Campsites Are Hard to Get in California. Try Dispersed Camping Instead from Bay Curious

Campsites Are Hard to Get in California. Try Dispersed Camping Instead

18 minutes Posted Jun 4, 2026 at 10:00 am.

am six months before you want to go camping to reserve a spot, you might be interested in dispersed camping. It's a free way to get outside and into nature that takes a little more preparation, but can yield big rewards. We break it down for you with KQED's Sarah Wright.

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If you aren't the type of person to wake up at

Additional Resources:

Dispersed Camping 101: How to Find Free Campsites Near the Bay Area

How to Find Free Camping in California's National Forests

Tips and Tricks to Snag A California Campsite

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This story was reported by Sarah Wright. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale and Olivia Allen-Price. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.

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