California Is Finally Changing Its Universally Despised, Unfair (And Maybe Illegal) Campsite Reservation System

California has some incredible campsites in some stunning state parks. Whether you want to or pitch a tent beneath the redwoods at Van Damme State Park, where there's also a unique pygmy forest, or camp near hot springs in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, you've got great options. But reserving a campsite at these popular parks can sometimes feel nearly impossible. Issues include making reservations, knowing when sites are open, and potentially sketchy fees. At least some of those things should change with updates to the California State Parks reservation system.

To book a campsite online, you have to use ReserveCalifornia.com, which used to be the only place to check availability. But now, you'll also be able to see updates on individual state park pages. Each park's page shows, with just one click, any availability beginning on the listed date for two nights in a row for about the next two weeks. It makes it easier to see what's available at that park than on the ReserveCalifornia site, especially if you're looking last-minute. You still have to book through ReserveCalifornia, but state park pages now include a direct link to the site.

A new lottery system is rolling out for some campgrounds within the California State Parks system. In 2024, the parks ran a pilot program for reservations at the popular cabins at Mount Tamalpais State Park near San Francisco. Hopeful campers enter a free lottery for a chance to reserve a spot up to eight months in advance. Drawings are held seven months before the reservation date, and participants are notified by email shortly after whether they've been selected. If so, they have 30 days to complete the reservation. If they don't, the site is released into the regular reservation system, which opens six months ahead of the reservation date.

Campers not selected for the lottery earn a point, which can be used as an extra entry the next time in future drawings. Once selected, campers' points return to zero. "This approach eliminates the rush and competition that often accompanies traditional booking processes, allowing more individuals and families to access the cabins at the park," according to a news release from the state parks.

The lottery system is expanding beyond the Mount Tamalpais cabins. It now includes some campsites at Malibu Creek State Park near Los Angeles, McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park in the Cascade Range, and Morro Bay State Park on California's Central Coast. Our guess is that if the system proves successful there, it could roll out to more popular campgrounds across the Golden State.

Concerns about hidden fees have emerged around California state park reservations. When booking on the ReserveCalifornia website currently, an $8.25 non-refundable reservation appears at checkout, but it is not shown on the campsite cost page where visitors select which campsite they want and for what dates. There's also a separate $8.25 cancellation fee.

In May 2025, a class action lawsuit was filed against Tyler Technologies Inc., who'd taken over control of the ReserveCalifornia website in August 2024. The lawsuit's overall argument is that it is a violation of California's Honest Pricing Law to not include the reservation fee to the base camping rate that shows up when selecting campsites and dates, according to The Sacramento Bee. While the reservation fee is listed on the ReserveCalifornia FAQ page, the lawsuit also raises concerns about where that reservation fee money goes. The assumption would be that it's to the parks, but it actually goes to Tyler Technologies.

As of this writing, that lawsuit is still pending, so we'll have to wait and see if anything changes there. It seems unlikely that the fee will be eliminated for now, but future changes could bring more transparency about how the money is used and the true cost of reserving a campsite.