Camping in California: Best Months, Booking and Fire Rules
Across California's 4 NOAA reference stations, camping weather is mild from October to May, with average highs of 62 to 83 F and lows of 43 to 59 F. Nights at or below freezing show up from December to January, most often in December, when they average 2.9 a month. State park sites are booked through ReserveCalifornia, up to six months ahead.
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The best months for camping in California
By NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals, camping weather in California is mild October to May. Pick the station nearest your campground below; high ground runs colder than any station.
- Jan63° / 44°Freezing nights
- Feb66° / 46°Mild
- Mar71° / 50°Mild
- Apr76° / 53°Mild
- May83° / 59°Mild
- Jun90° / 64°Hot
- Jul96° / 68°Hot
- Aug95° / 68°Hot
- Sep91° / 65°Hot
- Oct82° / 58°Mild
- Nov71° / 49°Mild
- Dec62° / 43°Freezing nights
Each month shows the average high and low across the state’s reference stations, in F. Mild means an average high of 60 to 85 F with lows of 40 F or more. Freezing nights means the stations average one or more nights a month at or below 32 F.
Fresnoelevation 333 ft
| Month | Average high | Average low | Nights at or below 32 F |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 55 F | 41 F | 4.2 |
| February (mild) | 61 F | 43 F | 0.9 |
| March (mild) | 68 F | 47 F | 0 |
| April (mild) | 74 F | 51 F | 0 |
| May (mild) | 83 F | 58 F | 0 |
| June | 91 F | 64 F | 0 |
| July | 98 F | 69 F | 0 |
| August | 97 F | 68 F | 0 |
| September | 91 F | 63 F | 0 |
| October (mild) | 79 F | 55 F | 0 |
| November (mild) | 65 F | 45 F | 0.7 |
| December | 55 F | 40 F | 4.9 |
Los Angeleselevation 230 ft
| Month | Average high | Average low | Nights at or below 32 F |
|---|---|---|---|
| January (mild) | 68 F | 49 F | 0 |
| February (mild) | 68 F | 50 F | 0 |
| March (mild) | 70 F | 52 F | 0 |
| April (mild) | 72 F | 55 F | 0 |
| May (mild) | 74 F | 58 F | 0 |
| June (mild) | 77 F | 61 F | 0 |
| July (mild) | 82 F | 65 F | 0 |
| August (mild) | 84 F | 65 F | 0 |
| September (mild) | 83 F | 64 F | 0 |
| October (mild) | 79 F | 60 F | 0 |
| November (mild) | 73 F | 53 F | 0 |
| December (mild) | 67 F | 48 F | 0 |
Palm Springselevation 421 ft
| Month | Average high | Average low | Nights at or below 32 F |
|---|---|---|---|
| January (mild) | 71 F | 48 F | 0.2 |
| February (mild) | 74 F | 50 F | 0.1 |
| March (mild) | 81 F | 54 F | 0 |
| April | 87 F | 59 F | 0 |
| May | 95 F | 66 F | 0 |
| June | 104 F | 73 F | 0 |
| July | 109 F | 79 F | 0 |
| August | 108 F | 80 F | 0 |
| September | 102 F | 74 F | 0 |
| October | 91 F | 65 F | 0 |
| November (mild) | 79 F | 53 F | 0 |
| December (mild) | 69 F | 46 F | 0 |
Sacramentoelevation 15 ft
| Month | Average high | Average low | Nights at or below 32 F |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 56 F | 39 F | 5 |
| February (mild) | 61 F | 42 F | 1.9 |
| March (mild) | 66 F | 45 F | 0.2 |
| April (mild) | 72 F | 47 F | 0 |
| May (mild) | 80 F | 52 F | 0 |
| June | 88 F | 57 F | 0 |
| July | 93 F | 59 F | 0 |
| August | 92 F | 59 F | 0 |
| September | 89 F | 57 F | 0 |
| October (mild) | 79 F | 50 F | 0 |
| November (mild) | 65 F | 43 F | 1.6 |
| December | 56 F | 39 F | 6.7 |
How to book a state park campsite in California
California State Parks takes reservations through ReserveCalifornia. The longest advance booking its page states is six months.
How far ahead you can book
With ReserveCalifornia™ you can make reservations six months to the day in advance of the arrival date. Each new date opens at 8 a.m. PST.California State Parks, read October 18, 2026. Read it at the source
First come, first served sites
Yes, you may still enjoy walk-up camping. Some sites will remain first-come, first-served.California State Parks, read October 18, 2026. Read it at the source
Quoted from California State Parks pages read October 18, 2026. Windows and fees change, so confirm on the booking site.
Campfires when you camp in California
Campfires in state parks and forests
Campfires are usually allowed in provided fire rings at each campsite. Occasionally, during extreme fire conditions, open fires may be banned on short notice.California State Parks, read October 18, 2026. Read it at the source
Where fire restrictions are posted
Before arrival, call the park or check the park website at “Visit a Park” for information about fire bans during peak fire season.California State Parks, read October 18, 2026. Read it at the source
Current restrictions: California State Parks.
California camping questions
Camping in other states
Where this page’s facts come from
- State park, forestry and federal land pages (read October 18, 2026). Booking windows, reservation systems, campfire rules, fire restriction sources and rules for camping outside a campground, each quoted word for word with a link to the page it came from.
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991 to 2020 (read October 18, 2026). Average monthly high, low and nights at or below 32 F at 150 reference stations, the same stations the heat season and heating season pages use.
- National Weather Service alerts (live, read in your browser when the page loads). Red Flag Warnings, Fire Weather Watches, Fire Warnings, Freeze Warnings and High Wind Warnings, read live from api.weather.gov.
- National Weather Service 7 day forecast (live, read in your browser when the page loads). The weekend forecast for the ZIP code a visitor enters, read live from api.weather.gov.
Climate figures are NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals at 4 reference stations in California. Rules are quoted from agency pages and can change.