Los Padres National Forest
Dispersed camping is generally allowed
On national forest and grassland, camping outside developed campgrounds is generally permitted unless an area is posted closed or a local order says otherwise. Stay on existing surfaces, camp away from water and trailheads, and check the forest's current orders before you go — fire restrictions change through the season.
Rules change with fire season and local order. Checked 2026-08-05. Confirm on the managing office’s official page
- Area
- 3,079 sq mi
- Managed by
- Forest Service
- Campgrounds
- 67
- Longest rig
- 70 ft
Where the land is, and what fits
The official Forest Service boundary with every campground we hold inside it. Tell it how long your rig is and the map keeps only what takes it — public land rarely matches the shape people picture, and neither does what you can actually get into.
Official unit boundary · USDA Forest Service · 67 campgrounds shown
- Aliso Park CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- American Canyon Seasonal CampgroundAugust – September
- Arroyo Seco Campgroundto 50 ft · 40 sitesReservations accepted
- Arroyo Seco Group CampgroundReservations accepted
- Baja CampgroundJanuary – December
- Ballinger Campgroundto 70 ft · 13 sites · Pull-throughJanuary – December · Reservations accepted
- Ballinger Canyon OHV Day Use Riding AreaYear round
- Bates Canyon CampgroundJanuary – December
- Bottchers Gap CamproundSeason not published
- Brookshire CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Buck Spring CampgroundSeason not published
- Caballo CampgroundSeason not published
- Campo Alto Campgroundto 40 ft · 19 sitesReservations accepted
- Campo Alto Group CampgroundMay – November · Reservations accepted
- Cerro Alto Campgroundto 35 ft · 22 sites · Pull-throughReservations accepted
- China Camp Campgroundto 20 ft · 10 sites · Pull-throughReservations accepted
- Chuchupate Campgroundto 26 ft · 29 sitesReservations accepted
- Chula Vista Walk-in CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Colson CampgroundSeason not published
- Davy Brown Campground13 sitesJanuary – December
- Divide Peak OHV TrailheadReservations accepted
- Dome Springs CampgroundSeason not published
- Dutchman Campgroundnone
- Escondido Campgroundto 50 ft · 9 sitesReservations accepted
- Figueroa CampgroundJanuary – December · Reservations accepted
- Figueroa OHV Recreation AreaSeason not published
- Frazier Mountain Trailhead - 20W03Not required
- Fremont Campgroundto 34 ft · 15 sitesJanuary – December · Reservations accepted
- Friis CampgroundJanuary – December · First-come, first-served
- Goldhill Camping AreaFirst-come, first-served
- Halfmoon CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Hi Mountain CampgroundJanuary – December · First-come, first-served
- Holiday Group Campgroundto 20 ft · 1 sitesJanuary – December · Reservations accepted
- Horseshoe Springs CampgroundJanuary – December
- Kings CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Kirk Creek Campgroundto 56 ft · 32 sitesReservations accepted
- La Panza Campground7 sites · Pull-throughJanuary – December · Reservations accepted
- Los Prietos Campgroundto 35 ft · 38 sites · Electric · Pull-throughJanuary – December · Reservations accepted
- Marian CampgroundMay – December · First-come, first-served
- McGill CampgroundReservations accepted
- Memorial Park CampgroundReservations accepted
- Middle Lion Campgroundto 20 ft · 8 sitesFirst-come, first-served
- Miranda Pine CampgroundJanuary – December
- Mt. Pinos Campgroundto 40 ft · 19 sitesReservations accepted
- Nacimiento CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Nettle Springs CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Nira Campgroundto 24 ft · 12 sitesJanuary – December
- Nordhoff Ridge RoadReservations accepted
- Paradise CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Paradise Campgroundto 48 ft · 15 sitesJanuary – December · Reservations accepted
- Pine Mountain Campgroundto 40 ft · 7 sitesReservations accepted
- Pine Springs CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Plaskett Creek Campgroundto 50 ft · 46 sitesReservations accepted
- Plaskett Creek Group CampgroundReservations accepted
- Ponderosa Campgroundto 40 ft · 23 sitesReservations accepted
- Rancho Nuevo CampgroundJanuary – December · First-come, first-served
- Reyes Creek Campgroundto 50 ft · 27 sitesReservations accepted
- Reyes Peak Campgroundto 25 ft · 6 sitesMay – December · First-come, first-served
- Rose Valley Campgroundto 20 ft · 9 sitesJanuary – December · Reservations accepted
- Sage Hill Group CampgroundJanuary – December · Reservations accepted
- Thorn Meadows CampgroundMay – December · First-come, first-served
- Toad Springs CampgroundJanuary – December
- Turkey Flat OHV Campground/Staging Area/TrailheadSeason not published
- Upper Oso Campgroundto 45 ft · 19 sitesJanuary – December · Reservations accepted
- Wheeler Gorge Campgroundto 45 ft · 89 sites · Pull-throughReservations accepted
- White Oaks Campgroundto 30 ft · 8 sites · Pull-throughReservations accepted
Los Padres National Forest
Los Padres National Forest is a United States national forest in southern and central California. Administered by the United States Forest Service, Los Padres includes most of the mountainous land along the California coast from Ventura to Monterey, extending inland. Elevations range from sea level to 8,847 feet (2,697 m).
Extract from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA. Agency description not published.
No vehicles past these lines
Designated wilderness is closed to every wheeled vehicle, including bicycles. You can walk in and camp; you cannot drive or park a rig inside one.
- Ventana Wilderness236,192 acres
- Sespe Wilderness219,548 acres
- San Rafael Wilderness191,080 acres
- Dick Smith Wilderness71,376 acres
- Chumash Wilderness37,793 acres
- Silver Peak Wilderness31,440 acres
- Matilija Wilderness29,648 acres
- Santa Lucia Wilderness21,192 acres
- Machesna Mountain Wilderness18,514 acres
- Garcia Wilderness14,147 acres
Byways through this country
Places worth pulling over
National parks close enough to pair
Drive to Los Padres the long way
Byway plans the road in, not just the destination — real places along the way, weighted to what you like, with nothing invented.