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Trail camp on the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail....
Waterman Gap Trail Camp Permit
Castle Rock State Park · California
One date at a time
Trail camp on the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail.
70% of the openings our scanner caught on Waterman Gap were gone within 10 minutes.
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Waterman Gap Quick Facts
Permit RequiredYes
Booking MethodReservation
Demand LevelHigh7/10
SeasonYear-round - Year-round
CostTrail camp fees are $15 per site, per night, with a maximum of six people per site. There is an $8 non-refundable reservation fee. Vehicle day use at the park is $10.
Max Group Size6 people
Waterman Gap Permit Facts
- As of September 2026, Waterman Gap in Castle Rock State Park, California requires a permit issued via reservation.
- Waterman Gap is a high-demand permit, rating 7/10 on PermitSnag's demand index.
- The permit season for Waterman Gap runs year-round.
- Cancelled Waterman Gap 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 Level7/10
LocationSanta Cruz Mountains, CA
Pro Tips
- •Submit the request form the day your dates come inside 60 days. A request is not a reservation until you pay by phone.
- •Requests are only processed weekdays between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., so anything sent on a Friday evening waits for Monday.
- •Plan to reach camp well before sunset. Hikers must be off trails by sunset and a late arrival is turned back at the trailhead.
- •Carry all your water and a way to treat creek water as a backup.
- •Do not count on a phone. State Parks says it is unlikely your mobile will have coverage in the backcountry.
- •Groups of 13 or more can only book Sunday through Thursday, so plan a midweek trip rather than fighting for a Saturday.
- •Changes and cancellations need a full 48 hours notice on (831) 338-8867, which is also when someone else's cancellation appears.
What to Expect
Route Details
Route Type
Out & Back
Duration
1-2 nights
Difficulty
ModerateHighlights
- •six sites, with a maximum of six people on each
- •A 60-day booking horizon through a request form, not ReserveCalifornia
- •Requests processed weekdays 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., paid by phone, permit emailed
- •No drinking water - the camps are primitive and surface water has to be treated
- •No mobile coverage in the backcountry
- •A sunset deadline for being off the trails, enforced at the trailhead
- •No dogs, on trails or in camp
Best Time to Visit
Spring and autumn. Winter is the rainy season here, which is when the creeks run and the camps empty out, but it is also short days against a sunset trail deadline. Summer is dry, busy and under fire restrictions - and unlike Castle Rock, Waterman Gap has no fire rings even in the rainy season.
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
- !A sunset trail deadline that is enforced at the trailhead - late arrivals are not permitted to start
- !Fire danger, which closes even the one permitted fire location in the system
- !Poison oak throughout the Santa Cruz Mountains understory
- !Creek water that must be treated if you use it at all
Weather Forecast
Trailhead (5,000 ft)
Today
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69°
53°
Sun
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66°
50°
Mon
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82°
49°
Tue
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83°
49°
Wed
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86°
49°
Thu
☀️
89°
51°
Fri
☀️
91°
53°
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, damp underfoot early on, and the best all-round backpacking weather of the year.
Crowd Level
HighAdvantages
- +Creeks running
- +Comfortable temperatures
- +Redwood understory at its greenest
Challenges
- !Bay Area weekend demand on a small number of sites
- !Mud after rain
- !Fire season restrictions begin
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, first-timers included, and anyone walking a section of the open Skyline-to-the-Sea corridor.
Recommended Experience
None beyond carrying a pack a few miles and being able to treat water if you use a creek.
Not Recommended For
Dog owners, groups of 13 or more hoping for a weekend, and anyone who cannot get to camp before sunset.
About This Permit
Waterman Gap Trail Camp is one of four backcountry trail camps still operating in the Santa Cruz Mountains state parks, alongside Castle Rock, Waterman Gap and Butano or Slate Creek. All trail camps in Big Basin Redwoods State Park remain closed due to extensive fire damage from the CZU August Lightning Complex fires, which is why these four carry the whole of the Bay Area's state park backpacking demand. ReserveCalifornia lists six sites here.
Waterman Gap has no first-come pool. Castle Rock Trail Camp is the only camp in the system that keeps sites available first-come, and those are registered in person at the Robert C. Kirkwood Parking Lot on Highway 35. Everything at Waterman Gap goes through the request form.
Booking does not go through ReserveCalifornia. 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. An approved request is held only until 5 p.m. the following business day pending payment, which is taken by phone on (831) 338-8867, and the permit is emailed once paid. Sending a request is not a reservation - it becomes one when it is paid. Changes and cancellations must be made a full 48 hours in advance on the same number.
Fees are $15 per site per night with a maximum of six people per site, plus an $8 non-refundable reservation fee. You may reserve up to two campsites per reservation. For groups of 13 or more the non-refundable reservation fee is a flat $25 no matter how many campsites are booked, and group reservations are allowed Sunday through Thursday only, not on weekends.
The camps are primitive: bring your own water, and treat any surface water before drinking it.
The Experience
Why It Matters
Waterman Gap is the next trail camp west of Castle Rock along the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail, which makes it the second night of the classic Bay Area two-night traverse - or a quieter first night than Castle Rock for anyone who wants six sites instead of twenty. It has no first-come pool, so unlike Castle Rock, everything here is booked in advance through the request form.
The Route
Waterman Gap sits along the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail in Castle Rock State Park, west of Castle Rock Trail Camp. ReserveCalifornia lists six sites. The Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail is open from Castle Rock State Park to the Big Basin Redwoods day-use area, so this camp is on the walkable section - all of the trail camps inside Big Basin itself remain closed due to extensive fire damage. Overnight parking for backpackers is only in designated trailhead parking lots.
The Feeling
Deeper into the woods than the Castle Rock ridge and correspondingly quieter. Six sites in redwood and mixed forest, no phone signal, and the trail closing at sunset - which means that by dark the only people out here are the ones with permits.
Trailhead Information
Castle Rock trail camp parking lot (Highway 35)
The designated overnight lot. Waterman Gap Trail Camp is 8.9 miles from here, along the section of the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail that is open from Castle Rock State Park to the Big Basin day use area.
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. Tin Can Creek, 3 miles from camp, is seasonal.
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.
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, arranged on (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
- •No ground fires of any kind. The only exception in the whole system is the designated metal fire rings at Castle Rock Trail Camp during the rainy season
- •Backpacking stoves may be used for cooking in all trail camps except in cases of extreme fire danger
- •No smoking on any trail or in any trail camp
- •Do not wash dishes or clothing in creeks, and do not bathe in creeks
- •Never feed wildlife or allow wildlife to access your food
- •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
- •Campers must display permits when parking and carry their backcountry permit at all times
- •Campers under 18 must provide written permission from a guardian or be accompanied by one
- •Hammocks may be used with tree straps only and must not be attached to any redwood trees
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 is permitted in all trail camps except in cases of extreme fire danger
- A headlamp - you must be off the trails by sunset, so camp chores happen after dark
- Rain gear through the wet season, which in the Santa Cruz Mountains is most of the winter
- Tree straps if you are hanging a hammock, and never on a redwood
Plan Your Trip
🎒
Gear Checklist
Required and recommended gear for Waterman Gap
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Key Landmarks
Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail
Open from Castle Rock State Park to the Big Basin Redwoods day-use area; Waterman Gap is on that section
Castle Rock Trail Camp
The larger camp east along the trail, 20 sites with a five-site first-come pool
Robert C. Kirkwood Parking Lot
The Highway 35 trailhead where Castle Rock backpackers park and register
Waterman Gap FAQ
How do I reserve Waterman Gap Trail Camp?
Through the Backcountry Trail Camp Request Form on the Santa Cruz Mountains Backcountry Trail Camps page, up to 60 days in advance - not through ReserveCalifornia. 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. Your permit is emailed once you have paid.
How many people can stay on a site at Waterman Gap Trail Camp?
Six. California 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.
How much does Waterman Gap Trail Camp cost?
$15 per site, per night, plus an $8 non-refundable reservation fee. For groups of 13 or more reserving more than two sites, the non-refundable reservation fee is a flat $25 regardless of how many sites are booked.
Is there water at Waterman Gap Trail Camp?
No. California 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.
Can I have a campfire at Waterman Gap Trail Camp?
No. No ground fires of any kind are allowed. The only exception anywhere in this system is the designated metal fire rings at Castle Rock Trail Camp during the rainy season. Backpacking stoves may be used for cooking in all trail camps except in cases of extreme fire danger.
Are dogs allowed at Waterman Gap Trail Camp?
No. Dogs are not allowed in the trail camps or on the trails anywhere in the Santa Cruz Mountains trail camp system.
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 four camps still operating are Castle Rock, Waterman Gap, Butano and Slate Creek, and the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail is open from Castle Rock State Park to the Big Basin Redwoods day-use area.
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Trail Conditions
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Questions
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Trip Reports
Write ReportPhotography Guide
Golden Hour
Low evening light through redwood trunks, which is the shot this whole range is about.
Best Light
Fog. The Santa Cruz Mountains are at their best when the marine layer is moving through the canopy.
Beat the Crowds
The camps are small and the system is reservation-only with no dispersed camping, so there is never a crowd once you are in. Midweek requests are also far more likely to be approved.
Classic Shots
- 📍Redwood trunks receding into fog
- 📍Creek and fern understory in flat, overcast light
- 📍The Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail corridor in early morning
- 📍Camp under redwoods with a stove going at dusk
Can't Get a Waterman Gap Permit?
Consider these alternatives if your preferred dates aren't available.
Castle Rock Trail Camp
Same AreaThe 20-site camp east along the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail in the same park, with bathrooms, tables and fire rings.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
Bigger, better equipped, and the only camp in the system with five first-come sites - but correspondingly busier.
Slate Creek Trail Camp
Same AreaSix sites at Portola Redwoods State Park, booked through the same request form.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
Same size and same system, deeper in old-growth redwoods and reached from a different trailhead.
Butano Trail Camp
Same AreaEight sites in the redwood canyon at Butano State Park, on the coastal side of the range.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
Larger than Waterman Gap and closer to the ocean, but a longer drive from Skyline.
🏕️
Where to Stay
Nearby campgrounds to complete your Waterman Gap trip
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