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Trail camp on the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail....
Castle Rock Trail Camp Permit
Castle Rock State Park · California
One date at a time
Trail camp on the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail.
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Castle Rock Camp Quick Facts
Permit RequiredYes
Booking MethodReservation
Demand LevelHigh8/10
SeasonYear-round - Year-round
Cost$15 per site, per night, which includes overnight parking for one vehicle. Each additional vehicle is $10 per night. There is a $8 non-refundable reservation fee. Vehicle day use at Castle Rock is $10.
Max Group Size6 people
Castle Rock Camp Permit Facts
- As of September 2026, Castle Rock Camp in Castle Rock State Park, California requires a permit issued via reservation.
- Castle Rock Camp is a high-demand permit, rating 8/10 on PermitSnag's demand index.
- The permit season for Castle Rock Camp runs year-round.
- Cancelled Castle Rock Camp permits are re-released on the booking system; PermitSnag monitors availability and alerts watchers when dates open.
Key Information
Key Dates
SeasonYear-round - Year-round
Permit Details
TypeOvernight
Booking MethodReservation
Demand Level8/10
LocationSanta Cruz Mountains, CA
Pro Tips
- •Submit the request form the day your date comes inside 60 days, and remember a request is not a reservation until you have paid by phone.
- •Requests are only processed weekdays between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., so a Friday-night submission sits until Monday.
- •If your dates are gone, the five first-come sites at the Kirkwood lot are a real second chance - but register there, do not walk in.
- •Plan your arrival well before sunset. Hikers must be off trails by sunset, and a late arrival is turned back.
- •Carry all your water. The camps are primitive and any surface water has to be treated.
- •Bring cash in exact change if you want firewood, and check the posted signs - fires are rainy-season only.
- •Groups of 13 or more can only book Sunday through Thursday, so plan a midweek trip rather than fighting for a Saturday.
What to Expect
Route Details
Route Type
Out & Back
Duration
1-2 nights
Difficulty
ModerateHighlights
- •20 campsites with picnic tables and fire rings, plus bathrooms and trash receptacles
- •15 sites reservable through the trail camp request system and 5 held first-come
- •A maximum of six people per site, and up to two sites per reservation
- •A 60-day booking horizon, with requests processed weekdays 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- •No mobile coverage - State Parks says it is unlikely your phone will work in the backcountry
- •Fires permitted in the designated metal fire rings during the rainy season only, never during fire season
Best Time to Visit
Spring and autumn. Winter brings the rainy season, which is the only time fires are allowed in the Castle Rock rings, but also the mud and the short days. Summer is dry, busy and under fire restrictions. The camp is open year-round and the 60-day request window means you are planning about two months out, not six.
Hazards & Considerations
- !No mobile coverage: in an emergency, call 911 from a pay phone near a ranger station or a call box on Highway 1 or Highway 9 and a ranger will be dispatched
- !Fire danger. Ground fires are banned outright and even the Castle Rock fire rings close during fire season
- !A sunset deadline that is genuinely enforced - late arrivals are turned back at the trailhead
- !Poison oak, which is widespread in Santa Cruz Mountains understory
- !Steep, exposed sandstone formations near the trail
Weather Forecast
Trailhead (5,000 ft)
Today
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83°
64°
Sat
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66°
51°
Sun
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65°
45°
Mon
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80°
45°
Tue
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78°
45°
Wed
☀️
75°
44°
Thu
☀️
78°
45°
View full NWS forecast →Mountain weather changes rapidly. This forecast is a guide—always be prepared for worse conditions.
How to Get This Permit
1
Create a California State Parks account
Sign up at California State Parks if you don't have an account. Have your payment info ready.
2
Know the release schedule
Permits typically release on a rolling basis. Check the specific release time for your desired dates.
3
Be ready when permits drop
Log in a few minutes early. Have your dates, group size, and payment ready to go.
4
Monitor for cancellations
If your dates are sold out, people cancel all the time. Set up PermitSnag alerts to catch openings instantly.
Learn More
When to Go
Peak: April through OctoberShoulder: November through March
Conditions
Green, wet underfoot early, and the best all-round hiking weather of the year.
Crowd Level
HighAdvantages
- +Creeks running
- +Comfortable temperatures
- +Wildflowers on the ridge
Challenges
- !Bay Area weekend demand
- !Fire rings close as fire season starts
- !Mud on the trails after rain
Difficulty Assessment
Physical Demand2/5
Fitness and endurance required
Technical Skill1/5
Climbing, scrambling, or specialized skills
Exposure Risk2/5
Steep dropoffs and fall potential
Navigation2/5
Route finding and trail clarity
Commitment2/5
Difficulty of bailing out mid-route
Best For
Bay Area backpackers wanting a first overnight, and anyone starting or finishing the open section of the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail.
Recommended Experience
None beyond carrying a pack a few miles and being able to treat water if you use a creek.
Not Recommended For
Anyone with a dog, anyone arriving after sunset, and groups of 13 or more hoping for a weekend.
About This Permit
Castle Rock Trail Camp sits on one of the highest ridges in the Santa Cruz Mountains and is the largest of the four backcountry trail camps still operating in the Santa Cruz Mountains state parks. It has trash receptacles, bathrooms, and 20 campsites with picnic tables and fire rings.
Reservations do not run through ReserveCalifornia. The Santa Cruz Mountains backcountry trail camps use their own system: you submit a Backcountry Trail Camp Request Form online up to 60 days in advance, staff process requests Monday through Friday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and an approved request is held only until 5 p.m. the following business day pending payment. You pay by phone on (831) 338-8867 and the permit is emailed to you. Sending a request is not a reservation - it becomes one when it is paid.
Castle Rock is also the only one of the four camps with a first-come pool. Five of its sites stay available first-come, registered and paid for in person at the Robert C. Kirkwood Parking Lot on Highway 35. State Parks is explicit that you should not hike to the camp and look for a site before registering there.
Fees are $15 per site per night, including overnight parking for one vehicle, with each additional vehicle at $10 per night, plus an $8 non-refundable reservation fee. Each campsite takes a maximum of six people and you may reserve up to two campsites per reservation.
The Experience
Why It Matters
Castle Rock is the head of the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail and the last trail camp system left intact after the CZU Lightning Complex fires. Every trail camp inside Big Basin Redwoods State Park is closed due to extensive fire damage, which pushed the whole Bay Area backpacking demand onto four remaining camps: Castle Rock, Waterman Gap, Butano and Slate Creek. Castle Rock is the biggest of the four and the only one with a first-come pool.
The Route
Castle Rock Trail Camp has trash receptacles, bathrooms, and 20 campsites with picnic tables and fire rings. Fifteen of those sites are reservable through the Santa Cruz Mountains backcountry trail camp system, and five stay available first-come. For the first-come sites you register and pay with staff at the Robert C. Kirkwood Parking Lot on Highway 35 - do not hike to camp and try to find a site before registering. From here the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail runs west, open from Castle Rock State Park to the Big Basin Redwoods day-use area, with Waterman Gap the next trail camp along it.
The Feeling
Sandstone that looks eaten from the inside, lush forest, and views west across ridge after ridge toward the ocean. It is close enough to San Jose that you can be at camp within an hour of leaving work, and far enough into the woods that mobile coverage stops being a thing. State Parks says outright that it is unlikely your mobile phone will have coverage in the backcountry.
Trailhead Information
Castle Rock trail camp parking lot (Highway 35)
The designated overnight lot for the trail camp, 2.5 miles south of the Highway 9 and Highway 35 junction — park inside the gate. Castle Rock Trail Camp is 2.3 miles in.
Restrooms
No water
No Service
Before you rely on this water
No potable water at this lot or the camp — potable water is located at the Kirkwood parking lot.
Parking
Extra vehicles are $10 per vehicle per night, paid at the entrance station or the self-registration station. Do not park in the Kirkwood parking lot, along Highway 9, Skyline Boulevard, or at the Saratoga Gap parking lot. Overnight parking for backpackers is only in designated trailhead parking lots; display your permit.
Getting There
The park is located on Highway 35, just 2 1/2 miles southeast of the junction with Highway 9. There is no cell reception in the park or the surrounding area, so ridesharing services are not recommended.
Nearest Services
Saratoga or Boulder Creek.
Robert C. Kirkwood entrance
The registration point for the five first-come, first-served sites — check in and pay with staff here before hiking in. Do not park here for the trail camp.
Restrooms
Water on site
No Service
Parking
Vehicle day use is $10. Kirkwood entrance station hours are 8 am to 5 pm. Potable water is located at the Kirkwood parking lot, but trail camp vehicles must park at the trail camp parking lot instead.
Getting There
On Highway 35, 2 1/2 miles southeast of the junction with Highway 9.
Nearest Services
Saratoga.
Rules & Regulations
- •Trail camps are open by reservation only and no dispersed camping is allowed; camp only in your assigned trail camp
- •A maximum of six people per site, and you may reserve up to two campsites per reservation
- •Group reservations for 13 or more are allowed Sunday through Thursday only, not on weekends, and are arranged by calling (831) 338-8867
- •Overnight parking for backpackers is only in designated trailhead parking lots - do not park along highways or in undesignated areas
- •Hikers must be off trails by sunset; arriving after sunset means you will not be permitted to start your trip
- •Castle Rock is the one exception to the no-ground-fires rule: fires are permitted in the designated metal fire rings during the rainy season, never during fire season, and signs are posted either way. Do not gather wood - firewood is sold when fires are allowed at $15 per bundle, cash and exact change
- •No dogs are allowed in the trail camps or on the trails, and no horses are allowed in the trail camps
- •No bikes on single-track; bikes are permitted on fire roads only
- •No smoking on any trail or in any trail camp
- •Do not wash dishes or clothing in creeks, and do not bathe in creeks
- •Hammocks may be used with tree straps only and must not be attached to any redwood trees
- •Campers under 18 must provide written permission from a guardian or be accompanied by one
- •Campers must display permits when parking and carry their backcountry permit at all times
Gear Checklist
Required
- All your drinking water. State Parks says the trail camps are primitive and to bring your own - surface water must be treated before drinking
- A backpacking stove, which may be used in all trail camps except in cases of extreme fire danger
- A headlamp, because you have to be off the trails by sunset and camp chores happen after
- Warm layers - the ridge is high enough in the Santa Cruz Mountains to be much colder than the valley below
- Cash in exact change if you want firewood during the rainy season, at $15 per bundle
- Tree straps if you are hanging a hammock
Plan Your Trip
🎒
Gear Checklist
Required and recommended gear for Castle Rock Camp
🚐
Shuttle Services
Trailhead transportation options
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Guide Services
Experienced wilderness guides
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Key Landmarks
Robert C. Kirkwood Parking Lot
The Highway 35 trailhead where first-come sites are registered and paid for, and where backpackers park overnight
Castle Rock Trail Camp
20 campsites with picnic tables and fire rings, plus bathrooms and trash receptacles
Castle Rock Falls
The park's waterfall, on the trail system below the ridge
Waterman Gap Trail Camp
The next trail camp west along the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail, six sites
Castle Rock Camp FAQ
How do I reserve a Castle Rock Trail Camp site?
Not through ReserveCalifornia. Submit the Backcountry Trail Camp Request Form on the Santa Cruz Mountains Backcountry Trail Camps page up to 60 days in advance. Staff process requests Monday through Friday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., hold an approved request until 5 p.m. the following business day, and take payment by phone on (831) 338-8867. The permit is emailed once you have paid.
Are there first-come sites at Castle Rock Trail Camp?
Yes. Five of the 20 sites stay available first-come. Check in with staff at the Robert C. Kirkwood Parking Lot on Highway 35 to register and pay - do not hike to the camp and try to find a site before registering there.
How many people can stay on a Castle Rock Trail Camp site?
Six. State Parks sets a maximum of six people per site across all four Santa Cruz Mountains trail camps, and you may reserve up to two campsites per reservation.
Can I have a campfire at Castle Rock Trail Camp?
Only in the designated metal fire rings, and only during the rainy season. Fires are not allowed during fire season and signs are posted indicating which applies. Do not gather wood - firewood is sold when fires are allowed at $15 per bundle, cash and exact change.
Is there water at Castle Rock Trail Camp?
State Parks says the trail camps are primitive and to bring your own water. If you choose to use surface water you will need to treat it before drinking. Do not wash dishes or clothing in the creeks and do not bathe in them.
Are dogs allowed at Castle Rock Trail Camp?
No. Dogs are not allowed in the trail camps or on the trails, and Castle Rock State Park does not allow dogs at all.
Are the Big Basin trail camps open?
No. All trail camps in Big Basin Redwoods State Park are closed due to extensive fire damage. The Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail is open from Castle Rock State Park to the Big Basin Redwoods day-use area, and the four camps still operating are Castle Rock, Waterman Gap, Butano and Slate Creek.
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Trail Conditions
No active conditions reported
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Questions
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Photography Guide
Golden Hour
Evening from the ridge, looking west over successive Santa Cruz Mountains ridgelines toward the coast.
Best Light
Morning fog filling the valleys below the ridge while the camp sits above it in sun.
Beat the Crowds
Midweek. Group reservations are restricted to Sunday through Thursday, so weekends are individual parties only, and the five first-come sites are usually gone early on Saturdays.
Classic Shots
- 📍The honeycombed sandstone formations the park is named for
- 📍Castle Rock Falls from the observation deck
- 📍Layered ridgelines to the west at sunset
- 📍Redwood understory along the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail
Can't Get a Castle Rock Camp Permit?
Consider these alternatives if your preferred dates aren't available.
Waterman Gap Trail Camp
Same AreaSix sites further west along the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail, in the same Santa Cruz Mountains trail camp system.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
Smaller and quieter, but no first-come pool and no fires at any time of year.
Slate Creek Trail Camp
Same AreaSix sites at Portola Redwoods State Park, booked through the same request form and phone line.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
Deeper in redwoods and further from Skyline, with the same 60-day window and six-person cap.
Butano Trail Camp
Same AreaEight sites in the redwood canyon at Butano State Park, on the coastal side of the range.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
The largest of the three smaller camps and closer to the ocean, but a longer drive from the South Bay.
🏕️
Where to Stay
Nearby campgrounds to complete your Castle Rock Camp trip
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