Successful First Try at Camping in San Rafael Area

After our RV trip, I always wanted to try a camping trip with Ariel. We made it happen this Labor Day weekend. It’s a laidback and relaxing trip to the San Rafael area. We camped at China Camp State Park and hiked in Mount Tamalpais.

China Camp State Park

The park is located along the San Pablo Bay and a memorial site of the largest Chinese fishing village that was active back in 1860-1880s. The villagers dried the seafood they caught and shipped and sold them back to China. The original main buildings are still left on the the village beach. In addition to this historical site, the park also has meadows, marsh, coastline, mountains, forest and various types of wildlife.

Camping

The campground is in the Back Ranch Meadows area and has 33 walk-in, tent-only campsites. You have to book online ahead of time around holidays as it will get pretty busy.

Campsite

Each site has a food locker, a picnic table, and an open area for setting up your tent. The sites are not far apart from each other. I could hear all my neighbors’ conversations and activities. They are not very shaded either and can get very hot during the day. Another thing you may want to know is that the site ground is rocky. So it will take some effort to anchor your tent. Be sure to bring durable pegs.

Safety

This campground doesn’t have bears or mountain lions. But raccoons and deers are everywhere. They are the most fearless wild animals I have seen. Human noise and movements wouldn’t scare them away. The deers literally jumped among the tents and ate beside human beings. Raccoons could unlock the food locker and zipped bags. I had to wake up twice in the middle of my first night to scare them away from our food, yet they still ate about half of Ariel’s kibble. I had to leave the food in the car the next day.

Bathrooms and Showers

The bathrooms and showers are very clean and open 24 hours. You have to use quarters for showers through – 2 quarters for 5 minutes. If you don’t have the change, the camp host can help break your bills. Be sure to have cash on you.

Campfire

The camp host sells firewoods for $8 per bag. They take credit cards. You can’t bring firewoods from outside or gather woods on the campsite.

Parking

You can’t drive or park your car next to your campsite. Everyone has to park at the parking lot which is about several hundred feet away from the sites. Thus, you will have to carry your camping gears and walk a short distance to the site. There are several wheeled-bins at the parking lot you can borrow to move the gears.

Camp Host

The camp host was super friendly and helpful. They live right next to the parking lot. You will have to check in with them when you first arrive and get your parking permit for the stay. With the permit, you can go and park any where in the park, which otherwise costs $5 per day.

Hiking and Biking

Dogs are allowed only in developed areas in the park, not on the trails. Therefore, Ariel and I mostly spent our time around the campground and at the village. There are many trails on the maps and many people came here to bike as well. The San Pedro Road is the mainly drive way that runs through the park and also good for biking. It is next to the coastline and offers gorgeous views of the marsh, ocean, and meadows.

China Camp Beach

The beach is located in the village and dog friendly. Unlike other beaches, this one doesn’t have soft sand and there’s no life guard on site. You can still swim, kayak, boat, or paddle here. However, it’s better to check tide schedule online before you go – low tide means it’s harder to launch your kayak, for example. There are many picnic tables right next to the ocean. I had my dinners here with the sunset in view and Ariel playing with other dogs in the water in front of me.

The old buildings and rusted boats from the original village added some wild and rural feel to this beach. Furthermore, it’s not that crowded, a perfect spot for some solitude time.

Mount Tamalpais

Whether you are a local of the Bay Area or a visitor, Mount Tamalpais is worth a visit. It’s just a little north of San Francisco and the highest peak of the Marin County. You will be amazed by its deep canyons, sweeping hillsides, various redwoods and oaks, and open grasslands. It’s a very popular and crowded spot for hiking and biking – you will likely see more bikes than cars on the road. We went to the Mount Tamalpais State Park and Mount Tamalpais Watershed.

Mount Tamalpais State Park

The state park requires a $8 per vehicle fee for day use. I suggest bringing cash and a pen with you because some parking lots are still old fashioned and you need to self register your car by putting the fees into an envelope and writing down your license number.

This park is very popular for hiking, biking, and camping. Be sure to plan ahead of time. Dogs are only allowed in developed areas and a few trails. One of them is Verna Dunshee Trail Loop on the east peak. It’s only 0.8 miles long and a paved flat trail. But you will get the breathtaking panoramic view of San Francisco, the bay, and the sweeping mountains in the area.

Another dog-friendly trail starts at the same spot as the Verna Dunshee Trail and goes straight up to the very top of the peak. It’s only 0.3 miles one way but extremely rocky and highly elevated. Other than the sense of achievement and the feeling of climbing to the very top, you will get the same views as on the Verna Dunshee Trail. Personally, I preferred the Verna Dunshee Trail a lot more. It’s much easier and much less crowded and offered the same views. Overall it’s a much better experience.

Mount Tamalpais Watershed

Mount Tamalpais Watershed is much more dog friendly. Its views are also stunning because it has two lakes, Bon Tempe Lake and Alpine Lake, and shady forests. Moreover, compared to the state park, this area is much less packed and provides a quieter, more peaceful environment. We only had time to try one trail, the Kent Trail to Stocking Trail, Rocky Ridge Fire Road. It’s now on my top list of hiking trails in the Bay Area because it has so much to offer.

Kent Trail to Stocking Trail, Rocky Ridge Fire Road

It’s 5.3 miles long with about 900 feet of elevation, which is perfect for my level. It may not sound difficult, but it’s harder than what the numbers look like because it’s a quick elevation within one mile. 3/4 of the trail is shaded in the forest and the other 1/4 is exposed on the mountain slope. A lot of people recommend to go counterclockwise, which is to go in shade first and leave the harder, no-shade journey at the end. But I would say it totally depends on your start time and personal preference. I’m the type of the person who likes to deal with more difficult tasks first. In addition, I went in late morning in summer. I would rather do the harder part first before it gets too hot and spend my afternoon in the woods to avoid the scorching sun. So that’s what I did.

When going up on the exposed mountain slope, I saw views of expansive forests like in a national park. The trail is rocky and steep, harder than expected to accomplish in hot weather. Once we got into the shade, we slowed down and enjoyed the tall trees and prosperous plants. The last 40% of the trail was along the Alpine Lake in the woods. It got all my favorite elements of nature, the water, the trees, and the mountains. Amazing views and experience.