Outdoors
National forests, parks, lakes and recreation areas with hiking trails near San Ramon, closest first.
Good to know: Carry more water than you think you need, check the managing agency’s page for trail closures and fire restrictions, and start early on hot days.
Contra Loma Dam and reservoir are part of the Central Valley Project - Delta Division and offers recreational opportunities for the East Bay area near San Francisco.
John Muir’s life was a tapestry of roles—fruit rancher, family man, writer—each interwoven with his deep love for nature.
Aquatic Park Cove is a vibrantly urban harbor that mimics a natural anchorage and is located on the Pacific shores of one of America's great West Coast cities.
As San Francisco's only group campground, Rob Hill offers a national park camping experience just minutes from the city.
Kirby Cove is located just north of the Golden Gate Bridge at historic Battery Kirby. Visitors are awarded breathtaking views of San Francisco, its famous Golden Gate Bridge, and the rugged Pacific Coast of northern California.
Haypress Campground is nestled within the coastal scrub of Tennessee Valley, near Mill Valley. The hike to this campground is 1 mile from the Tennessee Valley Trail head parking lot, which means car or RV camping is not allowed.
Experience a park so rich it supports 19 distinct ecosystems with over 2,000 plant and animal species.
Walk among old growth coast redwoods, cooling their roots in the fresh water of Redwood Creek and lifting their crowns to reach the sun and fog.
The San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge located in Stanislaus County encompasses more than 7,300 acres of riparian woodlands, wetlands, and grasslands that host a diversity of wildlife native to California’s Great Central Valley.
With acquisition of the first property in 1994, Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge was officially established as the 505th unit in the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Lake Solano Park, Solano Project , is located at the base of coastal foothills at the western edge of the Sacramento Valley and offers an array of recreational opportunities.
Point Reyes National Seashore offers four backcountry hike in campgrounds and thirteen boat in campsites along Tomales Bay. Note: For reservation purposes, our campgrounds are organized under the "loop" column of the reservation grid.
Nestled between Blue Ridge and Cedar Roughs, east of the Napa Valley, Lake Berryessa offers year-round recreation opportunities.
From its thunderous ocean breakers crashing against rocky headlands and expansive sand beaches to its open grasslands, brushy hillsides, and forested ridges, Point Reyes offers visitors over 1500 species of plants and animals to discover.
Nestled between Blue Ridge and Cedar Roughs east of Napa Valley, Lake Berryessa provides ample public recreation opportunities.
The Cedar Roughs Wilderness now contains a total of 6,287 acres and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. All of the Wilderness is in the state of California.
Just a few minutes NE of Modesto in the Central Valley. Here, a serene series of small parks are located along the Stanislaus River, providing exciting fishing, rafting, and canoeing opportunities. N of Modesto 10 mi via CA 99.
Coyote Point sits along New Hogan Lake in the brush-covered foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
New Hogan Dam and Lake is located in the oak- and brush-covered foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The 4,400 acre lake was created in 1964 with the completion of New Hogan Dam.
Acorn Campground is a sunny campground in the brush-covered hills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The area is generally characterized by a warm, dry climate with summer temperatures regularly soaring above 90 degrees.
Oak Knoll Campground sits along New Hogan Lake in the brush-covered foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Recreation Boating is a popular pastime, with boat ramps conveniently located around the lake.
Glory Hole Recreation Area is located at New Melones Lake on the Stanislaus River.
Tuttletown Recreation Area is located at New Melones Lake on the Stanislaus River.
Lake Sonoma's Boat-In Sites are scattered around beautiful Lake Sonoma, only a 45-minute drive north of Santa Rosa and a two-hour drive from San Francisco.
Distances are straight-line miles from downtown San Ramon. Listings come from Recreation.gov’s federal recreation database; check each official page for hours, fees, fire restrictions and closures before you go.
Contra Loma Reservoir (Bureau of Reclamation), about 16 miles north of San Ramon as the crow flies. Next are John Muir National Historic Site (19 mi) and Aquatic Park Cove, Black Point Overnight Anchoring, Sailing Vessels only (auxiliary engine OK) (27 mi).
Based on San Ramon’s average highs, October–May. Conditions at higher elevations can be much cooler.
Federal agencies including National Park Service, Bureau of Reclamation, US Army Corps of Engineers. Each listing links to its official page for hours, fees, closures and current conditions.