Wheeler Gorge Campground
Los Padres National Forest · California · 66 sites
Imagery: USGS The National Map
Overview
Wheeler Gorge Campground is a USDA Forest Service campground in Los Padres National Forest, California, with 66 sites. Mostly shady: most sites have good shade. No carrier reports coverage at any site.
50 of 66 sites shaded
12 of 66 sites in full sun
26 of 66 sites with clear sky
Map of the campground
Every site from the Recreation.gov listing. Choose a layer to see it across the campground; tap a site to open it in Roam.
Layers
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Questions
Which sites at Wheeler Gorge Campground are the shadiest?
Most of them. 50 of 66 sites have good shade, much of it from the afternoon sun; the other 16 are more open.
See the tree canopy in RoamWhich sites at Wheeler Gorge Campground get the most sun?
Only a few. 12 of 66 sites are truly sunny and 5 more get some sun; the rest are shaded.
See the tree canopy in RoamWill Starlink work at Wheeler Gorge Campground?
At some sites. About 26 of 66 sites have a clear gap in the trees for Starlink and 10 a partial one; the rest sit under trees. Satellite texting on a phone needs less open sky, but still works best from the most open spot you can find. This is our estimate from tree heights — check with the Starlink app's obstruction check when you arrive.
See the tree canopy in RoamWhich sites at Wheeler Gorge Campground are the most level?
2 of 66 sites are flat, and 9 more have a gentle slope most RVs can level with blocks; 55 are steeper, better for tents. Sites that take RVs or trailers fit rigs up to 45 ft.
See the slope at each site in RoamDoes Wheeler Gorge Campground have cell service?
Not really. None of T-Mobile, Verizon or AT&T reports coverage at any site at Wheeler Gorge Campground, so plan to be offline here. That's the coverage each carrier reports to the FCC, not a measured signal, so under trees or below a ridge it can be weaker.
See the coverage map in RoamWhat’s the weather like at Wheeler Gorge Campground in October?
In October, expect highs around 78°F and lows around 48°F, with about 0.9 inches of rain over the month. Every month’s averages are in Roam Premium.
Open Wheeler Gorge in RoamCampground facts
- Sites
- 66
- Kinds
- 66 for RVs or trailers
- Hookups
- None
- Longest rig
- 45 ft
- Accessible
- 4 sites
- Elevation
- 1,771–2,012 ft
- Every site
- Pets allowed · Check-in 2 PM, check-out 12 PM
- Managed by
- USDA Forest Service
- Booking
- Reserve on Recreation.gov
How we know Sources and limits
Shade, sun and Starlink are our estimates from Meta and the World Resources Institute’s canopy-height model (about 2 m pixels, from satellite imagery calibrated with space lidar; CC BY 4.0). From 2 m above each site we trace 72 lines out to 60 m and note the tallest tree in each direction. Shade counts trees overhead, the canopy within 30 m and how much of the afternoon sky is blocked. Sun counts how open the southern sky is. Starlink needs open sky above 35°, with the northern half counted twice because US dishes tilt north, and we keep the best spot within 8 m of the site’s post. The model sees tree heights only, not trunks, buildings or hills, so check with the Starlink app when you arrive.
Slope is the ground at each site’s post over about 4 m, from USGS 3DEP 1 m lidar: level under 2%, gentle to 4% (most rigs level on blocks), sloped to 8% (fine for a tent), steep beyond.
Cell coverage is from the FCC Broadband Data Collection (carrier filings as downloaded May 2026): each site is tested against each carrier’s modelled outdoor 4G/5G coverage. It is what the carriers report, not a measured signal.
Weather is NOAA’s 1991–2020 climate normals for the campground. Sites and facts are from Recreation.gov’s open data (July 2026). Map imagery: USGS The National Map.
From the campground’s Recreation.gov listing: “The campground is open year-round and offers dozens of single-family sites for tent or RV camping. Some sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Parking spurs are paved and vary in length, accommodating RVs up to 35 feet. Each site is equipped with a table and campfire ring with grill. Accessible vault toilets are provided, but drinking water is not available. Visitors must bring their own water, and remove their trash from the campground. The campground is adjacent to Matilija Creek, and is bordered by a mixed forest of oak and sycamore trees and evergreen shrubbery. Most sites are shaded and summer temperatures reach up to 95 degrees. The campground was originally built by Boy Scouts nearly a century ago, as well as a historical stone home that is also on-site.”
Page data as of October 15, 2026. Full source notes are in each layer’s info in the app.