California Campgrounds and Parks Reopening in 2021

Updated: Wednesday, January 27, 2021

On Monday, January 25, Governor Newsom lifted the regional COVID-19 stay-at-home orders in California because of dropping rates of coronavirus infections. This means California will revert back to the four-tiered, color-coded system that assigns local risk levels based on case numbers and rates of positive test results for coronavirus infections. Restaurants with outdoor dining, hotels, campgrounds, and many other business can now reopen. Below is a list of national parks, campgrounds, and more, and their reopening status.

Is in state travel allowed in California?

Yes, the California Department of Public Health issued a travel advisory recommending that Californians avoid nonessential travel anywhere beyond 120 miles of their home. The travel advisory hasn’t been updated after the stay at home order was lifted as of Wednesday, January 27, 2021.

Can I travel into California from another state?

Yes, but the travel advisory from the California Department of Public Heath discourages nonessential travel from other states or countries. The advisory asks that everyone arriving in California from out of state quarantine for 10 days after arrival—essential workers are exempt. The travel advisory hasn’t been updated after the stay at home order was lifted as of Wednesday, January 27, 2021.

Park and Campground Reopening Status

Channel Islands National Park

The park islands continue to be accessible for day visits by private boaters.

The mainland and island visitor centers and campgrounds are closed until further notice. The park’s transportation concessioner Islands Packers has temporarily cancelled boat service to the islands. Scorpion Anchorage on Santa Cruz Island is closed to public access during pier construction. Pier construction began in November 2019 and is expected to take up to 14 months.

Read more about the current conditions here.

The park is open 24 hours a day. Services and facilities have separate hours. Please see descriptions of those facilities elsewhere.

Death Valley National Park

The park is preparing to open Furnace Creek, Texas Springs, Sunset, Eureka, Saline Valley, and Homestake Campgrounds on Friday, January 29.

Wildrose road is closed at the charcoal kilns due to snow & ice. Icy conditions may remain on additional backcountry roads at higher elevations.

Read more about the current conditions here.

The park is open daily all year. The remnants of Hurricane Hilary triggered flash floods that damaged all park roads on August 20, 2023. Many roads remain closed.

Joshua Tree National Park

Campgrounds are reopening between Jan. 28 to Feb 1, 2021. Most roads and trails remain open.

Keys View Road is closed due to snow and ice. Dirt roads in the northern part of the park are closed including Geology Tour Road, Bighorn Pass Road, O’Dell Road, and Queen Valley Road.

Read more about the current conditions here.

Joshua Tree National Park is open 24 hours a day and may be visited at any time of the year. Visitation increases as temperatures moderate in the fall, peaks during the spring wildflower season, and diminishes during the heat of summer. Some areas of the park are designated for day use only. Visitor centers keep separate hours; please see descriptions.

Lassen Volcanic National Park

Highway Closed to through Traffic. Vehicle access is limited to the Loomis Plaza (1 mile from the Northwest Entrance) and to the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center (1 mile from the Southwest Entrance). The remaining 28 miles of the park highway is closed to through traffic and serves as a snow-covered route for snow sports.

Read more about the current conditions here.

The park is always open. Road access is limited during the winter season, approximately November through May, due to snow.

Pinnacles National Park

All parking lots and most trails on the east side of the park are open. Weekend and holiday visitors are encourages to arrive prior to 9:30am to ensure a parking spot. All west side parking lots and trails are open. The Pinnacles Campground open to ‘essential travelers’. Please visit recreation.gov and click on ‘Alert’ for more information on how this may affect your reservation.

Bear Gulch Nature Center and West Visitor Center remain closed. Shuttle services inside the park remain non-operational. All caves remain closed (Balconies and Bear Gulch Caves).

Read more about the current conditions here.

Entrance to the east side of Pinnacles National Park is open 24 hours, 7 days a week, including holidays.

The west entrance to the park offers access to trails such as Prewett Point, Balconies, and Juniper Canyon. Note: this one-lane road is narrow and winding. Oversize vehicles should enter the park on the east side.

Redwood National Park

Developed campgrounds are open, with the exception of Mill Creek Campground which is closed for the winter season. Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center (Orick, Calif.) and Hiouchi Visitor Center (Hiouchi Calif.) are open with modified operations, but restrooms are available. Jedediah Smith Visitor Center and Crescent City Information Center (Crescent City, Calif.) are closed for the season. Prairie Creek Visitor Center (6 miles north of Orick, Calif.) is temporarily CLOSED.

There is a temporary closure of some view points and backcountry camps next to Yurok Tribal lands near the Klamath River. This is in support of Tribal and county health guidelines.

Read more about the current conditions here.

The national and state parks are always open to enjoy. Roads, trails and public access remain open year round. Some campgrounds and visitor centers are closed - or have reduced hours - in the off-season (October-May)

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

Due to California’s stay-at-home order issued for the San Joaquin Valley region, all park campgrounds are closed through at least February 9, 2021. Wuksachi Lodge, restaurant, gift shop, and restrooms are closed until further notice.

Read more about the current conditions here.

These parks are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Rarely, extreme weather conditions may cause roads into the parks to be closed.

Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park will remain closed at least until Saturday, January 30, 2021.

When the park reopens, El Portal Rd (Hwy 140), Big Oak Flat Rd (Hwy 120 from the west), and Hetch Hetchy Rd will be open. Areas south of Yosemite Valley (including Badger Pass, Wawona, Mariposa Grove, South Entrance, and Wawona Rd will remain closed.

Read more about the current conditions here.

Yosemite National Park is open 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.

Hetch Hetchy area is only open during the day (except for permitted backpackers). All day visitors must exit Hetch Hetchy by the closure time.

California State Parks

As of Friday, January 29, 2021, California Department of Parks and Recreation has begun its plans to reopen the state park’s campgrounds. Most state parks are still open for day use with limited facilities available. Here is a complete list of temporarily closed parks and the California Department of Parks and Recreation COVID-19 alerts page.

California National Forests

Developed campgrounds within the national forests remain closed as of Wednesday, January 27, 2021. Dispersed camping is allowed, but be sure to avoid areas or roads closed for the winter season or due to wildfire damage. Check the individual national forest’s website frequently for changing conditions and alerts.

Private Campgrounds: Search by County

Smaller, privately owned campgrounds have the flexibility to reopen depending on the status of the county they are located in (and some might reopen faster than state or federal campgrounds). To search the status of the county and if campgrounds are allowed to reopen in that county, enter the county and “campgrounds” as the activity here. Be sure to call the private campground you plan to visit at least few days prior to ensure they are still open. Reservations could be needed, so call as far in advance as you can.

Current conditions are parks, campgrounds, and other road trip attractions are always changing. Be sure to double check the weather, road conditions, and COVID-19 closures prior to hitting the road. Make a back up plan just in case.

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