Samuel P. Taylor State Park
Samuel P. Taylor State Park’s 2,882 acres offer shady strolls through the stately redwoods along Lagunitas Creek as well as exhilarating hikes to the top of Barnabe Peak, one of the best viewpoints in Marin County. You can camp among redwoods, bike along the creek, explore easy-to-moderate hiking trails, watch salmon spawn, relax in the shady picnic area, and learn the story of its namesake pioneer. When you’ve finished all that, more adventures await just next door at Point Reyes National Seashore.
Archived Q&A and Reviews
How to get a reservation at Samuel P Taylor State Park Campground
June 2009
Samuel P Taylor State Park Campground in Marin is full every weekend in August! What is the best way to get a reservation? Does anyone have a reservation they won't be using? There's 3 of us with a tent? We're Desperate to Camp
It's not Samuel P Taylor, but there is a first-come, first-served campground in Marin, on Mt. Tam , and we just camped there this past weekend. It's called Pantoll Campground, and if you get there in the morning (like, by 10 a.m. on Fridays) you'll be able to get one of the 16 sites, unless you're thinking of either 4th of July weekend or Labor Day. (In my experience the advanced-reservation campgrounds in state parks within easy driving distance of the bay area are reserved for all the weekends in the summer months by the end of April, FYI. Not to rub it in; I'm rarely organised early enough either which is why I know about the first-come, first-served ones.) Cory
2001
First point- if you are going to camp on the weekend, you need to make your reservations NOW for these popular campsites. It's amazing how quickly these campgrounds book up. The best campsites at Samuel P. Taylor are right by the creek (campsites 1-18 I believe) and the very best are on the creek by the bike path that runs through the camp (campsites 17-18 I believe). Kids can ride their scooters, bikes, or rollerblades right from the campsite down to a swimming hole about a mile down from the campsite (assuming the creek has dried up too much). Spring is the best time to go for that reason. Samuel P Taylor is also near the beaches of Point Reyes which are great to go visit. Christine
Samuel P. Taylor State Park in Fairfax. Cool, woodsy, flat paved bike path, creek.
From: Dawn
Our family has really enjoyed Samuel P. Taylor State Park. It's over in Marin, fairly close to Pt. Reyes. It has tent space and RV space, and most importantly, SHOWERS. It's within easy reach of the ocean and several beaches, as well as not too terribly far from population centers containing grocery stores. Last I checked, fires were allowed, and you could buy firewood there. As with all State Parks, there is a fairly sizable (in my opinion) fee ($15 or more?), and calling ahead is definitely recommended.
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