California State Parks is changing how camping cancellations work — and it could mean more last-minute availability (earlier)

If you’ve ever tried to snag a popular California State Parks campsite, you know the frustration: spots get booked months ahead, and then a bunch of them open up only one day before the weekend. That makes it tough to plan, and it leaves campsites sitting unused longer than they need to.

California State Parks is trying to fix that with an updated cancellation and refund policy for reservations made through ReserveCalifornia with arrival dates on and after July 1, 2026.

The key change: refunds now reward earlier cancellations

Here’s the refund schedule the policy spells out (shared exactly so it’s easy to read):

7 or more days before your reservation starts: You get all site fees back, minus the cancellation fee.

2–6 days before: You lose the first night’s site fee, and the rest is refunded (minus the cancellation fee).

Less than 2 days before (or no-show): No refund — all fees are forfeited.

A couple important details people will miss if they don’t read closely:

There’s an $8.25 cancellation fee, and the reservation fee paid at booking is non-refundable.

“Reservation start” is defined as 12:00 PM on the arrival date (not the campground’s check-in time). To qualify for the “7+ days” full refund tier, you need to cancel by 12:00 PM exactly one week before.

Why this is a good idea

This setup gives people a real reason to cancel earlier if they’re not going to use the site. Instead of waiting until the last minute (when plans change or weather looks bad), the best financial move is to decide at least a week out — which should help campsites reopen sooner for everyone else.

What this means if you’re hunting for a campsite

If you’re hoping to catch someone else’s cancellation, the sweet spot is starting about 7 days before the date you want to go. That’s the point where many people will be motivated to cancel to avoid losing bigger chunks of their payment.

So if you want a Friday night site, start checking the Friday a week before, and keep an eye on openings through the week.

(And if you’re the one holding a reservation you might not use: canceling sooner doesn’t just help your wallet — it helps someone else actually get outside.)