Sempervirens Campground

Big Basin Redwoods State Park


Big Basin Redwoods State Park


Sempervirens Campground, Big Basin Redwoods State Park, CA

Sempervirens Campground

Big Basin Attractions

Hiking among the Redwoods

A wonderful variety of trails lead away from the center of the park. Many of the most popular trails are listed here.

  • Redwood Trail is a ½-mile loop, self-guided nature trail, passing some of the tallest trees in the park, including Mother of the Forest.
  • Sequoia Trail is a 4-mile loop connecting with Skyline to the Sea Trail, passing Sempervirens Falls, Founders Monument, and Slippery Rock.
  • Maddocks Cabin Site is 4-mile trail beginning on Skyline to the Sea Trail and returning on connecting trails, passing Maddocks Cabin Site, Opal Creek, and old-growth redwoods.
  • Berry Creek Falls is a 10.5 miles round-trip to the four cascades on Berry Creek, passing many of the largest redwoods.

Activities and Programs

  • Guided Nature Walks are offered at various times.
  • Enjoy interesting Campfire Talks.
  • Children ages 7-12 can participate in the Junior Rangers program.
  • The Big Basin Nature Club is for ages 3-6 and their families.

Key Sempervirens Campground Regulations

  1. Quiet Hours extend from 10 PM to 6 AM.
  2. Wood collecting is not allowed, including twigs and leaves.
  3. Generators may only be operated from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
  4. To keep provisions away from raccoons, secure your food in lockers or vehicles. There are no bears.

Nearby Campgrounds

Big Basin Redwoods Campgrounds


Henry Cowell State Park


Portola Redwoods State Park


Sempervirens Campground

Sempervirens Campground is at the confluence of Sempervirens and Blooms creeks, ¾-mile from Big Basin Redwoods State Park headquarters. The beauty and grandeur of the park's redwood forests have been attracting visitors for more than a century. With so many places to explore and things to do, Big Basin is a premier camping place for families.

Sempervirens Campground offers comfortable campsites, usually well-spaced and with good privacy. Excellent amenities include hot showers. The campground is closed November through late March. During the shoulder season (late March - mid-May and after Labor Day through October), the campground is only open for Friday and Saturday nights.

Changes in California State Parks Reservation System

California State Parks is switching to a new reservation system beginning August 1, 2017. ReserveCalifornia will replace the previous ReserveAmerica. "Beginning on midnight July 26, 2017, the website and telephone reservations for California's state parks will be temporarily offline to prepare for the exciting launch of the new system on August 1. During this time, all existing reservations will be honored. An electronic or hard copy from ReserveAmerica will need to be presented to State Parks staff when checking in for reservation made prior to July 26, 2017."

Sempervirens Campground Basics
Sempervirens Campground Location: 25 miles northwest of Santa Cruz via Highways 9 and 236
Elevation: 990 feet
Number of Sites: 31 (#157 - #188)
Max. People per Site: 8 (including children)
Vehicles per Site: 2 if they fit (trailer is a vehicle)
Pets: On leash, always attended
Terrain: mountains, forest

Reservations at Sempervirens Campground
Reservations Available: Late April through October
Booking Window: from 2 days up to 7 months in advance of arrival
New dates are released in 1-month blocks on the first of each month.
Maximum Vehicle Length: 24 - 27 feet
Wheelchair Accessible Sites: #163, 187
Favorite Campsites: #158, 159, 160, 165, 168, 170, 176, 177, 178, 182
Fees: $35 plus an $8 reservation fee
Online Reservations at ReserveCalifornia: Sempervirens Campground Reservations
or call (800) 444-PARK (7275) between 8 AM and 6 PM
Check-in, check-out: 2:00 PM, Noon
Park Headquarters: (831) 338-8860

Sempervirens Campground Amenities
Campsites: Picnic table, food locker, fire ring
Campground: restrooms with flush toilets, tap water
Showers: Yes, 25 cents for 2 minutes
Dump Station: Located at Huckleberry Campground entrance
Campground Map: Big Basin Campgrounds Map
Attractions near Sempervirens Campground: Hike the Shadowbrook Trail, Visit park waterfalls. Stroll through redwood groves. Spend time in the visitor center and nature museum.
Common Wildlife: Raccoons, deer, woodpeckers, quail

Trail in Big Basin Redwoods State Park, CA

One of many Big Basin Trails

Reservations Tips

ReserveCalifornia Reservations Tips

California State Parks' new reservation system - ReserveCalifornia - now allows campers "to make reservations 6 months to the day in advance of their arrival date." For example, on January 1 reservations can be made for stays beginning on July 1. In the past, reservations were released in one-month blocks. Now it is day by day. For months with fewer days than the month 6 months away, reservations for the remaining days will be released in a small cluster on the first of the next month. For example, on March 1 (because February is a short month) you can make reservations for stays beginning August 29-31. Read details at ReserveCalifornia.

California's Best Camping

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