Haypress Campground

We bike camped overnight here - very bike friendly (we had mountain bikes, which helped, but not totally necessary) and a ~25 min bike ride from town, so it was super easy to get places. Campsite was nice and clean.

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Lovely campsite tucked away from the Tennessee Valley trail. We arrived at the Tennessee Valley trailhead on a late Saturday afternoon. The parking lot and pullouts along the road were busy. However, we found parking in the trailhead lot as day hikers and mountain and gravel bikers were leaving. The food locker was neat and clean and the picnic table was is good condition. We camped in April 2023 after the winter rainstorms and the ground was soft enough to easily stake my non-freestanding tent. We had a bit of wind overnight and it felt colder to me than the forecasted low of ~45 deg F. A couple of reserved sites were empty and the other campers were chill. We had a restful evening and the morning sun was wonderful. I highly recommend this mini-backpacking experience!

Great little gem of a backpacking site hidden away.

Great spot. Less than a mile from the trailhead with only a gentle grade to contend with. Trailhead and main trail are extremely busy, but the off-shoot that leads to the campground is about .5 miles and nice and quiet. Pit toilets at the site were extremely well cared for when I visited in October 2022. Bear boxes are provided, and my site (01) had a nice grade and a picnic table. If you are parking a vehicle at the trailhead, try not to leave anything valuable behind. There is a bunch of activity there, and you'll have to have a permit in your window, so it'll be obvious which cars are left unattended all night. I will absolutely return if I can.

The campground is wonderful! Very quiet, next to eucalyptus trees, surrounded by green hills. The location is great. It is not far from Tennessee beach but hidden from the main trail. All sites are good but my favorite ones are #5 and #4.

Gorgeous meadow. We camped at Site 5, and thick fog meant it was basically raining all night our tent. Bring a rain coat. The lack of water, or water source, is also tricky.

Great campsite. Perfect for beginners

Visited once before, a couple years ago, and I'm heartened to see that it really hasn't changed since then. Only stayed overnight, during the unholy heat wave of early September '22, and managed to beat the heat here, as it's only about a mile from the coast. Definitely check out the beaches, bunkers, and trails nearby. Be sure to bring plenty of water, as the nearest fountain is over the hills at Rodeo Beach. Bringing a hand cart for your equipment wouldn't be a bad idea for next time because the path is flat from the parking lot to the site.

Though this is a “hike-in” campground, it’s not so remote that it is definitely going to be quiet. There was loud music late into the night and screaming kids early in the morning during my visit.