River, stream, or creek camping near San Luis Obispo

Hit this sunny city for beach camping, mountain trails, monarch butterflies, and wine tasting.

96% (1512 reviews)

United States
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California
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San Luis Obispo

96% (1512 reviews)

Popular camping styles for San Luis Obispo

Community favorites near San Luis Obispo

Public campgrounds near San Luis Obispo

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(9)

Santa Margarita Lake Recreation Area

57 sites · RVs, Tents In Santa Margarita Lake

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(1)

La Panza Campground

15 sites · RVs, Tents In Los Padres National Forest

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(2)

Horseshoe Springs Campground

3 sites · RVs, Tents In Los Padres National Forest

100%

(2)

Wagon Flat Campground

3 sites · RVs, Tents In Los Padres National Forest

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(1)

Miranda Pine Campground

3 sites · RVs, Tents In Los Padres National Forest

Friis Campground

3 sites · RVs, Tents In Los Padres National Forest

Hi Mountain Campground

11 sites · RVs, Tents In Los Padres National Forest

American Canyon Seasonal Campground

14 sites · RVs, Tents In Los Padres National Forest

Baja Campground

1 site · RV, Tent In Los Padres National Forest

Buck Spring Campground

1 site · RV, Tent In Los Padres National Forest

Brookshire Campground

2 sites · RVs, Tents In Los Padres National Forest

79%

(7)

Cerro Alto Campground

22 sites · RVs, Tents In Los Padres National Forest

Stories from the community

Site 1 and 2 offer a road base pad, just beyond the tree.

Tim

2 weeks ago

15 ft campervan

Weekend Trip to Broken Branch Creek

Beautiful views of oak savanna, friendly cattle grazing nearby in the morning, well-maintained toilets, and good water.

Weekend Trip to Vinyl Vineyards

Our family absolutely loved staying at Vinyl Vineyards! The cleanliness and accommodations were amazing. We particularly enjoyed the grilling and fire pit area. The bathrooms and showers were great and we very much appreciated all the little touches we found around the campground. We will definitely be back!

1 night at Vinyl Vineyards

We really enjoyed our two nights at Vinyl Vineyard. Lots of open space with nice views of surrounding country side in Paso Robles. Jeff is a great host and very responsive. His Rose wine is great too!

1 night at Vinyl Vineyards

We really enjoyed our 2 nights at the Vinyl Camp. Lots a peace and solitude outside of Paso Robles. Jeff is an excellent host and provided a really tasting experience of his tasty wines.

Weekend Trip to Creekside Camping and Mineral Baths

Nice property. Read the instructions before you get there, since there isn’t WiFi. My bad! Otherwise, great! I felt safe and cozy.

Weekend Trip to Creekside Camping and Mineral Baths

Loved this place. Chatted with Robert who is awesome. He told us the history of the Mercury mine and told us a few hikes we could go on on the property. The sounds of the creek and the frogs were lovely to sleep to. Met the cat Jersey and the dog Curti who just roam about. Very friendly humans and animals !

Weekend Trip to Vinyl Vineyards

Such a great little spot!!!! I came with my campervan and my dog and spent just a night but wish I had stayed longer! Site 10 is so nice. It's at the end of the row so looking in one direction is empty and just landscape and views. Neighbors in 9 were close but totally fine and honestly I like saying hi to people so it was perfect. My dog has a short coat so it wasn't an issue but there does seem to be a lot of foxtails on the edges of the roads and sites so just to keep in mind! The bathrooms looked to be a short walk but I was self contained so didn't get to utilize. Nighttime was quiet and calm. Would love to come back! Plug vinyl vineyards into your gps and it's an easy ride into camp.

3 nights at Vinyl Vineyards

Amazing property. Very responsive host. Close to downtown Paso.

Weekend Trip to Creekside Camping and Mineral Baths

I loved camping at this location. Robo the host was very accomodating and the campsite was beautiful, positioned next to a creek and some wonderful historical minining buildings. There was 5 of us and the campsite easily accomodated all of us.

Weekend Trip to Creekside Camping and Mineral Baths

This spot was so cool. Our campsite felt secluded and private (we stayed in the lower redwood site) and the mineral baths were awesome. Fun relaxing trip!

Weekend Trip to -G Ranch

Our group had an amazing time camping at G Ranch! Dave was very helpful and communicative. The property is incredibly beautiful and secluded, with a large flat area for plenty of tents, vans, RVs, etc. The pavilion shade structure made a perfect dance floor, firepit is awesome and well maintained, and the water tank bar was a big hit! The bathroom facility is a great amenity as well. The site is easily accessible with a paved road most of the way and a short, well-maintained, gravel entrance road. We can't wait to come back!

2 nights at Vinyl Vineyards

We loved our stay at Vinyl Vineyards. They could use a little better signage for entering/exiting, but that is only an issue on your first day. It is super close to some nice wineries, and we even loved the outdoor showers. We will definitely stay here again.

Chris

March 2025

2 nights at Vinyl Vineyards

This place was perfect for our family. Great location. Not too far from town for all the conveniences but also far enough to see every star away from the city lights. The site had everything you would need. Very nice bbq grills, lights, fire pit, frisbee golf, corn hole, etc.

Weekend Trip to -G Ranch

Dave is awesome - super chill and reliable and a great communicator. So is Greg who came by a few times to check in. Amazing views, great infrastructure, and good company. He even got us wood a few times to keep the fire stoked. Will be coming back in a few months. Love the freedom and flexibility both dave and this place provides

2 nights at Broken Branch Creek

Beautiful site, quiet and dark night skies. Welcoming hosts

Weekend Trip to Vinyl Vineyards

Very cool place! Things to do and places to walk. Close to town. Beautiful and peaceful.

Weekend Trip to Vinyl Vineyards

My daughter and I throughly enjoyed site 10 which held both our vehicles easily. Nice picnic table and comfortable chairs. We brought firewood and used the communal pit at sunset which was really nice. The whole camping/glamping property is well maintained and would be fabulous for a large group of friends. No shade so March was a beautiful time to be there to enjoy a walk around the vineyards and relaxing. Oh, and Jeffrey kindly delivered our wine to our campsite. Thanks Jeffrey!

Weekend Trip to Vinyl Vineyards

Great location in a beautiful vineyard only 10 minutes from downtown Paso. We loved hanging out by the fire pit and on the lookout hill. I really appreciate the amenities - not just the great clean bathrooms & showers, but also the trash cans at every site and plenty of tables & chairs.

Weekend Trip to Broken Branch Creek

Cabernet and Kevin were great hosts, checking in with me several times to make sure everything was ok. Very friendly and accommodating. The camping is a restful spot in a big field. The sites are not separated, but I was the only one there so privacy was not an issue. Sites are very close to the road with more daytime road noise than I expected. However, nights were quiet and peaceful. Overall my experience was very good. Some amenities are provided, like water, a porta potty, and picnic tables. No electric, of course, but a comfortable setting. I would be happy to stay there again.

1 night at Broken Branch Creek

It's a very quiet area. Very pretty and easy to find.

6 top river, stream, or creek campgrounds near San Luis Obispo

86%

(659)

Creekside Camping and Mineral Baths

12 sites · RVs, Tents124 acres · Cambria, CA

We can accommodate tent campers or car campers. Each campsite fits 4-6 people. The price is $40/per person. Kids under 12 are free. Most campsites are accessible by car and all campsites are accessible by foot. PLEASE NOTE, we do not have a traditional check in procedure. Campsites are first come first serve. Expect a "self-check in process" most of the time. However, there are sometimes people working onsite that you may run into, that are happy to help and lead you in the right direction. You choose your own campsite so plan to arrive early. You can park and walk around. There is signage that says "CAMP" with Arrows. BYO water. We have sulfur spring water. Great for your skin, not good to drink! There's a couple outhouses on the property. One in the main camp zone, one at the far north end of the lower Redwood campsite. You can also bring a shovel and take a walk if you're in the more remote campsites. We have a dumpster outside the gate for your garbage. IMPORTANT INFO Please don't mind our farm junk/tools as you enter Gate 1! We are slowly working on clean up and relocation of materials from the entry road and away from view. Before you arrive, have knowledge of poison oak because it is a native plant. The main photos in the listing are taken from Hipcamp Scouts back in 2018 and they are featuring our Original campsite. This is located past the mineral baths. It's the furthest one to reach, and accessible by foot. I will update photos to depict all the campsites, but please share your photos with us on Instagram and tag @charanspringsfarm to help future campers get a view of what the sites look like with a tent set up! SULFUR MINERAL BATHS Include in your experience the use of our sulfur mineral baths. It's $10 per person. PLEASE BOOK THIS AS AN EXTRA AT CHECKOUT. The mineral baths are 2 funky vintage clawfoot tubs that are pictured in the actual listing.The photos show an accurate description of the Mineral Baths. They are not located in the main camp zone. Please call ahead to book your time slot and get directions to the mineral baths. PLEASE DO NOT BOOK IF: You are looking for "Glamping," (Glamour Camping). It's primitive camping on a private property with bonuses like the garden, rustic baths, and beautiful nature. This property has been a working farm for decades, which has struggled with hard times. If farm yards/junk piles make you uncomfortable or give you a creepy feeling, don't book because our boneyard is adjacent to the entry road and it can't be ignored. Thank you for reading this whole description and we hope you have a good experience.

91%

(63)

Feather River Ranch+solar pool+spa

2 sites · RVs6 acres · Paso Robles, CA

Feather River Ranch Eco Homestead is the perfect place to pull up and hook up your RV or camper van and enjoy the property. 110 plug (it’s green) conveniently located for use in the RV carport. Please park along the vines or by corral entrance if your travel trailer/ RV is too large. Enjoy the newly built 16•34 ft solar heated pool, private hot tub, and a 3 minute walk down to the river. There is no bathroom on site so your rv or camper is needed. We are hands off and have another home so we may or may not be able to greet you if we are away. Enjoy the peace of this eco homestead.

96%

(138)

Broken Branch Creek

9 sites · RVs20 acres · Paso Robles, CA

Broken Branch Creek is a new family farm in Paso Robles, CA. Our land is abundant with with blue oaks and local wildlife. There is a creek bed, usually dry most of the year, that provides excellent rock hunting and shady areas with overhanging oaks. We have grazing cattle fenced off from the camping areas and farm so you may see or hear them during your stay. The entrance to the camping area is a very wide oil pipe fenced driveway off Branch Road, designed to accommodate farm equipment and cattle trailers. Sometimes map apps say you've arrived at one of the separate residential driveways on the property. Please keep looking for the commercial sized entrance. We are a 15 minute drive to the restaurants and shopping in downtown Paso Robles, 8 minutes to the Vina Robles Amphitheater, 6 minutes to the Hunter Ranch Golf Course, and 5 min to the Sensorio Art Exhibit. We're just off the Union Road Wine Trail among the Back Roads Wineries of Paso Robles.

97%

(676)

Vinyl Vineyards

20 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents120 acres · Paso Robles, CA

Vinyl Vineyards is a 120 acre ranch, working vineyard, wine label, and 10 site private glampground on the Union Rd wine trail in Paso Robles, CA. The magnificient property includes hiking trails through vineyards, ancient oak forests, canyons, and flower filled fields, creeks, two seasonal ponds, 26 acres of vineyards, alpacas, vegtable gardens, sunset vistas, bbq grills, outdoor tables, frisebee golf, and more... We also raise alpacas, chickens, and honey bees which you can experience on the ranch. Just 15 minutes from downtown Paso Robles, we are walking distance to several wineries, a 5 minute drive to golf, Sensorio, Vina Robles, and boast enough natural beauty and amenities to never leave your site. Check our website for FAQ's, how to plan your trip, and liability waiver downloads.

98%

(40)

-G Ranch

3 sites · RVs, Tents116 acres · New Cuyama, CA

The Cuyama Valley separates the Caliente Mountain Range from the Sierra Madre Mountain Range. Tucked away in the northern foothills of the Sierra Madre Mountain Range of the Los Padres National Forest is Cottonwood Canyon of the Cuyama Valley, located in northern Santa Barbara County. Cottonwood Canyon is known for its spectacular high desert landscapes offering open ranges, rolling hills, chaparral with oak woodlands, riparian and juniper-sage terrain, and seasonal wildflowers. Cottonwood Canyon is also home to our secluded 116-acre ranch. The flora and fauna are plentiful, the mountainous views are indescribable, and the night skies are unforgettable! Perfect for unplugging, wildlife watching, photography, meditation, and much more! Our ranch has miles of hiking, mountain biking and horseback trails and is just two short miles from the Los Padres National Forest. This is the true essence of wilderness meets country, and we can’t wait to share it with you! Even though we are in the middle of nowhere, we are conveniently located near many recreational sites. Just to name a few, about 20 miles east is Alison Canyon Park; About 30 miles east off highway 33 is OHV recreation area, Ballinger Canyon; About 35 miles east off Hudson Ranch Road is the Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge; About 60 miles north off Soda Lake Road is the Carrizo Plain National Monument; About 12 miles west is the Chimineas Ranch Ecological Reserve; and, about 60 miles east off highway 166 is Wind Wolves Preserve. Get a peaceful night’s sleep with full bellies! Here at -G Ranch, it’s important to us that you get the most pleasant stay that you deserve. Bring your own food to grill on our communal BBQ or possibly let us cook for you! Contact us before your stay and we can discuss food details.Learn more about this land:Come spend the night under the stars at our Grant Line camp site and event center. The Grant Line campsite is situated right next to an original 1840’s Spanish Land Grant boundary line, which is intersected by Forest Route 11N01. The grant has since been divided, but large pieces of land still remain, mostly inhabited by mountainous wildlife, ground squirrels, rabbits, coyotes and cattle. This area is also rich in Chumash history. Million-dollar views of the Caliente Mountain Range await you for evening sunsets and the Sierra Madre Mountain Range await you for your morning coffee enjoyment. Don't miss the brilliance of the famous Cottonwood Canyon Wildflowers with your front row seat. For your comfort, there is a 16x20 rustic-style shade structure (which has also been used for a dance floor!), water spigot, fire pit, small BBQ, and an outhouse. We have oak firewood available for purchase and a larger BBQ capable of cooking for 200+ guests available for rent, if needed. This site also provides plenty of parking for multiple RV’s and can accommodate larger groups.

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Kindred Acre Wood

1 site · Lodging10 acres · San Luis Obispo, CA

We are living our dream after recently finding and purchasing this beautiful 10 acre parcel, one of the sunniest in the canyon with a bucolic creek that flows all year. See Canyon itself is a special place. Home to a multitude of birds and wildlife, a beautiful scenic winding road, lush landscaping and a host of apple orchards. Thanks to the micro climate we have here, we grow some of the best fruit in the country. The coastal canyon is just a short distance to the beach and 15 minutes into town but feels like a world away when you are here. The star gazing is incredible as the canyon walls block the light pollution and the milky way shines! Welcome to our little slice of 10 acre heaven in the Canyon! Just bring yourself and we have everything else!! Nestle up in the Cozy Gnome Home, a 1967 vintage trailer and listen to the symphony of frogs in the creek just outside your window. With love and labor... we gutted, redesigned and restored this little trailer for the ultimate functioning space for two. Nice little kitchen with copper counters and everything you need for cooking and dining. A Berkey filter for clean water, hardwood floors and a comfy bed complete with organic mattress, down comforter and cotton sheets. Fold out dining table if you care to (or need to) eat indoors. There is also an outdoor kitchen space with a sink (no hot water), gas grill, propane burner (bring your own small canister) and a patio table and chairs. We have a charcoal grill available too. The creek runs mostly year round so feel free to get your feet wet on a hot sunny day. We also have an outdoor warm shower and sink as well as a hot water kitchen sink that you can share with other campers. You are welcome to cruise the property and check out the chickens, ducks and horses. We have three dogs on the ranch, a deaf and incredibly sweet pitbull ( he is a food thief so store food and garbage as though raccoons were a problem), a curious and playful ranch dog Pluto (who will be your tour guide) and a Boston Bulldogge, Astrid. We are surrounded by orchards which have some of the best apples and pears in the country. Seasonally you can stop by many apple markets and do a tasting. We also have a lively wine tasting venue less than a mile away. Avila Beach is a short 4 miles away and we are happy to share bikes if we have them available but can't guarantee any. Our location is a bikers' dream as the 13 mile scenic road takes you all the way into SLO. NOTE: If you want to bring others to camp, please note that they need to bring their own tents and supplies, we only have room for two but welcome self sufficient campers to join you :) also, we have a camp stove you can use to cook on but bring your own little green propane canister.

Nearby parks

Explore the area’s public lands.

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(9)

Santa Margarita Lake

Santa Margarita, California

96%

(438)

Los Padres National Forest

Mission Canyon, California

Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

River, stream, or creek camping near San Luis Obispo guide

Overview

Welcome to Hipcamp, your go-to website for camping in the United States. If you're looking for a riverside camping experience near San Luis Obispo, California, you're in luck! We have over 200 options available that cater to your preference for a river terrain. With options starting as low as $30 per night and an average price of $90 per night, there's something for every budget. Check out some of our top campsites with rave reviews: Frog Hollow Homestead (239 reviews), Creekside Camping and Mineral Baths (289 reviews), and DABUDAGE (367 reviews). Our popular amenities include potable water, trash facilities, and cooking equipment. If you're looking for some adventure, you'll love our popular activities such as off-roading (OHV), wind sports, and horseback riding. Start planning your riverside camping trip today!