Lake Camping Near Hayward, California, US: 12 Best Lake Campsites 2025

Welcome to Hipcamp, the ultimate camping resource! With over 420 options available near Hayward, California, you'll find the perfect campsite for your lake-loving adventures. Looking for reviews? Check out our top-rated campsites like The Meadows at Isleton (514 reviews), Walden Ranch (418 reviews), and Sierra Circles Sculpture Garden (388 reviews). Enjoy popular amenities like campfires, potable water, and trash services, while indulging in activities such as paddling, surfing, and exploring historic sites. With an average price per night of $66 and options as low as $30, your dream camping experience awaits!

87% (1.1K)

Top-rated campgrounds

Welcome to Hipcamp, the ultimate camping resource! With over 420 options available near Hayward, California, you'll find the perfect campsite for your lake-loving adventures. Looking for reviews? Check out our top-rated campsites like The Meadows at Isleton (514 reviews), Walden Ranch (418 reviews), and Sierra Circles Sculpture Garden (388 reviews). Enjoy popular amenities like campfires, potable water, and trash services, while indulging in activities such as paddling, surfing, and exploring historic sites. With an average price per night of $66 and options as low as $30, your dream camping experience awaits!

87% (1.1K)

Top-rated campgrounds

1. The Ranch at Cross Road

96%

(654)

23mi from Hayward · 12 sites · Tents, RVs · Livermore, CA

Welcome to the ranch at cross road! We are a family owned organic farm in the heart of Livermore wine country. We have 10 camp sites spread across the property for you to choose from. The property is 15 minutes from Lake Del Valle and some of the best wineries and breweries California has to offer. Settle in and enjoy amazing sunsets every night with us! We accommodate tents,Travel trailers, Fifth wheels, Toy haulers, Pop-up campers, Class A RVs, Class B RVs, Class C RVs, Campervans, and Cars. Our guests love us too! "I had a wonderful stay at Matt’s ranch! It was easy to find even as it was starting to get dark, and the campsites were well lit and easy to find. The ranch is beautiful. It was such a treat to stay here. I would definitely stay again."

2. The Meadows at Isleton

95%

(1523)

45mi from Hayward · 20 sites · Tents, RVs · Isleton, CA

Once an asparagus farm for Heinz, the property was left neglected for over 25 years. They started to convert the land to a lavender farm when they realized that there was more that they should do to enjoy their journey, hence; they incorporated the camping to share this beautiful location with others. From majestic sunrises to magnificent sunsets, The Meadows offers not only a calm and relaxing atmosphere gained from the Lavenders growing, but also provides a central location to all of the California River Delta venues and experiences. From local wine tasting to boating, fishing or just enjoying the nearby collectic towns, Bring your tent, trailer, or motor home to enjoy the heart of the California river delta. Each campsite is extra large for privacy and room to spread out. Dog-friendly. Watch the sunset while enjoying the picturesque views of the surrounding vineyards. Walk the streets of our historic downtown and visit the small shops and locally-owned restaurants-- Manny’s Barzzeria, Mc Broodery's, Pineapples, or Peters Steak House. Of course, don’t miss out on DeJacks our country store that stocks it all!! Spend the day at the public fishing docks, kayak for the day in the delta waters, or head over to Sherman Islands epic wind/kite surfing areas. Local year-round festivals abound in the Delta and The Meadows is strategically located central to all. Our small town of 800 people will truly give you the feeling of being out of the big city!

3. 10000 Ranch

93%

(52)

49mi from Hayward · 4 sites · Tents, RVs, Lodging · Gilroy, CA

Quiet 5-acre grassland awaits you, complete with a pond, a garden, a paved platform with chairs and a table, and a fire pit. The property is secure with a gated lock. The pond attracts frequent visits from wild geese, ducks, and cranes, while a flock of peacocks and turkeys are also regular visitors. Keep an eye out for eagles and turkey vultures soaring overhead, and marvel at the graceful deer effortlessly leaping over the property fence. Local attractions abound, including wineries, Gilroy Gardens, the Gilroy Premium Outlet and Pinnacles National Park. Located on the famous Gilroy Wine Trail boasting over 30 family-owned wineries, 10000 Ranch offers easy access to Stefania Wine (stefaniawine.com), just a short walk away, and Kirigin Cellars (kirigincellars.com) a short distance away. Enjoy live outdoor music and a friendly atmosphere at Cottage Creek Vineyards (cottagecreekvineyard.com). Gilroy Gardens (gilroygardens.org) is less than 7 miles away, promising an unforgettable day for the whole family followed by a relaxing camping night—a memory to cherish. Only 5 miles away, Gilroy Premium Outlet beckons with its vast selection of famous goods at deeply discounted prices. With so much to explore, why not extend your shopping spree into the next morning? Pinnacles National Park is a short car ride away. Hike the many hiking trails with gorgeous views, explore Balconies Cave and Bear Gulch Cave with waterfalls in them, and watch California Condors soaring over the High Peaks, Remember to bring your headlamp for the caves and binoculars for the wildlife. And, note that no road connects the West and the East entrances.

4. Anthony Chabot Regional Park

94%

(33)

78 sites · Castro Valley, California

Camp, bike, ride and hike in the gorgeous East Bay hills near Oakland.

5. Henry W. Coe State Park

89%

(36)

29 sites · Morgan Hill, California

This lesser-known wilderness escape puts you far away from fellow humans.

Pets

Potable water

Toilets

6. Redwood Ranch with Sweeping View

65%

(42)

45mi from Hayward · 8 sites · Tents, Lodging · Gilroy, CA

Our 6+ acre ranch Misthaven sits in the redwood forest at Gilroy, just 20min from Gilroy downtown and 45min from San Jose. This ranch has huge space, lots of ranch amenities and many ranch related activities. If you are planning a short trip that you do not have to drive several hours to the busy lake Tahoe, Misthaven would be an ideal destination for family retreat, team building, or even a birthday party. The ranch includes a 2,000 sq ft large barn with spacious indoor space, a 400 sq ft woodworking and crafts workshop, a 1,000 sq ft ranch center with microwave, oven and refrigerator, an amazing zipline, a shooting range for archery and BB gun under our staff guidance and supervision, a fenced petting zoo with goats, chicken, bunny and guinea pig, hammocks in the redwood forest and plenty of beautiful redwood trees. With the ranch booking, you will have the access to: - BBQ and fire pit usage (charcoal/propane with extra charge of $20) - Fire-Roasted Golden Marshmallow Challenge (bring your own marshmallow or purchase with us, we provide skewers) - Trampoline - Hammock - Tree climbing - Petting zoo ($5/cup snack food for pets and animals) - Edible garden - 2,000 sq ft large barn indoor space - 400 sq ft woodworking and crafts indoor space (woodworking activities need to be booked separately) - Water gun - 18ft inflatable Water slide - Outdoor movie projector/screen - Tables and folding chairs There are plenty of ranch activities that you can book with us WITH A FEE separately during your stay. All will be supervised and guided by our professional instructors: - archery - Knife Throwing - Learn survival techniques for lighting your campfire - Spear making - Water filtration in an outdoor environment - Shelter building - Tomahawks - Outdoor BB gun arcade - Camp Zipline and fun forest features. - Woodworking such as Candy dispenser making, Bird feeder making, etc - Pizza making and Ice cream making, butter churning - and many others 20min to the Mt. Madonna County park. 20min to the Gilroy Garden theme park. 50min to Santa Cruz beach and the beautiful Capitola beach. 1hr to Monterey/Carmel.

7. Point Reyes National Seashore

99%

(326)

65 sites · Inverness, California

Foggy mornings add to the ambiance and mystique of this gorgeous coastal area.

Potable water

Toilets

Campfires

Public campgrounds near Hayward

94%

(33)

Anthony Chabot Family Campground

7.2mi from Hayward · 78 sites · Tents, RVs · in Anthony Chabot Regional Park

89%

(36)

Coe Ranch Campground

43mi from Hayward · 27 sites · Tents, RVs · in Henry W. Coe State Park

99%

(79)

Wildcat Campground

44mi from Hayward · 7 sites · in Point Reyes National Seashore

93%

(23)

Glen Campground

45mi from Hayward · 11 sites · in Point Reyes National Seashore

100%

(62)

Sky Campground

49mi from Hayward · 11 sites · in Point Reyes National Seashore

Great place for a beginners backpacking trip. We stayed at campsite #6. It was very secluded and quiet. You can walk from the coast camp sites on a short trail to the beach. Huge Beach with beautiful sand and not too many people around.

99%

(70)

Coast Campground

49mi from Hayward · 11 sites · in Point Reyes National Seashore

Stories from the community

M

Mary

1 week ago

20 ft Class C

Weekend Trip to 10000 Ranch

Quiet spot and Edward was a very responsive host. It's also nice to be a short drive from everything in Gilroy.

D

Deneen

2 weeks ago

24 ft Class C

With pets

3 nights at The Ranch at Cross Road

What a beautiful, scenic place! We highly recommend this spot.

A

ARICK

November 2025

18 ft campervan

1 night at 10000 Ranch

It was very pleasant, Edward is great

C

Chase

November 2025

16 ft travel trailer

4 nights at The Ranch at Cross Road

Tons of space. Beautiful farm. Bathroom clean with a fun partially outdoor shower. Overall, would recommend.

B

Barb

October 2025

35 ft Class A

With pets

2 nights at The Ranch at Cross Road

The setting is beautiful. Out in the country with a very large hill behind you and many in front of you. Some livestock and QUIET. It is so quiet; it's wonderful. The physical spaces are wide set which is really nice. I couldn't hear our generator when I took our pup for her morning constitutional once I got to the next space. Having the gate for security is excellent. You get the code once your reservation is finalized. Matt was very responsive to emails sent thru Hipcamp. We'll stay at The Ranch again. We have a 35' motorhome and pull a Jeep.

A

Amit

October 2025

16 ft car

1 night at The Ranch at Cross Road

Love the Camp sites. Nice clean and very responsive host.

T

Tharindu

October 2025

16 ft car

Weekend Trip to The Ranch at Cross Road

The place was pretty good. The bathroom was clean and well equipped. The ranch had everything for a quiet and calm sleep.

Janelle

October 2025

Tent

With pets

Weekend Trip to The Ranch at Cross Road

Had a great experience camping here! The bathrooms can be a little bit of a walk from some of the sites, but I was impressed that the bathrooms were very clean and well stocked. I was extra impressed with the porta-potty’s automatic lights that flicked on when it was dark as well as the sink for hand washing outside. This is a great place to camp if you have a large group since there are a lot of sites that can easily be combined. I’d recommend to arrive early if coming with a group and looking to combine sites since the sites are first come first serve. Lake Del Valle was about 25 min drive away and there were several wineries within 1-15 minute drive. There was even a dispensary 6 minutes away which was a pleasant surprise.

Cassandra

October 2025

Tent

With pets

Weekend Trip to The Ranch at Cross Road

Easy access. Flat ground. Great facilities. 100% recommend if you're looking for a hassle free, worry free place to camp.

Beautiful place to camp. I sleep great here every time.

Rick

October 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to The Ranch at Cross Road

Camping at Matt's ranch never disappoints. Fell asleep to near silence, woke to an occasional coyote call, and slept in until 8am when a far off rooster decided it was morning. Bathroom was clean, property was gorgeous, love this place.

A

Aimee

October 2025

23 ft travel trailer

4 nights at The Ranch at Cross Road

Communication went smoothly throughout our stay. The site felt spacious, quiet and safe while still being centrally located. We would definitely camp here again.

C

Crystal

October 2025

21 ft travel trailer

With kids

Weekend Trip to The Ranch at Cross Road

We enjoyed our stay. There was lots of space for the kids to play and not interrupt anyone else’s campsites. The kids loved visiting the goats and the swing.

S

Sten

October 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to 10000 Ranch

Really cool spot right in the middle of a bunch of national park and forest land.

C

Cladellain

October 2025

Weekend Trip to 10000 Ranch

Great place to get away from the city! The RV was clean and stocked with essentials for cooking and the shower and toilet was close by. We brought our own sleeping bags and pillows, which worked out perfectly. We booked this stay to be closer to the wineries, pumpkin patches, and u-pick farms nearby, it was such a convenient location for exploring the area. Would definitely come back again!

S

Sabrina

October 2025

18 ft campervan

1 night at The Ranch at Cross Road

We really liked the Camping ground on Matt's land. It's big, and beautiful. You've got everything you need. 😊 Would definitely come again.

R

Richard

September 2025

Tent

1 night at The Ranch at Cross Road

Communicative host & a nice bathroom / shower set up. Id stay here again 👍

J

Jendl Joyce

September 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to 10000 Ranch

It’s a nice, clean and spacious place to camp. The host is also very responsive, welcoming and accommodating. He even offered his RV if needed during our camp. There is also a storage where you get some chairs, table and game stuff that you can use. A great place to stay for those new campers- with toilet, shower. It’s safe as it’s close to the host’s house.

c

charline

September 2025

16 ft Class A

1 night at The Ranch at Cross Road

Amazing location. Camping is quiet, the set up is really great. Host was responsive! We actually stay there a second night since it was great.

C

Curtis

September 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to 10000 Ranch

Nice farm close to Gilroy Wine Farm country. Plus is use of bathroom.

R

Rob

September 2025

17 ft campervan

Weekend Trip to 10000 Ranch

Great to be out under the stars in Edward’s field. Lots of animals to peek your curiosity when you wake up. Had a decent shower and bathroom yet we didn’t use the shower. Would stay there again.