The Brief

With the winter rain and cold right now, camping might be the last thing on your mind.

But if you want to head into the outdoors this summer, then it might actually be time to make your campsite reservations.

That’s because many state and national parks open up their camping reservations either three months or six months in advance. And six months means that if you want to camp in July, then many reservations are opening right now.

Planning your summer activities so far in advance might strike you as overkill. But because many people will purposefully plan their reservations for a busy summer weekend to begin early on Thursday or even Wednesday, that means that by the time your desired Saturday slot opens up, it could already have been snapped up.

Keep reading for everything you need to know about making camping reservations for the summer, what the new laws are on canceling your California campsite, and where to find beautiful alternatives to some of the most popular sites — so your forward planning in the depths of winter can finally pay off when the sun is shining.

First, the new(ish) California law about campsite cancellations

In an effort to make campsites more accessible, the state Legislature passed a law to prevent no shows. No one’s happy when all the campsite reservations are all taken — and then some campers don’t even show up.

The cancellation law, which was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in October 2023, only applies to California state parks. It requires that you cancel up to seven days before your booking or lose your reservation fee and the cost of your first night — and you’ll also be charged a cancellation fee on top of that. If you don’t show up by the day after your reservation is supposed to start, then the rangers can cancel the rest of your stay. (No more people booking out a whole week at a popular site, just to show up on Friday.)

And if you no-show more than three times in a year? Then you could be banned from making any more reservations. But be sure to check the rules on your specific reservation, because some campgrounds have additional policies about cancellations.

In addition, the bill put into effect a trial lottery system for the five most popular sites within the California State Park system, starting with the cabins at Steep Ravine in Mt. Tam State Park.

How to make camping reservations in winter for the summer

The process to make camping reservations in California depends on where the campgrounds are located, and what agency operates the campsite. That means there’s a different reservation system and timeline for national parks, state parks and regional parks.

Of note: Private campgrounds, those that operate individually or are available on sites like Hipcamp, typically have more availability — but even they book out in advance for popular dates such as holiday weekends.

Here’s when and how to make reservations at the different locations.

Camping in California’s national parks

Make reservations at: Recreation.gov

Reservations open: GGNRA and Point Reyes open up three months in advance at 7 a.m.; the Presidio and many other national parks open campsites six months in advance at 7 a.m.

In the Bay Area, camping at the national parks includes the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) and Point Reyes National Seashore, as well as the one campsite within San Francisco proper: The Rob Hill campground in the Presidio.

Tents in the early morning, on a hill near the Point Reyes National Seashore, California.

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Camping in California state parks

Make reservations at: ReserveCalifornia.gov

Reservations open: State parks open up six months in advance at 8 a.m. You are also permitted to modify a reservation a limited number of times, which means you are able to make a reservation and then potentially modify it to include a date which was unavailable at the time of initial booking.

There’s also a new trial lottery drawing that opens up eight months ahead of time for the coveted cabins on the coast at Steep Ravine. That means if you want to enter the Steep Ravine lottery for any night in September, enter the lottery this month for the drawing that will be held on Feb. 1. (Mark your calendar now.)

California State Parks camping in the Bay Area includes Mount Tamalpais State Park, Mount Diablo State Park, Portola Redwoods State Park, Henry W. Coe State Park and Angel Island State Park. There are many (many) state parks, though: a whopping 279 state park units with campsites.

Camping on federal Forest Service or BLM land

Make reservations at: Recreation.gov

Reservations open: Varies.

While dispersed camping — i.e., camping anywhere, not necessarily at a campground — is available for free in the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and in many cases on Forest Service land, specific permits may be required for thru-camping or in wilderness areas. You can find Forest Service campgrounds in the national forests around Tahoe, the Mendocino National Forest and the areas outside Big Sur.

Camping tents at a campground in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, California.

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Camping in California regional parks

East Bay Regional Parks

Make reservations at: ReserveAmerica for Lake Del Valle and Anthony Chabot.

Reservations open: Family campsites open up 12 weeks in advance, but group and backpack sites open in blocks with the second half of the year opening up on May 1.

Santa Clara County Parks

Make reservations at: gooutsideandplay.org

Reservations open: Six months in advance for UVAS, Coyote Lake and Joseph Grant.

Do I have to make a camping reservation?

Absolutely not. If you’re more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants camper, many parks have first-come, first-serve campsites (like those sites on Mt. Tam) or hold back same-day reservations that open up in the morning for later that day, like a handful in Pt. Reyes Seashore. Dispersed camping is also available across Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and lots of Forest Service land around Tahoe.

And, of course, you can always keep an eye out for cancellations — even set an alert on the reservation site to let you know if something opens up. (On ReserveCalifornia just click the “Notify Me!” button when you search for a camping spot.)

But, some campgrounds nonetheless require reservations. And if you’re counting on finding a first-come, first-serve site at the most popular campgrounds, then you might have to get there by Thursday evening or early Friday morning ahead of busy weekends. That means if you want a guaranteed camping spot, without the stress, especially during the summer months, then you definitely should consider planning in advance and making those reservations now.

Campers at the Upper Pines Campground are surrounded by trees and granite monoliths in Yosemite National Park, California, on June 13, 2023.

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Tracy Barbutes

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Where are the best spots to go camping?

Some of the most popular campsites can seem almost impossible to book. (I just keep throwing my hat in that new lottery for the Steep Ravine cabins!)

And while it might be tempting to blame bots for snapping up all the best spots, the answer might have more to do with the countless other would-be campers who want the same site as you do. In 2023, California State Parks information officer Jorge Moreno said an analysis of reservation IPs and time stamps showed that bots aren’t actually the problem they used to be, especially after a captcha and verification step was added to their Reserve California third-party online reservation system in 2019. Additionally, any account caught using bots or reselling reservations now earns a ban.

Unfortunately, the fact that so many campsites are already full the second they open up for reservations is because “demand is greater than inventory,” Moreno said. For some of the most popular spots, there might be 100 people logging on for one of eight spots. “It’s really like a lottery,” he said.

Here’s a rundown of some of the most sought-after sites within a few hours’ drive of the Bay Area — and some lesser-known alternatives as well, for your possible Plan B.

Kirby Cove

With its view of the Golden Gate Bridge from the coast in the Marin Headlands, Kirby Cove reservations are released three months in advance at 7 a.m.

Alternative: Try the day-of campsite reservations that open at 7 a.m. each morning in the Point Reyes National Seashore, or farther north the Navarro Beach Campground (first-come, first-served) where the river hits the ocean along the Mendocino coast.

Big Sur 

There are many public and private campgrounds along the Big Sur coast and in the national wilderness — with the two campsites at the waterfront Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park and the camping at Pfeiffer State Park filling up when they open six months in advance. The Kirk Creek campground in the Los Padres National Forest experiences the same demand. There’s even luxury camping at Ventana.

Alternative: The upside is, even if you can’t find a campsite at one of the state parks, you should be able to backpack in the national forest. Or, check out the tree-level glamping.

Camping along the Big Sur/Pacific Coast of California. Kirk Creek Campground, Los Padres National Forest, California.

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Big Basin Redwoods State Park

All campgrounds unfortunately still remain closed due to the effects of the massive 2020 CZU Lightning Complex wildfire.

Alternative: There are four developed campgrounds run by California State Parks up north at the Redwoods National and State Parks complex— including the Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park.

Yosemite

Most of the 13 campgrounds at Yosemite open up five months ahead of time, with a few opening two weeks before, or requiring a lottery. (Note: You also need an entry reservation to drive through or visit Yosemite on weekends through June and every day through July and mid-August, as well as during the “Firefall” event on the last three weekends in February.)

Alternative: Try Saddlebag Lake campground at the nearby Hoover wilderness or Pinnacles National Park.

Tahoe

There are literally hundreds of campsites around Lake Tahoe, but some of the most popular can be heavily impacted — like Emerald Bay State Park or the Fallen Leaf campground (both of which open six months in advance).

Alternative: This is when dispersed camping comes in handy. Much of the Tahoe National Forest is open for free to camping outside of designated campgrounds. Or, for lakefront camping in the Sierra south of Tahoe try the Pinecrest campground on Pinecrest Lake.

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

Since 1977, Richard Santillan has been to every Opening Day game at Dodger Stadium. 

“The tradition goes from my father, to me, to my children and grandchildren. Some of my best memories are with my father and children here at Dodger Stadium,” Santillan told The LA Local, smiling under the shade of palm trees near the entrance to the ballpark Wednesday morning. He was there to protest the team less than 24 hours before Opening Day.

Santillan, like countless other loyal Dodgers fans, is grappling with his fan identity over the team’s decision to accept an invitation to the White House and owner Mark Walter’s ties to ICE detention facilities.

More than 30 people joined Santillan on Wednesday morning for a press conference held near 1000 Vin Scully Drive to convey a message directly to the team. 

“We are demanding the Dodgers stop participating in funding of inhumane treatment of families and do not go to the White House to celebrate with the criminal in chief,” Evelyn Escatiola told the crowd. “Together, we have the power to make a change.”

Escatiola, a former dean of East Los Angeles College and longtime community organizer, urged fans to flex their economic power by “letting the Dodgers know that we do not support repression.”

Jorge “Coqui” Rodriguez, a lifelong Dodgers fan, spoke to the crowd and called on Dodgers ownership to divest from immigration detention centers owned and operated by GEO Group and CoreCivic.

Jorge Coqui H Rodriguez speaks at a press conference outside Dodger Stadium on March 25, 2026, to demand the Dodgers not to visit the White House following their 2025 World Series win.

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J.W. Hendricks

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In a phone interview a day before the protest, Rodriguez told The LA Local he did not want the Dodgers using his “cheve” or beer money to fund detention centers. 

“They can’t take our parking money, our cacahuate money, our cheve money, our Dodger Dog money and invest those funds into corporations that are imprisoning people. It’s wrong,” Rodriguez said. 

Rodriguez considers the Dodgers one of the most racially diverse teams and said the players need to support fans at a time when heightened immigration enforcement has become more common across L.A.

The team’s 2025’s visit to the White House drew ire from the largely Latino fan base, citing the Trump administration’s ongoing attacks on immigrants. 

In June, the team came under further scrutiny when rumors swirled online that federal immigration agents were using the stadium’s parking, which immigration authorities later denied in statements posted on social media accounts.

The team again came under fire after not releasing a statement on the impacts of ICE raids on its mostly Latino fan base at the height of immigration enforcement last summer. The team later agreed to invest $1 million to support families affected by immigration enforcement.

When he learned the Dodgers were pledging only $1 million to families in need, Rodriguez called the amount a  “slap in the face.” 

“These guys just bought the Lakers for billions of dollars and they give a million dollars to fight for legal services? That’s a joke,” Rodriguez said. “They need to have a moral backbone and not be investing in those companies.”

According to reporting from the Los Angeles Times, former Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershawsaid last week that he is looking forward to the trip.

“I went when President [Joe] Biden was in office. I’m going to go when President [Donald] Trump is in office,” Kershaw said. “To me, it’s just about getting to go to the White House. You don’t get that opportunity every day, so I’m excited to go.”

The Dodgers have yet to announce when their planned visit will take place. 

Santillan sometimes laments his decision to give up his season tickets in protest of the team. His connection to the stadium and the memories he has made there with family and friends will last a lifetime, he said. On Thursday, he will uphold his tradition and be there for the first pitch of the season, but with a heavy heart.

“It’s a family tradition, but the Dodgers have a lot of work to do,” he said.

A local favorite mom-and-pop bookshop in Eagle Rock is facing displacement due to a steep rent hike. The owners say theirs is just one of several small businesses along Eagle Rock Boulevard struggling to keep up with lease increases.

Over the past 19 years, many in the neighborhood have come to love READ Books for its eclectic collection of used titles and shop dog Florence.

Co-owner Jeremy Kaplan said it’s been a delight to grow with the community over the years.

“Like seeing kids come back in, who were in grade school and now they’re in college,” Kaplan said.

But the building where Kaplan and wife Debbie rent was recently sold, and the rent increased by more than 130% to $2,805 a month, Kaplan said. He told LAist it was an increase his small business simply could not absorb.

Kaplan said he originally was given 30 days notice of the rent increase. After some research, assistance from Councilmember Ysabel Jurado’s office and some pro-bono legal help, Kaplan said he pushed back and got the 90-day notice he’s afforded by state law.

California Senate Bill 1103 requires landlords to give businesses with five or less employees 90 days’ notice for rent increases exceeding 10%, among other protections.

Systems Real Estate, the property management company, did not immediately respond to LAist’s request for comment.

What can small businesses do? 

Nadia Segura, directing attorney of the Small Business Program at pro bono legal aid non-profit Bet Tzedek said California law does not currently allow for rent control for commercial tenancies.

Outside of the protections under SB 1103, Segura said small businesses like READ Books don’t have much other recourse. And even then, commercial landlords are not required to inform their tenants of their protections under the law.

“There’s still a lot of people that don’t know about SB 1103. And then it’s very sad that they tell them they have these rent increases and within a month they have to leave,” Segura said.

She said her group is seeing steep rent hikes like this for commercial tenants across the city.

“We are seeing this even more with the World Cup coming up, the Olympics coming up. And I will say it was very sad to see that also after the wildfires,” Segura said.

Part of Bet Tzedek’s ongoing work is to advocate for small businesses, working with landlords who are increasing rents to see if they are willing to give business owners longer leases that lock in rents.

What’s next 

After READ Books posted about their situation on social media, commenters chimed in to express their outrage and love for the little shop.

While he looks for a new spot, Kaplan says he’s forming a coalition of local businesses and activist groups to see what can be done to help other small businesses facing similar displacement. He wants to address the displacement issue for businesses like his, which have made Eagle Rock the distinctive neighborhood that it is today.

Owl Talk, a longtime Eagle Rock staple selling clothing and accessories in a unit in the same building as READ Books, is facing a “more than double” rent increase, according to a post on their Instagram account.

Kaplan said he’s been in touch with the office of state Assemblywoman Jessica Caloza and wants to explore the possibility of introducing legislation to set up protections for small businesses like his, including rent-control measures or a vacancy tax for landlords. Kaplan said he also reached out to the office of state Sen. Maria Durazo.

By his count, Kaplan said there are about a dozen businesses within surrounding blocks that are at risk of closing their doors or have shuttered due to rent increases or other struggles.

When READ Books was founded during the Great Recession, Kaplan said he knew it was a longshot to open a bookstore at the same time so many were struggling to stay in business.

“It was kind of interesting to be doing something that neighborhoods needed. That was important to me growing up, that was important to my children, that was important to my wife growing up,” Kaplan said.

“And then somebody comes in and says, ‘We’re gonna over double your rent.”

Topline:

Frozen budget: Most of the city’s Bureau of Street Lighting budget comes from an assessment that people who own property illuminated by lights pay on their county property tax bill. The amount people pay depends on the kind of property they own and how much they benefit from lighting. A typical single-family home currently pays $53 annually, and in total, the assessments bring in about $45 million annually for the city to repair and maintain streetlights. Changing the amount the Bureau of Street Lighting gets from the assessment requires a vote among property owners who benefit from the lights.

Ballots: L.A. City Council’s vote gives city staff the green light to prepare and send out those ballots. Miguel Sangalang, who oversees the bureau, said at a committee meeting earlier this month that he expects to send out ballots by April 17. Notices about the ballots will be sent out prior to the ballots themselves.

Near unanimous vote: L.A. City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez was the only “No” vote Tuesday, saying she wanted to see a more current strategic plan for the bureau. Sangalang said the bureau developed a plan in 2022 that lays out how money will be spent. Councilmember Imelda Padilla was absent for the vote.

Vote count: Votes will be weighted according to the assessment amount. Basically, the more you’re asked to pay yearly to maintain streetlights, the more your vote will count. Ballots received before June 2 will be tabulated by the L.A. City Clerk.

How much more money: According to a report, the amount needed in assessments from property owners to meet the repair and maintenance needs of the city’s streetlighting in the next fiscal year is nearly $112 million.

Use of the money: Sangalang said at a March 11 committee meeting that the extra funds would be used to double the number of staff to handle repairs and procure solar streetlights, which don’t face the threat of copper wire theft. That would all potentially reduce the time it takes to repair simple fixes down to a week. Currently, city residents wait for months to see broken streetlights repaired. The assessment would come with a three-year auditing mechanism.