U.S. Forest Service · Los Padres National Forest · California

Mcgill Campground And Group Campground

Escape from the city to the remote and beautiful McGill Campground. The campground, bursting with views of mountains and valleys, is an ideal base for several biking and hiking trails. A dense stand of Jeffrey pine and ponderosa pine shade the campground and each campsite is nicely spaced.

More like this: reservable in California · pets allowed in California · group sites in California

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
MCGILL CAMPGROUND AND GROUP CAMPGROUNDMCGILL CAMPGROUND AND GROUP CAMPGROUNDMCGILL CAMPGROUND AND GROUP CAMPGROUNDMCGILL CAMPGROUND AND GROUP CAMPGROUND
Photos via Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard, no hookups64
Group sites2
Standard with electric1
Host/management13
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 35 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

67 sites in 6 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteLoopTypeEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadePeople / vehiclesFiresAccessible
001Loop 1StandardBack-in15PavedPartial6 / 2Yes
002Loop 1StandardBack-in18PavedPartial6 / 2Yes
003Loop 1StandardBack-in15PavedPartial6 / 2Yes
004Loop 1StandardBack-in18PavedPartial6 / 2Yes
005Loop 1ElectricBack-in25PavedPartial6 / 2Yes
006Loop 1StandardBack-in25PavedPartial6 / 2Yes
011Loop 1StandardBack-in21PavedPartial6 / 2Yes
012Loop 1StandardBack-in23PavedPartial6 / 2Yes
013Loop 1StandardBack-in21PavedPartial6 / 2Yes
014Loop 1StandardBack-in23PavedPartial6 / 2Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 3:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
Max vehicle length35 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
AccessibilitySite 029 is listed accessible

McGill has two group campsites, each having a central barbeque and gathering area. Group Camp 1 has parking for 13 vehicles, Group Camp 2 has parking for 10 vehicles. There are 73 individual campsites. Each individual campsite offers a picnic table and campfire ring.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusClosed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
ForestLos Padres National Forest
Bookingwww.recreation.gov or by call 1-877-444-6777. Group Campgrounds by reservation only. There are 2 group campsites; one accommodates up to 60 people and the other one accommodates up to 80 people.
FeesMcGill Family Campground sites are $30 each. There are 72 family campground sites. Day use only at the campground is $10.00 a day. Additional vehicle charge is $10.00 per night per vehicle. McGill has 2 group campsites @ $150.00 per site per night.

Los Padres National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Mcgill Campground And Group Campground40°50°60°70°80°January: 2.50 inches of precipitationFebruary: 3.72 inches of precipitationMarch: 1.96 inches of precipitationApril: 0.76 inches of precipitationMay: 0.41 inches of precipitationJune: 0.08 inches of precipitationJuly: 0.09 inches of precipitationAugust: 0.06 inches of precipitationSeptember: 0.13 inches of precipitationOctober: 0.60 inches of precipitationNovember: 0.78 inches of precipitationDecember: 2.05 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 45.4°F averageFebruary: 45.7°F averageMarch: 48.9°F averageApril: 52.3°F averageMay: 59.7°F averageJune: 68.7°F averageJuly: 76.3°F averageAugust: 76.8°F averageSeptember: 72.0°F averageOctober: 61.9°F averageNovember: 51.9°F averageDecember: 44.6°F average0 in1 in2 in3 in4 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Sandberg, 22 miles from the campground at 4,510 feet, station USW00023187 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 13 inches a year.

Getting there

From Los Angeles: Take I-5 north past the Gorman exit to Frazier Mountain Park Road exit. Go west on Frazier Mountain Park Road for 7 miles to the intersection of Lockwood Valley Rd. Keep right and proceed on Cuddy Valley Road. Continue 5 miles to the "Y" in the road and veer left.

Coordinates34.8156° N, 119.0983° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗12.8 mi
Outdoor gearOjai Valley Surplus ↗26.5 mi
RV sales & serviceCamping World ↗33.9 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

McGill Campground - Los Padres National Forest, CA

Worth a stop

Head out on the Jacinto Reyes National Scenic Byway, which travels past breathtaking cliffs, rock formations and lush riparian areas.

  • 0.2 mi
    Exploration Trail ↗
    0.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.3 mi
    McGill
    3.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.7 mi
    Tumamait ↗
    4.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, 4WD
  • 2.9 mi
    Pleito Creek OHV #111
    3.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, 4WD
  • 3.3 mi
    Salt Creek OHV #112
    4.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3.4 mi
    Cherry Creek OHV #113
    2.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more

Trailheads within three miles

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

Chumash Wilderness begins about 2.5 miles away, and it is the closest of these.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

Natural features

McGill Campground sits in a mixed tall pine forest in the Pinos Mountains, at an altitude of 7,300 feet, just over an hour's drive from the campground. It is quiet and serene landscape with terrific views of the valleys below.

Recreation

Explore the area along the accessible Exploration Trail, Mount Pinos Trail and McGill Campground Trail. McGill is for hiking and biking and meanders along 3.7 miles of scenery.

Guidebooks for California

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Mcgill Campground And Group Campground?

Sites at Mcgill Campground And Group Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. www.recreation.gov or by call 1-877-444-6777. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Mcgill Campground And Group Campground?

McGill Family Campground sites are $30 each. There are 72 family campground sites. Day use only at the campground is $10.00 a day.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Mcgill Campground And Group Campground?

Check-in 3:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Mcgill Campground And Group Campground open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Mcgill Campground And Group Campground have?

80 sites, including 64 standard sites without power, 2 group sites, and 1 standard site with power.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Mcgill Campground And Group Campground?

The longest site here provides 35 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Are pets allowed at Mcgill Campground And Group Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Mcgill Campground And Group Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Mcgill Campground And Group Campground?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there accessible sites at Mcgill Campground And Group Campground?

Site 029 is listed accessible on Recreation.gov. What that covers (a paved pad, an accessible table, a nearby accessible restroom) is on each site's booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Mcgill Campground And Group Campground?

Explore the area along the accessible Exploration Trail, Mount Pinos Trail and McGill Campground Trail. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What if Mcgill Campground And Group Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Mt. Pinos Campground (0.3 mi), Chuchupate Campground (5.8 mi), and Campo Alto Campground (6.1 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby