Northern California Spring Camping Spots
Northern California's majestic Redwoods are featured among 15 spring break camping destinations for RV adventurers. The list also includes wild horses on Assateague Island, Nevada deserts, and Colorado mountains. Spring camping season is ramping up with diverse options across the West Coast.
Beyond the iconic Redwoods, Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland offers a unique spring camping experience with its famed wild horses. Campsites are available year-round, but reservations for the popular spring season, from March 15th through November 15th, can be booked up to six months in advance and fill up quickly. The horses, descendants of rumored shipwreck survivors, can often be seen grazing in the marshes or even wandering through the campgrounds. For those seeking a desert landscape, Nevada's Valley of Fire State Park provides a stunning backdrop for spring camping. This time of year offers ideal temperatures for exploring the park's vibrant red Aztec sandstone formations and ancient petroglyphs. The park's two main campgrounds, Atlatl Rock and Arch Rock, operate on a first-come, first-served basis, making an early arrival crucial, especially on spring weekends. In the Colorado Rockies, spring camping presents a more rugged adventure, as it's often referred to as "mud season" due to melting snow. While many high-elevation campgrounds in places like Rocky Mountain National Park may not open until late May or early June, lower-elevation options become accessible earlier. Moraine Park is the only campground in Rocky Mountain National Park open year-round, offering a chance to experience the transition from winter to spring in the mountains. Reservations are paramount for many of these popular spring destinations. For instance, weekend campsites at Assateague are often fully booked the same day they become available. Similarly, securing a spot near the iconic Maroon Bells in Colorado requires advance planning, with reservations for the campgrounds opening six months in advance. Backcountry camping in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness also requires a permit for the most popular areas.
