A gravel road curving into a high mountain valley at first light, the peaks catching the sun.

Public land camping

BLM Camping in California

65 places to camp in California run by the Bureau of Land Management.

65
federal places to camp
65 BLM
12
take reservations
On Recreation.gov. The rest are first come, first served, or not listed there
7,048 ft
at the highest of them
Crowley Lake Campground. The lowest, Crossroads Campground, sits at 376 ft
390
campsites you can book ahead
On Recreation.gov. The longest rig any of them takes is 50 feet

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

BLM campgrounds and camping areas in California

65 places

  1. Aholul Group Campground group campground BLM · Madera County 1,041 ftelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  2. Blue Cloud Camping Area camping area BLM · San Bernardino County n/aelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  3. Camp Clipper Divisional Camp -Patton camping area BLM · San Bernardino County n/aelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  4. Camp Ibis-Patton camping area BLM · San Bernardino County n/aelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  5. Chimney Creek Campground BLM · Tulare County 5,700 ftelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  6. Chimney Peak Recreation Area camping area BLM · Tulare County n/aelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  7. Clark Mountain Camp camping area BLM · San Bernardino County n/aelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  8. Coon Hollow Campground BLM · Riverside County 658 ftelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  9. Corn Springs Campground BLM · Riverside County 1,625 ftelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  10. Cottonwood Campground BLM · San Diego County 4,314 ftelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  11. Crossroads Campground BLM · Parker Strip Recreation Area · San Bernardino County 376 ftelevation 26sites 50 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
  12. Crowley Lake Campground BLM · Alabama Hills · Mono County 7,048 ftelevation 47sites n/alongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
  13. Dodge Reservoir Campground BLM · Lassen County 5,600 ftelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  14. Dove Springs OHV Area camping area BLM · Kern County n/aelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  15. Dumont Dunes OHV Area camping area BLM · San Bernardino County n/aelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  16. El Mirage OHV Area camping area BLM · San Bernardino County n/aelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  17. Equestrian Campground horse camp BLM · Madera County 1,024 ftelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  18. Gecko Campground BLM · Imperial Sand Dunes · Imperial County 255 ftelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  19. Goodale Creek Campground BLM · Alabama Hills · Inyo County 4,140 ftelevation 43sites n/alongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
  20. Honeydew Creek BLM · Humboldt County 354 ftelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  21. Horton Creek Campground BLM · Alabama Hills · Inyo County 5,055 ftelevation 49sites n/alongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
  22. Hot Springs Long Term Visitor Area camping area BLM · Imperial County n/aelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  23. Imperial Dam Long Term Visitor Area camping area BLM · Imperial County n/aelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  24. Indian Creek Campground BLM · Indian Creek Recreation Area · Alpine County 5,597 ftelevation 28sites 45 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
  25. Indian Valley Recreation Area camping area BLM · Lake County n/aelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  26. Iron Mountain Divisional Camp -Patton camping area BLM · San Bernardino County n/aelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  27. Jawbone Canyon OHV Area camping area BLM · Kern County n/aelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  28. Johnson Valley OHV Area camping area BLM · San Bernardino County n/aelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  29. KCL Campground BLM · San Luis Obispo County 2,284 ftelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  30. Keyhole Campground BLM · Imperial Sand Dunes · Imperial County 259 ftelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  31. Knoxville Recreation Area camping area BLM · Napa County n/aelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  32. Long Valley Campground BLM · Tulare County 5,230 ftelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  33. Lost Arch Historic Mining Camp camping area BLM · San Bernardino County n/aelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  34. Mattole Campground BLM · Humboldt County 17 ftelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  35. McCabe Flat Campground BLM · Merced River Recreation Management Area · Mariposa County 1,085 ftelevation 10sites n/alongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
  36. Midland Long Term Visitor Area camping area BLM · Riverside County n/aelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  37. Midway Campground BLM · Imperial Sand Dunes · Imperial County 194 ftelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  38. Nadelos Campground BLM · Humboldt County 1,804 ftelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  39. North Cow Mountain Recreation Area camping area BLM · Lake County n/aelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  40. Pilot Knob Long Term Visitor Area camping area BLM · Imperial County n/aelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  41. Pit River Campground BLM · Shasta County 2,841 ftelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  42. Pleasant Valley Pit Campground BLM · Alabama Hills · Inyo County 4,498 ftelevation 78sites n/alongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
  43. Railroad Flat Campground BLM · Merced River Recreation Management Area · Mariposa County 1,037 ftelevation 9sites n/alongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
  44. Rainbow Basin/Owl Canyon Campground BLM · San Bernardino County 2,901 ftelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  45. Ramhorn Springs Campground BLM · Lassen County 5,754 ftelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  46. Rasor Off-Highway Vehicle Area camping area BLM · San Bernardino County n/aelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  47. Reading Island Group Campground group campground BLM · Sacramento River Bend Area n/aelevation 1site n/alongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
  48. Roadrunner Campground BLM · Imperial Sand Dunes · Imperial County 273 ftelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  49. San Joaquin River Gorge Camping BLM · Bakersfield Field Office 1,000 ftelevation 8sites n/alongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
  50. Sawtooth Canyon Campground BLM · San Bernardino County 3,604 ftelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  51. Selby Campground BLM · San Luis Obispo County 2,508 ftelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  52. Snaggeltooth Primitive RV Camp camping area BLM · San Bernardino County n/aelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  53. South Cow Mountain OHV Management Area camping area BLM · Lake County n/aelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  54. South Yuba Recreation Area camping area BLM · Nevada County n/aelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  55. Steiner Flat Primitive Campground BLM · Trinity County 1,581 ftelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  56. T.K. Jones Campground and Boat Launch BLM · Imperial County 203 ftelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  57. Tamarisk Long Term Visitor Area camping area BLM · Imperial County n/aelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  58. Temblor Recreation Area camping area BLM · Kern County n/aelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  59. Tolkan Campground BLM · Humboldt County 1,820 ftelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  60. Tuttle Creek Campground BLM · Alabama Hills · Inyo County 5,063 ftelevation 82sites n/alongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
  61. Wailaki Campground BLM · Humboldt County 1,835 ftelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  62. Walker Pass Campground BLM · Kern County 5,047 ftelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  63. Wiley's Well Campground BLM · Riverside County 585 ftelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
  64. Willow Placer Campground BLM · Merced River Recreation Management Area · Mariposa County 1,061 ftelevation 9sites 20 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
  65. Ya-Gub-Weh-tuh Campground BLM · Madera County 1,015 ftelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed