California State Parks / Release dates

When do California State Park reservations open?

Six months ahead, at 8 a.m. Pacific, one new arrival night every morning on ReserveCalifornia. At 8 a.m. on Sun Nov 1, 2026 arrivals through Sat May 1, 2027 went on sale. Next: Mon Nov 2, 2026 at 8 a.m., arrivals on Sun May 2, 2027.

When does my date go on sale?

How fast the newest night goes

Sat May 1, 2027 went on sale at 8 a.m. When we read ReserveCalifornia's calendar at 9:13 PM Pacific on Nov 1, this much of that night was already reserved or in someone's cart. Stays that start a night or two earlier can reach into it, so some of it went before this morning.

Park	Taken	Of its sites that night
Half Moon Bay SB	44 (all)	44
Crystal Cove SP	34 (all)	34
Refugio SB	49	57
South Carlsbad SB	169	199
Sonoma Coast SP	84	101
San Elijo SB	114	145
Leo Carrillo SP	87	118
New Brighton SB	69	100
Carpinteria SB	107	184
Pfeiffer Big Sur SP	69	153
San Clemente SB	49	126
Morro Bay SP	32	93
Silver Strand SB	31	113
El Capitan SB	29	115
Big Basin Redwoods SP	Not taking reservations that night.
D.L. Bliss SP	Not taking reservations that night.
Emerald Bay SP	Not taking reservations that night.
Seacliff SB	Not taking reservations that night.

Campground loops only: group camps, cabins, hike-and-bike, environmental, boat-in and lottery areas are left out. Counts are for the camp areas that sell on ReserveCalifornia. Read hourly.

The rules, in the state's words

Six months, rolling. "Reservations can be booked upon arrival at the park (depending on availability) or up to six months in advance of the arrival date on a rolling window of reservation sale dates."
8 a.m. Pacific. "Inventory becomes available on ReserveCalifornia.com, State Parks' official reservation service, each day at 8 a.m." The phone line opens at the same time.
Same date, six months earlier. The state's example: on August 1 you can book arrivals from February 1. "The rolling window adjusts for months longer or shorter than 30 days": February 28 releases August 28, then March 1 releases August 29 through 31. A morning with no matching date six months on, like August 29 to 31, releases nothing new.
Up to two days ahead. "Reservations can be made at most state parks until two days prior to the planned arrival, subject to availability. A limited number of state parks offer same-day reservations."
Drawings, eight months ahead. Malibu Creek State Park, McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park, Morro Bay State Park, Mount Tamalpais State Park, Steep Ravine Cabins fill some dates through a lottery-style drawing "up to eight months in advance" instead.

From California State Parks' booking page and sale-dates page, read October 16, 2026. Each campground's own limit is read from ReserveCalifornia's calendar: it matched the six-month rule at the parks above except where the table says otherwise.

Booking on Recreation.gov instead? Recreation.gov release dates (7am Pacific) · Yosemite · national parks.