Highway 78 cuts right thru the middle of the largest State Park in the lower 48. Anza Borrego Desert State Park is a place that must be visited more than once to really take in all the beauty it has to offer. North-South: San Diego County Road S2 skirts the western border with Laguna Mountain towering above. It starts at Ocotillo @ Interstate 8 and heads Northwest to Lake Henshaw at Warner Springs. East-West: a major route S22, connects Montezuma Valley to the Borrego Valley, and continues East to the Salton Sea. The center of the parks is pretty much the town of Borrego Springs. County Road S3 leads from Hwy 78 down the the town of Borrego Springs Valley. developed campgrounds:

• Agua Caliente Hot Springs, S2
• Blair Valley Camping (free), S2
• Borrego Palm Canyon Campground
• Bow Willow Campground (free), S2
• Butterfield Ranch RV Park, S2
• Culp Valley Campground (free), S22
• Fish Creek Campground (free), off Hwy 78
• Ocotillo Wells OHV Camping, Hwy 78
• Stagecoach RV Park, S2
• Tamarisk Grove Campground, S3 @ 78
• Vern Whitaker Horse Camp, Borrego
• Vallecito County Park Campground, S2

free camping: While the camping facilities listed above provide picnic tables and toilets, or more luxury camping… Total Escape thinks the best part of camping in Anza Borrego Desert is the vast amount of free, open camping available on most back roads. Hundreds of dirt roads lead off in all directions, so you can find the peace and solitude that few inside busy campgrounds ever experience.

San Diego Backcountry Map

Many routes are sandy washes, dirt roads, some for high clearance vehicles only, or 4WD in several canyons. Have a good dirt road map with you and know your cars limitations. Cell phone coverage is very unlikely out here in the most remote wilderness areas.

Los Padres Forest is the SoCal camping mecca. Pinyon forests & peaks of nearly 9000′ make this the highest elevations of Kern County. This coastal forest on the San Andreas Fault burns bad due to winds & wildfires, but there is plenty back country to enjoy with minimal crowds – as long as camp fire safety is key.

Southern Los Padres National Forest may operate Group Campgrounds for reservations, but you may need to call the rangers to inquire more on these. Holiday Group Campground near Ojai takes online reservations. Several back country camp spots can accommodate a large group. Mount Able for instance has a group spot. Maybe Mil Potrero Campground (re-opening 2008) near Pine Mountain Club.

Northern Los Padres – Hwy 1 around the Big Sur/Monterey CA region has 2 Group Campgrounds w/ facilities, flush toilets & reservations online.

Los Padres Reservable Group Campgrounds:

Plaskett Campground is across from Sand Dollar Beach, a popular day use area. California Coast Campground – the infamous Central Coast Highway – Hwy 1 (so you may hear traffic @ camp)

map of the regions -

• Los Padres National Forest Map – North (USDA NFS)
• Los Padres National Forest Map – South (USDA NFS)

Los Padres National Forest campgrounds span the length of the California Central Coast, from the Monterey Bay to Los Angeles County. Choose your desired area:

Big Sur Campgrounds

Frazier Park Camping

Mount Pinos Campgrounds

Ojai Camping

Santa Barbara Camping

Santa Lucia Camping

This lush coastal campground is called Bottchers Gap near Big Sur CA

Los Padres National Forest

see also Los Padres Group Campgrounds

maps of the Los Padres regions -

• Los Padres National Forest Map – North (USDA NFS)
• Los Padres National Forest Map – South (USDA NFS)

Los Padres nearby towns & cities -

• Atascadero CA
• Arroyo Grande CA
• Big Sur CA
• Carmel CA
• Frazier Park CA
• Goleta CA
• Gorda, CA
• Gorman CA
• King City CA
• Lebec CA
• Los Olivos CA
• Lucia CA
• Monterey CA
• New Cuyama CA
• Ojai CA
• Pine Mountain Club CA
• San Luis Obispo
• Santa Barbara CA
• Santa Maria CA
• Santa Ynez CA
• Solvang CA
• Ventucopa CA
• Ventura CA

see regular Campgrounds – Inyo National Forest

Eastern Sierra maps -

• Inyo National Forest MAP
• Bishop Pass Trail Map
• Devils Postpile Hiking Map
• Mammoth High Country Map

see more about El Dorado National Forest

nearby towns -

• Georgetown CA
• Jackson, CA
• Kirkwood, CA
• Placerville CA
• South Lake Tahoe, CA

El Dorado Forest Maps -

• El Dorado National Forest Map
• Mokelumne Wilderness Map (USDA/NFS)
• Desolation Wilderness Map (USDA/NFS)
• Desolation Wilderness Trail Map (Tom Harrison)
• Lake Tahoe Recreation Map (Tom Harrison)
• Lake Tahoe Basin Map (USDA/NFS)
• Tahoe Lake Topographic Maps