The best desert campgrounds near Millbrae, California

93% (421 reviews)

Popular camping styles for Millbrae

Top-rated campgrounds

93% (421 reviews)

Popular camping styles for Millbrae

Top-rated campgrounds

1. Silicon Valley View

94%

(283)

49mi from Millbrae · 10 sites · Tents, RVs · Day Valley, CA

We created this space for everyone to enjoy.

2. Santa Cruz Mountains with ocean 👁

100%

(4)

50mi from Millbrae · 1 site · Tent, RV · Los Gatos, CA

This is a great place to get away and come camp here in the Santa Cruz Mountains, a perfect location for tent camping or come park your trailer or Motorhome/Bus. We have great hiking in the near area and 5 miles away there is great mountain biking trails. A world renoun mountain bike spot with intermediate to experienced trails for riders of all levels. 5 miles down the road as well is buzzard lagoon and is a great Dirt biking/4-wheeling location. It is a fun spot for all off road inthusiast! Your camping site is on a flat plateu and is an ideal spot to park your trailer, motorhome or tent camp. With Complete privacy with views of the pacific ocean and South county's Monterey bay with a 180 degree view as well as San jose and Morgan Hill. For the wine inthusiast, Loma Prieta winery is 5.5 miles away along with Windy Oaks Winery that is 3.7 miles away that is located on the "Wine trail" that has alots of winerys to offer in a beautiful location. A Day of fun for the family at Gilroy Gardens that is 15.5 miles away. The beach is 30-40 minutes away with great surfing and body boarding up and down the coastline. We will see you soon!

3. Santa Cruz Bayview Retreat

94%

(293)

50mi from Millbrae · 4 sites · Tents, RVs · Day Valley, CA

Experience everything the Bay Area has to offer from this mountain top site. Roughly 50 minutes to any city in the Bay Area, this site is ideal for any person looking for an adventurous getaway retreat. The Serenity and privacy make this an uncommon, yet ideal romantic place to stay. This site is sheltered by the manzanitas and pines of this chaparral community. Adventure seekers will find paradise here! Mount Madonna Park with miles of trails is 20 minutes down the road. You can dump your septic there as well! Horseback riding rentals are located near the park as well as an archery range. Demonstration forest is 15 minutes down the road, with miles of mountain biking. Spend a day at one of the beaches in Santa Cruz, Capitola, Aptos, Rio Del Mar, Davenport, Half Moon Bay, Monterey, or Carmel and return to your private oasis. Or Explore Silicon Valley from this centrally located parcel. Kim Son Meditation Center and Mount Madonna Center are approximately 15 minutes away. There are also wonderful wineries throughout the mountains here. The trip to the site will begin with a three mile drive on a private dirt road. Being on the very top of a mountain brings more seasonality than the surrounding cities. Please be prepared for any kind of extreme weather. Summer: Shade is highly recommended it can get into triple digits. *Spring/fall: Temperatures are generally mild but high winds are possible. *Winter: Typically cold and windy. *During rainy/muddy conditions 4x4/AWD is highly recommended. It is possible for it to get windy, foggy, rainy, hot and sunny, and even sometimes snowy. Please note: the nearest grocer is 30 minutes from this site. Emergency supplies are available for delivery to your campsite. Cell phone reception is good on most carriers. Pets are allowed. Enjoy your time howling at the moon, star gazing, bird watching/wildlife viewing, or relaxing with your favorite libation. Don't forget your camera! Since this is our first year renting our land we have found that August is a high wasp season time in the mountains. We are doing everything humanly possible to hunt down each and every Wasp for your enjoyment. With this in mind we ask you use the provided bug repellent, keep the lid to the trash closed, and do not pour grease anywhere you do not want wasps.

Stories from the community

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Ian

2 weeks ago

18 ft campervan

Weekend Trip to Santa Cruz Mountains with ocean 👁

Beautiful spot. Definitely off grid - the last 3ish miles of the road are pretty gnarly but we saw Priuses at the top and we were just fine in our 2wd camper.

Max

September 2025

10 ft pop-up camper

With pets

Weekend Trip to Silicon Valley View

Loved this site! All the sites are wonderful and perfect for a nice night or weekend under the stars. Quiet, clean, and great views.

Max

September 2025

10 ft pop-up camper

Group trip

Weekend Trip to Silicon Valley View

Beautiful spot, super host, and safe clean camp. One of my top go-to get away weekend locations!

A

Andrew

September 2025

16 ft car

Weekend Trip to Silicon Valley View

The view was absolutely stunning, and the weather couldn’t have been better. The drive there was very scenic, which made the trip even more enjoyable. The atmosphere at the campsite was peaceful and relaxing. Honestly, the only downside was that the trip felt over too quickly — I could have stayed much longer! 10/10 would recommend, and I’ll definitely be coming back.

Christopher

August 2025

20 ft Class B

Weekend Trip to Santa Cruz Mountains with ocean 👁

Super easy to find, the road was not terrible coming in from 17. Little chalkboard sign on the left “Panoramic View”. Absolutely great spot! Great view of Monterey Bay and the town below. Walk across the site and you’re looking at the South end of San Jose. Beware of thorns and mind the dust.

A

Amy

July 2025

Tent

With pets

Weekend Trip to Silicon Valley View

We came from the South Bay and took the 17 to get to the site. We did get lost with limited reception but the host was able to find us. When we left, we made the mistake of taking the other way and I don't recommend it at all. Campsite #10 was at the edge towards the back and the shade from the trees helped with our car camping. Having a picnic table and a trash can with a lid was super helpful to have at the campsite. Even though we brought bug repellent, we got bit up quite a bit. I would recommend bringing your own portable potty system instead of using the shared one on site. The view was great during the sunset and sunrise. We were able to see the stars at night, which is something we don't get to see in the South Bay. I think this is a great spot if you just need a quick getaway from the city.