American Canyon

US Forest Service · California

American Canyon in California. Ringed marker is this site; the other dots are the 1330 public campsites we map in California.

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, a working cattle ranch.

What we know about it

Managed by

US Forest Service

Fee

$5/night

Booking

first-come, first-served

Dogs

Allowed on a leash (USFS policy)

Number of sites

94

Coordinates

35.28254, -120.26795

Nearest sites we map

• American Canyon Campground4 km · US Forest Service
• La Panza Campground8 km · US Forest Service
• Navajo Flats Campground10 km · US Forest Service
• Turkey Flat Ohv Staging Area10 km · US Forest Service
• Navajo Flat/Ohv Staging Area11 km · US Forest Service
• Friis12 km · US Forest Service

Source: US Forest Service, dated 2026-08-06, fetched 2026-09-07. Official listing.

All camping near Santa Maria · All camping in California