Gold Bluffs Beach Campground
Gold Bluffs Beach Campground, Davison Rd, Orick, CA 95555, United States
Overview
Open year-round, Gold Bluffs Beach Campground is located on the coast within Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park in San Francisco, a five-mile drive from the 101 along Davison Road, an unpaved dirt road.
This popular campground is located along a 10-mile stunning beach with some sites enjoying ocean views, and the gorgeous redwood trees decorate the stunning backdrop.
With 26 sites, Gold Bluffs is more suited for tents as you cannot park at the sites, but you park in small pullouts. RVs up to 24 feet are allowed but not trailers and there are no hookups.
The campground offers showers, restrooms, fire pits, tables, and lockers and is open all year round. Dogs are allowed on a leash within the campground and the beach but not on the surrounding hiking trails.
Best Campsites at Gold Bluffs Beach Campground
Below are Power Camper’s recommended sites if you want to have the best experience at Gold BLuffs Beach Campground.
Site 7 and 19
- Ocean views
- Privacy from other campsites
- Farthest from the restrooms
Sites 9, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17
- Ocean views
Sites 20, 21, 23, 25, 26.
- Faces the bluffs
- Some tall trees allow for more privacy
Unique Experiences
- Gold Bluffs gets its name from the dramatic golden cliffs that serve as the campground’s backdrop. This popular campground is located in the peaceful Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, famed for its nature and wildlife.
- Go on a hike and enjoy 75 miles of hiking trails surrounded by redwood trees throughout the park.
- Bike the 19-mile Ossaga Trail that goes through the stunning redwood forests and out along the coast.
- Check out Fern Canyon which was used as a backdrop to Jurassic Park.
- Participate in the monthly Hike and Bike Day on the first Saturday from October to May where you can walk or bike along the trails.
- Sit or walk along the beach and see if you can spot seals, elk, otters, and pelicans.
- Take the Irvine Trail to Fern Canyon and Gold Bluffs, then return on the Miner’s Ridge trail to enjoy some spectacular scenery.
- Go horseback riding in the redwood forests
Gold Bluffs Beach Campground Campground Rules
Max Trailer/RV Length
24 FeetMax People per Site
8Fires allowed?
Only in designated fire ringsPets allowed?
YesGold Bluffs Beach Campground Reservation Information
Reservations Allowed?
Reservations Required?
YesSince Gold Bluffs is state-owned, you can reserve your tent or RV campsite through the website https://www.reservecalifornia.com or by phone here: 1-800-444-7275. Campsites 1 and 2 don’t need to be reserved, but the rest need to be reserved before coming. The general rule of thumb is that during the high season (from Memorial day/ May 30 to Labor Day/Sep 22) you must reserve before coming but during the low season, you can go directly.
Trailers are not allowed. You can enter with your national park access but an additional fee of about $17.50 will be required. The campsite is generally at $35 dollars a night, while a hike and bike site costs $5.
Ensure you have the following information to make a reservation:
- Park selections
- The date you wish to start camping
- Type and size of camping equipment
- Number of people that will occupy the campsite
- Number of nights you wish to camp
- Alternative park and camping date choices
- Your phone number and area code
- Method of payment/Credit card number and expiration date
- Mailing address
Group Camping Reservations
Group camping is not available at the Gold Bluffs as it is a small campground, but each campsite can accommodate up to 8 people so you can reserve multiple adjacent sites.
Campsite Reservation Cancellations
All year round and two days before your day of arrival, you can make your reservations through ReserveCalifornia or by phone: 1-800-444-PARK (7275). You’d have to pay a $7.99 cancellation fee as a penalty if a cancellation is made after 6 PM on the day before your arrival.
Gold Bluffs Beach Campground Campground Cost
Standard Campsite
$35Activities
Canoeing / Kayaking
Scuba Diving
Snorkeling
Swimming
Hiking
Surfing / Windsurfing
Bike Trails
Photography
Whale Watching
Boating
Amenities
RV/Trailers
Hookups
Pull Through Spots
Pet Friendly
ADA Sites
Showers
Wifi
Cell Service
Visitors/Rec Center
Grills
Campfire Rings
Wood for Sale
Picnic Tables
Directions
FAQs
Nearby Campgrounds to Gold Bluffs Beach Campground
Gold Bluffs is very similar to the campgrounds around them in attractions and the wildlife but will differ in facilities and type of campsites.
Sue-Meg State Park (Patrick's Point)
Sue-Meg (formerly called Patrick's Point) Campground is a way bigger campground with over 100 sites. However, like Gold Bluff, it is more suited for tent camping and larger vehicles will have difficulty with tight turns. It allows for RVs up to 31 feet, compared to 24 feet for Gold Bluffs.
The costs are the same at $35 a night, and Sue-Meg has a group campground that can accommodate up to 120 people, while Gold Bluffs has none. However, Sue-Meg doesn’t allow dogs on the beaches, while Gold Bluffs does.
Humboldt Lagoons State Park
There are several campgrounds located in Humboldt Lagoons State Park including the Stone Lagoon campground, which are six primitive sites only accessible by boat or by hiking.
Big Lagoon costs $25 a night compared to Gold Bluff’s $35. However, Big Lagoon allows only for tent camping, while Gold Bluffs can accommodate RVs up to 24 feet. Camping at Humboldt Lagoons is strictly first-come, first-served, while reservations can be made for Gold Bluffs.
Elk Prairie Campground
Elk Prairie Campground is right next to Gold Bluffs Beach and they share the same stunning scenery found in the Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. Elk Prairie offers hot, coin-operated showers while Gold Bluffs has solar showers which might run out of hot water. Like Gold Bluffs, Elk Prairie doesn’t offer hookups or dump stations.
However, in Elk Prairie, you can park at your campsite while in Gold Bluffs, you’ll have to park in the surrounding pullouts, which makes loading and unloading a little trickier.
Stone Lagoon Red Schoolhouse
The iconic Stone Lagoon Red Schoolhouse is nestled within the Elk Country RV Resort and Campground. With over 100 sites for tents, RVs, and trailers, Elk Country is a way bigger campground than Gold Bluffs. They also offer hookup sites and a dump station while Gold Bluffs doesn’t.
