Top 10 Camping Spots in Sonoma County

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Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Kenwood: Nestled in a large, lush valley and flanked by meadows and streams sits a loop of family campsites in Sugarloaf’s pristine park. The 50 total camping spaces include 47 family campsites, two wheelchair accessible campsites and one group campsite with room for up to 50 people (perfect for a relaxing business retreat). 2605 Adobe Canyon Road, Kenwood, 707-833-5712, sugarloafpark.org (Sundry Photography/Shutterstock)

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Sugarloaf Ridge's campground has something for everyone, such as horseback riding and nature exploration through oak woodlands. Campers can also enjoy stargazing at the park’s Robert Ferguson Observatory each month on a Saturday night around the new moon. (John Burgess)

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Campsite amenities at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park include picnic tables, fire rings, food storage boxes, a campfire area, public restrooms (or rent a personal porta-potty for $15 per night) and shower facilities. There are also luxury tents complete with furnishings available for those who want to give glamping a go. Regular campsites are $35 per night, premium sites are $45 per night, four-person luxury glamping tents are $95 per night and six-person luxury glamping tents are $125 per night (mandatory set-up/cleaning fee for glamping tents are $25 per tent). To reserve a campsite, call 800-444-7275 or reserve online at reservecalifornia.com. (Courtesy of Sugarloaf Ridge State Park)

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Teardrop trailer built by Joe Kasareff set up for camping at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, near Kenwood. (Christopher Chung)

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Spring Lake Regional Park, Santa Rosa: One of the most family-friendly parks in the county, Spring Lake’s campground is adjacent to numerous recreational activities, including swimming in the lagoon, boating and paddling in the lake, and hiking/biking/equestrian trails connecting to Howarth Park and Trione-Annadel State Park. 393 Violetti Road, Santa Rosa, 707-539-8092, parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov (Bill Florence/Shutterstock)

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Spring Lake's oak-shrouded campground has 31 sites, which can accommodate tents, trailers and RVs, and three cozy wedge cabins that can house up to either four or six people. The quaint, modern cabins include porches, a picnic table, a charcoal grill, a food locker and sleeping platforms with bare mattresses. Cabins are $79-$99 per night, depending on date and season, plus a non-refundable reservation fee of $9.50.  (Paul Yu/Sonoma County Parks)

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Amenities for the regular campsites at Spring Lake include potable water, showers, restrooms with electrical outlets and a dump station. Campsites are around $45 per night and reservations are required. To reserve a site, call 707-565-2267 or visit sonomacountycamping.org. (John Burgess)

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Hood Mountain Regional Park, Santa Rosa: Hood Mountain’s 1,750-acre wilderness preserve has a limited amount of hike-in, environmental campsites for those seeking peace and seclusion among meadows and mixed-conifer forests. There are typically four sites at the Azalea Creek campground, but this area is temporarily closed due to impacts from the 2020 Glass Fire. There are two campsites currently available at the park's Merganser Pond. Campsites are $20 a night and offer picnic tables, food lockers and pit toilets, but no potable water or electricity. Camp stoves are permitted for cooking, but campfires are not allowed. 1450 Pythian Road, Santa Rosa, 707-539-8092, parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov (Scott Hess Photography)

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To reach the Merganser Pond campsites at Hood Mountain Regional Park, start from the Pythian Road entrance on the southwestern end of the park and hike northeast from the Pythian Road Trailhead for about two miles to the pond and campground. Reserve a site by calling 707-565-2267 or online at sonomacountycamping.org. (Kent Porter)

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Doran Regional Park, Bodega Bay: With the most campsites available year-round in the county, Doran Park’s nearly 130 sites are grouped into five areas, encircled by Bodega’s bay and harbor. The Cove, Gull, Shell, Jetty and Miwok campgrounds include seven total ADA-accessible sites and all offer potable water, electrical outlets, restrooms with coin-operated showers, a dump station ($7 fee) and a nearby fish cleaning station. 201 Doran Beach Road, Bodega Bay, 707-875-3540, parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov (John Burgess)

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There are plenty of recreational opportunities to dive into at the scenic Doran campground, from flying kites on grassy dunes to fishing and paddling in the bay to exploring sea life along the rock jetty. Campsites are around $45 per night. Sites can be reserved up to a year in advance by calling 707-565-2267 or online at sonomacountycamping.org. (Beth Schlanker)

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Wright’s Beach, Bodega Bay: This sandy beach campground at the Sonoma Coast State Park offers gorgeous ocean and sunset views. There are plenty of fun outdoor activities here, including whale and bird watching, hang gliding and hiking the Kortum Trail to other nearby beaches. Rates are $35 a night and the 27 campsites include nearby restrooms, picnic tables, food lockers and a fire ring. Registered campers may use the token-operated hot showers at Bodega Dunes Campground (five miles south). Reservations can be made six months in advance by calling ReserveCalifornia at 800-444-7275. 7095 Highway 1, Bodega Bay, 707-875-3483, parks.ca.gov (John Burgess)

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Laurie Bratton, right, and Lisa Holwagner pour wine with their cheese in one of the beach spots at Wright's Beach Campground on the Sonoma Coast. (John Burgess)

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Maximum trailer length for trailer and RV camping at Wright's Beach Campground is 27 inches and hook-ups are not available. Wright's Beach does not offer group camping. There are no potable water filling areas at Wright's Beach; fill up water tanks at Bodega Dunes. (John Burgess)

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Salt Point State Park, Jenner: Stunning ocean views, waves crashing on sandstone cliffs and 20 miles of hiking trails winding through forested hills and rugged coastline — Salt Point’s campgrounds offer memorable activities for both sea lovers and intrepid hikers. The walk-in sites are closed indefinitely; however, the Woodside Campground is open with 79 campsites and the oceanside Gerstle Cove Campground offers 30 family campsites near several trailheads to the rest of the park and Gerstle Cove Marine Reserve. 25050 Highway 1, Jenner, 707-847-3221, parks.ca.gov (Gary Saxe/Shutterstock)

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The campsites at Salt Point State Park are equipped with fire rings, picnic tables and a food locker, and all sites are in close proximity to potable water faucets and restrooms, but there are no showers. Regular campsites allow up to eight people per site and there is one group campsite near Warren Creek that can accommodate up to 40 people. Additionally, there are 10 hike/bike campsites behind the ranger station for campers on foot or bicycles. The hike/bike sites are $5 a night, Gerstle Cove and Woodside campsites are $35 a night and the group campsite is $200. Reserve a site by calling 800-444-7275. (Gina E./Shutterstock)

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Stillwater Cove Regional Park, Jenner: The inland campground at Stillwater Cove is huddled among ferns, redwoods and rhododendrons, and offers easy access to the charming crescent beach, making it a popular spot for fishing and kayaking trips. The 23 campsites include three first come, first served sites, two ADA-accessible sites and one hiker/bicycle site. The campground offers potable water (though a boil water notice is currently in place), restrooms with coin-operated showers, electrical outlets, a trailer dump station and a fish cleaning station. Reservations are required. To reserve a site, call 707-565-2267 or reserve online at reserve.sonomacountycamping.org. 22455 Highway 1, Jenner, 707-847-3245, parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov (Erik Castro)

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(Closed until further notice due to fire damage) Austin Creek State Recreation Area, Guerneville: A personal favorite, Austin Creek’s Bullfrog Pond Campground boasts 23 beautiful, spacious, year-round campsites. The grounds here are rich with native plants, from the Indian paintbrush wildflowers growing among chaparral to the poppies spotted across meadows and rolling hills. This is an ideal campsite for avid hikers, naturalists and those who wish to camp sheltered by towering redwoods. (Kent Porter)

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(Closed until further notice due to fire damage) Campsites at Austin Creek feature tables, fire rings and nearby flush toilets, but no showers. You can find the campground about three miles above Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve off Armstrong Woods Road (through and past the visitors center entrance). Some sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis, while others can be reserved on hipcamp.com. Campsites are $35 per night and can accommodate up to eight people. (Kent Porter)

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Casini Ranch Family Campground, Duncans Mills: Family operated and open year-round since 1965, Casini Ranch is located in the picturesque Russian River Valley and has a large assortment of tent and RV campsites along with quaint, rustic cabins and luxurious cottage rentals. Whether you want riverfront views or solitude among the redwoods, the campsites can accommodate groups of several sizes and are in close proximity to a number of relaxing and recreational activities. 22855 Moscow Road, Duncans Mills, 800-451-8400, casiniranch.com (Courtesy of Casini Ranch)

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Activities and amenities at Casini Ranch campground include hayrides, playgrounds, dog parks, seasonal beach bonfires, horseshoe pits, a baseball field, volleyball and basketball courts, fishing and swimming in the river, movie nights and ice cream socials. There are also restrooms, shower facilities and a general store on site for all your camping needs. Rates vary on dates and site types (see rate details here) and reservations can be made online at casiniranch.com/reservations or by phone at 800-451-8400. (Courtesy of Casini Ranch)

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Gualala Point Regional Park, Gualala: Bordered by the Gualala River and featuring both an expansive beach and redwood forest, Gualala Point’s rarely crowded campground is great for hikers and whale-watchers alike. There are about 20 campsites available for tents, trailers and RVs, six of which are walk-in sites located in a thick grove of bay trees. The campground features flush toilets, electrical outlets, a coin-operated shower ($2 for 5 minutes) and a dump station. Campsites are $35 per night. Reservations can be made online at SonomaCountyCamping.org, or by calling 707-565-2267. 42401 Coast Highway 1, Gualala, 707-785-2377, parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov (Kent Porter)

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(Closed for maintenance until further notice) Liberty Glen Campground, Geyserville: Situated on a hillside near Warm Springs Creek west of Cloverdale, Liberty Glen Campground offers scenic views of Lake Sonoma, a popular place to fish, boat, picnic and hike. The campground has 96 campsites, including two group sites and one group equestrian site, each of which can accommodate up to 75 people. Liberty Glen Road, Geyserville, 707-431-4533, spn.usace.army.mil (Alvin Jornada)

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(Closed for maintenance until further notice) Liberty Glen campsites have restrooms, showers, potable water, picnic tables, fire rings and lanterns posts. Liberty Glen also has a fish hatchery, a disc golf course, an amphitheater for campers to enjoy summer campfire programs, and the campground is close by the Sonoma County Archery Range. Regular campsites are $25 per night, group campsites are $100 per night and the group equestrian site is $50 per night. Reserve a site online or by phone at 707-431-4533. Note: While Liberty Glen campground is currently closed for maintenance until further notice, Lake Sonoma boat-in campgrounds are open for reservations. (Alvin Jornada)