thezephyrg
We wish to go camping this weekend with a tent. There are two of us and a dog, so it has to be pet friendly. Is there a website where I can put in search parameters and find all the campsites that fit them?
Answer
I suggest that you invest in a book called "Free Campgrounds of the West." It's a book that has $12 and under campsites west of the Mississippi River. (There's also a book for the East.)
The whole reason behind free campgrounds is that they're the most private and better especially if you're bringing the dogs along. Usually there's no running water or bathrooms, but also no one running generators at night, no radios or loud drunken rednecks either.
If you're in a time crunch and cannot get the book, I suggest that you call the ranger station in the forest. Also, if you have time, all you have to do is cruise around in a national forest like Klamath, Lassen, Plumas, Modoc, Tahoe or Eldorado. You'll easily see free places to camp along the side of gravel roads. I'd call the ranger station and see if you'll need to pick up a campfire permit or anything else they may make you do. Remember, these places are free camping because you're not paying for services like running water or restrooms.
Check out the National Forest web site:
http://www.fs.fed.us/
Good luck!
I suggest that you invest in a book called "Free Campgrounds of the West." It's a book that has $12 and under campsites west of the Mississippi River. (There's also a book for the East.)
The whole reason behind free campgrounds is that they're the most private and better especially if you're bringing the dogs along. Usually there's no running water or bathrooms, but also no one running generators at night, no radios or loud drunken rednecks either.
If you're in a time crunch and cannot get the book, I suggest that you call the ranger station in the forest. Also, if you have time, all you have to do is cruise around in a national forest like Klamath, Lassen, Plumas, Modoc, Tahoe or Eldorado. You'll easily see free places to camp along the side of gravel roads. I'd call the ranger station and see if you'll need to pick up a campfire permit or anything else they may make you do. Remember, these places are free camping because you're not paying for services like running water or restrooms.
Check out the National Forest web site:
http://www.fs.fed.us/
Good luck!
Does anyone know any good campsites in Northern California?
Darla
I am looking for a campsite not too far from the Bay Area, like 2.5 hours max. I am 22 and planning on going up with a group of friends (6 of us) and I am looking for a campsite that is low on cost, and one where we won't get in trouble for making a little (really just a little!) noise past curfew. We are not loud, rude or abrasive, we just may not want to go to bed at 10pm. Thank you in advance!
Answer
Bay Area camping
(links to pages for parks with hiking, or nearby)
North Bay (Marin, Sonoma, and Napa Counties)
⢠Angel Island. Hike-in campsites. (For descriptions, go to the Angel Island website)
⢠Austin Creek State Recreation Area. Tent and backcountry campsites.
⢠Bothe-Napa Valley State Park. Tent and RV campsites.
⢠China Camp State Park. Walk-in campsites.
⢠Doran Regional Park. RV and tent campsites. Since this park is situated on an exposed, sandy spit on the south side of Bodega Harbor, there's not much privacy.
⢠Marin Headlands (GGNRA). Walk-in and group campsites. (For descriptions go to the GGNRA camping page)
⢠Mount Tamalpais State Park. Walk-in campsites at Pantoll and cabins at Steep Ravine Environmental Campsites. The Pantoll sites are well-shaded, but uncomfortably close to both Panoramic Highway and the Pantoll parking lot.
⢠Point Reyes National Seashore. Hike-in campsites. (For descriptions go to the Point Reyes camping page)
⢠Samuel P. Taylor State Park. Tent and RV campsites.
East Bay (Alameda and Contra Costa Counties)
⢠Anthony Chabot Regional Park. Tent and RV campsites.
⢠Del Valle Regional Park. Tent, RV, and youth group campsites.
⢠Mount Diablo State Park. Tent and RV campsites.
⢠Sunol Regional Wilderness. Tent and group campsites.
South Bay (San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz Counties)
⢠Big Basin State Park. Tent, walk-in, and RV campsites, and tent cabins.
⢠Butano State Park. Tent and RV campsites.
⢠Castle Rock State Park. Hike-in campsites.
⢠Half Moon Bay State Beach. Tent and RV campsites, on a bluff just above the ocean.
⢠Henry W. Coe State Park. Tent and RV campsites, plus backcounty camping.
⢠Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. Tent and RV campsites.
⢠Grant County Park. Tent, RV, and youth group campsites.
⢠Sam McDonald County Park. Youth group campsites and horse camp.
⢠Memorial County Park. Tent, RV, and group campsites.
⢠Mount Madonna County Park. Tent, RV, group, and youth group campsites.
⢠Portola Redwoods State Park. Tent and RV campsites.
⢠Sanborn-Skyline County Park. RV and walk-in campsites.
⢠Uvas Canyon County Park. Tent and youth group campsites.
Recommended reading:
Camping and Backpacking the San Francisco Bay Area, by Matt Heid (order this book from Amazon.com). All bay area camping and backpacking destinations are described in this book, which includes park maps for the car and hike-in campgrounds, and trail maps for the backpacking excursions. General trail info helps in planning hikes. I do wish Heid's book encompassed coastal Sonoma County campgrounds like Pomo Canyon and Bodega Dunes, and there are no campgrounds maps, a feature I really miss. Despite those quibbles, this is a great guide for bay area campers who love to hike.
⢠The Best in Tent Camping, Northern California, by Cindy Coloma with Bill Mai (order this book from Amazon.com).
⢠The Best in Tent Camping, Southern California, by Charles Patterson with Bill Mai (order this book from Amazon.com).
⢠California Camping, by Tom Stienstra (order this book from Amazon.com). I refer to this book constantly when planning camping adventures in the state, and find it best used to obtain campground specifics and a general feeling for a place. My problem with the book is that I have a hard time following the driving directions. As an example, when driving to Letts Lake, in the Mendocino National Forest, the directions refer to a series of junctions, and instruct the reader to turn right or left, without ever mentioning the names of the roads. For me, this is the book's biggest shortcoming; it may be impossible to include more detailed driving directions, since each campground profile has a limited amount of space. In any case, for campgrounds way in the middle of nowhere, I always supplement this book's driving directions with either AAA or National Forest maps.
⢠Camping with Chris http://www.campingwithchris.com/ local reviews by a local guy!
Bay Area camping
(links to pages for parks with hiking, or nearby)
North Bay (Marin, Sonoma, and Napa Counties)
⢠Angel Island. Hike-in campsites. (For descriptions, go to the Angel Island website)
⢠Austin Creek State Recreation Area. Tent and backcountry campsites.
⢠Bothe-Napa Valley State Park. Tent and RV campsites.
⢠China Camp State Park. Walk-in campsites.
⢠Doran Regional Park. RV and tent campsites. Since this park is situated on an exposed, sandy spit on the south side of Bodega Harbor, there's not much privacy.
⢠Marin Headlands (GGNRA). Walk-in and group campsites. (For descriptions go to the GGNRA camping page)
⢠Mount Tamalpais State Park. Walk-in campsites at Pantoll and cabins at Steep Ravine Environmental Campsites. The Pantoll sites are well-shaded, but uncomfortably close to both Panoramic Highway and the Pantoll parking lot.
⢠Point Reyes National Seashore. Hike-in campsites. (For descriptions go to the Point Reyes camping page)
⢠Samuel P. Taylor State Park. Tent and RV campsites.
East Bay (Alameda and Contra Costa Counties)
⢠Anthony Chabot Regional Park. Tent and RV campsites.
⢠Del Valle Regional Park. Tent, RV, and youth group campsites.
⢠Mount Diablo State Park. Tent and RV campsites.
⢠Sunol Regional Wilderness. Tent and group campsites.
South Bay (San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz Counties)
⢠Big Basin State Park. Tent, walk-in, and RV campsites, and tent cabins.
⢠Butano State Park. Tent and RV campsites.
⢠Castle Rock State Park. Hike-in campsites.
⢠Half Moon Bay State Beach. Tent and RV campsites, on a bluff just above the ocean.
⢠Henry W. Coe State Park. Tent and RV campsites, plus backcounty camping.
⢠Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. Tent and RV campsites.
⢠Grant County Park. Tent, RV, and youth group campsites.
⢠Sam McDonald County Park. Youth group campsites and horse camp.
⢠Memorial County Park. Tent, RV, and group campsites.
⢠Mount Madonna County Park. Tent, RV, group, and youth group campsites.
⢠Portola Redwoods State Park. Tent and RV campsites.
⢠Sanborn-Skyline County Park. RV and walk-in campsites.
⢠Uvas Canyon County Park. Tent and youth group campsites.
Recommended reading:
Camping and Backpacking the San Francisco Bay Area, by Matt Heid (order this book from Amazon.com). All bay area camping and backpacking destinations are described in this book, which includes park maps for the car and hike-in campgrounds, and trail maps for the backpacking excursions. General trail info helps in planning hikes. I do wish Heid's book encompassed coastal Sonoma County campgrounds like Pomo Canyon and Bodega Dunes, and there are no campgrounds maps, a feature I really miss. Despite those quibbles, this is a great guide for bay area campers who love to hike.
⢠The Best in Tent Camping, Northern California, by Cindy Coloma with Bill Mai (order this book from Amazon.com).
⢠The Best in Tent Camping, Southern California, by Charles Patterson with Bill Mai (order this book from Amazon.com).
⢠California Camping, by Tom Stienstra (order this book from Amazon.com). I refer to this book constantly when planning camping adventures in the state, and find it best used to obtain campground specifics and a general feeling for a place. My problem with the book is that I have a hard time following the driving directions. As an example, when driving to Letts Lake, in the Mendocino National Forest, the directions refer to a series of junctions, and instruct the reader to turn right or left, without ever mentioning the names of the roads. For me, this is the book's biggest shortcoming; it may be impossible to include more detailed driving directions, since each campground profile has a limited amount of space. In any case, for campgrounds way in the middle of nowhere, I always supplement this book's driving directions with either AAA or National Forest maps.
⢠Camping with Chris http://www.campingwithchris.com/ local reviews by a local guy!
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