Los Padres National Forest, California

Looking for camping in one of the largest National Forests in California? Found it! The Los Padres National Forest provides Southern California and Bay Area campers with a variety of terrain, wildlife, and recreational activities. With 1,257 miles of maintained trails for day-use and extended backpacking opportunities, there is plenty of room for exploration. Los Padres National Forest camping features drastic geographical changes from sea level streams, rivers, and beaches, to almost 9,000 feet in elevation on the Mt. Pinos Ranger District.

Why stick to a single day trip? Setup and stay a while, Los Padres National Forest camping has 62 campgrounds (not campsites, but full campgrounds!) that are perfect for an extended stay. The Los Padres National Forest offers beautiful camping areas that vary from low to high elevation, along the river or into the forest, and primitive or developed options. However, most of the Los Padres National Forest campsites lean toward a more primitive experience.