camping near Pinnacles National Park?

I'm planning a trip to Pinnacles NP to climb for a weekend in late March.

One problem, of course: all 100+ official campsites on recreation.gov are booked out for that weekend (and every weekend for the rest of the spring season).

Any advice from folks familiar with Pinnacles? What's the likelihood of getting a walk-in site? Any good campsites nearby? All thoughts & info appreciated!

I checked freecampsites.net — it lists some roadside parking nearby on Rte 25 that seems like it could be ok. It also suggests BLM areas Laguna Mountain and Upper Sweetwater - but those are 30 miles away, which is longer than is ideal.

I've managed to get the walk-in site (there are usually 2-4) twice now arriving before 1 pm on a Friday. The walk ins are pretty nice.

Hollister Hills always has sites open if Pinnacles is full. its only about 30 min north of the park

After speaking with a Pinnacles campsite rep, it seems like the next-best option for camping is the neighboring BLM land. Can anyone recommend any closer alternatives to the 22-mile-away BLM land?

In areas where camping is a premium I have had good luck sharing a site. Just for look for a single vehicle and offer to pay for the site (not split the cost pay for it outright). It works well if you are self contained, i.e. sleeping / cooking in your vehicle or just tossing out a sleeping bag.

It's not exactly nearby, but Mercy Hot Springs is a really nice place to relax. It's about an hour away, way out in the middle of nowhere Panoche Valley. The bar out there is fun, but not exactly the micro brew type of place. It's ranch hands, bikers, and off roaders. The BLM land is pretty lame, at least for camping. It's gonna be a mix of hunters and baby boomer REI fashion victims complaining about the hunters on shitty land. (I sometimes hunt and off road out there)

Ive always just stayed at sweetwater