California Campground Fees, Hookups & Reservations
No fee data in the federal directory. We report the reservable-vs-first-come split by agency; nightly fees and hookup specifics live on each campground's Recreation.gov page. Federal coverage only.
California has approximately 700 federal campgrounds managed through the National Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. Of these, about 519 campgrounds accept advance reservations through Recreation.gov, while roughly 181 operate on a first-come, first-served basis. The reservable campgrounds allow visitors to book sites in advance, which is especially valuable during peak seasons, while first-come campgrounds offer spontaneity for those with flexible schedules.
Fees and RV hookup availability vary significantly across individual federal campgrounds and are not listed in a centralized directory. Visitors should check each specific campground's Recreation.gov page to confirm current fee structures, which typically depend on site type and amenities, and to determine what hookups are available, such as water, electric, or sewer connections. This information should always be verified directly with the campground's listing before planning a trip.
Where fees and hookups actually live
The federal directory tracks who manages a campground, how many sites it has and whether it's reservable — but not nightly fees or RV hookups, which differ site to site. For those, open the campground's Recreation.gov page, where current fees, hookup types and the reservation window are listed.
| Managing agency | Reservable | First-come |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Forest Service | 400 | 140 |
| National Park Service | 81 | 7 |
| U.S. Army Corps of Engineers | 29 | 8 |
| Bureau of Land Management | 4 | 26 |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 4 | 0 |
| Other federal agencies | 1 | 0 |
Common questions
Do California federal campgrounds have RV hookups?
Some do and some don't — hookup availability isn't in the federal directory data, so check each campground's Recreation.gov page for water, electric and sewer details.
How much does it cost to camp?
Fees vary by facility and aren't part of the federal export, so we don't quote a price. Each Recreation.gov facility page shows its current nightly fee.
All California federal campgrounds → · Compare agencies →
Reservable flags from the federal RIDB export, verified June 2026. How we compile this.