5 Reasons your Next Trip Should be at Sibley Backpack Camp!

There is nothing more refreshing than a road trip with your pals! Sibley Backpack Camp is one place you should definitely not miss out on when planning a backpacking excursion with your family or group of friends. Framed at the back with a scenic and ancient volcano, the area is made up of volcanic debris and lava. The primitive and scenic hike-in area is fit for up to fifteen campers and offers stunning views to Tilden Park, Volmer Peak, and Mount Diablo.

• • The Scenery

At Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, which is also called the Round Top Park, the area is neighbor to Temescal and Tilden and is one of the best camping areas you can find in the country. Named after Robert Sibley, founder, and Director of the district, this park is the place for you to be if you are looking for an unforgettable backpacking experience. You can set up your lightweight family explorer basic tent and enjoy the view at night!

The neighboring area of Round Top is made of volcanic debris and lava that comes from an ancient volcano considered to be over 10 million years old. The plate movement and force during the Moraga and Hayward earthquakes caused the Berkeley hills to form, if you go there you can see the bedrock formations in the area.

• • Historical and Geological Significance

The sedimentary rocks surrounding the Orinda Formation faded away due to erosion and left the exposed Round Top volcano up for the view. If you have any interest in geology or volcanism, you can see history frozen in the bedrock formations here. The whorls and swirling rock masses exposed by the quarrying in the north of the area expose you to an open-air science lab of volcanic rock and lava.

• • Animal-friendly

The trails here are mostly fit for hiking and horse-riding only, but some of them are multi-use. Unlike the nearby Huckleberry trails, dogs are allowed at Sibley, which means you can take your canine best friend along for this excursion easily and there’s room for your furry friend in the wall tent. The park has its own visitor’s center which will provide you with self-help literature and several tour brochures that you can study. With their help, you can plan a tour around the place and learn of its history and significance when you want.

• • Biking

The narrow-gauge trails in the park and the Sibley Round Top up to the top of Round Top Peak doesn’t allow bicycles. However, cycling is allowed on the other wide-gauge trails and the paved roads in the area. The Sibley Backpack Camp does not provide vehicle access. The site provides you with a stunning 180-degree view of the Mount Diablo, Tilden Park, and Volmer Peak. The area has two tent pads which are approximately ten by twenty and ten by twenty-five feet each.

• • The Perfect Picnic

There are also two picnic tables at the site and a serving table. The area comes with a pit toilet, which means that’s one problem off your list already. The site does not allow any fires, so barbecuing is out of the question here. Camp stoves, however, are allowed, so you easily plan your own cookout and picnic here. Drinking water is available at only 0.2 miles away from the camp. Alcohol is not allowed, but who needs booze when you can get high on nature here at the base of a scenic volcano? While you can take your dogs with you, the rules are clear that they should be on a leash and controlled at all times. It can create issues for you if the dogs are disturbing other people or animals at the park, and you may be asked to leave. So make sure you plan this out ahead and pack the proper camping equipment for your dog. Horses are allowed at trails, but there is no trough or hitching trail at the site. As mentioned before, bicycles are allowed but on certain trails.

The reservation includes up to three parking permits and a valid overnight permit needs to be shown when vehicles are parked at the staging area. No extra permits are available or allowed. The reservation needs to be completed five days in advance, and for a maximum number of two nights. The reservation confirmation will be mailed to you five days in advance.

If you are looking for an experience to remember, we strongly suggest you plan a group camp out at the Sibley Backpack Camp. Round Top is one of the world’s highest peaks and offers a wonderful view. Plan a trip with your friends and family for an experience that is not just fun, but informative and educational as well. Take along all the camping gears like tents, mats, backpacks, tarps, etc to enjoy the trip at its best. The area provides you with enough facilities and amenities to make your stay there comfortable and one to remember. Keep the Sibley Backpack Camp at the top of your list of things to try when you go backpacking next time!