Millard Falls
2 mi RT; 1200′ elevation; oaks.
Arroyo Seco District –
of Angeles National Forest
818-790-1151 Altadena CA
From Interstate 210 in San Gabriel Valley, exit Lake Ave., go N & turn left/west onto Loma Alta Dr. & to Chaney Trail & follow signed dirt road
Sturtevant Falls
5 mi RT; 4600′ elevation; oaks, creek-crossings.
Santa Anita District –
of Angeles National Forest
818-899-1900
inside Big Santa Anita Canyon
From Interstate 210 in San Gabriel Valley, exit Santa Anita Ave.Go North/East, through neighborhood & up mountain to paved parking lot.
Dinkey is a major feeder creek originating with high altitude lakes in the Wilderness above, flowing down to the Kings River. Dinkey Creek has a seasonal large campground and a general store that is open during the summer months. Campground Reservation are common since this is a well-known destination of the Western Sierra.
in the mountains above Fresno
Located deep in the Sierra National Forest, 15 miles south of Hwy 168 @ Shaver Lake, via a very long, winding, paved road. Not suitable for large motorhomes.
Dinkey Creek Road becomes McKinley Grove Road @ intersection of historic, wooden Dinkey Creek Bridge. McKinley Grove Rd leads further south, past Sequoia trees, numerous other NFS campgrounds and on to the 2 big reservoir lakes (Wishon & Courtright). The Dinkey Road is usually only open during warmer months (MAY-OCT), snow & weather permitting.
A very popular place for summer vacations, fishing, hiking and picnicking. The day use area near the historic wooden bridge has numerous dirt parking lots, trails, picnic tables and pit toilets. Excellent place for exploring on foot with the family, or creek fishing from the boulders.
Back roads are abundant around Dinkey, leading higher up to large, granite reservoirs (with more camping options) and numerous forest dirt roads zig-zag across the mountain terrain wherever possible.
Dusy Ershim Trail is a famous Sierra 4×4 route that connects Courtright Lake to the Kaiser Pass. Granite everywhere, slow-go rock crawling, skirting in between two Wilderness Areas.
Sierra Forest Road #11S12, is a dirt road that leads downhill, past the North Fork of Kings River, from high elevations near Dinkey to the Black Rock Reservoir and meeting up with Kings River near Pine Flat. An excellent loop trip for those wanting to experience dispersed camping on the back roads, but a high-clearance vehicle is required. This road is gated and closed for winter, so call ahead to the rangers, to see if it is open before you make the journey.
This whole Western Sierra is home to major hydroelectric dams that create a water supply for farms and cities located in the Central Valley below.
Rugged Sierra Nevada high country. The highest peaks in the Sierra Nevada mountains can be found inside this Wilderness. Many peaks are well above 13,000 feet. Granite, glaciated basins, big snow, alpine lakes, meadows, wildflowers, streams, creeks, cliffs, jagged peaks. Mount Whitney stands as the tallest mountain in the lower 48 states.
Hundreds of miles of hiking trails, some of the highest peaks in the nation. Trails open to equestrian and foot traffic only. Trailhead quotas limit the amount of day hikers and backpackers that an access the Wilderness daily. Wilderness permit required: Inyo National Forest Permits
Eastern Sierra Visitor Center Inyo Visitors Office
USDA National Forest
USFS, NPS, BLM
Eastern Sierra Interagency Office US Hwy 395 @ SR 136 Lone Pine, CA 93545 760-876-6200
Favorite romantic places in California. Stay overnight, have dinner nearby & make a night of it, or perhaps a whole weekend. Certain places may require a 2-night minimum stay, especially on weekends or any holiday weeks. A wide variety of destinations are listed below, from rustic mountain cabins, to palm oasis hot springs, to historic lodges located in a spectacular scenic setting.
Neighboring lodges or nearby small towns could have equally as nice accommodations, perhaps still affordable, quaint, uncrowded, and “undiscovered” by the masses. Call the innkeeper and ask questions. They should be thrilled to hear from you.
WINTER NOTE: Some of these remote locations may not be open year-round, due to snowy weather, so please confirm by phone before you make the drive. Tioga Pass Resort may require a snow-mobile to access.
Wanna vacation near a lake this season? So does everyone else in California.
“Mountains” & “lakes” are the top camping destinations sought by most web surfers. Be prepared to search for your ultimate lake side camp. Summertime is prime time at all water sources, so make your reservations, or better yet – find a secluded lake all to yourself. (4×4 may be required).
Lakes area recreation & camping sites in California
If you want trees in your Death Valley visit, than this is it. Mahogany Flats Campground is located in a juniper forest on a ridge line of the Panamint Mountains. Often windy camp sites with the highest elevation campground in the area. If you seek to get away from the desert heat, this may be the best option. Spectacular views to the east, over the Death Valley basin. Access to hiking, backpacking, off roading, mountaineering opportunities. A great place to escape summer heat, but be warned of thunderstorms. Picnic table, fire ring, pit toilets – maintained with NPS.
Elevation: 8,133′
Number of Sites: 10
Vehicle Accessibility: High Clearance, recommended. No RVs or trailers. 4×4 needed in heavy rain or snow.
Campsites Reservation: No
Length of Stay: 30 Days
Season: March – November
Trailheads: Telescope Peak & Tuber Canyon
Directions:
From Stovepipe Wells, follow Highway 190 W to Emigrant Canyon. Turn left on Wildrose Road and follow it thru the tight rocky canyon, climbing in elevation the whole way.
Passing Wildrose Campground where the pavement ends, past charcoal kilns, climbing in elevation past the pinyon pines at Thorndike Campground, up, up, way up Mahogany Flat Road.
From Panamint Valley, take Wildrose Road up. Turn right to Mahogany Flat Rd and proceed on the dirt road to the top.
The Telescope Peak mountain range is the only place in the lower 48, where you can see both the tallest peak (Mt Whitney) and the lowest point (Badwater Death Valley).
Over 50 years of summertime celebrations in the Southern Sierra town of Tehachapi CA. Festival includes arts & crafts show, food, entertainment, carnival, 5K & 10K run, parades, car show, rodeo, gem & mineral show, quilt show, VFW dinner and dance, pancake breakfast.
40+ years running, this small mountain town fair is a local favorite in Frazier Park, California. Family fun and festivities include a parade, live local bands, carnival & rides, vendors, dances, pet show and maybe even a fishing derby.
Annual event; August
Mountain Memories Association
P.O. Box 858, Frazier Park, CA 93225
661-623-2340
Fish Creek Wash
Anza Borrego Desert State Park
Ocotillo Wells, CA
Explore Anza Borrego State Park desert deeper for the secluded hidden treasures. Find yourself traveling the east San Diego county desert, on Highway 78 eastbound on the way to the Salton Sea. Passing the turn offs for Borrego Springs, slow down and look for the intersection of off-roaders & ATVs @ Ocotillo Wells, California. Ocotillo Wells State Vehicluar Recreation Area is on the north (left) side of the highway and Split Mountain is on the right.
From highway turn south (right) on to Split Mountain Road, which leads to numerous back road destinations. Ranch homes and private property line the first mile of the road, neighborhood general store and a tiny saloon, RV park and an ATV rental shop.
Old Kane Springs Road is a main dirt road that parallels the highway from the narrows at San Felipe Wash to the Salton Sea. Old Kane Springs Rd intersect the Split Mountain route about 1 mile south of highway.
Split Mountain ranger station is before the Elephant Trees nature trail. Near the railroad track, the paved road turns into Fish Creek Wash near Fish Creek Campground. If you have a low rider passenger car, you might wanna park it here and walk in to the canyon. Within the first few miles there is a lot to explore – fossils in walls, huge cliffs, wind caves, narrow canyons.
The actual “split in the mountain” section is located just beyond the campground on a sandy desert road.
Wind Caves are on the left side, just beyond the split
Fish Creek Wash continues south, deep into the Carrizo badlands where 4×4 is definitely needed. The trail system eventually loops back over to paved S2 @ Canebrake, via Pinyon Mountain w/ the Squeeze, or Canon Sin Nombre. Unlimited primitive camp sites, found inside every other nook and cranny. Numerous hidden slot canyons, sandstone cliffs and wide sandy washes becomes a literal maze of off-road trails so you better carry a good back roads topographic map.
Los Padres Campgrounds
Big Sur, Mount Pinos, Ojai, Santa Barbara, Santa Lucia
Los Padres National Forest campgrounds span the length of the California Central Coast, from the Monterey Bay to Los Angeles County. Choose a desired area: