Van Damme State Park Campground is a captivating camping destination located in Little River, California. This park offers a unique blend of natural environments, from a majestic redwood forest to a secluded beach along the Pacific Ocean. With its variety of camping options, extensive trail system, and stunning scenery, Van Damme State Park Campground provides an unforgettable experience for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts.
Environment: Van Damme State Park Campground is characterized by its diverse ecosystems, encompassing a lush redwood forest, a scenic beach, and a variety of coastal vegetation. The campground is nestled within the redwood forest, offering campers a tranquil and shaded environment. The towering redwoods create a sense of awe and wonder, while the proximity to the beach provides opportunities for ocean exploration and relaxation. The combination of these natural elements makes Van Damme State Park Campground a truly special place.
Services and Facilities: Van Damme State Park Campground offers a range of services and facilities to enhance visitors' experience:
Activities and Features: Van Damme State Park Campground provides a wide array of activities and features for visitors to enjoy:
Campground Promotion Information:
Van Damme State Park Campground offers a remarkable opportunity to experience the natural wonders of the California coast. Whether you're seeking an adventurous hike, a peaceful camping trip, or a day of exploring the beach and redwood forest, this park has something to offer everyone.
Picnics
Wheelchair accessible entrance
Wheelchair accessible parking lot
Wheelchair accessible restroom
RV camping
Hiking
Picnic tables
Public restroom
Public shower
Restroom
Running water
Tent sites
Wi-Fi
Camping fee
Credit cards
Debit cards
Good for kids
Kid-friendly hikes
On-site parking
Paid parking lot
Dogs allowed
Amazing campground right across the street from Van Damme Beach, 20 minute drive to Mendocino so you can get all your firewood ( from town or from the host which cost 10 dollars but goes towards cultural education and events) and what not from there or the gas station up the road across from the inn hours 6am - 7pm. Campground host was super nice gave my girlfriend and I recommendations on trails to hike and really puts attention into cleaning the campgrounds after campers leave. The showers take a dollar in quarters or a token you can purchase from the camp host. We stayed at campsite 3 and although they were pretty close to other campers we had a good time. There are tiny foxes that will steal your food and literally jump on your table and poop all over so keep that in mind when deciding to cook or make a fire late at night. At the moment (March) the Bog trail and the Fern canyon trail are wrecked cause of the storm and are closed down for repairs.
Lovely to visit in the spring. The forget-me-nots and english lawn daisies were blooming everywhere. The campsite was clean, got to fall asleep listening to the brook and frogs. Was at #11 during this most recent visit. I had reported during my stay in December that #11 has some tree maintenance that needs to happen. I even showed one of the rangers what I was talking about then. That doesn't seem to have happened though, because the tree I told them about shed a couple branches while I was there. I was very careful to set up my tent clear of that, but there isn't a ton of space in #11 to escape those potential widow makers.
This is such a clean, well taken care of campground/park. Restrooms with flush toilets are located in multiple areas, showers are very inexpensive, $1 for 5 minutes. Very peaceful atmosphere, loved the 8.5 mile Fern canyon trail hike. Bridges have been well kept on the hike. Lower sites by the entrance are small and crammed close to each other, not very private, but close to the ocean. The inner sites of Highland Meadows are spaced out further which is better for bigger families or multiple tents. Reservations are a must on weekends since they are always packed. Will be returning here regularly during the weekdays where only a handful of sites are booked.
Booked the Group Campsite. Large Area room for 3 or 4 trailers or multiple cars. The bridge is TIGHT, stick to the 24 to 27 foot max for a travel trailer. Quite spot, hidden away from the wind. Upper main campground only good for smaller trailers or tent camping. Love to go back.
We camped at Van Damme for two nights and had a great time. The campground is kept very clean (including the bathrooms!). One thing to note is a couple campsites on the upper loop have some trees that were chopped down (I think due to the storms this past year) so there is no longer shade as shown in the booking photos. We booked two of these sites but luckily had a canopy so it worked out. We stayed at sites 62 & 64. Site 64 has room for a small tent (nothing bigger). With the two sites combined we were able to fit two extra large family tents and two 4 person tents. We would definitely stay here again but would either book in the large meadow (if with a large group) or at another site with more shade.