How to book on ReserveCalifornia
ReserveCalifornia is where you book California State Parks campsites, from Big Sur to the Redwoods. Here are the 2026 booking and cancellation rules, how to win on release morning, and which parks are hardest to get into.
Looking for the booking site itself? Go to reservecalifornia.com or call (800) 444-7275 (8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific).
Availability updated . Booking rules checked .
- Booking window
- 6 months
- New dates open (Pacific)
- 8:00 a.m.
- Book through today
- April 28
- Weekend sites still open
- 25%
How ReserveCalifornia booking works
- Six months ahead, every day. Each morning at 8:00 a.m. Pacific, one more arrival date opens, six months out. Today (October 28, 2026) you can book arrivals through April 28, 2027.
- Your arrival date is what counts. The stay can run past the six-month line, up to the park's maximum stay, as long as the arrival date is open.
- Book as late as 2 days before arrival, if a site is still open.
- Limits: 30 nights per person per calendar year, and once your stay ends you have to wait 48 hours before returning to the same park. Some parks set shorter limits.
- On arrival: check-in starts at 2 p.m. at most parks, checkout is at noon, and you'll need your confirmation and a photo ID. The site fee covers one vehicle plus a towed vehicle or trailer.
Sources: Reservation sale dates and Camping reservation policies, California State Parks.
How to win on release morning
- Work out your booking day. Count back six months from your arrival date. To arrive on July 4, 2027, be ready at 8:00 a.m. Pacific on January 4, 2027.
- Set up your account days ahead. Create your ReserveCalifornia account, check your details and have your card ready. Nobody wants to reset a password at 7:59.
- Be logged in before 8:00 a.m. Sign in 10 to 15 minutes early, then refresh your session a minute or two before 8 so it doesn't time out at the wrong moment.
- Run a second clock. Your computer's clock can be off by several seconds, and popular sites go in seconds. Keep time.gov or the clock on this page open, and refresh exactly at 8:00:00.
- Pick your site and 3 to 5 backups the night before. Know the site numbers and the loop. If your first choice is gone, move straight to the next one.
- Keep the phone as a backup. The call center ((800) 444-7275) opens at 8 a.m. Pacific too.
- Be flexible. Sunday to Thursday nights, winter at the beach, and less famous parks nearby are all much easier than a summer weekend at the coast.
Uses your device's clock. Check it against time.gov before release morning.
Booking extra nights, then cancelling them
You should know about one tactic many campers use. Because the stay can run past the six-month line, they book a longer trip than they need. When a Monday opens, they book Monday to Sunday, which grabs that Friday and Saturday four days before anyone booking a Friday arrival can. Later they shorten the stay to just the weekend.
We don't suggest doing this. It holds sites other campers want, and it costs you: shortening a stay counts as a modification ($8.25 each, at most two, at least 48 hours before arrival). But enough people do it that you should know who you're up against on release morning. It's also one reason weekend sites often come back weeks later, when those longer stays are cut back.
ReserveCalifornia cancellation and no-show rules
| When you cancel | What you get back |
|---|---|
| 7 or more days before arrival | Site fees refunded, minus the $8.25 cancellation fee |
| 2 to 6 days before | You lose the first night; the rest is refunded |
| Less than 2 days, or a no-show | No refund |
- The $8.25 reservation fee is never refunded.
- Three no-shows in a calendar year block you from booking on ReserveCalifornia for 365 days.
- Leaving early with an approved Early Out refund costs you two nights.
- Refunds take at least 30 days.
Since cancelling 7 or more days out gets your site fees back, many campers cancel just before that cutoff, and those sites go straight back on sale. Campsite Tonight watches sold-out ReserveCalifornia campgrounds and alerts you the moment one opens.
Source: Camping reservation policies, California State Parks.
The ReserveCalifornia Reservation Drawing
A few of the most wanted spots aren't first come, first served. They go by a free drawing:
- Steep Ravine Cabins at Mount Tamalpais State Park
- Select campsites at Malibu Creek State Park
- Select campsites at Morro Bay State Park
- Select campsites at McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park
- Apply up to 8 months ahead. The drawing runs 7 months ahead of the stay.
- It's free to enter, and you need a ReserveCalifornia account.
- List up to three choices (site type, arrival date, nights, trailer length).
- Each time you don't win, you earn a point that improves your odds in later drawings.
- Winning gives you the right to book. You still pay, within 30 days.
Source: Reservation Drawing FAQs, California State Parks.
The hardest ReserveCalifornia parks to book right now
Share of Friday and Saturday night campsites still open from October 28, 2026 to April 28, 2027, across the 359 ReserveCalifornia campgrounds and 7,802 campsites Campsite Tonight checks throughout the day.
Across all of them, 25% of weekend campsites are still open. At Half Moon Bay State Beach it's under 1%, and at San Elijo State Beach 2%.
| Park | Campsites | Weekend sites open |
|---|---|---|
| Half Moon Bay State Beach | 45 | under 1% |
| San Elijo State Beach | 146 | 2% |
| Crystal Cove State Park Moro Campground | 53 | 4% |
| Emma Wood State Beach | 84 | 5% |
| South Carlsbad State Beach | 200 | 6% |
| Lake Oroville State Recreation Area | 245 | 6% |
| New Brighton State Beach | 100 | 6% |
| Van Damme State Park | 65 | 6% |
| Sue-meg State Park | 107 | 7% |
| Bolsa Chica State Beach | 52 | 8% |
Parks with at least 40 campsites. Cabins and group sites aren't counted. Weeks when a park isn't taking bookings (closed for the season, for example) are left out, so a park needs at least 8 bookable weekends in the window to be ranked.
Other places to book in California
- National parks and national forests, including Yosemite, Joshua Tree and Sequoia, use Recreation.gov. There, Campsite Tonight can add a cancelled site to your cart automatically.
- Some county parks run their own booking systems. See how to book California campgrounds for all of them in one place.
- Watching for this morning's new dates? See California state park sites releasing today, or browse every California campground.
ReserveCalifornia FAQ
What is ReserveCalifornia?
ReserveCalifornia (reservecalifornia.com) is the official booking site for California State Parks campsites, cabins and tours. You can also book by phone at (800) 444-7275, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific. National parks and national forests in California are booked on Recreation.gov instead.
What time does ReserveCalifornia release campsites?
New dates open every day at 8:00 a.m. Pacific, six months ahead. On August 1 you can book arrivals through February 1.
How far in advance can you book on ReserveCalifornia?
Six months ahead of your arrival date, on a rolling basis, and as late as 2 days before you arrive if a site is still open.
What is the ReserveCalifornia cancellation policy?
Cancel 7 or more days before arrival and you get your site fees back minus an $8.25 cancellation fee. Cancel 2 to 6 days before and you lose the first night. Cancel later than that, or don’t show up, and nothing is refunded. The $8.25 reservation fee is never refunded.
What happens if I don’t show up for a ReserveCalifornia reservation?
You lose everything you paid. Three no-shows in a calendar year block you from booking on ReserveCalifornia for 365 days.
How does the ReserveCalifornia Reservation Drawing work?
For a few high-demand spots, including Steep Ravine Cabins and select sites at Malibu Creek, Morro Bay and Burney Falls, sites are awarded by a free drawing instead of first come, first served. You apply up to 8 months ahead, the drawing runs 7 months ahead, and each time you don’t win you earn a point that improves your odds next time. Winners have 30 days to pay.
Can I change the dates of a ReserveCalifornia reservation?
Yes. Changing dates, sites or parks, or making a stay longer or shorter, counts as a modification. Each one costs $8.25, you can make up to two, and you have to make them at least 48 hours before arrival.
How do I get a ReserveCalifornia campsite that is sold out?
Watch for cancellations. Campers cancel all the time, and cancelled sites go straight back on sale on ReserveCalifornia. Campsite Tonight watches sold-out ReserveCalifornia campgrounds and sends you an alert the moment a site opens.
Missed release morning? Catch the cancellation
Campsite Tonight watches sold-out ReserveCalifornia campgrounds around the clock and alerts you the moment someone cancels. Free on iOS and Android.