Free Camping

[GiantDon49]

I am looking for places to park my bike and pitch a tent along the Northen California coast for free. I can handle a few miles of gravel or dirt. Any suggestions would be welcome. I am traveling from Portland to San Francisco.

P.S. Sites in Oregon would be helpful also.

Thanks,
GiantDon49

 

[scdmarx]

For free? I really doubt it. I'm not familiar with north of S.F. but around here, especially on the coast, I really don't think there is anything for free. And all the rest areas, (and wide spots in the road) have signs posted "No Overnight Camping". The parks have signs posted "Closed from 10pm until 6am". This time of year reservations are required for the most campgrounds. ~Be careful~ California needs money.

 

[dan filipi]

I see motorhomes parked along the road south of Santa Barbara. I don't know what the deal is with that if they can park there for free or what. I've never noticed any pay booth.
Ron?

 

[scdmarx]

Not sure where you mean? Just north of Ventura there is a state beach. I haven't stopped there since I was a kid. Maybe you can park there overnight, but I don't really know. There are a lot of places for day use, but don't allow overnight camping. Every time I blow through that area I'm in a mad rush to be somewhere on time.

 

[toytender01]

:hi: OK don try these sites https://www.freecampgrounds.com or https://www.freecampsites.net free or low cost campsites this may be helpful opcorn: :wave:
some sites are avaliable in oregon also One i know of is Cape Sebastian (101 turn out/rest ares/truck stop) near the calif border ,that is all I know but it is in one of these sites above, along with others

 

[skiri251]

Not sure where you mean? Just north of Ventura there is a state beach. I haven't stopped there since I was a kid. Maybe you can park there overnight, but I don't really know. There are a lot of places for day use, but don't allow overnight camping. Every time I blow through that area I'm in a mad rush to be somewhere on time.

When I went through Old Rincon Hwy (where route 1 separates from 101 a bit north of Oxnard) in the morning, I saw motorhomes parked alongside the road for miles. They looked overnight-stay to me. Most of them are surfers I guess.

 

[GiantDon49]

Thanks for you help everybody. I'm on my first long distance motrorcycle trip ever!

 

[riff raff]

Good luck hunting for sites. In this economy nothing's free anymore. Lots of campgrounds went under due to lack of business, and couldn't pay the bills on the property. Plus, roughing it now a days to alot of folks is a forty foot motor home with A/C, microwave,and sat tv. Sorry! That's not camping to me. As a result of the demands to accomadate that kind of camping, plumbing and power are a must to compete. Tents and wood fires don't pay the bills anymore.

 

[Piper]

I dont know what your budget is and if the camping part is something you really want to do but if it were me and this was my first long distance trip, I would pick a point about halfway, between Medford and Redding somewhere and go to one of the websites like priceline.com and type in $25 and see if you get any takers. I wouldn't carry a tent, sleeping bag, and all the other camping necessities for one night. I don't have to tell you the road between PDX and SFO is pretty demanding and heavily traveled and being wide awake and alert is a must, in my opinion. This is a pretty easy two day trip and a good one for your first but I bet you are still going to be tired after 300-350 miles on those curving, twisty, hilly roads. Get a good night's sleep, take a shower in the morning and be wide awake and safe.
This is what I am doing next month on my Chicago to Phoenix trip, four 400+ mile days in a row.
Just my opinion, ymmv (your mileage may vary)

 

[bk2valve]

Hi, I really never travel in the states and not camp...I am on the road a lot both in my Astro camper van and with my sidecar rig....

I found that one very good place to sleep is at almost any small airport. Even the tiny gravel, dirt of grass strips will usually have an outhouse or toilet and sometimes even power and water....and seldom does anyone mind you camping there a night. Pilots of small planes on a trip will sometimes land and camp for the night so they are used to it...as long as you stay well off the strip and treat everything with respect...
Brian