Nira Campground, Los Olivos, CA

Nira Campground is located in the Santa Lucia Ranger District, Los Padres National Forest (1 hr 24 min northwest of Santa Barbara, CA) with an elevation of 1,829 feet. There are a total of 12 campsites. The campground is open all year. 9 sites can accommodate RVs up to 24 feet. All sites are currently reservable. Reservations can be booked up to 6 months in advance. Each site includes a picnic table and fire ring. There is a fee of $30.00 per night. Activities include biking.

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Campground Capacity (Next 30 Days)

Campsite Reviews (28)

4.0 out of 5

5 star		54%
4 star		14%
3 star		7%
2 star		18%
1 star		4%

@EmilieM1058676 · Camped on Oct 4, 2024 at Campsite #11

Beautiful campground but no rangers come around at all. It was clear people knew that as two different groups partied until 4am and no one paid.

@ChadH8887011 · Camped on Mar 16, 2024 at Campsite #12

Campground was fine, its really nice when theres water in the creek.

@YvonneABDB3EB9 · Camped on Sep 8, 2023 at Campsite #11

Vey nice campground, if you like to hike o stay next to a creek this is the place!!Taking a camper trailer to this campsite is some challenge, the road is narrow to get there, advice dont drive at night.

@ArletJB8C0FE8C · Camped on Sep 3, 2023 at Campsite #9

It was perfect. A little piece of paradise, so far into the mountain that there was no reception, so relaxing with the crystal clear river right next to the camping site and a non ending trail that takes you so far into nature that I saw a deer a couple feet away. ( CAUTION!!! FALLOW THE TRAIL! I didntand I ended up getting so lost that nighttime came and I got really scared, miraculously I stumbled onto the trail and followed it back to camp)

@FreidaGE5E36D9 · Camped on Sep 1, 2023 at Campsite #7

Its a really pretty spot but it just was a really strange visit for my boyfriend and I. The creek and wildlife was beautiful but the negatives outweighed the positives for our visit. Due to work, we werent able to start the 20 mile drive from the main road until about 8PM - big mistake. Definitely leave that drive for daylight if you can. It was pretty intimidating and scary having to drive that unpaved, uneven road in complete darkness. Ive been camping since I was little and have dealt with my fair share of bugs/flies but the flies here were incessant even with our bug spray that we constantly reapplied. There was also a family that brought their dogs and they barked/yelped at literally everything, it was really agitating. Theres also plenty of poison oak all over so be careful! Its a great getaway from city life and internet, but just not for me.

@PennyP2716444 · Camped on Jul 9, 2023 at Campsite #12

We enjoyed the peaceful, lazy vibe of NIRA during the week.

@VincentSD1800D · Camped on May 7, 2023 at Campsite #12

I’ve gone here during years of drought and seen parched landscape. This year was a complete transformation. The miracle of the 2023 winter has made the river and the mountains dreamlike. The road into Nira is worse than ever though. No longer a free campground Nira is cleaner and well run. Come here to see a green paradise.

@WilliamR509139 · Camped on Oct 4, 2022 at Campsite #6

Nice Campground; so so trail maintenance; very bad roads to get there.

@TimothyA502092 · Camped on Aug 14, 2022 at Campsite #5

We ended up being the only ones at the campground because it was during the week. But it was beautiful, peaceful and relaxing. The stream was dry, so that was a bit discouraging. But overall, we enjoyed ourselves immensely.

@LindsayC359782 · Camped on Jul 8, 2022 at Campsite #11

Everything I wish I knew before reserving my... Cons: -rough drive up (although I made it in my Honda Fit) just drive slow, pay attention, and avoid driving at night -no firewood available for purchase nearby -so many bugs (gnats, flies, and Yellowjackets) -campsites are close together -creek was very low (a small section where you can get wet up to your ankles) -A lot of Steeler's Jays around that will try to steal your food. (they are cool to watch though) Pros: -Plenty of trees and shade at the campsites -Because it's a way out, the sites are not populated by partiers but rather campers and hikers so it's quiet. It's great for thinking, reading, and unplugging (no reception) -We saw 3 deer by the creek -There are tadpoles in the creek which is a good sign of the health of the water

@ShawnG8177708 · Camped on Jun 18, 2022 at Campsite #8

Great trip, decent water, and with a small trailer it's a rough road but doable.

@BrynB3745588 · Camped on May 13, 2022 at Campsite #5

We passed on our campsite. The parking space was taken by another campsite. The campsite was squeezed between parking and river, which we would be looking at parked cars. The trail down to the creek had poison oak blocking path. The other campsites were nice, but this one was not ideal. We took a first come at Davy Brown. It had much better views and space.

@ToddJ6925816 · Camped on Jun 22, 2021 at Campsite #8

We loves this campsite. Small and remote but really beautiful and well kept up. Great tree canopy, running creek and lots of hiking. Not many sites suitable for trailers

@ToddJ405 · Camped on Jun 22, 2021 at Campsite #8

We loves this campsite. Small and remote but really beautiful and well kept up. Great tree canopy, running creek and lots of hiking. Not many sites suitable for trailers

@DawnS6921813 · Camped on Apr 30, 2021 at Campsite #6

Bathrooms were extremely clean. Great access to hiking trails.

@DawnS968 · Camped on Apr 30, 2021 at Campsite #6

Bathrooms were extremely clean. Great access to hiking trails.

@pablos135 · Camped on Apr 17, 2021 at Campsite #11

This review is for people with TRAILERS! First - an awesome campground in the middle of nowhere. Dense shade from great trees, a nicely flowing creek and a relatively flat hiking trail that's good for kids and people of all abilities. Sites 11 and 12 are by far the best ones, creekside and much more secluded. As others have said - no water, electricity, nothing. There is a dumpster and pit bathroom though. We stayed past the weekend into Monday when we basically had it all to ourselves. It went from low 40s in the morning to 80 during the day but our campsite stayed nice with all that shade. Now to the trailer thing... the website does say trailers up to 24 ft and it certainly is possible. I did it with our 25 ft (really 26 ft) one and got home in one piece. Did not tumble down a cliff. Definitely not doing that again though! The road is one lane, ridden with potholes, is gravel/dirt at times, has tumbled rocks all over it and in lots of sections is literally 9 ft wide from mountain side to vertical cliff drop off. At the very least you will shake the you know what out of your trailer - although your black water tank will get a nice sloshing. Not for the faint of heart. Thankfully I seemed to be the only one with the genius idea of taking a trailer there. If you come face to face with another trailer on pretty much half of the sections of this road you will be in serious trouble. There is nowhere to go to let each other pass and there's no way you're backing up a trailer on these roads. The only option I can think of to clear the road in this case would be to flip a coin to see which one of you will have to sacrifice their trailer down the cliff to open the road back up. Seriously ignore the fact that the website says trailers are ok and leave it at home. We will be back, it is an awesome campground, with our tent next time....

@pablos1875578 · Camped on Apr 17, 2021 at Campsite #11

@JesseD226 · Camped on Apr 16, 2021 at Campsite #7

Awesome campground and great hiking. Way farther out than you think though, prepare for a windy/bumpy ride. We did it in a 2WD minivan but it was slow going. Totally worth it though!

@JesseD3821746 · Camped on Apr 16, 2021 at Campsite #7

Awesome campground and great hiking. Way farther out than you think though, prepare for a windy/bumpy ride. We did it in a 2WD minivan but it was slow going. Totally worth it though!

@DonnaD804 · Camped on Mar 26, 2021 at Campsite #10

We reserved #10 because it was supposedly further from the road, next to a creek (per a map of the campground). Once we got there, #9 and #10 were reversed, much to our disappointment. We instead were right next to the road, smack in the middle of #9 and #11 parking. We had to park on the curb and had to deal with folks going into and out of their cars. The campers in #9 were LOUD until well after midnight. So much for a quiet camping trip in an idyllic setting...

@DonnaD3748747 · Camped on Mar 26, 2021 at Campsite #10

@GabrielF564 · Camped on Mar 15, 2021 at Campsite #11

Once you get to the site, it's amazing! But leave extra time -- and beware the potholes and washouts! Beautiful little campground.

@SteveM765 · Camped on Nov 20, 2020 at Campsite #7

It was a great time. My only complaint but it is a significant one is that there was a party that arrived around 9 o’clock on Friday night, pulled in and set up camp in the unreserved site nearest the the camp‘s entrance (on the same side of the road as the dumpster), and proceeded to stay up late making a lot of noise and disturbing several other campsites including ours with very loud voices late into the night. I did not know at the time that the camp manager might be nearby and I wish that there of been some sort of management response. I did not go to the mountains to listen to strangers yuck it up for as long as they wanted until they felt like letting anyone else have some peace. Please ask management to do rounds nightly when quiet hours begin. That needs to be part of the role. Thanks

@ShannonK318 · Camped on Oct 16, 2020 at Campsite #7

Beautiful location with large and nicely spread out camp sites. The nearby bathroom was clean There are hiking trails nearby and a seasonal creek that runs along the campground. Great family spot!

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