Rules · California

Dispersed-camping rules in California

California sits at the intersection of federal public land, state trust land, and a patchwork of state-park, wildlife-area, and private land. The rules that govern free and dispersed camping vary substantially across those categories. California does not require a general state-trust recreation permit; see specifics below for any unit-by-unit exceptions. The federal stay limit applicable to California is generally 14 days in a 28-day period on BLM and USFS land, after which you must move at least 25 miles to a new general area. Some units within California apply tighter local stay limits in popular areas. Fire restrictions in California are issued by the CAL FIRE for state and private land, and by each federal land-management unit independently for federal land. Always check both before lighting anything. The notes below summarize the practical rules most dispersed campers in California need to keep in mind, with links to the authoritative agency pages — bookmark those, because the specifics change yearly.

State trust land in California

California State Lands Commission — limited trust land; not a general recreation system. Most public-land camping is BLM or USFS; some require Adventure Pass. The authoritative page is www.slc.ca.gov — read the actual rule before relying on a third-party summary, because state agencies update permit terms more often than federal land managers do.

Fire restrictions in California

Restrictions in California are issued by the CAL FIRE for state and private land, and by each federal land-management unit independently for federal land. The current statewide picture is published at www.fire.ca.gov. Always check both sources before lighting anything — even a propane stove can trigger enforcement under Stage II conditions.

Specific quirks worth knowing

Many southern-California national forests require an Adventure Pass to park; campfire permits (free) are required statewide on USFS and BLM land outside developed campgrounds. CAL FIRE issues county-by-county fire restrictions that can override federal stage. Inyo, Sequoia, and Sierra NFs require IGBC-certified bear canisters in many backcountry zones.

Agencies you'll deal with

• BLM California
• Inyo NF
• Sequoia NF
• Sierra NF
• Stanislaus NF
• Tahoe NF
• Six Rivers NF
• CAL FIRE

How this page interacts with the rest of the directory

The rules above govern every campsite in our California directory. They also govern the regional zones we curate inside California — see the regions index for the named dispersed-camping corridors. None of these rules override unit-specific orders posted at the trailhead; if a sign says "no camping," that's the controlling instruction regardless of what this page says.