Campground
Los Padres National Forest, California
Cerro Alto Campground is a well-known hiking and mountain biking paradise.
The campground is situated in a mixed oak, pine and sycamore forest at an elevation of about 1,000 feet.
The campground offers single-family sites for tent or RV camping.
Know before you arrive
Official facility and campsite inventory, supplemented by clearly marked community reports when the official listing does not publish the detail.
Community-reported service can change with terrain, weather, congestion, and carrier coverage.
Official campground guide
Facility information, site rules, booking windows, and published rates. Source snapshot checked Oct 18, 2026.
Cerro Alto Campground is a well-known hiking and mountain biking paradise. It is located a short distance from the sandy beaches of Morro Bay, where visitors enjoy surfing, fishing, kayaking, sailing, scuba diving and more. While the campground offers a serene, relaxed environment, both Morro Bay and the nearby town of Atascadero offer numerous dining opportunities, shopping, museums and other activities. Wine Tasting in the Tempelton, Paso Robles Area is also a very popular experience.
The campground offers single-family sites for tent or RV camping. Each site is equipped with a table and campfire ring and grill. Accessible vault toilets and drinking water are provided, but no hookups are available. Trash collection bins are scattered throughout the campground.
Visitors enjoy ample hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding opportunities, along with a 360-degree view of the Central California coast and inland valleys. The 4-mile Cerro Alto Trail, which leads to the peak, begins within the campground.
Morro Bay beaches are less than 10 miles from the campground, offering wide sandy stretches and swimming, surfing, fishing, kayaking, sailing, scuba diving and more. An 18-hole championship golf course is located in the oceanside town.
The campground is situated in a mixed oak, pine and sycamore forest at an elevation of about 1,000 feet. It lies in a verdant canyon pass along a semiannual mountain creek. The roads are paved, but narrow, winding and single lane with turnouts to each site.
Paso Robles, which is quickly becoming known as a premier spot for Central Coast wines, is located 20 miles from the campground. Wine tasting tours are offered daily, or visitors can select individualized tours of numerous wineries located in the area.
The campground makes a great base camp for motorcyclists or day-trippers to visit the quaint, neighboring towns of San Luis Obispo, Cayucos, Harmony and Cambria, all of which are within 35 miles of the campground.
Tours of historic Hearst Castle are also available. Visitors can spend time relaxing at the many available day spas located at nearby Avila or Grover beaches. Off-road vehicle trails are available on famous Pismo Beach.
What Recreation.gov or the campground’s official source specifically lists.
Published inventory grouped by site type. Individual sites can have stricter limits.
Facility rules, inventory procedures, and price seasons published by the official source.
Recreation.gov publishes a rolling booking window. The dates below are the official snapshot captured for this catalog build.
| Season | Site type | Nightly rate | Additional person | Deposit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peak SeasonJan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026 | Standard Non-Electric | $35 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026 | Tent Only Non-Electric | $35 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026 | Walk To | $35 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJan 1, 2027 – Dec 31, 2027 | Standard Non-Electric | $35 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJan 1, 2027 – Dec 31, 2027 | Tent Only Non-Electric | $35 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJan 1, 2027 – Dec 31, 2027 | Walk To | $35 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJan 1, 2028 – Dec 31, 2028 | Standard Non-Electric | $35 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJan 1, 2028 – Dec 31, 2028 | Tent Only Non-Electric | $35 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJan 1, 2028 – Dec 31, 2028 | Walk To | $35 | — | — |
Read these with current closure and fire notices before departure.
From Atascadero, travel southwest on Highway 41 for about 8 miles. Campground entrance is on the left; turn and continue south for about 1 mile to the campground. From Morro Bay, travel east on Highway 41 for about 8 miles. Campground entrance is on the right; turn and continue south for about a mile to the campground.
805-434-1996