August 26, 2017August 26, 2017 by DanaMite

Frazier Park Camping

4x4 Camps OHV, 4x4 Routes, Back Roads, Backpacking, Campgrounds, Campsites, Campspots, Creeks, Equestrian, Group Campgrounds, Hiking, Mountain Biking, Off Road, Off-Road Trail, OHV Parks & SVRA, Trailheads, Washes, Wildflowers
4WD, 4x4 camps, Alamo Mountain, altitude, AWD, Backpacking, ballinger, CA 33, California, campgrounds, car camping, Chula Vista Campground, chumash, desert washes, dirt road camping, elevation, erosion, forests, Frazier Peak, free campgrounds, freeway close camping, highway 33, hills, horse camping, horseback trails, I-5, interstate 5, kern county, LA Camping, lockwood valley, los angeles, Los Padres, mount abel, mount pinos, mountain biking trails, mountains, MTB, National Forest, oak, off-road, pines, pinyon pines, public lands, reserrvations, reyes peak, San Emigdio, Santa Barbara mountains, snow, socal camping, SUV, tejon pass, tent camping, Trailheads, trees, USDA, vacations, Ventura, walk-in camp, weekends, Wilderness, yucca

Mount Pinos Camping & Frazier Park Campgrounds

Frazier Park and neighboring towns, like freeway-close Lebec and Gorman, is where the Los Angeles hills meet the Kern County mountains, next to the Mojave desert and the Antelope Valley. EXIT I-5 @ Tejon Pass (elev 4144′)

Wildflower hills, seasonal creeks, forested peaks, high desert canyons. Bike trails, hike trails, off road routes. High elevation backpacking, hang gliding, mountain biking and camping in every direction.

High desert washes, oak creeks, pinyon pine forests, mountain meadows and numerous peaks – Frazier Peak, Reyes Peak, Alamo Mountain, Mount Pinos, Mount Abel (Cerro Noroeste) and north facing San Emigdio ridge.

CAMPGROUND RESERVATIONS

blue links lead to camp reservation services.

Mt. Pinos District:

campground	elev	spots	veg	toilet	water	notes
Aliso Park, Cuyama	3200′	11	oak	pit	no	Aliso Cyn Rd. (#10N04)
Ballinger OHV Camp	3000′	20	pinyon	vault	no	Rd# 9N10, Cuyama Valley
Camp-O Alto	8286′	12	jefferey	pit	no	ridge, Cerro Noroeste
Caballo Campground	5850′	5	oaks	pit	no	Rd# 9N27, Cerro Noroeste
Cherry Creek 4×4	5200′	2	oak	no	spring	4WD trail, Cuddy Valley
Chuchapate Campgr	6000′	30	pines	vault	piped	Rd# 8N04, closed winter
Chula Vista Campgr	8300′	12	pines	vault	no	walk-in camps & RV lot
Cottonwood Campgr	4600′	2	ctnwd	no	creek	4WD only trail, fish
Dome Springs Camp	4800′	4	oak	pit	no	Rd# 8N40, Lockwood
Dutchman Camp	6800′	8	pines	no	no	Rd# 7N01, 4WD trails
Half Moon Campgr	4700′	10	pines	pit	no	Rd #7N03, May-Oct
Kings Campground	4250′	7	pinyon	vault	no	near OHV & Piru Creek
Marian Campground	6600′	5	pine	pit	no	closed in winter
McGill Campground	7500′	50+	pine	vault	seasonal	mountain biking
Mount Pinos Campgr	7800′	19	pine	vault	seasonal	closed winter
Nettle Springs Camp	4400′	9	pinyon	vault	no	Rd# 8N06, Apache Cyn
Ozena Campground	3660′	12	cottnwd	vault	no	Lockwood Rd
Pine Springs Camp	5800′	12	pinyon	pit	no	Road #7N03
Pleito Campsite	5000′	2	mixed	no	no	dirt rd access, dispersed
Rancho Nuevo	3550′	2	mixed	no	no	river crossing
Reyes Creek	4000′	30	oaks	vault	yes	creek camping
Reyes Peak Pine Mt	5200′	6	pines	none	no	ridge camping
Salt Creek 4×4	3000′	2	mixed	no	no	4WD only
Sunset Campground	4300′	2	cottonwd	no	no	Lockwood / Piru Creek
Thorn Meadows	5000′	5	pine	pit	no	Rd# 7N03C, horse corral
Tinta Campground	3600′	3	scrub	pit	no	river crossing
Toad Springs Camp	5700′	5	pinyon	pit	no	Rd# 9N09, Quatal Cyn
Twin Pines Camp	6600′	5	pine	vault	no	Dry weather only
Valle Vista Camp	4800′	7	mixed	pit	no	condors, new toilet

See Mount Pinos Recreation Campgrounds only

Group Camping Sites in Los Padres Forest

Map of Los Padres NF –

Los Padres Forest Maps

Los Padres mountain towns –

Toad Springs Campground atop Quatal Canyon. Small camps located in Los Padres NF have no fees, and often no toilets – so bring the shovel

August 21, 2017August 21, 2017 by DanaMite

Chimney Peak Backcountry Byway

chimney peak Wilderness

East of Lake Isabella and west of Walker Pass, there is a small community called Canebrake along Highway 178 Canebrake Road, a graded dirt road climbs up into pinyon pine forests. Lamont Peak (aka Lamont Pinnacles) is a decent hike & rock climbers dig it too.

Chimney Creek Campground is along the main road and has RV access (28′ max), for the motorhomes who do not mind a little dirt road driving. Easy trail access to numerous area hikes. The PCT is routed close by.

Long Valley Campground is tucked way back in the boonies with trailhead leading into the granite Dome Lands; Fishing and river access to the South Fork of the Kern.

Long Valley Loop Road (2001)

Long Valley Loop Road circles the Chimney Peak Wilderness, which skirts the Domeland Wilderness. THE LOOP is washed out and ROAD is NOW CLOSED in one portion. See BLM web site for up to date info.

[ see the photos from 2001 ]

nearby towns –

ALTA SIERRA
LAKE ISABELLA
KENNEDY MEADOWS
KERNVILLE
WOFFORD HEIGHTS

maps of the region –

SEQUOIA NATIONAL FOREST MAP
DOMELAND WILDERNESS MAP
HIKING MAP PCT #3 (PACIFIC CREST TRAIL)

April 13, 2017April 15, 2017 by DanaMite

BLM Sand Dunes

Sand dunes are popular spots for tourists, travelers, RVers and off-roaders. Death Valley National Park has many large areas for dunes, Mojave National Preserve has the Kelso Dunes.

Fortunately, those places do not allow driving on the dunes, which is exactly what the off-road boys want to do. Sand flying, motors screaming, music blasting, bon fires blazing and no silence found until the wee hours of early morning.

Autumn, Winter & Spring are the busy months for ‘froaders in the deserts, since summer temps can soar into triple digits heat daily.

Camping out near “the dunes” is usually a big, freaking, free-for-all, outdoors with the latest in motorized toys. Recreation Vehicles encircling bonfires (camp formation for a large group), toy box haulers, trailers, families, and maybe a massive BBQ setup.

OHV (off highway vehicle)
Vehicular Recreation Area

California BLM Desert Sand Dunes

luxurycamper

Below is a list of California Sand Dunes overseen by the Bureau of Land Management.

Arroyo Salado / Ocotillo Wells
Motorcycle, 4WD, ATV, Dune Buggy / Sand Rail
Located 10 mi. west of Highway 86 on Highway 78. Rolling hills and sand washes. Designated “Open Area” consisting of 4,800 acres. Adjacent to Ocotillo Wells Vehicular Recreation Area. Near Split Mountain, Anza Borrego Desert

Dumont Dunes Mojave
Motorcycle, 4WD, ATV, Dune Buggy / Sand Rail
Located 30 mi. north of Baker on Hwy 127, off Dumont Dunes Rd. Steep and tall sand dunes. Designated “Open Area” of 8,150 acres. South of Death Valley National Park.

Dumont w/ the Saabaru AWD

Glamis / Gecko Road
Motorcycle, 4WD, ATV, Dune Buggy / Sand Rail
Holiday weekends = NUTS!! Approximately 22,000 acres. Located 25 mi. east of Brawley on HIGHWAY 78. Sand Dunes. Designated “Open Area” Danger: Adjacent to military bombing range. Contact the El Centro BLM

Imperial Sand Dunes / Buttercup Valley
Motorcycle, 4WD, ATV, Dune Buggy / Sand Rail
Approximately 11,000 acres. Located 10 mi. southeast of Niland on the Niland Glamis Rd. Sand Dunes are designated “Open Area”. Watch for closed area boundary at south end of area. CA Highway 78 near Brawley. Contact the El Centro BLM

Mojave El Mirage / Shadow Mountains
Motorcycle, 4WD, ATV, Dune Buggy / Sand Rail
Located 10 mi. west of Adelanto on Crippen/El Mirage Road. Dry lake Bed. Heavy use area. many non-motorized and motorized recreation – including aircrafts. Area consists of 24,000 acres.

Olancha Dunes OHV
Highway US 395 @ jct 190
Thousands of acres w/ open camping, located 5 miles from Hwy 395. In between Eastern Sierra range, Olancha & Death Valley National Park. Contact the Ridgecrest BLM

Plaster City / Yuha Basin
Motorcycle, 4WD, ATV, Dune Buggy / Sand Rail
South side of Anza Borrego Desert State Park. 15 mi. west of El Centro. Located on county Highway S-80. Consists of 41,000 acres of rolling hills and desert flats. Military bombing range north of area is closed to entry. Contact the El Centro BLM

Sand Up Close and Personal
Superstition Mountain
Motorcycle, 4WD, ATV, Dune Buggy / Sand Rail
Located 15 mi. NW of El Centro via Highway S-8, Huff, and Wheeler Roads. Varied terrain consisting of 13,000 acres; dry lakes, badlands, rocky mountains, and sand dunes. Military bombing range north and south of area is closed to entry. Contact the El Centro BLM

Rasor OHV Recreation Area
Motorcycle, 4WD, ATV, Dune Buggy / Sand Rail
Located 45 mi. northwest of Barstow, CA on Rasor Road. Sand washes and dunes, mesquite thickets. Designated “Open Area” consisting of 22,500 acres. Contact the Barstow BLM

Rice Valley Dunes
Motorcycle, 4WD, ATV, Dune Buggy / Sand Rail
Located 5 mi. south of Rice Valley off of Highway 62. Access is Santa Fe Road. Sand dunes. Designated “Open Area” consisting of 3,770 acres. Area of little use. Danger: Contaminated with unexploded ordinance.

Road to Kelso Dunes

see also California Coastal Dunes at Oceano: Pismo Dunes

April 8, 2017August 18, 2017 by DanaMite

Your Public Lands

California’s Public Lands for Recreation

Federal lands, government managed parks, USDA National Forests, National Parks, National Wildlife Refuge, BLM, State Parks, State Forests, County Parks, Regional Open Spaces

State Park / National Park / National Forest / BLM / SHP / SVRA / OHV
what’s the difference?
a simple explanation of your public lands & what you can expect to do on them

National Forest Campground

California National Parks – most National Parks are so crowded you can’t even enjoy the experience in the summer time. Try the off-season times for your best stay. Neighboring National Forests are a much better bet for abundant space, privacy & less taxing on the wallet for fees. These popular (NPS) parks are subject to federal budget cuts and closures.

NF boundary

California National Forests – protected wilderness areas throughout state are surrounded by National Forests (NFS), and most National Parks (NPS) are surrounded by National Forests. Tons of small campgrounds & primitive spots for real seclusion. Get a free fire permit & camp almost anywhere you want. Use that SUV exploring the many dirt backroads & find that perfect camp spot (for free).

California State Parks – local California parks with a lot to offer the day hikers, picnicking family, tent camper or RV camper. From warm dry deserts soaking in a hot springs to the foggy coastal redwoods, these state run parks encompass a large section of California terrain. These parks are subject to state budget cuts and closures.

BLM: Bureau of Land Management – mostly desert regions on the east side of California. A few coastal redwoods, some off road areas (OHV) in various mountain ranges. These federal lands are open spaces, generally a free for all on recreation. Allowable = off roading, target shooting, open camping, campfires, bonfires. Geared toward OHV use, RVs and hunting.

All California Parks & Forests

California Lakes List

California Topo Maps

California Terrain & Destinations

Coastal California – Southern California beach camping is crowded & sparse, because of developed cities. Central Coast & Northern California offer many more choices in this category.
California Mountains – pine forest, mixed oaks & a variety of vegetation. Water sources such as lakes, stream & waterfalls make this choice the perfect camping spots. Granite peaks, high elevations wilderness areas throughout state & surrounded National Parks. Plenty backpacking options & dirt road primitive spots for the ultimate in privacy.
Countryside in California – coastal hills or mountain foothills. These rolling hillsides offer small creeks, oak trees & plenty of wide open spaces. Lakes & Reservoirs are located within these regions. Most campgrounds are fairly close driving distance to towns or cities. Wine country or gold country, California has it.
California Deserts – perfect for every season except summer, these vast spaces will humble just about anyone. Primitive camping galore & designated areas for real off-roading.
City CA / Urban Villages – not the best for really getting away from crowds, but can be an excellent opportunity to visit a city without spending big bucks on lodging. Or could just be a perfect one-nighter for getting familiar with camping. Most campsites are located in the foothill area behind suburbs, in county parks or even coastal.
California A to Z: Small Towns – 700 and counting; extensive list of destinations, focusing primarily on the back roads and outdoor recreation hubs
California by County – Find every county on Cali, and which towns are located inside of them

Yosemite Lake View Camp Sites

March 20, 2017August 26, 2017 by DanaMite

Borrego Park

Anza Park / Borrego Park

purplmtns_i

East San Diego County, Borrego Springs CA

San Diego Backcountry
600,000 acres of SoCal desert

BLOOM: mid-March thru May
Anza Park elevations range from low to high. Lowest near eastern border (next to the Salton Sea) to the upper reaches of the western slopes @ 4000′. Wide, deep, sandy, long desert washes, native petroglphs, wind caves, slot canyons and split mountain. This uncrowded state park has the most acreages than all of the parks.

OPEN CAMPING

Camp in a developed campground, a small back country site or camp primitive on nearly any dirt road. Car camping to 4×4, this park has lots to offer folks wishing to really escape. No ground fires allowed, so bring your metal campfire bucket and large trash bag to carry out your ashes. The last thing you want is to scar these pristine white desert washes.

DESERT WILDFLOWERS

Steep rocky canyons on the Laguna mountain foothills can be challenging terrain, so bring good, sturdy hiking boots. Wildflowers can be abundant on certain years. Lower elevations sprout up first; Higher elevations along County Rd S-2 & S-22 bloom later in Spring. By June 1st most of the color is gone in and around Borrego Springs, so this is a real Winter and Spring vacation kinda spot. California desert wildflowers include primrose, barrel cactus, prickly pear, monkey flower, ocotillo & many more.

ANZA BORREGO WILDFLOWERS