How to Get a Streamside Permit
An environmental camp a short walk from the Needle Rock Visitor Center, at the quiet north end of Sinkyone Wilderness.
Check Streamside permit availability$5 per person per night (pay at Jones Beach gate or Needle Rock)
Permit Cost
easy
Difficulty
About Streamside
Streamside Camp is an environmental camp at the northern end of Sinkyone Wilderness State Park, grouped by the park's 2006 general plan with Jones Beach and Needle Rock as the camps easily accessible from the parking area at Needle Rock House. That document, the only agency source publishing per-camp counts, records three sites at Streamside. The park offers eight environmental camps, two horse camps, and two primitive camps. Primitive camps offer drive-in access, while environmental camps do not. Environmental camps and horse camps cost $5 per person per night, payable at Jones Beach gate or Needle Rock, or by mail via check to the California Department of Parks and Recreation. There is no ReserveCalifornia booking for any Sinkyone camp. The park's own framing is worth reading before you go: some aspects of the Sinkyone keep crowds away — its trails are steep and its campgrounds are primitive, there is no potable water, and you have to haul out your own trash. When wet, the park's twisting dirt roads are impassable for passenger cars.
Streamside is one of the three camps the park groups as easily accessible from the parking area at Needle Rock House, which makes it the gentlest introduction to Sinkyone — a park whose own literature warns that help may not arrive for hours.
The Experience
Streamside Camp is one of Sinkyone's eight environmental camps, which do not offer drive-in access. The park's 2006 Preliminary General Plan places it with Jones Beach Camp and Needle Rock Camp as environmental camps easily accessible from the parking area at Needle Rock House, and records three sites here.
The Needle Rock Visitor Center is the hub of this end of the park. It was the home of the Calvin Cooper Stewart family that settled at Needle Rock, a small settlement established in the 1920s as a shipping point and dairy operation, and now serves as the visitor center with year-round camp hosts and interpretive materials. The barn several hundred yards away serves as a campsite with protective walls and a roof.
Environmental camps cost $5 per person per night, payable at Jones Beach gate or Needle Rock, or by mail.
What to Expect
An environmental camp with no drive-in access, a short walk from the visitor center
$5 per person per night, paid on site or by mail
No potable water anywhere in the park
Vault toilets in developed use areas
Year-round camp hosts at the nearby Needle Rock Visitor Center
Briceland Road closed in winter
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Permit Requirements
Environmental camps and horse camps cost $5 per person per night, payable at Jones Beach gate or Needle Rock, or by mail.
Except for service animals, dogs are not allowed on trails.
Store food and any scented items in a bear canister when camping; items may also be stored in a locked car.
Haul out your own trash — there is no trash service in the park.
Due to rough driving conditions, large trailers and RVs are not recommended.
Day use areas open sunrise to sunset; day-use parking is $8 per vehicle per day.
No trails in this park are Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible.
Gear & Preparation
Required Gear
- •All your drinking water — there is no potable water in the park
- •A bear canister for food and scented items
- •Full trash carry-out capacity
- •Warm, waterproof layers for coastal fog
- •Extra food and supplies in case you are stranded
Recommended Gear
- •Cash or a check for the per-person fee
- •A paper map and an itinerary left at home
- •High-clearance vehicle for the last 3.5 miles of Briceland Road
- •A satellite messenger, since cellphone connectivity is limited
- •Binoculars for the Roosevelt elk herd
Hazards & Safety
Sinkyone Wilderness SP is one of the most remote parks in California. In an emergency situation, help may not arrive for hours.
Hiking on the shoreline can be dangerous, and cellphone connectivity is limited.
The cold waters off the rugged North Coast are unpredictable and can be deadly.
There is no potable water in the park.
When wet, the park's twisting dirt roads are impassable for passenger cars.
Briceland Thorn Road is closed in winter.
Black bears — a bear canister or locked car is required.
Best Time to Visit
Summer and early autumn, when Briceland Road is open and dry. Winter closes the road entirely and the rainy season makes it impassable for passenger cars.
100+ wilderness permits, extensive backcountry experience
This guide is based on personal experience obtaining wilderness permits and is regularly updated to reflect current policies and strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for Streamside?
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Yes, a permit is required. Walk-up permits are available at the trailhead or visitor center, but arrive early as they may be limited.
When is the best time to visit Streamside?
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Summer and early autumn, when Briceland Road is open and dry. Winter closes the road entirely and the rainy season makes it impassable for passenger cars.
How difficult is Streamside?
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First-time Sinkyone visitors who want the Lost Coast without committing to a long trail day — the camp is a short walk from the visitor center and its camp hosts.
What gear do I need for Streamside?
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Essential gear includes: All your drinking water — there is no potable water in the park, A bear canister for food and scented items, Full trash carry-out capacity, Warm, waterproof layers for coastal fog, Extra food and supplies in case you are stranded.
Don't Miss Your Streamside Permit
Cancellations happen every day. PermitSnag monitors Streamside availability 24/7 and alerts you the moment a spot opens up.
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