American Canyon Campground
Atascadero, California · 1,545 ft · In Los Padres National Forest
Photos: Bert Fuiava/USFS
At a glance
4 of 8 facts known · recreation.gov, checked Sep 24, 2026
- Elevation
- 1,545 ft (471 m)1,545 ft471 m
Sites12
American Canyon Campground lists no loops, so its sites are listed here. Pick a site to see its details.
- 1Standard · up to 6 people18 ft
- 2Standard · up to 6 people18 ft
- 3Standard · up to 6 people18 ft
- 4Standard · up to 6 people18 ft
- 5Standard · up to 6 people18 ft
- 6Standard · up to 6 people18 ft
- 7Standard · up to 6 people18 ft
- 8Standard · up to 6 people18 ft
- 9Standard · up to 6 people18 ft
- 10Standard · up to 6 people18 ft
Showing 10 of 12 · by site number
From recreation.gov's site list, Oct 10, 2026.
Amenities
From Recreation.gov, Recreation.gov — campground rate cards · Correct
- Campfires allowed
- Toilets
From Recreation.gov, Recreation.gov — campground rate cards
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About
Overview
American Canyon is a small, secluded campground which borders the Machesna Wilderness. While the campground is accessible through the wilderness, it is a long and strenuous hike as vehicles are not permitted in wilderness areas. The only motorized entrance is through the Avenales Ranch. This is a working cattle ranch, and the owners have been generous to grant access to American Canyon through their ranch. Entrance via the ranch gate is opened only during deer hunting season, by reservation only on rec.gov and with an issued combination code provided. The campground is an Adventure Pass site managed by the Forest Service.
The campground is embedded within beautiful oaks, providing much shade and cooling during the hot summer days. While the days do have a tendency of getting rather toasty, ranging between the 90s and 100s, the nights cool down into the 50s and 60s.
From Recreation.gov and Recreation.gov — campground rate cards · · Edit
Cell service
Report signal- VerizonNo coverage on FCC map
- AT&T5G · 4G LTE
- T-MobileNo coverage on FCC map
Cell service at American Canyon Campground: FCC map Dec 2025
Weather
National Weather Service
- WedSunny80°49°
- ThuSunny87°55°
- FriSunny90°58°
- SatSunny89°55°
- SunSunny85°47°
Nearby camping
SeeSee all on the map
Balm of Gilead Campground
Campground · 1.4 mi · Arroyo Grande
American Canyon Seasonal Campground
Public Land · 2.3 mi · Atascadero
Buckeye Campsite
Campground · 2.9 mi · Edna
3 more within 25 mi
5 OpenStreetMap entries in Atascadero share one park. They may be individual sites of a single campground. Suggest a merge
Dispersed camping nearby
Free dispersed camping within 19 mi, on public land.
Location and contact
Data from Recreation Information Database (RIDB) / Recreation.gov, Recreation.gov — campground rate cards
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