California's New Camping Law Allows More Rural Outdoor Adventures

These days, finding a campsite in California is becoming harder, especially for those who don't like booking ahead of time. And that's because many public campgrounds are now filling up earlier, leaving travelers with few, or expensive, options. However, to ease this stress, especially during peak seasons, a new state law has been signed that aims to expand where camping is allowed, particularly in California's rural areas. And with this new law, who knows, another rural "Little Patagonia" in California may be waiting to be unearthed.

Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, signed Assembly Bill 518 (AB 518) into law in late 2025, and this move will allow people to find camping in the rural parts of the state more easily. AB 518, which is also known as the Low-Impact Camping Areas Act, gives room to more affordable and accessible places to camp by easing rules for small, private campgrounds. The new law has now made it possible for landowners, especially those with rural properties like farms, ranches, or open fields, to host a limited number of campers without having to receive permission from the state, in as much as they meet the county rules.

This means you may be able to stay in a charming California town that offers trails and campgrounds such as Truckee, without too much stress. According to Alyssa Ravasio, the founder and CEO of Hipcamp, signing the law is "a major step forward for California," as "decades-old regulations have made it unnecessarily hard for people to camp" (via RV Pro). The supporters of AB 518 also believe that the change will reduce the pressure on crowded public campgrounds. Moreover, they believe that the change will make outdoor recreation more affordable for families, and help rural economies. The move will also give farmers and ranchers new ways to make money on their land.

If you're a traveler and outdoor lover, you now have more places to pitch your tent or park your RV outside of the traditional campgrounds or the most famous national park in California. In fact, the thought of camping at places where landowners are willing to host you, as opposed to where the demand for campsites has far exceeded supply, should be a welcome relief. This is exactly what the law aims to address. And that's why the law lets counties set their own guidelines — it only requires that campsites follow basic health, safety, and environmental standards, per Hipcamp. It also eliminates the costly regular permit requirement that has kept many potential campsites from becoming reality.

So, by lowering barriers for private campgrounds, this new law will allow families, adventurers, and even nature lovers to find more outdoor options. And by doing that, it gives local landowners an opportunity to give back to the communities by supporting rural economies. Whether you're planning a weekend of camping or looking for new outdoor scenery, the expanded camping access in California is a step towards making nature more enjoyable and easier to reach for everyone.