I visited lupine campsites for a group of 6 adults, 1 toddler and 2 dogs. We booked 2 campsites and…read morewe booked our sites very last minute. We were a bit worried that our spots were going to be a far distance from the load/ unloading area. But they weren't too bad at all. I highly recommend bringing a wagon to load your items in and out faster or ask if you can barrow one of your neighbors wagons! Staff were nice and friendly. Restrooms were pretty clean. The beach is a quick 5-10 minute walk from most sites. I liked that there are plenty of stores in the area in case you forgot something at home. I would also recommend downloading map information before hand because reception is very spotty. We had campsites 45 & 54, the trees provided plenty of shade.

My feedback about Manresa Uplands Campground…read more After visiting the day use area several times, my family and friends made it a tradition to camp there, and everything about our experience was perfect and relaxing. We especially appreciate the high quality of service and upkeep, including the informative attendant at the front gate, the well-maintained campground, and the helpful State Park day workers that we would run into occasionally. The restrooms and coin operated showers were maintained. A special note of thanks goes to the camp host, Andrew, and his black Labrador, Hoppy. Their effort, including driving around in the old golf cart to sell firewood bundles, was a perfect touch that enhanced our stay. We have returned multiple times and look forward to continuing this tradition. Thanks, Andy

Great staff, sites, fellow campers, and amenities! One of our go-to places that's close for weekend…read moregetaways. Little pricey, but they offer and lot and the location can't be beat. Our kids love it. Halloween is an extra special time! Love the theme weekends.

The grounds with the trees and foliage are nice. The RV sites are narrow. The place is a lot of fun…read morefor kids. We had a space with a dog run. It was very expensive compared to other KOA sites .

Very clean. Great trails for easy to moderate hikes. Access is easy. Beautiful trails and views…read more Would definitely recommend it.

Back in the mid-80's, my younger brother and I had a bit of cabin fever, and decided to walk from…read moreour grandparents' central Watsonville home, up to Mount Madonna park. We made it about 2/3rds of the way up the winding, two lane road before a passing motorist stopped for us. The driver told us to pile into the bed of his pickup truck, then shortly after dropped us off at the park. My brother and I briefly explored the park, but dusk was approaching. Back in the days when there were public pay phones aplenty, we used a dime (or perhaps a quarter) to telephone our grandparents to ask for a car ride back down the mountain. In our youthful minds, it was just a little adventure, but our grandparents spoke of it for years afterwards.

We enjoyed our stay at Moss Landing KOA. Yes, the sites are close but management did an amazing job…read moredirecting my husband into a back in spot. Conveniently located for going out whale watching and going out on Elkhorn Slough. Short drive to Monterey to visit the Aquarium and go sailing out in the ocean. Great week of adventures!

Rating one star and if I could I would go less I would! Staff surrounded us as we were parking and…read morewe must have not have been dressed right or something cause they decided we did not belong there! They told Us our Cattle dog was part Pit Bull when we know for a fact she is not! I have vet papers stating she not a mixed breed but they would not even look at them and instead said you have been re funded and need to leave immediately. When asked how he was qualified he said he was not an expert. 46 spaces in less that 4 acres. Staff was friendly until they weren't made us feel like we were at Alcatraz! They tell what their insurance covers and does not cover, tells you where to park, how to park etc... oh and said you need to walk across the street to smoke but didn't even asked if I was a smoker! Just assumed I was! said we could stay but our dog could not be on the premises. she has been at several parks and never had one issue ever and she is only 1 1/2 years old! We made these plans 6 months in advance and had no where else to go! Had to come up with a reservation immediately! The only nice thing I could say about the park is it is clean but very very tight! With many years of traveling and the hundreds of parks I have stayed in this was the worst experience we have ever had!! We were in the area for a family celebration and now we are having to park many miles out of our way and drive lots of extra miles everyday! Only wish there were other options in the area!

My wife and I have been camping at Mt. Madonna for about 3 or 4 years and our experience has been…read morevery good. I want to take time to commend Monica, who works at the entrance kiosk at Mt Madonna campground. Monica is one of the most pleasant people I have ever dealt with. She also is one of the most professional and helpful people as well. Monica went above and beyond to assist us in making sure we had the correct information for our campsite. She had to walk to our campsite because she did not have a county vehicle to use. She was constantly working to make sure all information was up to date for all campsites. I know that Monica is a relatively new employee and she loves what she does. I think she has a tremendous future with Santa Clara County Parks and hope she moves up the ranks quickly. Thank you Monica.

This review is specifically for the Waterfall Loop Nature Trail within Uvas Canyon Park, one of the…read moreBay Area's many "hidden gems." Nothing like a relaxing hike along a pristine nature trail to clear the mind and nourish the soul. I noticed that one recent review calls this hike "easy" but as we were climbing the stairs from the parking lot, we encountered two young women who looked to be in their 20s who were going in the opposite direction, returning to the parking lot. "It's beautiful," one of them volunteered to us, "but it's really HARD!" And indeed, on the trail we encountered young people who were visibly panting, even though the Waterfall Loop trail is shorter and easier than others in the park. So you might want to take that into account, FWIW, as the expression goes. It might also be helpful to mention the following: * The rules of this park call for purchasing an entry pass/parking permit online BEFORE you arrive. The reason is the limited number of spaces. Your permit is good for entry during a ONE-HOUR WINDOW for which you make your reservation. The person in the car ahead of us hadn't purchased a permit in advance and was able to use a credit card to purchase it at the entry gate but that might only be done when ample space in the lot is available. * To access the park, you must drive through a private 110-acre resort (Sveadal, meaning Swedish Valley), owned and operated by the Swedish American Patriotic League since 1926. It's a SINGLE-LANE road that is NOT LEVEL (quite rocky). You will want to make sure that your vehicle is in reasonably good shape for this drive. The only really scary part of this road for us was that at a couple of points, the incline is steep enough that you can't see ahead of you on this single-lane road. So you have to trust that no other vehicle is going faster than it should be coming toward you, in the opposite direction. * One more point ("muy importante"/very important): If you're coming for the waterfalls, use your preferred AI platform to check to make sure that the water will be flowing at the time of your visit. That's because the falls are generally seasonal and dependent on the amount of rain during preceding months. The falls are not large and thundering but they are nonetheless quite beautiful and soothing. PS: For those who don't know Spanish but may be interested: The Park is named after the Spanish word for grapes (uvas), referring to the abundance of wild grapes (Vitis californica) that early settlers found growing along the creek and throughout the canyon.

I had been wanting to go to Uvas Canyon for over a year now and I finally made it on a Sunday in…read moreMarch! I recommend going after heavy rain so that the waterfalls are stronger. You have to buy a parking permit for $6 at least 24 hours in advance and bring a printed copy with you. We arrived around 10:30am and thanks to the timed entry system, it was not too crowded. We did the Upper, Basin, and Black Rock Falls via Contour and Waterfall Loop and used All Trails for directions. Hiking shoes not required but there were a few points where we had to cross a stream so could be useful for those portions. Took about 90 minutes for us to complete, so would say the trail is easy-moderate. Overall, the views were simple but the mossy forest and the waterfalls were very pretty. Trail was well maintained and the bathrooms at the trailhead were clean. Nice, calming hiking spot - I would come back next year after the rain!

Great beach camping spot in the Santa cruz county. Easy beach access, cute trails around to walk…read more You are able to walk into capital village which is a great spot. Bathrooms are pretty clean. They have dry spots and full hook ups as well!

April 18-21, 2025…read more Thought I'd update my review, since it's been almost 8 years! since my prior review. We stayed in one of the sites with water and electricity. I believe there are only 10 or 11 sites with hookups; the rest have no hookups. Even though they don't have hookups, I prefer the sites on the bluff overlooking the ocean, but those are almost impossible to get these days. It's competitive out there when trying to make reservations. We were very happy with our large grassy site with beautiful trees and lots of birds. The sites at this campground are a nice size; it's great to have your own space. Unfortunately, our luck was that there were several big groups of campers here together, and they tended to gather at the campsite near ours. Lots of kids, scooters, bikes, barking dogs, etc. Just families enjoying each other, but it was rather lively. The campground seemed like a different world after these groups departed. Peaceful, even. There is a bit of road noise that you can hear from some of the sites depending on their location; but at night it is quiet enough to hear the owls hoot. There are two trails down to the beach; the one that was closed on my prior visits was open. It's quite a climb, but worth every step. Dog-friendly beaches are always a huge plus in my book. Also a plus is that there are four dump stations ($10). I'll definitely come back--I'll keep trying; someday I might actually get one of those premium sites on the bluff again. Note of caution - if you have a tall rig, some of the trees on the road to the campsites were in need of trimming, so you need to watch carefully. Easy does it. Also, the garbage trucks come through at 6:00 in the morning. Really? At a campground? ....... So if you like to sleep in...forget it.

Very clean park with a good store well stocked. We didn't get to use the pool, but it too was…read moreclean. Went to a winery nearby, DeRose and it was super nice! Our only disappointment was our spot, it was basically a parking lot. There was good space in between each spot, and again clean.

Love this peaceful and very secure location. Just a short drive south of Gilroy CA. Very nice…read moremanicured spots with perfect cable TV. I will always return here and enjoy this delightful camp spot. All staff very caring and available for any assistance. Put this on your list for the central coast in California !!

I found so many banana slugs on the Skyline to sea trail! It got warm real quick so make sure you…read morehave enough water and a hat. The volunteer working at the little store they had was so sweet and informative. He told me all about the fire that happened here several years ago! I'd come back again. Also, lots of benches to enjoy the views and good amount of parking.

Came here to see the waterfalls but unfortunately with the fires in 2020 it is closed. Not sure…read morewhen it will be back open for hikes. Nonetheless it was a nice hike here. It was nice to see benches made from the trees to allow for break times and snack time. Parking is $10 but it is good for the day and to other state park until sunset.

This was such a magical, lovely stay!! We stayed in the luxury tent for about four nights. It was…read morequiet, clean, peaceful, and beautiful. We did not see a single staff member during our stay, but that isn't a complaint by any means. Driving into Monterey or Carmel was only 20 minutes, and it was nice to get away from the Labor Day crowds when we were done for the day. The beds were comfy, there were plenty of blankets, and the bathrooms were always clean. Our ONLY complaint was that we booked this trip around five months ago, and they gave us a luxury tent without an attached parking spot and we had to walk past someone else's camp to leave our campsite. Next time we would request to not stay in 48a, but we didn't know this when booking it. We will be back to stay here again though.

We had a nice stay at Saddle Mountain RV. We reserved site #24, Premium lot. The lot was perfect…read morefor a party of 2 and 1 dog. I love the big tree for shade, turf grass and a beautiful vine, floral plant lining for privacy. The campground is well-kept clean. People were respectful when it was quiet-time between 9:00pm - 7:00am.