For free dispersed camping near Yosemite, head into the surrounding national forests. Stanislaus NF (Highway 120 corridor north of Yosemite, toward Sonora Pass) has dispersed pull-offs on Forest Roads. Sierra NF (Bass Lake area + Fish Camp gateway town + Forest Roads off Highway 41 south of the park) has dispersed plus developed CGs. Inyo NF eastside (Tioga Pass into Mammoth Lakes, summer-only) connects to the Eastern Sierra dispersed corridor. The park requires a $35 per-vehicle 7-day entrance pass and the iconic gateway towns (Groveland, Oakhurst, Fish Camp, Mariposa, El Portal) all sit inside these surrounding NFs.
37.85°N, 119.55°W
NPS — Joshua Tree / Mojave + BLM Mojave Trails NM
Joshua Tree, Mojave & SoCal Desert
Joshua Tree NP has 9 paid + reservation in-park campgrounds (Black Rock Canyon, Hidden Valley, Jumbo Rocks, Belle, White Tank, Ryan Mountain, Sheep Pass, Indian Cove, Cottonwood) and zero free dispersed inside park boundaries. For free dispersed near JTree, head south to BLM-managed lands along the Hwy 62 / Mojave Trails National Monument corridor, or west to Big Morongo Canyon Preserve. Mojave National Preserve, 90 miles north of JTree, is the unusual NPS unit that DOES allow free roadside dispersed camping — similar rules to BLM (14 days, no fees, pack out everything). The whole SoCal Desert region (JTree + Mojave NP + the BLM Anza-Borrego adjacencies) is winter-best — summer temperatures regularly exceed 110°F. Palm Springs RV resorts cover the developed-camping audience for those who don't want dispersed.
34.00°N, 115.90°W
USFS — Cleveland / Angeles / San Bernardino NFs
SoCal Mountains — Cleveland, Angeles & San Bernardino NFs
California's four southern national forests (Cleveland NF in San Diego County, Angeles NF in LA, San Bernardino NF east of LA, and Los Padres NF along the central coast) have limited free dispersed camping compared to the Sierra Nevada — fire restrictions are blanket during much of the year and many developed sites require the California Adventure Pass ($5/day or $30/year). In San Diego County, the Mt Laguna area within Cleveland NF (Pine Valley + Mt Laguna Recreation Area) is the closest free-dispersed-friendly corridor, though most developed sites charge fees. Around LA, the Angeles NF Crest Highway corridor (Highway 2) and the San Bernardino NF Big Bear area offer dispersed in some seasons. The honest summary: SoCal mountain dispersed is much harder than Sierra Nevada or Eastern Sierra — supply is genuinely limited. Most San Diego-area searchers want answers they can act on; this section provides them.
34.20°N, 117.50°W
USFS — Shasta-Trinity / Klamath / Lassen / Modoc / Six Rivers
Far-Northern California — Mt Shasta, Trinity Alps & Lava Beds
California's northernmost region behaves like an extension of the Pacific Northwest. Shasta-Trinity NF (the largest NF in California by acreage, around Mt Shasta + the Trinity Alps Wilderness) has extensive free dispersed camping on Forest Roads accessible from Highway 89, Highway 96, and Highway 299. Klamath NF (along the Klamath River + Marble Mountain Wilderness, near the OR border) offers Salmon and Scott River dispersed corridors. Lassen NF and Lassen Volcanic NP form the southern bookend — Lassen NF has dispersed; the NP has developed campgrounds only. Modoc NF in the far NE corner and Six Rivers NF on the Lost Coast (King Range BLM included) round out the region. Lava Beds NM (in Modoc territory) is small but has a developed CG. Best season is May through October — winters bring heavy snow above 4,000 feet.
41.20°N, 122.30°W
Camping California in a truck camper
Will a slide-in camper handle the road network here?
California has the densest USFS road network of any state in the program (4,261 primary segments across 18 admin national forests). Most popular Eastern Sierra dispersed corridors are graded gravel — Alabama Hills near Lone Pine, McGee Creek + Rock Creek south of Mammoth, Lake Mary Road in Mammoth Lakes Basin, and the June Lake Loop all handle stock half-ton or midsize pickups. Yosemite-adjacent dispersed in Stanislaus NF (Highway 120 corridor) and Sierra NF (Bass Lake area, Fish Camp gateway) is also stock-friendly. The deeper spurs into Inyo NF wilderness boundaries, the Sequoia NF high country, and the Trinity Alps backroads reward higher clearance + a lighter camper. SoCal NFs (Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres, San Bernardino) have shorter dispersed road corridors but rougher surfaces in places — fire-closures often dictate access more than road condition.
A Kimbo 6 at 830 lb base dry weight is one of the lightest hard-side options for the small-pickup payload range; the Kimbo 8 (1,125 lb base dry) is the full-size option with a queen cabover and dedicated wet bath — both built for the kind of road network California has.
If you already have the truck and you're trying to figure out whether a Kimbo fits it, the per-truck fit guide is the right next step.
Land managers
Who manages the land in California.
The forests, parks, and recreation lands you can camp on across California.
BLM — California State Office
Manages ~15 million acres in California — Eastern Sierra, Mojave, Carrizo Plain, Lost Coast, and southern California desert lands.
blm.gov ↗
BLM — Bishop Field Office (Eastern Sierra)
Manages the Eastern Sierra BLM corridor including Alabama Hills, Volcanic Tablelands, and the Owens Valley.
blm.gov ↗
USFS — Inyo National Forest (Eastern Sierra)
Eastern Sierra USFS from Mono Lake south past Mt Whitney — ~1.9 million acres. Bishop, Mammoth, and Tioga Pass corridor.
fs.usda.gov ↗
USFS — Sequoia National Forest
Southern Sierra NF surrounding Sequoia + Kings Canyon NPs — ~1.1 million acres. Giant Sequoia National Monument included.
fs.usda.gov ↗
USFS — Sierra National Forest
Western Sierra NF south of Yosemite (Bass Lake, Fish Camp gateway, Ansel Adams + John Muir Wilderness boundaries) — ~1.3 million acres.
fs.usda.gov ↗
USFS — Stanislaus National Forest
Western Sierra NF north of Yosemite (Highway 120 corridor, Sonora Pass) — ~898,000 acres.
fs.usda.gov ↗
USFS — Tahoe National Forest
Northern Sierra NF north of Lake Tahoe (Truckee, Sierra City, Downieville) — ~870,000 acres.
fs.usda.gov ↗
USFS — Eldorado National Forest
Sierra NF south of Lake Tahoe (Highway 50 corridor, Crystal Basin) — ~786,000 acres.
fs.usda.gov ↗
USFS — Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Special-status USFS unit covering most of the Lake Tahoe basin (both CA and NV sides) — about 154,000 acres of federal land around the lake.
fs.usda.gov ↗
USFS — Shasta-Trinity National Forest
Largest CA NF by acreage (~2.1 million acres) — Mt Shasta, Trinity Alps Wilderness, Trinity + Shasta lakes.
fs.usda.gov ↗
USFS — Klamath National Forest
Far-north CA + small OR slice (~1.7 million acres) — Klamath + Salmon rivers, Marble Mountain Wilderness.
fs.usda.gov ↗
USFS — Lassen National Forest
Northeast CA around Lassen Volcanic NP (~1.2 million acres) — Caribou + Thousand Lakes wildernesses.
fs.usda.gov ↗
USFS — Plumas National Forest
Northern Sierra NF around Quincy + Lake Almanor (~1.1 million acres) — Bucks Lake + Feather River corridor.
fs.usda.gov ↗
USFS — Six Rivers National Forest
NW coast CA (~990,000 acres) — Lost Coast / King Range coordination, Smith River.
fs.usda.gov ↗
USFS — Modoc National Forest
Far NE corner CA (~1.6 million acres) — South Warner Wilderness, Lava Beds NM adjacency.
fs.usda.gov ↗
USFS — Mendocino National Forest
Coast Range NF NW of Sacramento (~913,000 acres) — Snow Mountain + Yolla Bolly wildernesses.
fs.usda.gov ↗
USFS — Los Padres National Forest
Central coast CA (~1.75 million acres) — Big Sur backcountry, Ventana Wilderness, Santa Lucia range.
fs.usda.gov ↗
USFS — Cleveland National Forest
San Diego + Orange County mountains (~460,000 acres) — Mt Laguna + Palomar + Trabuco districts.
fs.usda.gov ↗
USFS — Angeles National Forest
LA basin mountains (~700,000 acres) — Crest Highway + San Gabriel Wilderness.
fs.usda.gov ↗
USFS — San Bernardino National Forest
Mountains east of LA (~677,000 acres) — Big Bear, San Gorgonio + San Jacinto wildernesses.
fs.usda.gov ↗
NPS — Yosemite National Park
~3.9M annual visitors. 13 developed campgrounds; reserve on recreation.gov. $35 vehicle entrance fee. No dispersed in-park.
nps.gov ↗
NPS — Joshua Tree National Park
~3M annual visitors. 9 developed campgrounds; mostly reservation. $30 vehicle entrance fee. No dispersed in-park.
nps.gov ↗
NPS — Mojave National Preserve
1.6M acres east of Barstow. The RARE NPS unit that DOES allow free roadside dispersed camping similar to BLM rules.
nps.gov ↗
NPS — Death Valley National Park
Largest NP in the lower 48 (3.4M acres). 9 developed campgrounds (mix of reservation + first-come). $30 vehicle pass.
nps.gov ↗
NPS — Sequoia & Kings Canyon NPs (joint)
Adjacent NPs in the southern Sierra (~865,000 + ~462,000 acres). 14 developed campgrounds. $35 vehicle entrance fee.
nps.gov ↗
California Department of Parks and Recreation
Manages 280 state parks including iconic coastal CGs (Pfeiffer Big Sur, Julia Pfeiffer Burns, Andrew Molera, Fort Bragg) and Anza-Borrego SP (largest in CA system).
parks.ca.gov ↗
Leave no trace
Pack out everything. Stay 200 ft from water. Use existing fire rings only.
Free dispersed camping survives because the people doing it leave campsites better than they found them. The 14-day rule, the fire restrictions, and the road closures all exist because previous visitors did not. Pack out trash. Bury human waste 6 inches deep, 200 feet from any water source. Use existing fire rings only and drown campfires until the ash is cold. Park on durable surfaces. Drive existing roads.
Last updated: June 28, 2026. First published June 28, 2026. Editorial maintained by the Kimbo Campers team in Bellingham, Washington — we've been camping California public land for 9+ years and update this page when agency rules or seasonal access changes.