Facilities

Club House

Laundry Room

Swimming Pool

Hot Tub

Fitness Center

Game Room

Rec Hall

Pavilion

Exercise Room

Restroom/Shower

Restroom Only

Shower Only

Restaurant

Groceries

RV Supplies

ATM Machine

WiFi

Dog Park

Cocktail Lounge

Dog Washing Station

Pit Toilet

Snack Bar

Play Ground

Sites

Water

20 Amp

30 Amp

50 Amp

Sewer

Cable TV

Services

Escort to Site

Self-Service RV Wash

Metered LP Gas

Firewood

Fishing Supplies

Pet Supplies

Onsite Rentals

Worship Services

Golf Carts

Fishing Guides

Onsite RV Service

Staffed RV Wash

Fishing Licenses

Complimentary Breakfast

Recreational activities in or near the park

Recreational Activities

Archery Range

ATV Riding

Biking

Boating

Body Of Water

Casino

Climbing

Dock

Driving Range

Fishing

Golf

Heated Pool

Hiking

Horseback Riding

Horseshoes

Kayaking

Lawn Bowling

Mini Golf

Paddle Boats

Pickle Ball

Putting Green

Ramp

Sauna

Shuffleboard

Snow Sports

Splash Pad

Swimming

Tennis

Wading Pool

Water Slide

Water Sports

Water Umbrella

Whitewater Rafting

Policies

RV Age Restrictions

Pets Welcome

Pet Restrictions

Pet Restriction on Quantity

Pet Restriction on Breed

Pet Restriction on Size

No Pets

Tent Camping Allowed

Folding Tent Campers Allowed

No Tents

No Overnight Guests

<h2>Overview</h2><p>Wheeler Gorge Campground offers a classic forest experience within the <strong>Los Padres National Forest</strong>. Situated along the scenic Highway 33, this destination serves as a rugged gateway for RVers seeking to escape the coastal crowds. Managed by the U.S. Forest Service, the park emphasizes a <strong>tranquil atmosphere</strong> surrounded by towering canyon walls and native flora. It provides an authentic dry-camping experience for those who value natural beauty over modern luxuries.</p><h2>Location & Surroundings</h2><p>The park is nestled roughly 15 miles north of the town of <strong>Ojai, CA</strong>, tucked deep into a rocky gorge. The landscape is defined by the seasonal flow of <strong>Matilija Creek</strong>, which winds through groves of sycamore and live oak trees. Visitors are greeted by steep mountain vistas and the unique geology of the Santa Ynez Mountains. The location provides a noticeable temperature drop from the valley floor, offering a <strong>refreshing mountain climate</strong> during the warmer months.</p><h2>Amenities & Park Features</h2><p>As a traditional forest service site, Wheeler Gorge focuses on essential outdoor needs rather than resort-style perks. The park offers <strong>paved parking pads</strong> that can accommodate RVs and trailers up to approximately 35 feet. Each site includes a sturdy picnic table and a fire ring for evening gatherings. While there are no utility hookups, the campground provides vault toilets and seasonal drinking water. It is a quintessential <strong>dry-camping destination</strong> where self-sufficiency is the key to a successful stay.</p><h2>Nearby Attractions & Things to Do</h2><p>Outdoor enthusiasts will find plenty to explore starting with the <strong>Wheeler Gorge Nature Trail</strong>, a loop that highlights local ecology. The nearby <strong>Wheeler Gorge Interpretive Center</strong> provides educational programs and exhibits about the forest's wildlife. For those willing to drive a short distance, the boutique shops and galleries of downtown Ojai offer a sophisticated contrast to the wilderness. Adventurous travelers can also venture further north into the <strong>Rose Valley</strong> for waterfall hikes and seasonal trout fishing.</p><h2>Who This Park Is Best For</h2><p>This campground is ideal for <strong>adventurous RVers</strong> who enjoy boondocking style camping in a managed environment. It appeals to nature photographers, hikers, and families who want to disconnect from digital distractions and reconnect with the outdoors. Because of the <strong>winding mountain roads</strong> and tighter site dimensions, it is best suited for small to medium-sized rigs. If you prioritize starlit nights and the sound of a rushing creek over Wi-Fi and swimming pools, this is your spot.</p>



Los Padres Wheeler Gorge Ojai, CA is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts. Located in the Los Padres National Forest, the area offers a variety of activities, including camping, hiking, mountain biking, and fishing. The Wheeler Gorge Campground is a great place to stay, with plenty of sites for tents and RVs. The nearby Wheeler Gorge Visitor Center provides information about the area and its history. The nearby Wheeler Gorge Trailhead offers access to a variety of trails, including the popular Matilija Trail, which leads to the summit of Matilija Peak. The area is also home to a variety of wildlife, including deer, coyotes, and mountain lions.

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Los Padres/Wheeler Gorge

Experience Wheeler Gorge Campground in Ojai, CA. Enjoy dry camping in Los Padres National Forest with scenic creek views and paved, shaded RV sites.

Wheeler Gorge Campground | Ojai, CA

such a great spot for camping which proximity to a town if you need anything. it’s best to stay closer to the creek if you are worried about the noise from the road.

I had such a great time. The water was flowing right next to my spot and could be heard by every campsite we walked by. The camp host is friendly and helpful. The small flying bugs were a nuisance but word controllable with a campfire going. The weather happened to be absolutely perfect the whole time. The sky was clear at night and stars and constellations were visible. Not too hot, blue skies and sunshine, and not too cold at night. I can't wait to go back and stay more than a couple nights.

Great place to get away, peaceful relaxing, CLEAN!!
Nice welcoming hosts, spacious sites,clear river water, only downside was the position oak but hey to be expected in the woods. Highly recommend

It’s nice to camp. I’ve had a lot of fun with my friends. There’s a a stream close by and nice to take a hike!

Great location close to Wheeler Gorge, Mosler Rock and serval other deep Rock pools to swim and Boulder jump in, it close to many easy access park and swim spots. Great summer destination that is with 5-10 minutes away from rock pools galore. We feature many of these best SoCal swim holes on YouTube on our channel hikebytes. Check out our Playlist called best park and swim destinations. Showers and bathrooms and camp sites for reasonable fees.

10/10 would recommend. There are so many great sites to choose from. Try and get a spot by the creek, some sites look bigger than others! Campground offered a lot of shade too. The vault toilet was clean and the campground was quiet and the stars were OUT! There is no cell service (att) and bring your own water too.
Our site was spacious, private, and we also had our own little private beach in the creek, it was magical.

Depending on your site this place can be really cool. Sites along the river are better- some are right along the highway which seemed terrible. No running water and poison oak along the sides of most sites. Cool creek with some bigger areas to wade in. Close to town if you forget anything but highway noise wasn’t a problem with the creek side sites. Might just be the weekend we were there but tons of loud kids made it not super peaceful.

This was a pretty good camp trip, as some spots opened up at the last minute and I snagged whatever was available. There are many good sites for tent camp, with a couple of exceptions (there always are), and what I'd consider some decent small trailer sights (no way you get me to camp in a tent on that slope.

One half of the camp is closer to the highway, which didn't see heavy traffic, although we did get a couple of motorcyclists who played down the hammer on the straight aways during the day. This didn't bother me too much but I'd like to try a site on the other side of camp to see if it's less noticeable next trip.

It's a dry camp so it's pit toilets and bring your own water, which was not a problem for us. The bathrooms were cleaned regularly so I didn't encounter any problems there.

Camp host was a nice younger couple who we saw and spoke with several times, and they were selling wood bundles from their site.

Overall a gorgeous area, with a beautiful creek running through the middle, which I'm sure dries up later in the summer, but added a nice babbling brook background noise to camp. People were the water in camp and up and down the highway that parallels the creek/river bed.

My last thoughts here are that I could definitely see this place being way too hot in the summer. If Ojai is too hot in the upper 80's and into the 90's then it's probably going to be HOT up in the gorge, and also probably no camp fires. At that point what's the use of camping?

Our trip wasn't very "buggy", but come prepared with some spray or protection as I could see there might be times of the year it could be. Plus bring some protection since you could easily lose track of time  hanging about camp or walking around, or at the creek, and get burned.

Also stay vigilant of poison oak, it's not everywhere but there were places it was patchy and could be a problem with pets or kids if they wandered "off trail" and didn't know what to look for.

We were at Wheeler Gorge from 5-18-25 thru 5-20-25. The location is amaxing. We loved the oaks, the creek and the whole feel of the location. Despite being close to hwy 33, the place had a quiet and tranquil vibe.

One word of caution, though. We made plans to meet some friends there with our trailer. We had never been there before so we checked out their site, which said they can accept up to 45'. This is not true. Our trailer is 34' and our friends trailer is 24'. We reserved spot 47 (beautiful spot), but we could not exit the campground without sustaining damage. The angle from the 47 loop and the exit pits you against a high oak overhang on the left and a tall forward rock on the right. I wouldnt recommend a trailer longer than 24' for comfirtable ingress or exit.

Despite the issues with our trailer, our trip was hivhlighted by the camp host Andrew. Andrew was exceedingly helpful and attentive. Great guy!

We booked about a month in advance and had limited options. We stayed in site 16. It was close to the road but not as exposed sites 22 & 23.

Love this place. Even if reservations system says full you should still check with the camp hosts.

This is one of my new favorite campgrounds. It its well maintained and just beautiful.

This is a beautiful place to camp.
It could even be better with a little bit of TLC around the campground but that didn't bother us we had a nice relaxing time.  The views are great and the camp hosts were very friendly too!

Reviews

Los Padres/Wheeler Gorge

User Reviews