ReserveCalifornia™ FAQs
Updated October 13, 2026
Section Links
Login Assistance
I’m new to ReserveCalifornia™. How do I get started?
Welcome! To get started, please create an account:
- Go to www.reservecalifornia.com and select the “Log in / Sign up” link in the upper-right corner.
- On the Sign In page, select the “Create an Account” link.
- Enter your name, email address, and create a password.
- Check your email inbox for a verification email and follow the instructions to verify your account.
- Once verified, complete your profile and your account will be ready to use!
I haven’t used my ReserveCalifornia™ profile in a while. Why aren’t my credentials working?
In October 2025, ReserveCalifornia™ introduced a one-time email verification step to improve account security. If you haven’t logged in since then, you will need to verify your existing account.
If you are not sure whether you’ve already verified your email, start with Steps 1-3 below. If you see a message stating, “a user with this Primary email already exists”, it means your email has already been verified. Try logging in with your email and password.
Verification Steps
- Go to www.ReserveCalifornia.com and select the “Log in / Sign up” link in the upper-right corner.
- On the Sign In page, select the “Create an Account” link.
- Enter the same email address you used before and create a new password.
- Check your email inbox for a verification email and follow the instructions to verify your account. Once verified, your updated login will automatically reconnect to your previous account.
Verifying your email helps keep your account secure. It confirms that you have access to the email address on your profile and helps prevent unauthorized use. Thank you for completing this one-time step!
I didn’t get the verification email. What should I do?
Verification emails may take several minutes to appear. Please:
- Check all folders in your inbox, including Spam and Junk
- Make sure your email was entered into ReserveCalifornia.com without typos.
- Request another verification email from ReserveCalifornia™, if needed
If you still haven’t received the email after trying the steps above, please call our Contact Center at (800) 444-PARK (7275) for assistance.
How do I change the password on my ReserveCalifornia™ profile?
To change your password:
- On the Sign In page, select the “Need Help signing in?” link and then choose “Forgot Password?”.
- Enter your email address and then select the “Send me an email”button.
- You’ll receive an email with a secure “Reset Password” link. Please note the email can take a few minutes to arrive.
- Select “Reset Password” from the email and create a new password.
If you receive an error that says, “there is no account with the username”, please double-check your email for typos. If your email is correct but still not recognized, you may need to complete the one-time email verification step described in the anzwer to the prior FAQ above.
Making Profile Changes
How do I add my child or dependent to my ReserveCalifornia™ profile? (e.g., to register for Junior Lifeguard sessions?)
Log in to your ReserveCalifornia™ account and open the account menu in the upper-right corner.
Select “Your Dependents” to open the Persons page. From here, select the “Add Person” button and enter your dependent’s name, birthdate, and relationship. Select “Add Dependent” to save the dependent to your profile. You can add as many dependents as needed by repeating these steps.
Once added, you can register your dependent(s) for Junior Lifeguard sessions. You may also apply for California State Park Passes for your dependent(s).
How do I add a pass to my ReserveCalifornia account profile?
At this time, you cannot associate your California State Park annual pass, like the California Explorer pass, to your ReserveCalifornia account.
Only discount passes issued by California State Parks are associated with customer profiles in ReserveCalifornia. This includes the Disabled Discount, Distinguished Veteran, Golden Bear, and Senior Golden Bear pass. Since 2017, staff have been issuing these passes directly to customers’ profiles. Passes issued prior to 2017 cannot be moved to a current account and passholders must re-apply.
How do I update my license plate number in ReserveCalifornia?
Vehicle changes are a common occurrence, and you should be able to let staff know when you arrive at check-in. However, you can update the license plate number yourself for upcoming reservations up until 48 hours prior to arrival. Log into your ReserveCalifornia account. Under “Your Reservations” you will locate each upcoming trip using the Modify option to update the Vehicle information. This change will not incur any additional fees.
We are not able to remove any license plate numbers from your profile. You will need to input a new license plate number when booking your next reservation.
Camping Inventory
How does the rolling window reservation system work?
California State Parks moved from a block or on-sale day reservation period to a rolling window. The public can reserve the highly sought-after campsites and lodging six months in advance from the current date. Camping and lodging inventory will become available each day for a period of six months in advance. Bookings may extend from the arrival date to the desired departure date – based on availability and the park’s maximum stay rules.
Why do certain parks sell out faster than others?
California’s state park system is loved by many within and outside the state of California. At times, the public demand exceeds the inventory of available campsites. We have approximately 13,000 campsites available on ReserveCalifornia and each year, on average, more than 6.5 million visitors camp in our popular state parks.
This is especially true with popular parks such as the cottages at Crystal Cove State Beach where there are only 24 spaces available to book and are booked all year round, and others like Steep Ravine cabins at Mount Tamalpais State Park, RV campground at Seacliff State Beach and all of our southern coastal campgrounds.
Why does ReserveCalifornia™ show available reservations one day and then booked before the 8 a.m. PST when the rolling window opens?
One factor that may explain the availability issue is that the new reservation system allows visitors who have an existing reservation to modify their reservation. For example, a visitor who already has a reservation from September 1-7, can modify their reservation from their original reservation to September 2-8 before the 8 a.m. PST reservation window as long as it is within the maximum stay limit of that particular park.
What should people do if they are having issues booking a campsite?
Feedback from the public helps us as we continue to develop and improve the system. Visitors encountering technical issues or who are unable to make a reservation on ReserveCalifornia.com are encouraged to call our Customer Call Center via phone at (800) 444-7275 or submit their feedback online under the “Contact Us” link located at the bottom of the ReserveCalifornia.com website. Individual parks do not take reservations. Please contact the Customer Call Center.
As nature lovers ourselves, we sympathize with our fellow outdoor enthusiasts and want to assure them that we continue to review the reservation system for process improvement and will continue to implement improvements as they are identified.
California State Parks apologizes for the frustrations some of our visitors are encountering using ReserveCalifornia™. Providing a user-friendly reservation system and equal access to all of our visitors is one of our top priorities. As with any new large system, course corrections must be made.
I do not understand how the rolling window reservation works. Can you please provide an example?
Booking a reservation on the new system is easy and similar to booking hotel rooms, airline tickets and other similar services. It is also similar to the booking window for facilities in the National Park Service.
With ReserveCalifornia™ you can make reservations six months to the day in advance of the arrival date. Each new date opens at 8 a.m. PST. The rolling window also adjusts for months longer or shorter than 30 days. For example:
| If you make a reservation on: | You can make reservations with an arrival date of: |
|---|---|
| February 1 (open at 8 a.m. PST) | August 1 |
| February 2 (open at 8 a.m. PST) | August 2 |
| February 3 (open at 8 a.m. PST) | August 3 |
| Months with longer or shorter than 30 days | |
| February 28 (open at 8 a.m. PST) | August 28 |
| March 1 (open at 8 a.m. PST) | August 29-31 |
Have the transaction fees changed?
Yes, transaction fees have changed. All fees are non-refundable. See below for the changes to transaction fees.
| Transaction Fees: New Reservations (Non-Refundable) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Type of Reservation | ReserveCalifornia™ Fee before August 1st, 2024 | ReserveCalifornia™ Fee after August 1st, 2024 |
| Camping | $7.99 | $8.25 |
| Tours (excluding Hearst Castle) | $3.99 | $2.50 |
| Tours (Hearst Castle™) | $4.50 per ticket | $5.50 per ticket |
| Group Day Use on Weekdays | $7.99 | $8.25 |
| Unmanned parking lots using LAZ Parking | $0 | $0.55 |
| Transaction Fees: Modification (Non-Refundable) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Type of Reservation | ReserveCalifornia™ Fee before August 1st, 2024 | ReserveCalifornia™ Fee after August 1st, 2024 |
| Camping | $7.99 | $8.25 |
| Tours (excluding Hearst Castle) | $0 | $0 |
| Tours (Hearst Castle™) | $0 | $0 |
| Transaction Fees: Cancellation (Non-Refundable) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Type of Reservation | ReserveCalifornia™ Fee before August 1st, 2024 | ReserveCalifornia™ Fee after August 1st, 2024 |
| Camping | $7.99 | $8.25 |
| Tours (excluding Hearst Castle) | $0 | $0 |
| Tours (Hearst Castle™) | $4.50 per ticket plus a $7 cart fee | $0 |
Can I walk up and camp or will I always need a reservation?
Yes, you may still enjoy walk-up camping. Some sites will remain first-come, first-served. View Details
System Operations
Is California State Parks making any improvements to the new reservation system?
California State Parks is committed to continuously enhancing your reservation experience, both online and by phone. The goal is to make the process as seamless and enjoyable as possible, ensuring that you have more time to focus on planning your adventures. You can expect to see the following enhancements made to the reservation system over the next 8 years.
- Enhanced User Experience: We will continue to streamline the user interface to make navigation and booking more intuitive and user-friendly. Whether you’re reserving a campsite or booking a tour, our updated designs will continue to ensures a smoother experience from start to finish.
- Modification Limits: To promote fair access to reservations, we implemented a limit on the number of modifications an individual can make. The limit is two modifications per reservation. This helps ensure that more visitors have the opportunity to book a campsite at their favorite park unit.
- More Payment Options: We are introducing additional secure and convenient payment methods, including modernized payment card readers with tap, swipe, and insert functionalities. These enhancements offer greater flexibility and security when making payments.
- Interactive Maps: We will be adding interactive maps to provide detailed views of campsites and facilities, making it easier for you to plan your trips and select the perfect spot. These maps offer a wealth of information to help you make informed decisions about your reservations.
What are the new features with ReserveCalifornia™?
A variety of features will be phased in, allowing for better trip planning and access to outdoor public spaces. Below is a breakdown of the features:
The reservation system will continue to be enhanced with more user-friendly and intuitive web services, including:
- Additional self-service options, such as online profiles.
- Interactive maps with more detailed views of campsites.
- Easier to reserve camping and lodging sites (rolling window).
- Reservation drawings up to 8 months in advance for certain parks.
- Customer contact center.
As additional features are phased-in for visitors and staff to enjoy:
- Ability to view real-time reservation inventory.
- More payment options at locations currently accepting only cash and checks.
- Enhanced payment security with modernized payment card readers with tap, swipe, and insert functionalities.
- Smoother pay by phone parking experience without needing to download a mobile application or create an account.
- Additional trip information to make it easier for you to plan your visits.
The reservation system includes state-of-the-art, computerized point-of-sale and fee collection equipment that will allow debit and credit card payments at more locations.
If I encounter an issue with the ReserveCalifornia, who do I contact?
We appreciate your help with ensuring that any system errors get reported and resolved as quickly as possible. If you encounter an error or system failure, you can alert the agents for ReserveCalifornia using their online contact form or calling the agents at the number listed on https://reservecalifornia.com/contactus.
Space in the form is limited; however, this starts a conversation and you will have the opportunity to provide additional information.
Other
Do you accept National Park Service passes?
Three California State Parks are jointly managed with the National Parks Service (NPS). Only those parks will honor an NPS pass. For more information, visit National Park Service Pass Acceptance.