Pine Mountain Campground

Los Padres National Forest — riverside

Location: Maricopa, CA, CA

Price: From $30 per night

Rating: 4 out of 5 (21 reviews)

Season: May through October

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.Pine Mountain Campground consists of six campsites fashioned in a circle w

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables

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

Pine Mountain Campground sits at 6,650 feet elevation with stunning views of the Sespe Wilderness, valley, and Channel Islands. Campers praise it as a quiet, beautiful spot with excellent photo opportunities and epic views extending to the Pacific Ocean.

Wildlife alert: Mountain lion, bobcat, coyote, black bear, and Southern Pacific rattlesnake are present in the area. Great horned owls and burrowing owls also inhabit the region.

Insider tips for Pine Mountain Campground: Book early as this is a federal campground with only 7 sites Site 7 is located 0.25 miles up the road and operates first-come, first-served for secluded camping Access via Highway 33 to Pine Mountain Summit (6N06) at mile marker 42.50, then 4.7 miles on partially paved road

Skip Pine Mountain Campground if: You need hookups—no hookups available at most sites. You want to camp outside May through October—seasonal operations only.

Best time to visit Pine Mountain Campground: May-October — Official operating season with cooler temperatures at high elevation compared to summer heat at lower elevations..

Nearby campgrounds: Reyes Peak Campground (Maricopa, CA), Reyes Creek Campground (Maricopa, CA), Holiday Group Campground (OJAI, CA), Wheeler Gorge (OJAI, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Pine Mountain Campground

Cell signal at Pine Mountain Campground (Maricopa, 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

Pine Mountain Campground

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Maricopa, CA, CA★ 4 (21 reviews)From $30/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

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.Pine Mountain Campground consists of six campsites fashioned in a circle with a large open area in the middle.

Best for:FamiliesSites:Tent
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 RV40 ft
HookupsNo hookups.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables

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 hookups—no hookups available at most sites✕ You want to camp outside May through October—seasonal operations only

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early as this is a federal campground with only 7 sites

Site 7 is located 0.25 miles up the road and operates first-come, first-served for secluded camping

Access via Highway 33 to Pine Mountain Summit (6N06) at mile marker 42.50, then 4.7 miles on partially paved road

Best: May-October

Official operating season with cooler temperatures at high elevation compared to summer heat at lower elevations.

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: Mountain lion, bobcat, coyote, black bear, and Southern Pacific rattlesnake are present in the area. Great horned owls and burrowing owls also inhabit the region.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
805-434-1996· Los Padres National Forest
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.

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.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Pine Mountain Campground cost per night?+
Pine Mountain Campground costs $30 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Pine Mountain Campground open?+
Pine Mountain Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Pine Mountain Campground have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Pine Mountain Campground?+
Pine Mountain Campground can accommodate RVs up to 40 feet.
How do I make reservations at Pine Mountain Campground?+
Pine Mountain 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 Pine Mountain Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Pine Mountain Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Pine Mountain Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Pine Mountain 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★ 4 (21)
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 Pine Mountain Campground cost per night?+
What season is Pine Mountain Campground open?+
Does Pine Mountain Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Reyes Peak Campground

Maricopa, CA

From $30/night

Reyes Creek Campground

Maricopa, CA

From $30/night

Holiday Group Campground

OJAI, CA

From $150/night

Wheeler Gorge

OJAI, CA

From $35/night

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