Monte Bello Open Space Preserve is home to the Black Mountain Backpack Camp, the only site on District lands where visitors can spend the night under the stars. Only one-half hour from many mid-peninsula cities, the camp often serves as the first stopping place for backpackers wishing to hike from the valley to the coast.

Reservations are required, and visitors must apply in advance for a permit online. For campsite availability, please see our online calendar. If no campsites are listed for a date, all campsites are booked, and there is no availability. Note: These permits are not handled through the normal activities reservation line.

Four single campsites and one group site are available for one or two overnight stays throughout the year. The camp is a 1.5-mile hike from the Monte Bello Open Space Preserve parking lot on Page Mill Road and includes a 500-foot uphill climb.