Can anyone suggest a campground in the Santa Cruz, California area?

We like to tent camp, not RV. Would like a place to set up camp next to a creek/stream. Don’t really like those camp sites that have rec rooms, swimming pools etc. we like to camp! But a toilet is always good Thanks for the help!!

New Brighton beach is a campground about half way between Santa Cruz and Watsonville. The campground is actually above the beach with a slight climb to get down to the actual ocean access.

Mt. Madonna IS a beautiful park, with nice little camp spaces set up among the trees so that each appears to be slightly isolated, even though your neighbors may only be a few feet away. However, while nicely developed with water taps and some clean restrooms, there are not streams or rivers running through it. One good point is that, being on the summit of the coastal range, short hikes will give you great views of the Pacific Ocean on one side, and the Santa Clara Valley on the other side.

East of Gilroy is Coyote Resevoir Park, with campsites right along the water or nearby. However, the water levels are low, this year, and, instead of the lake, you may have to be satisfied with only a trickle running near the campground, and hike to get to the resevoir. Nice to get up in the early morning to see herds of deer and wild turkeys go down to the stream for water. On the down side, the campsites are all withing sight of each other, so, when it is full, it LOOKS and FEELS crowded.

North of Santa Cruz, at Half Moon Bay, there is a State Park with camping right along the beach. Gets cold and foggy at night and early morning, but it is a very CLEAN grounds with a nice beach.

Camping in an RV, Mammoth CA

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