Pine Mountain Campground
Perfectly situated high above the Sespe Wilderness offering stunning views of the valley below and the Channel Islands in the distance lies Pine Mountain Campground. You will find yourself surrounded by moderate hills, tall pine trees and the sounds of silence. At an elevation of 6,650 feet, it offers cooler temperatures on hot summer days, and a chance to let everything else go as you take in all that nature has to offer.
More like this: reservable in California · big rigs in California · tent only in California · pets allowed in California
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| Tent-only | 7 |
Site guide
7 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Entry | Fits, ft | Surface | Shade | People / vehicles | Fires | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Back-in | 40 | Gravel | Partial | 6 / 1 | Yes | Standard |
| 02 | Back-in | 40 | Gravel | Partial | 6 / 1 | Yes | Standard |
| 03 | Back-in | 40 | Gravel | Partial | 6 / 1 | Yes | Standard |
| 04 | Back-in | 40 | Gravel | Partial | 6 / 1 | Yes | Standard |
| 05 | Back-in | 40 | Gravel | Partial | 6 / 1 | Yes | Standard |
| 06 | Back-in | 40 | Gravel | Partial | 6 / 1 | Yes | Standard |
| 07 | Back-in | 40 | Gravel | Partial | 6 / 1 | Yes | Standard |
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
| Max vehicle length | 40 ft |
| Equipment | Tents |
| Pets | Allowed |
| Campfires | Allowed, subject to restrictions |
Pine Mountain Campground consists of six campsites fashioned in a circle with a large open area in the middle. There are tables, barbecue grills or fire rings, and one pit toilet at this campground. This is a "dry campground" so please bring your own water.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Closed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date. |
| Forest | Los Padres National Forest |
| Booking | www.recreation.gov or call 1-877-444-6777. Reservations need to be made 8 days in advance. |
| Fees | $30/night for camping, $10 per extra vehicle. |
Weather by month
Getting there
To get to Pine Mountain Campground, follow Highway 33 to the turnoff at Pine Mountain Summit (6N06), mile marker 42.50. Turn right and follow the partially paved road another 4.7 miles. Pine Mountain Campground will be to your right.
| Coordinates | 34.6388° N, 119.3269° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- WildfireBryson
47 mi from the campground · 200 acres · 0% contained
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Outdoor gear | Ojai Valley Surplus ↗ | 14.1 mi |
| Dump station | Lake Casitas Recreation Area ↗ | 15.4 mi |
| RV sales & service | Harder RV Storage ↗ | 28.4 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Worth a stop
Hiking trails, biking and fishing are all within 30 minutes from the campground. On a day trip south along Hwy 33, to the Rose Valley Road (6N31), you will find the Piedra Blanca trailhead located across Sespe Creek. The Gene Marshall-Piedra Blanca National Recreation Trail (22W03) in the Sespe Wilderness will lead you to nearby massive white rocks, called Piedra Blanca! It is an easy walk for the first three miles. A principal attraction to this section of the Sespe is Rose Valley Falls. This trail to the falls begins just before you enter Rose Valley Campground. Follow it for a short half mile and you will be at the base of the falls. The cliffs at the falls are arkosic sandstone and crumble easily, so tread lightly. Rose Valley Falls is the tallest waterfall in the range and while it is an easy hike to the base of the 100-foot tall lower tier of the waterfall (0.8 miles round trip with 150 feet of elevation gain), it is adventure to reach the more impressive upper tier. Please do not climb around on steep sections or get close to the edge. You will need to park outside Rose Valley Campground to hike the trails.
- 10.9 mi
- 12.7 miFishbowls Trailhead - 21W05 ↗Trailhead
- 14.9 miWest Tumamait Trailhead - 21W03 ↗Trailhead
Trails nearby
- under 0.1 miBoulder Canyon ↗4.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 0.6 miRaspberry Spring0.5 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 1 miChorro Grande ↗5.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 2 miReyes Peak ↗5.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 2.9 miGene Marshall-Piedra Blanca ↗18.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike · national_recreation_or_other
- 3.2 miDeal Connector0.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
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
Matilija Wilderness begins about 3.4 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 3.4 miMatilija Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 29,207 acres
- 6.7 miDick Smith Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 71,275 acres
- 7.3 miSespe Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 219,209 acres
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.
Other campgrounds nearby
On the National Register nearby
- Charles M. Pratt HouseBuilding · Ojai · 12.9 mi
- St. Thomas Aquinas ChapelBuilding · Ojai · 13.9 mi
- Isis TheaterBuilding · Ojai · 14 mi
Natural features
You will find Jeffrey pine, sugar pine and white fir trees at the campground. Along the outskirts, you'll notice chaparral species. These species include manzanita, and California sage. You may also see some scrub oak. Be dazzled by wildflowers, which are abundant in the spring and early summer. Lupine, false lupine, scarlet bugler and many others round out the scenery. Keep your eyes open for red-tailed hawks soaring above the trees. If you are lucky, you may see a California condor! Other birds in the area include woodpeckers and chickadees. Deer, bear and coyote also live in the area.
Recreation
There is one designated trail in the area, Boulder Canyon (23W03). You may also want to walk around the surrounding hills to see the views and the trees. And just a mile up the road there are a couple of trails leaving Reyes Peak Campground - Chorro Grande Trail and Raspberry Spring Trail. Drive past the gate at the end of the paved road and you will end up at Reyes Peak Trailhead.
Guidebooks for California
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Pine Mountain Campground?
Sites at Pine Mountain Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. www.recreation.gov or 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 Pine Mountain Campground?
$30/night for camping, $10 per extra vehicle.
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Pine Mountain Campground?
Check-in 3:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
Is Pine Mountain Campground open right now?
Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026.
Source: Forest Service status
How many sites does Pine Mountain Campground have?
7 sites, including 7 tent-only sites.
Source: Recreation.gov
Will my RV fit at Pine Mountain Campground?
The longest site here provides 40 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 Pine Mountain Campground?
Yes, pets are allowed at Pine Mountain Campground. Leash rules apply.
Source: Recreation.gov
Can I have a campfire at Pine Mountain Campground?
Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there is 1 active fire within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one.
Source: Fire nearby
What is there to do at Pine Mountain Campground?
There is one designated trail in the area, Boulder Canyon (23W03). The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What if Pine Mountain Campground is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Reyes Peak Campground (0.6 mi, partly first-come), Reyes Creek Campground (3.1 mi), and Rancho Nuevo Campground (5.6 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby