Austin Creek State Recreation Area
Also known as Austin Creek SRA
- Status
- Open (per official listing)
- Entrance fee
- $10 per dayAnnual pass available
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Dogs allowed, with restrictions
- Camping
- Yes
- Official site
- parks.ca.gov(707) 869-9177
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Current alerts 1
Partial closure All trails and roads in Austin Creek SRA are open except for the Gilliam Creek Trail which remains closed until further notice. Bullfrog Pond Campground remains closed and inaccessible. There are no public water sources or restrooms available in Austin Creek. Please be prepared when… (more)
d Campground remains closed and inaccessible. There are no public water sources or restrooms available in Austin Creek. Please be prepared when visiting by sharing your backcountry hiking plans with others, bring your own water, and check-in at the kiosk or welcome center prior to visiting. There is limited cell service in Austin Creek. Backcountry campsites (Tom King and Mannings Flat) remain closed.
Posted by the park. Official alert
Overview
In Sonoma County, about 9 miles southwest of Healdsburg, Austin Creek State Recreation Area covers about 5,689 acres.
The park supports horseback riding, historic sites, swimming, fishing, and hiking. The official site lists about 20 miles of trails. For overnight stays there are campsites (tent sites). The park says there are no showers.
Hours
Park, gate, office and facility hours are listed separately because they often differ. Alerts above override normal hours.
| Facility | Days | Hours | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park | 8 AM to 1 hour past official sunset. | ||
Official wording
8 AM to 1 hour past official sunset.
Seasons/Climate/Recommended Clothing: Summer temperatures in the morning can still be cool although afternoon temperatures often exceed 100 degrees. In the winter it will occasionally drop below freezing and the 50+ inches of annual rainfall generally includes an occasional snow flurry. Always carry plenty of water, wear layered clothing, have a map, carry a flashlight and have a fully charged cell phone.
Source: official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Times are local to the park (America/Los Angeles).
Fees and passes
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Day Use | $10 |
| Senior Day Use | $9 |
Official wording
Special rates may apply for peak season, high demand holiday periods, and during weekends. Prices are subject to change without notice. • Vehicle Day Use: $10.00 • Senior Day Use: $9.00
California park passes
- California Explorer Annual Pass — $195. Vehicle day-use entry to 134 state parks incl. high-demand Southern California beaches Details
- Golden Poppy Annual Pass — $125. Vehicle day-use entry to 112 state parks Details
- Historian Passport — $50. Admission for up to four people at per-person-fee State Historic Parks Details
- Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Annual Pass — $50. Entry to State Vehicular Recreation Areas that collect day-use fees Details
- SNO-Park Pass — $40 season / $15 day. 18 SNO-PARK winter recreation areas Details
From the California state guide. Confirm which passes this park accepts.
Reservations
- Day use
- No day-use reservation requirement mentioned
- Camping
- Not required
- Booking system
- ReserveCalifornia
- Phone
- (800) 444-7275
Campsites #1 through #8 (minus #4 our camp host site) are first-come, first-served campsites.
We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.
Pets
Dogs allowed, with restrictions
Not allowed in or on: dirt roads or on any trails.
Are dogs allowed? Dogs are permitted in your paid for campsite, picnic areas and on paved roads ONLY. Dogs are not allowed on dirt roads or on any trails. Dogs must remain leashed at all times.
Service animals are generally permitted where pets are not. Check with the park for specific areas.
Camping
Bullfrog Pond Camping Info: CLOSED UFN
ALL camping CLOSED
Bullfrog Pond Campground offers Twenty-three campsites. Campsites #1 through #8 (minus #4 our camp host site) are first-come, first-served campsites. Campsites #9 through #24 are on reservations through Hipcamp. Reserve a campsite by visiting www.hipcamp.com Each campsite has a picnic table and fire ring. There are two sets of bathrooms each with a flush toilet and sink. Unfortunately there are no shower facilities available.
Bullfrog Pond does not offer any group camping. The nearest State Park that offers group camping can be found at Salt Point State Park. None of the campsites at Bullfrog Pond will accommodate vehicles over 20 feet in length. We do not offer any hike and bike sites (reduced fees). The campground is subject to seasonal closure due to extreme weather or conditions. The pond itself almost always goes dry by mid-summer and when there IS water in the pond there may be mosquitos in the area. Ticks are also prevalent in the area so bring a good bug/tick repellant.
Read more from the park
In warmer weather it is advisable to keep an eye out for rattlesnakes as they are in the area. If you would like a first-come first-served campsite you will need to register with staff at the Armstrong kiosk. If staff is not available at the kiosk, you can self-register at the entrance to Bullfrog Pond. Official check-in time is 2 o'clock pm. Pay the $35.00 camping fee and any extra vehicle fees ($8.00/vehicle) prior to occupying a campsite. Max occupancy per campsite is 8 people. You are allowed to bring two vehicles, but we do not guarantee both vehicles will fit on your parking spur. If any of your vehicles don't fit on your designated parking spur, please take it up to overflow parking area at Vista Point parking lot. Please ensure the day use parking areas are free from camper vehicles.
Please note that the campground is likely to go into a fire ban in the summer and autumn season. We will keep you up to date.
When available, a camp host will be occupying the camp host spot at campsite #4. Remember that quiet hours begin at 10 o'clock pm and noise significantly carries to other campsites in the campground. We are always looking for a good camp host. If interested check in with staff at the entrance station.
Camp fires, BBQ's, candles, tiki torches, etc. will be prohibited during periods of extreme fire danger. During fire bans, propane camp stoves may be used for cooking.
Dogs are permitted in your paid for campsite, picnic areas and on paved roads ONLY. Dogs are not allowed on dirt roads or on any trails. Dogs must remain leashed at all times.
Bicycles are allowed on paved roads and fire roads. Bicycles are not allowed on any trails.
ALL TRAILS CURRENTLY CLOSED TO PACK ANIMALS. When trails are open all horse trailers must remain down in the parking lots of Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve.
Overnight facilities: Tent Camping, Remote Camping
From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Things to do
Historic sites and toursFishingSwimmingHikingHorseback ridingCamping
Amenities
Facilities
- Nature center or museum
- Showers: not available (stated by the park)
Camping
- Tent camping
Recreation
- Horse trails
✓ listed by the park · ✕ the park says it is not available. Anything not shown here isn’t mentioned by the official source — that means unknown, not unavailable.
Getting there
- Address
- 17000 Armstrong Woods Road
Guerneville, CA 95446 - Nearest town
- Healdsburg — about 9 mi southwest (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 38.5656, -123.0110
- Phone
- (707) 869-9177
Entrances
- Directions point
Google Maps directionsApple MapsOfficial park map (PDF)
Directions from the park
No directions available for this park.
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- California State Parks — park page — last checked Oct 29, 2026
- California State Parks Listing page (one link per unit, page_id = officialId), unioned with the CSP Enterprise GIS 'ParkEntryPoints' ArcGIS layer (coords, address, county, unit number, management status) and the 'CSPParkUnit_CurrentStatus' layer (open/partial/full closure)
- Wikidata
“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. No change has been detected since this page was first published. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology