Contents
Steep Ravine Campground | Introduction
Mount Tamalpais State Park Mount Tamalpais State ParkLocated in Marin County, north of San Francisco, the only reservable Steep Ravine Campground in the park is on Highway 1. Steep Ravine Campground faces the sea and is close to Stinson beach, with only seven hike-in tent campsites and nine primitive cabins. Even if you come here to stay in the cabins, you need to bring your own sleeping bag and other items, and camping is only one tent away, but because the scenery here is really great, very popular.
To get down to the campground, you need to pass through a locked gate and drive down Rocky point road to the beach, because the parking space inside is very limited, residents need to call for a code beforehand to open the parking lot, Rocky point road is narrow and has a very beautiful sea view. Occasionally, you may encounter tourists who come to hike the whole Rocky point road.
Steep Ravine Campground | Camping Environment
- Comfort: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Although it is said to be on a cliff by the sea, the wind is not as strong as I thought. Because of the distance from the sea, the campsites are very far away from each other, and there are no other people, so you can enjoy the nature without any sound interference.
- Space: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The other campsites were quite large except for campsite #5 which was not very spacious and had a large rock in the middle of the campsite which made it inconvenient to set up multiple tents.
- Cleanliness: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The only facility in Primitive's camp is the outermost restroom, which is very clean and organized.
- Location Convenience: ⭐️⭐️
Because it's a hike in campground and a primitive campsite, I couldn't ask for a very convenient place to come just for the scenery. All the equipment has to be pushed in with a trolley, and the way in is uphill, so it takes a lot of effort to carry a lot of stuff. There is only a primitive toilet next to the tent campground, so if you want to use a flush toilet, you can climb back to the entrance to use it. If you want to use a flush toilet, you have to climb back to the entrance to use it. Also, you have to go up the hill to open the gate to get in and out of the camp by car, so it will take you a lot of time if you plan to leave the camp at night to eat.
- Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Although it's not convenient to hike in, this is the most beautiful ocean view campground I've ever seen, and I give it 5 stars overall! As long as you can endure the 0.2 mile walk, you can enjoy the undisturbed view of the sea. The view from the hike in is also amazing, especially in spring when the road is full of wildflowers, and even though my hands were a little sore from carrying things, I really didn't feel tired at all.
The small number of seven campsites is not much, and no matter which campsite you choose, you will be able to see the ocean and the sunset from your own campsite. In the evening the campgrounds can have a fire and it is a great treat to grill and watch the ocean in a quiet environment.
I've stayed in Camp 6 most of the times I've been here, and the view of the ocean on the side facing the cabins is beautiful.
Campsite 5 is in a special location, with a different view of the sea, not the most beautiful view, but the quietest, and I was already marveling at this view.
Steep Ravine Beach
Steep Ravine Beach is near the entrance to the hike in, and is a short walk over a large pile of boulders from the trail next to the hut. The beach looks very nice from the hill, but I would recommend going down at low tide. In fact, 1 mile north of the hill is the famous Stinson beach, which is just as beautiful, as it is only visited by those who stay here, and it is like a private beach, quite cozy. However, if you want to go down to the beach to play in the water, you have to pay attention to the days when the tide is high, the beach is almost completely non-existent. The day before we came here, it was raining and there was a small waterfall at the end of the beach.
Looking back from the beach to the cabin on the cliff is quite romantic. In fact, there are no facilities inside the hut, including sleeping bags that you have to bring with you, but the selling point is the great view.
- More camping stories click here
Thank you for visiting our website.
All the content on this site is original and shared with the purpose of providing valuable information. We sustain the operation of this site through a small amount of advertising and sponsored links. If you click on links to third-party merchants on our site and make purchases, we may receive a portion of the sales as a commission. If you click on links to third-party merchants on our site and make purchases, we may receive a portion of the sales as a commission.
If you want to support my free contents, you can Buy me a coffee here!
Find more posts on a map Here.
First time going camping?
Check out Camping 101 | A Simple Gear List for Beginners
My recommended resources for hotel bookings.
Recommended travel credit card for US-based travelers
Travel with just a backpack!
If you are interested in quoting this article or using any part of its content and images on your website or publication, please contact us via email to request permission.
