Camper submitted image from Williams Hill Recreation Area - 1

Camper submitted image from Williams Hill Recreation Area - 2

Camper submitted image from Williams Hill Recreation Area - 3

Roads

Camper submitted image from Williams Hill Recreation Area - 4

Buildings

Camper submitted image from Williams Hill Recreation Area - 5

Camping

Dispersed Camping

Williams Hill Recreation Area

17 Reviews

About

Bureau of Land Management

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Location

Williams Hill Recreation Area is located in California

Directions

Primary access is from US Highway 101. Take the San Ardo exit and travel west onto Paris Valley Road, turn left onto Lockwood-San Ardo Road. The public lands boundary begins approximately 5 miles down the road from the Lockwood-San Ardo Road turnoff. Once at Williams Hill, the campground can be reached by turning onto road W1 and heading south.

Coordinates

35.97826095 N
121.00942018 W

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Access

Drive-In
Park next to your site

Stay Connected

WiFi
Unknown
Verizon
Good
AT&T
Good
T-Mobile
Good

Site Types

Dispersed

Features

For Campers

ADA Access
Picnic Table
Phone Service
Toilets
Pets
Fires

For Vehicles

Pull-Through Sites
Big Rig Friendly

Enjoy dispersed camping on government land and leave no trace. Pack in and pack out. No (or limited) services at this camping area. Permit may be required.

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Contact

General Info

Anniek

Scout

Reviewed Mar. 27, 2023

Amazing view

The view is amazing!! I would recommend driving up the mountain through Lockwood, the drive is much easier and less scary. We arrived around 5:30pm (end of march) and there was only 1 spot left

Month of VisitApril

Adrian L.

Scout

Reviewed Mar. 7, 2023

Clean with some views

Beautiful place, wish I couldn’t hear the gunshots but at least they’re far away. I’m from Los Angeles so I don’t mind the shots but would prefer to hear the birds more.

Site6

Month of VisitApril

Wandering C.

Scout

Reviewed Feb. 24, 2023

Free BLM

Amenities include one vault toilet, sometimes runs out of toilet paper on a busy weekend, picnic tables with shelter and fire pits. No water, no trash, fire bans most the dry months.

Month of VisitMarch

Robbie S.

Traveler

Reviewed May. 8, 2022

Beautiful spot spoiled with target shooters

I love the spot but the constant barrage of target shooting makes it hard to really enjoy! Road is rough getting here but doable. Clean vaulted toilet, great camping spaces with covered tables and a beautiful view. But the shooters really ruin the serenity of this place.

Month of VisitJune

(6) View All

Cliff K.

Guide

Reviewed Jan. 19, 2022

Great views!

Clean spot. Service. Great views. Off season camping is the best, no noise of any kind all three days.

Site4

Month of VisitFebruary

(6) View All

Matt L.

Guide

Reviewed Nov. 23, 2021

Williams Hill Campground

Great quiet place, don’t forget your water it could be a bit of a drive for more.

Month of VisitDecember

Robin L.

Scout

Reviewed Oct. 24, 2021

Listen to the Quiet

7 sites suitable for tents, vans, rv's, tt. Sites have covered shelter with metal picnic tables with overhangs for stove and a fire ring. Sites 5 and 7 suitable for larger rigs. Site 5 is pull thru will accommodate 40ft+ rig and pull vehicle. Site 7 is back-in site pull vehicle parks on one side of shelter, 40'+ capable. These sites are dry camping with vault toilet. Offers views of Coastal Range on west Salinas Valley on right. Eastern road from San Ardo/PCH unpaved, washboard on lower end, no steep grades. Turn onto W1 is close for larger rigs as well as turn into campground. Directly opposite of campground entrance is extra large flat dispersed site capable of any length. Road up is narrow must yield to downhill traffic. No electric hookups gens allowed but be mindful of neighbors.

SiteSite 4

Month of VisitNovember

Dennis R.

Guide

Reviewed Aug. 7, 2021

Hill top free site

Site is first come first served so get there early. Sites have awesome valley views. Vault toilet, fire ring available. Lots of ATV, dirt bike use be prepared for the dust and noise.

Month of VisitMarch

(6) View All

Olivia W.

Scout

Reviewed Aug. 1, 2021

Nice Campsite, Bad Wasps

This campsite is nice, each of the 7 spots has a fire ring and covered picnic table. However, the wasps and the heat are almost unbearable. We could hear the wasps at 6 am before we even got out of the car. They harass you and make it impossible to sit outside without a bug net. The bathroom here is basic but suprisingly clean. Be careful on the road up to the site, it is gravel for the last few miles and becomes one lane as you get to the high, very windy portion. The only downsides are location, heat, and the wasps!

Site4

Month of VisitAugust

Brett L.

Guide

Reviewed Jun. 2, 2021

Hard to believe that it is free

We towed our 30' travel trailer up to this dispersed campground that is located along a ridge line on the west side of the 101. When we went, of the (7) formal sites that are up there, only 3 of them were taken and that was off and on. We didn't need 4x4 getting up there or even a high clearance vehicle. Our transmission did start heating up as the road was filled with washboard and it was steep and we had to go pretty slow. However, any car will be able to make it up there. The road was safe and relatively wide, but it drops off and you wouldn't stop until you got to the bottom..... If the (7) spots are taken, there are at least 2 large areas before and after the camp ground that you can camp.

The view is fantastic, there is a really nice pit toilet, but I don't remember seeing any water hoses.

Each of the (7) sites had a concrete pad with a covered picnic table and a BBQ pit! Please pick up your trash if you go. There was some beer cans and other garbage left behind by some mental midgets.

(4) View All

David Y.

Traveler

Reviewed May. 25, 2021

Expansive views and peaceful

I spent two nights at this BLM property. It was very quiet except for relatively far off gunfire one morning. I think there are eight campsites here, Each one with a covered picnic table. There is a well-maintained pit toilet relatively close to all sites. The campers were respectful of each other…I heard no one. The weather was mild with temperatures into the 70s during the day, and it got down to 40 at night. Verizon coverage with 2 bars LTE

Month of VisitJune

Toni K.

Ranger

Reviewed May. 14, 2021

Great free camping

Awesome spot takes a while to get there but, once you’re there great views. Lots of trees for shade. Met some very nice people. FREE(-;

Month of VisitJune

(4) View All

Ryan K.

Scout

Reviewed Jan. 13, 2021

Cool Area, limited spots

This is a nice area and it's free so you can't beat that. Unfortunately there aren't a ton of spots to camp. I've been twice now and both times the actual camp sites were full by the time I got there (2-3pm Friday). Leaving us to grab one of the few remaining dispersed spots. If you can get on it super early you may get lucky. The road in was fine for 4x4 but there was one stretch with some ruts that could prove hairy if you aren't good at driving on dirt.

Amanda S.

Traveler

Reviewed Jan. 1, 2021

Amazing Views

•7 designated campsites with covered structure, picnic table and fire pit •A few additional overflow areas to park and camp •Pit toilet - BYO toilet paper •No trash receptacles •Great Verizon reception / Decent Sprint reception •Drive thru campsites (~2) for larger rigs •Beautiful views, clean and quiet •Plenty of fire roads to walk/hike/bike •Rough, washboard roads leading into camp •Popular area for shooting •Highly trafficked campsite - most campers only stayed 1 night •Pictures are taken late December •Daytime temps - 60’s •Nighttime temps - low 40’s •Free!

(11) View All

Josh W.

Scout

Reviewed Dec. 12, 2020

One of the only places open in the area

During covid there’s not much open. This place has great views and spread out enough on the extra dispersed spots to feel solitudes

Manny R.

Guide

Reviewed Nov. 27, 2020

Just camping

Stayed here one night Nov 18 Small blm property Camp is full I stayed in an area just before the campground Hiking is limited to the trough roads And people go here to shoot guns at the side of a mountain Verizon signal very good here.

Lisa

Guide

Reviewed Nov. 1, 2020

Small BLM spot

Loved this spot as other options were concrete RV parking lots!We were surprised to find a small campground - 7 sites with picnic tables, shades and a drop toilet at the top of hill as we expected just disbursed camping in pull-outs off the few fireroads. The sites were full as we arrived late on a Sat night but we easily found a private spot nearby. There was a group partying on the top of the next hill and you could hear their tecno music and their laughter (which we kinda enjoyed :)) but otherwise it was a quiet place. It is about 15-20 miles off the Hwy and the last 7 or so miles are on a well maintained but narrow gravel road which has a few tight switchbacks near the top. Best for tents, vans and very small trailers. No water or electricity.