So Cal campsite thread

[85straight]

As the title implies, where are your favorite campsites within so cal?
Tent camping, trailer camping, whatever you prefer. My goal for this thread is to
Have a good resource for campsites so if someone wants to head out but are at
A loss of where to go they can have somewhere to start.


Ill start with one of my go to areas that is accessible year round and usually not busy.
Thomas mountain yellowpost (also known as toolbox springs)sites, located in the San Jacinto mountains. High enough elevation to be cool in the summer but not too high to receive a lot of snow in the winter.
http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/sbnf/recarea/?recid=74098

 

[85straight]

Another great area is the Black mountain yellowpost sites located in the san jacinto mountains. One site in specific has an amazing view. Only downsides are that it can get busy on the weekends and its closed during the winter due to snow accumulation
San Bernardino National Forest - Black Mountain Yellow Post Sites

 

[michaeljtomey]

By Wrightwood there's a quiet little campsite off the 2 called Guffy. You drive past Blue Ridge campgrounds first and keep going through. The drive is beautiful. When you get to the end where Guffy is, there is a road that goes down to a really nice off roading spot. It's a truck trail sometimes it closed. There's also camping down the truck trail but it's pretty deserted. It'd be a nice place to stay.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/angeles/recreation/recarea/?recid=41730&actid=29

 

[Quatre Coureur]

Green Valley Lake campground. I've been camping here since I was a wee lad(70's). Been bringing my sons here since the 90's. Great access to a lot of my favorite trails. Elevation is well over 7000' so it's never hot. I almost don't want to share...

 

[Drunner97]

This is up on the north end of Joshua Tree, near the west entrance off the 62. The campsites are all really spread out so you pretty much will never have a close neighbor.

 

[jwhit88]

So far I've liked Wild Rose campground in death valley. Free and has fire pits, good for truck camping, tent, and RV camping. When I camped here there were maybe 3 or 4 other people camping here.

Posted in another thread, I just stayed at Culp Valley Campground in Anza Borrego and it was great, some parts have the Joshua Tree feel to it. Free, no fire pits, good for tent and truck camping. Camped here on the weekend and was still able to find a great spot.

 

[jwhit88]

Another area I forgot to mention is the Mojave Preserve. Tons and Tons of backcountry camping and lots of trails for exploring.

 

[DannyLlama]

As the title implies, where are your favorite campsites within so cal?
Tent camping, trailer camping, whatever you prefer. My goal for this thread is to
Have a good resource for campsites so if someone wants to head out but are at
A loss of where to go they can have somewhere to start.


Ill start with one of my go to areas that is accessible year round and usually not busy.
Thomas mountain yellowpost (also known as toolbox springs)sites, located in the San Jacinto mountains. High enough elevation to be cool in the summer but not too high to receive a lot of snow in the winter.
San Bernardino National Forest - Tool Box Springs Yellow Post Sites
View attachment 194279

Thanks for starting this thread, I can't wait to read about all the different spots.

What tent is that? That's perfect for dogs to chill under.

My favorite is Monache Meadows. Amaaaaziing place!

 

[85straight]

Thanks for starting this thread, I can't wait to read about all the different spots.

What tent is that? That's perfect for dogs to chill under.

My favorite is Monache Meadows. Amaaaaziing place!

I thought it would be nice to see where peoples favorite spots are, because there is tons of info on campsites out there but i was hoping for the best of the best.
For a serious glossary of campsites check out FishPoet over at myjeeprocks.com

The tent is a Rei Kingdom6 with the Connect Tech Garage attachment. That was its maiden voyage actually. The thing is massive inside, very very happy with the purchase. The awning you see is actually big enough for a few chairs and a table to cook on.Perfect for anyone with a family imo

Ive been wanting to head up to monache but always get cold feet with my family going in my 30 year old truck. Evem though is mechanically sound and i know it would makr it without a hitch

 

[grave]

bringing this thread back. i haven't done much yellow post or similar camping, but i am really looking forward to doing more this winter. we've always gone to regularly accessible campsites because we had a 2WD truck.

alabama hills is one of our favorites, ever. we've only stayed there once but are planning on going back. we got in late, stayed one night, and left early in the morning, so we didn't have time to explore.

ventana campground in big sur is really beautiful, too. nestled in a redwood gully, it's privately owned so it's a little pricey ($55/night when we went), but the grounds are immaculately kept and the facilities (restrooms and showers) are very nice. it's very manicured and clean, but that is worth it to us sometimes. especially when you're sleeping under trees that are 100 feet tall and twice as old.

and i know it's not really southern california, but fallen leaf lake in south lake tahoe is a GREAT campground. the campground is huge and has a lot of sites, but the sites are spacious so you're not on top of your neighbors and the shore of the FLL is a 5 minute stroll away. great for a warm afternoon dip or morning coffee. my wife's family has a cabin in south lake about 5 minutes away from FLL and we go every summer, but we stay at FLL at least one night each trip. going on three years now. we try to get a site that backs up to the meadow but is off the main road. somewhere in the 120s.

can't wait to get out and camp this winter. i love the cold!

 

[JBurt]

I'll post something completely different. If you're in the southern end of Anza Borrego there is a campsite called Agua Caliente (no not the indian casino). They have over 100 sites, no/partial/full hook ups for RV. So it's generally crowded, and about $20 per night, but they have a natural hotspring that they pipe into a large jacuzzi, flush toilets, showers, a playground for kids (with a large metal slide!) a small general store.

Not remote at all, but it's not bad if you want a base of operations for exploring the state park.

Since it's in the desert they're only open between labor day and memorial day.

Agua Caliente County Park

 

[monkishtypist]

Resurrecting the dead...

I know this is a dead thread, but I camp a lot in So Cal and think this might be worth reviving...

Being a San Diego native, I have backpacked, camped, climbed, and off-roaded just about everywhere from the Mexico border up to the Sierra's (and beyond) and would be happy to share details on spots around the bottom half of the state.

I would also love to hear other people's trips and locations.

Anyway where to start...?

There is a good list in this post here.

To which I would add:
- Kern River gorge. Checkout the Johnsondale bridge area for fly fishing, raft put-in, and more. There's several campgrounds, and a handful of yellow post sites along the river. All great. But it can real hot in the summer...

- Sherman Pass. Just off the Johnsondale bridge head up and over the Southern Sierras. There is a ton back here, and not much is marked. All of it is beautiful. Kennedy Meadows area has some good camping. And if you arrive during the PCT hiker rush you should share a burger and beer with some hiker trash at Grump Bears.

- Corral Canyon. Go watch people roll their rigs, or roll your own, on the OHV trails back there. Camp in Bobcat Meadows near the summit for the best views and cleanest toilets (if they are open).

- Lastly, I have camped a lot at the Black Mountain sites mentioned in this thread. I have to say Boulder Basin is a favorite if you don't mind other people. Whereas the South Ridge sites offer more privacy, especially if you can get the very last site on the road (amazing panoramic views). One time I could even hear live music from the town below (it was a bluegrass festival). But fire danger is real in the Idyllwild area, so I recommend a gas campfire instead of trying to burn the good stuff (a wood fire). Wood fires are banned anyway 9 times out of 10.

Unfortunately I don't have any pics of sites with the 4Runner as we've only had her a year, and most of that was touring the PNW. But I'll post more here as we get out more around our home town.

 

[monkishtypist]

Burnt Rancheria campground open

A lot of things are currently closed, including a lot of camping in SoCal. But recently drove up Sunrise Highway east of San Diego and found Burnt Rancheria campground is open.

Happy camping.

 

[JBurt]

A lot of things are currently closed, including a lot of camping in SoCal. But recently drove up Sunrise Highway east of San Diego and found Burnt Rancheria campground is open.

Happy camping.

That's a nice campground, but it can get quite busy on weekends. As a plus it is close to mtb trails.

 

[Kamalani Mahie]

I'm sure we all know a lot of great spots around Big Bear, but when I was looking for a place to camp around there last year everything was full. Campgrounds, yellow posts, etc...but then I happened upon Hanna Flat Campground on the north side of the lake and there were quite a few spots available and it was very nice and peaceful. Check it out.

 

[Kamalani Mahie]

Sheep Canyon campground up Coyote Canyon near Borrego Springs is a really cool place.

 

[JBurt]

It is a really cool place. Was there water in the stream when you were there?

 

[Kamalani Mahie]

It is a really cool place. Was there water in the stream when you were there?

Nope no water. I was there 2/6-2/7.