Free Camping at Williams Hill Recreation Area

After an amazing time exploring and camping at Laguna Falls Recreation Area we continued working our way south through California and that’s when we discovered more great free camping at Williams Hill Recreation Area. Williams Hill Recreation Area is an area of BLM land at the southern end of Monterey County in the Salinas Valley. The hilly terrain is characterized by a mix of pine trees, chamise, scrub oak, and interesting shale formations.

Although there are no developed trails here, there is a really nice free campground and dispersed camping is permitted as well. The camping at Williams Hill Recreation Area is situated atop a peaceful hill of about 2,300 feet elevation granting excellent, vast surrounding views.

Campground and Dispersed Camping

Williams Hill Campground has seven campsites of varying sizes. There are a few sites that would accommodate large rigs and several spots that would better suit tent camping. Each spot has a nice level pad with a shade structure and a picnic table as well fire rings! There is also one well maintained vault toilet. The spots along the mountainside provide a beautiful, vast view of the surrounding mountains and the valley below.

There are also numerous sites for dispersed camping at Williams Hill Recreation Area. As you enter the public lands, there are nice options for dispersed camping. In particular, there is an open, fairly level spot just across from the campground which is also used in a pinch if the campground is full. We chose a large, open spot with a view just a half mile before reaching the Williams Hill Campground and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay! As we explored the area, more great dispersed camp spots revealed themselves.

Quick Info: Camping at Williams Hill Recreation Area

Cost: Free

Ownership: BLM; 14 day limit

Directions: From Bradley, California take the US-101 N to exit 263. Turn left onto Paris Valley Road and drive 1.8 miles. Then turn left on Lockwood San Ardo Road. After 6.4 miles, turn left to continue on Lockwood San Ardo Road. Within one mile, the Williams Hill Campground will be on the right. There are a couple dispersed camp spots before the campground and if you take the time to explore a bit, there are even more.

Solar: Great, minimal shade unless you choose a shady spot within the campground.

Miles From Town: San Ardo is about 10 miles but there are limited facilities.

Water: None

Road Conditions: Curvy dirt/dust roads but well maintained

Cell Service: Yes

Our Experience Camping at Williams Hill Recreation Area

When we arrived at the Williams Hill Campground, it was completely full! So instead we took advantage of the opportunity for dispersed camping at Williams Hill Recreation Area. We didn’t have a shaded picnic table and it was a bit of a walk to the restrooms but we really enjoyed our large spot with a nice view, no neighbors and great solar.

While we were camping at Williams Hill Recreation Area we experienced beautiful sunrises and sunsets! And the stars were pretty incredible too.

Camp Here Later – Pin it Now!

It was mid October when we went camping at Williams Hill Recreation area and the weather was still hot! But the mornings and evenings were a great temperature. So we took advantage of those times to go out and explore the nearby roads and trails. Sometimes we would find beautiful vistas and cool
plants, other times we would find piles of trash… But no matter what, we could count on one thing – the entire area was super dusty! There’s just no way around it haha.

All in all, camping at Williams Hill Recreation Area was great. And the facilities were pretty impressive. The vast views and remote location made this a great place to relax and get some painting done!

Thanks for Reading!

We love finding new places to camp and explore! Check out the links below to see some cool spots to boondock:

• Trona Pinnacles
• Hiking and Camping at Fossil Falls
• Boondocking in Medicine Bow National Forest Near Laramie
• Camping at Volcanic Tablelands
• Free Camping at Hartley Springs Campground
• Boondocking With A View Near Badlands National Park

While we’re living life on the road, we are also working hard on our hand painted longboards. If you’d like to see our latest lineup, head over to our Lost Coast Longboarding Shop! We also can work with you on a custom board order 🙂

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