Connectivity
No community carrier report is currently published for this campground.
Community-reported service can change with terrain, weather, congestion, and carrier coverage.
Campground
American Canyon Campground
Los Padres National Forest, California
About this campground
The American Canyon campground offers 12 campsites for tent and car camping (no RVs due to size restriction).
American Canyon is a small, secluded campground which borders the Machesna Wilderness.
The campground is an Adventure Pass site managed by the Forest Service.
Map
Loading map
- Latitude
- 35.276816° N
- Longitude
- 120.307531° W
Know before you arrive
Access, sites & campground features
Official facility and campsite inventory, supplemented by clearly marked community reports when the official listing does not publish the detail.
Access
- Drive-in
Site types
- Standard campsites
- RV / trailer sitesCommunity report
- Tent sitesCommunity report
Features
For campers
- Toilets
- Drinking water
- Picnic table
- FiresUse only when the current order allows flame
- Trash serviceVerify whether the assigned site is pack-in/pack-out
- Pets allowedDogs are allowed in developed Forest Service recreation sites when restrained, crated or caged, or on a leash no longer than six feet. Posted site restrictions still apply.
- Reservable
For vehicles
- Parking
- Parallel parking sitesCommunity report
- Sewer hookupsCommunity report
- Water hookupsCommunity report
Official campground guide
Plan with the full campground details
Facility information, site rules, booking windows, and published rates. Source snapshot checked Oct 18, 2026.
Overview
American Canyon is a small, secluded campground which borders the Machesna Wilderness. While the campground is accessible through the wilderness, it is a long and strenuous hike as vehicles are not permitted in wilderness areas. The only motorized entrance is through the Avenales Ranch. This is a working cattle ranch, and the owners have been generous to grant access to American Canyon through their ranch. Entrance via the ranch gate is opened only during deer hunting season, by reservation only on rec.gov and with an issued combination code provided. The campground is an Adventure Pass site managed by the Forest Service.
The campground is embedded within beautiful oaks, providing much shade and cooling during the hot summer days. While the days do have a tendency of getting rather toasty, ranging between the 90s and 100s, the nights cool down into the 50s and 60s.
Facilities
The American Canyon campground offers 12 campsites for tent and car camping (no RVs due to size restriction). Each site includes a picnic table, and a combination fire ring/grill. There are two outhouses with pit toilets in the campground. No drinking and non-potable water at the site. No trash service, so pack it in, pack it out.
Recreation
The campground is surrounded by wilderness and private lands, so mountain biking isn’t practical. Horseback riding, hiking and wildlife viewing isn’t really recommended during rifle season. This really is a hunting camp.
There are cattle trails in abundance and a rigorous trail (1800’ of elevation gain) from the campground to the Nunez Potrero and Pine Spring near the top of the ridge. The American Canyon watershed is dry in deer season.
Natural Features
The campground is in a grove of mature oaks. The watershed is dry during deer season. The lower areas are a mix of open grasslands with oak and pine woodlands. The higher terrain is covered in chaparral, with coulter pines near the top of the ridges and scattered open grasslands.
Nearby Attractions
Due to its remoteness, there are only a couple of nearby places that might be of interest. The Vintage Cowboy Winery in Pozo opens on most weekends. The Pozo Saloon is also open on some weekends, but not consistently. Both are approximately 10 miles west of the campground.
Activities & amenities
What Recreation.gov or the campground’s official source specifically lists.
Available activities
- Camping
- Hunting
Amenities and facility features
- Vault or pit toilets
- Potable water
- Picnic tables
- Site fire ring or grillUse only when the current order allows flame
- Trash serviceVerify whether the assigned site is pack-in/pack-out
- Campfire Rings
- Fire Pit
- Grills
- Host
- Outhouse
- Pit Toilets
Recreation sites
Published inventory grouped by site type. Individual sites can have stricter limits.
Standard Non-Electric
12 sites- Maximum people
- 6
- Maximum vehicles
- 1
- Maximum vehicle length
- 18 ft
- Check-in
- 3:00 PM
- Check-out
- 12:00 PM
- Accessible sites
- None flagged in site inventory
Site rules, inventory & rates
Facility rules, inventory procedures, and price seasons published by the official source.
Site rules
- Base site allowance
- American Canyon Campground is under the Adventure Pass permit ($5/day or $30/year).
- Maximum published vehicles
- 1 vehicles per site
- Check-in
- 3:00 PM
- Check-out
- 12:00 PM
- Food storage
- The current official campground record does not publish a campground-specific food-storage rule. Check posted rules before leaving food, trash, toiletries, or scented items unattended.
- Fire and stove use
- American Canyon Campground's official facility record states: Each site includes a picnic table, and a combination fire ring/grill.
- Pets
- Dogs are allowed in developed Forest Service recreation sites when restrained, crated or caged, or on a leash no longer than six feet. Posted site restrictions still apply.
Inventory window
Recreation.gov publishes a rolling booking window. The dates below are the official snapshot captured for this catalog build.
- Currently bookable through
- Sep 20, 2026
- Next release
- Jun 18, 2027, 7:00 AM PDT
- Next book-through date
- Sep 20, 2027
- Group sites bookable through
- Sep 20, 2026
Published seasons & rates
| Season | Site type | Nightly rate | Additional person | Deposit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peak SeasonAug 9, 2026 – Sep 20, 2026 | Standard Non-Electric | $0 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonAug 9, 2027 – Sep 20, 2027 | Standard Non-Electric | $0 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonAug 9, 2028 – Sep 20, 2028 | Standard Non-Electric | $0 | — | — |
Important facility notices
Read these with current closure and fire notices before departure.
- Adventure Pass and Interagency Pass holders can make reservations and enter the campground. There will be a registration fee applied ($8 for online reservations; $9 for call in reservations) managed by Rec.gov. For more information on purchasing an Adventure Pass, visit Adventure Pass on the Los Padres National Forest website. National Forest Daily Adventure Pass: $5 (valid for 1 day from the date that is scratched off) National Forest Annual Adventure Pass: $30 (valid for 12 months from the month of purchase) • You can purchase your Daily and Annual Adventure Pass at: • Local - San Bernardino National Forest Offices • Local Vendors - Choose your vendor from this Vendor Map • Online - MyScenicDrives.com
- Reservations can be made three days in advance.
- All single campsite reseravtions cover 6 people and 1 vehicle. Maximum number of people per single site is 6. Maximum number of vehicles per single site is 1. Additional person or vehicle are not allowed.
- Potable and non-potable water not available at the campground. Bring adequate water supply.
- Fireworks are not permitted. See fireworks ban for more information.
- No cell service can be found in the campground.
- Campfires are normally permitted year-round without a California Campfire Use Permit. Under some conditions, wood fires and barbecues may be prohibited in all areas of the national forest. Fires at Campground are only permitted in fire rings provided by the Forest Service. Please check local office for local fire restrictions prior to your arrival.
- Don't Move Firewood: Protect California's forests from tree-killing pests by buying your firewood locally and burning it on-site. For more information visit firewood.ca.gov
- Know Before You Go
- In campgrounds and picnic areas, dogs must be kept on a leash. Dogs must wear a collar with current tags at all times, as state and county laws apply on National Forest System lands.
- There is no trash service in the campground. Remember Leave No Trace. Pack it in, pack it out . Inspect your campsite and rest areas for trash or spilled food. Pack out all trash, leftover food, and litter. Burning trash is never recommended.
- Click here for more information on the Los Padres National Forest.
Getting there & contact
Official directions
From Hwy 101, take the Santa Margarita exit, turning off at El Camino Real and across the railroad tracks at the east end of town on Estrada Avenue/Hwy 58. After 1.4 miles Hwy 58 turns left but continue straight on Pozo Road. From where Hwy 58 leaves Pozo Road, follow Pozo Road for almost 20 miles, through the town of Pozo, keeping right at the La Panza Road junction, until you reach the Avenales Ranch Road. Follow Avenales Ranch Road about 5 miles, through a gate (keep closed!) to the sign for American Canyon where you turn left and continue another 2 miles.
Facility contact
(805) 925-9538