USDA Forest Service · California
Paradise Campground
USDA Forest Service · California, United States
- Sites
- 15
- Hookups
- 14 no hookups
- Season
- Year-round
- Max RV length
- 48 ft
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 997 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 3
- Cell coverage
- AT&T weak · Verizon good · T-Mobile none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- PARADISE (NFSR 5N18.1) · bituminous surface treatment · high degree of user comfort
- Lake
- Los Padres National Forest
- Nearest town
- SANTA BARBARA
- Address
- 5050 PARADISE ROAD, SANTA BARBARA, CA, 93105
- Phone
- 805-434-1996
- Activities
- Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Hunting, Swimming
13 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
Paradise Campground is a beautiful place to enjoy California's westernmost national forest. It provides access to a variety of recreational activities, including hiking, biking, horseback riding and more. Mountain lakes and rivers in the area offer campers plentiful fishing, boating and swimming opportunities.
Recreation
The Santa Ynez River is popular for a variety of water-related recreation and can be accessed at White Rock Day-Use Area, less than half a mile from the campground.
Cachuma Lake Recreation Area, a no-body-contact reservoir, is about 10 miles northwest of the campground. It offers boating, fishing and kayaking. Anglers will find an abundance of annually stocked trout. Carp and bass are also common catches.
Visitors enjoy a variety of hiking, biking and horseback riding trails. The Aliso National Recreation Trail is a popular, 2.5-mile loop that begins near the campground. Also nearby is the 18-mile Santa Cruz Trail, which provides access to a variety of other trails in the area.
The Camuesa OHV Route and its connecting trails are available within 10 miles of the campground.
Facilities
The campground offers just over a dozen sites for single and double-family tent and RV camping. Each site is equipped with a table, campfire ring with grill and a pedestal grill. Accessible flush toilets and drinking water are provided.
Utility hookups are not provided. Parking spurs are paved and can accommodate most RVs. Firewood can be purchased from the campground host. The nearest fee dump station is about 11 miles away at Cachuma Lake County Park off State Route 154.
Natural Features
The developed campground is located in the Santa Ynez Mountains at an elevation of about 1,000 feet. The Santa Ynez River can be accessed through a tunnel beneath adjacent Paradise Road.
The campground is nestled in an oak tree woodland that provides ample shade in most sites. Lush greenery blankets the campground and an open, level playing field allows for games and exploration.
Nearby Attractions
The city of Santa Barbara and the Pacific Ocean are about 18 miles from the campground.
Fees
All single campsite reservations are good for 6 people and 1 vehicle.
Maximum number of people per single site is 8 ($10.00 additional charge per person per night after 6 people.)
Maximum number of vehicles per single site is 2 ($10.00 additional charge for 2nd vehicle per night.
Double Sites
All Double campsite reservations are good for 12 people and 2 vehicles
Maximum number of people per double site is 16 ($10.00 additional charge person per night after 12 people)
Maximum Number of vehicles per double site is 4 ($10.00 additional charge per vehicle per night after 2 vehicles)
Extra Vehicle and person fees will be charged at the facility
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 61° | 48° | 41° | 83° | 0 of 11 |
| February | 60° | 47° | 38° | 83° | 0 of 11 |
| March | 62° | 49° | 38° | 85° | 0 of 11 |
| April | 67° | 51° | 40° | 80° | 0 of 11 |
| May | 70° | 54° | 49° | 81° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 76° | 60° | 51° | 92° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 80° | 65° | 58° | 91° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 80° | 66° | 56° | 94° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 77° | 62° | 51° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 76° | 58° | 45° | 91° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 68° | 53° | 45° | 85° | 0 of 10 |
| December | 64° | 49° | 39° | 78° | 0 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Los Prietos · USDA Forest Service · 0 mi · 38 sites
- Fremont Campground · USDA Forest Service · 0 mi · 15 sites
- Sage Hill · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi · 5 sites
- Sage Hill · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi
- Upper Oso Campground · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi · 19 sites
All public campgrounds in California · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.