Nira Campground

Los Padres National Forest — riverside

Location: Carpinteria, CA, CA

Price: From $30 per night

Rating: 3.9 out of 5 (33 reviews)

Season: May through October

Nira Campground is a beautiful site covered in oak trees and located along Manzana Creek. Whether you come to cast a line in the river, camp and relax, ride horses, mountain bike or hike, Nira offers a scenic location with a variety of recreation activities.Along with hiking, mountain biking, fishing and swimming, Nira Campground is a great starting point for backpacking and deer hunting expeditions into the San Rafael Wilderness. Located on Manzana Creek just upstream from the mouth of Davy Bro

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/nira-campground to be notified when sites open up.

Nira Campground is a beautiful, remote site covered in oak trees along Manzana Creek offering scenic recreation including hiking, mountain biking, fishing, and access to the San Rafael Wilderness. Real campers praise it as a truly unplugged experience with clean facilities and excellent trail access.

Wildlife alert: Mule deer, bobcat, fox sparrow, Anna's hummingbird, acorn woodpecker, coast patchnose snake, gopher snake, and northern legless lizard have been documented in the area. Pay attention to wild animals.

Insider tips for Nira Campground: Book early — this is a popular federal campground with only 12 sites Bring your own firewood and supplies — no ranger station or nearby firewood available Navigate carefully — the access road is very narrow and long with only one way in and out Ensure self-contained RV setup — no hookups available at sites

Skip Nira Campground if: You need full RV hookups. You require ranger station or nearby services. You have a large RV or are uncomfortable with narrow, one-lane access roads. You want a well-stocked creek for swimming — water levels are patchy seasonally.

Best time to visit Nira Campground: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Nearby campgrounds: Davy Brown Campground (Los Olivos, CA), Mt. Figueroa Campground (Los Olivos, CA), Fremont Campground (SANTA BARBARA, CA), Paradise Campground (SANTA BARBARA, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Nira Campground

Cell signal at Nira Campground (Carpinteria, CA): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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Los Padres National Forest — riversideLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Nira Campground

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Carpinteria, CA, CA★ 3.9 (33 reviews)From $30/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Nira Campground is a beautiful site covered in oak trees and located along Manzana Creek. Whether you come to cast a line in the river, camp and relax, ride horses, mountain bike or hike, Nira offers a scenic location with a variety of recreation activities.Along with hiking, mountain biking, fishing and swimming, Nira Campground is a great starting point for backpacking and deer hunting expeditions into the San Rafael Wilderness. Located on Manzana Creek just upstream from the mouth of Davy Brown Creek, a trailhead provides access for various trails up and down Manzana Creek that enter the San Rafael Wilderness.While tent camping is best enjoyed in this cozy campground, there is room for small RVs under 20 feet.

Best for:FamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV24 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Vault Toilets

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need full RV hookups✕ You require ranger station or nearby services✕ You have a large RV or are uncomfortable with narrow, one-lane access roads✕ You want a well-stocked creek for swimming — water levels are patchy seasonally

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a popular federal campground with only 12 sites

Bring your own firewood and supplies

no ranger station or nearby firewood available

Navigate carefully

the access road is very narrow and long with only one way in and out

Ensure self-contained RV setup

no hookups available at sites

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Mule deer, bobcat, fox sparrow, Anna's hummingbird, acorn woodpecker, coast patchnose snake, gopher snake, and northern legless lizard have been documented in the area. Pay attention to wild animals.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
805 434 1996· Los Padres National Forest
Getting there →

To get there from Hwy 154: Armour Ranch Rd./ Happy Canyon Rd. 11 miles northeast to Cachuma Saddle, Sunset Valley Rd. 6 miles north.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Los Padres National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Los Padres National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Nira Campground cost per night?+
Nira Campground costs $30 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Nira Campground open?+
Nira Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Nira Campground have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Nira Campground?+
Nira Campground can accommodate RVs up to 24 feet.
How do I make reservations at Nira Campground?+
Nira Campground is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Nira Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Nira Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Nira Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Nira Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$30 /night★ 3.9 (33)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Nira Campground cost per night?+
What season is Nira Campground open?+
Does Nira Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Davy Brown Campground

Los Olivos, CA

From $30/night

Mt. Figueroa Campground

Los Olivos, CA

From $30/night

Fremont Campground

SANTA BARBARA, CA

From $40/night

Paradise Campground

SANTA BARBARA, CA

From $40/night

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