Tag Archives: park

Lassen Camping

NFS ELAM
Elam Creek Campground, Hwy 32

Camping near Lassen Park

Lassen River CampMount Lassen is part of the Cascade Mountain Range, located north of the Sierra Nevada. The Lassen forest encompasses a large area of wilderness land, snowmelt creeks and an abundant dirt road system. Most of which is covered in deep snow about half the year, so plan accordingly.

Plenty of great dispersed camping along the old logging roads in this Lassen Forest area, surrounding the Volcanic National Park; in Northern California. Many dirt roads are graded annually to allow for passenger car access. You can make it way back there in a car – just watch for the mud and some boulders!

lassen maps

Camp fire permits required (see below). Pease try to choose a camp that has been used before and pack out your garbage.

HINT: a USDA Lassen National Forest Map is very helpful when camping these remote, Lassen back roads. Stay away from the crowds, avoid camp fees & really enjoy your vacation.

Camp right on a rushing river, alone. With no one in sight or sound. Have that secluded camping experience you’ve always dreamed about. Fishing, relaxing, maybe some hiking too. Or better, your mountain bike. Plenty forest roads to explore.mountains

Numerous waterfalls to discover, water flowing everywhere. Mount Lassen @ 10,457′ elevation, is often snow-capped year round. This Northern California region is covered with pine forests and volcanic history.

Cool Springs PGE
Cool Springs @ Butt Lake, California
(PG&E Campground)

CAMP LASSEN
is our guide to all camping and campgrounds
in Lassen Forest, Parks and nearby towns

camp

NFS

If you wanna find the nearest biker bar, head over to the rustic and forested Bambi Inn @ Butte Meadows. The place is popular all the time, especially on weekends. Scenic day drive from Chico, located near a nice river and bridge, plus they have cabin rentals too. Sometimes they have big events and it can get pretty crowded and loud w/ drinking and outdoor music.

BSA Camp Lassen is a boy scout camp located E of Chico, off Highway 32 near Butte Meadows, CA

Dispersed Camp sites in Lassen in Lake Almanor Area

campground elev. spots veg toilet water notes
Alder Creek Campground 3900′ 6 pines vault creek March-Nov
Benner Creek Campground 5562′ 9 pines vault creek May-Nov
Black Rock Campground 2100′ 6 pines vault creek year round, fish
Echo Lake Campground 6440′ hike pines none lake May-Nov, no tables
Soldier Creek Campground 4890′ disp pines vault creek May-Nov, fall hunters
South Antelope Campground 2700′ 4 pines vault creek year round
Willow Lake Campground disp pines lake May-Nov, no tables

NORTH LASSEN

Free North Lassen
Free Camping Lassen

Northside of Mount LassenNFSlogo

Excellent back roads camping w/ dense forest and free firewood all over the place (bring hand saw). Dispersed, primitive, free camping, near creek, and highway close. Many forest dirt roads turn offs, all along Highway 44 (California SR 44) near junction w/ Hwy 89 @ Lassen National Park.

Big creeks, dense forests, graded dirt roads, dark night skies. PCT access, trailheads, camping, fishing, hiking, hunting, all along Upper Hat Creek.

Campfire permits (shovel, bucket & water) are required when camping outside of a developed campground. Always check on current fire restrictions. Washed out bridges and landslides are common, which means road closed signs can be found on these remote backroads.

campfire

see also –

Hat Creek Campground
Honn Campground on Hat Creek, Hwy 89
Large Lupine Lassen
Large Lupine on Mill Creek

HatCreekCampgr

Lassen Area Maps –

Lassen Towns –

Creeks along Highway 32 - N of Chico, CA
Creeks along Highway 32 – N of Chico, CA
Lake Almanor, California
Lake Almanor, California
USFS Chester Ranger Station
USFS Chester Ranger Station

Lassen National Forest
Almanor Ranger District
900 E. Hwy 36 | PO Box 767
Chester, CA 96020
530-258-2141


Paso Robles Olive Festival

Paso Robles City Park

5 years running on the Central Coast. Held in downtown Paso Robles City Park, in north San Luis Obispo County.
Producers from all over California, Olive Oil Tasting, Culinary Row, Wine & Beer Tasting and now with lavender!

Now this event has been combined with the Lavender Festival (and moved to July)

Annual event: July
805-238-4103

Paso Robles, CA

pasoroblesdowntown.org/paso-robles-olive-lavender-festival

Paso Dining Patio

Lassen Lakes

Lassen Lakes in California

Lassen Volcanic Park is surrounded by beautiful mountains and lakes, some inside the National Park boundary, but most outside. Lassen National Forest, Thousand Lakes Wilderness, Lake Almanor, Hat Creek and Burney Falls encompass this pristine water wonderland of NorCal. Outdoor recreation all over – rivers, fish, hunt, camp, mountain bike, off road.

LAVA TUBE: Subway cave

Backpack camps, RV campground, fishing lakes, day hikes, off-road and lake side camp sites, we have it all listed on Total Escape.

Hiking, camping, fishing all over this region! Mountain bike, kayak, or relax all day in the hammock – in a shady spot with a view. Water flows freely and annual snow melt is abundant in this part of California. Some locales may not open until July 4th weekend. Always check with the Lassen NFS rangers to make sure.

^ lakes with campgrounds

‘ feet in elevation, above sea level

Lakes inside Lassen National Park:

(lakes located on Lassen Hwy 89)

Lake Helen

Summit Lake ^
Summit Lake Campgrounds – Summit Lake North & Summit Lake South & Horse Corral Camp

shotoverinlake

Manzanita Lake ^ 5847′
Manzanita Lake Camping – Manzanita Lake Campground

(lakes via dirt backroads)

Juniper Lake NPS Lassen ^ 6792′
Juniper Lake Campgrounds –
Juniper Lake Campground & Juniper Lake Group Site & Horse Corral Camp

Butte Lake ^ 6043′
Butte Lake Campgrounds –
Butte Lake Campground & Butte Lake Group Camp & Horse Corral Camp

(lakes on the trail)
Crumberg Lake
Twin Lakes
Jakey Lake
Snag Lake 6076′
Horseshoe Lake
Willow Creek
Long Lake

 

Lassen National Forest lakes: fishing lakes

Majority of these lakes require dirt road driving to reach them. Often forest roads close for snow, usually during winter months (DEC-MAY)

Wilson Lake 5267′
Crater Lake ^ 6800′
Echo Lake
Widow Lake
Star Lake 6362′
Rising River Lake
Baum Lake
Murken Lake
Haynes Reservoir
Heart Lakefishing lakes
Willow Lake
Shotoverin Lake

killercamp_echo
Killer Camp @ Echo Lake

lassen camps

Caribou Wilderness:

Campsites with hiking lakes and wilderness trailhead access, right next to Lassen Volcanic National Park.

Echo Lake ^
Caribou Lake ^
Silver Lake ^ – Silver @ Lassen
Triangle Lake

LassenAtlas
Find Lassen Maps, NFS Topo Atlas

Thousand Lake Wilderness:

North of Mount Lassen is the less-popular Wilderness Area w/ many miles of dirt roads to travel.

North Battle Creek Lake ^ 5571′
Logan Lake
Buckhorn Lake 4776′
Lake Eiler
Terry Lake

 

NorCal Recreation Lakes nearby:

Lake Britton @ Burney Falls ^ 2732′
Eagle Lake ^ 5100′
Butt Valley Reservoir ^ 4142′
Lake Almanor ^ 4500′

Lone Tree @ Eagle Lake

Northern California towns nearby:

BURNEY
FALL RIVER MILLS
HAT CREEK
OLD STATION
SUSANVILLE
WESTWOOD
CHESTER
MINERAL
MILL CREEK

 

Taylorsville Campground

northvalleycurves

Taylorsville Campground

at Indian Valley, Northern Sierra Nevada mountainscampfire

also known as –
Taylorsville County Campground
Taylorsville Community Campground
Taylorsville Park Campground

sepiacampBeautiful North Sierra Nevada. The rural country life is out here… in the mountains of NorthernCal. Cattle ranches, a few sheep, grazing deer, big old barns, bike races and much residential. Taylorsville is a very small town, on the edge of the Indian Valley. Right across the valley from Greenville and Round Valley Reservoir.

All surrounded by Plumas National Forest

campTaylorsville Park Campground

elevation: 3200′
camp sites: 32
piped water near camp: yes
toilets: flush
showers: yes
fee: yes
season: May-October

walktotown
Easy Walk to Town – Taylorsville, CA

The wooded campground is located at the intersection of North Valley Road, Genesee Rd and Arlington Rd –  a few miles off the main highway 89.

Looking for a quiet place to tent camp in between Quincy & Greenville? then this is it. The best developed campground option in the whole region. Closed for winter months – cuz it does snow pretty good up here.

grillsurface

This shaded tent campground loop is on a hillside; across the street from the small rodeo grounds, the community park w/ picnic areas, tennis courts and a small RV park. Campground host located behind the bathrooms.

Nearest local laundromat in nearby Greenville, behind the main grocery market.

showers

bathing… would be nice

Flush toilets and showers, affordable overnight prices, plus ideal walking-hiking-biking location make this a special campground worth mentioning!

  • walk to townhiker
  • mountain biking
  • cycling
  • hiking
  • tennis

taylorsvillecamp

towns nearby:fish

maps of the region:

 

northvalleyrd600


Marin Camping Point Reyes

Marin County Camping

Point Reyes Peninsula / Pt Reyes Campgrounds

Ocean View CampsitesOne of the most visited coastlines in the world, San Francisco – where 2 peninsulas almost meet – at the mouth of the “hidden bay”.

This is the Golden Gate to California and the Wild West.

So, you wanna escape the tourist masses… and camp out, overlooking an amazing place?

(put on your hiking boots)

lighthouse
Pt Reyes Lighthouse

Nope, the Lighthouse doesn’t have a campground! There are no camping facilities at Muir Woods National Monument, nor Muir Beach. No camping at Stinson Beach, nor Bolinas.

canoeThe Tule Elk Reserve has no camping at all. Tomales Bay State Park no longer has car camping or RV camping available; hike-in or boat-in
camping, maybe.

What is available for campground camping on “the Point” is listed below, with phone numbers and links for more info.

foggy seashore

POINT REYES, CALIFORNIA

Point Reyes National Seashore Campground
reservations required
hike-in, bike-in, and boat-in camp sites only
415-464-5100
415-464-5137

Mount Tamalpais State Park Campground State Parks
reservations required
415-388-2070camp

  • Alice Eastwood Campground
  • Frank Valley Campground
  • Horse Camp Campground
  • Pantoll Campground
  • Steep Ravine Campground
  • Steep Ravine Cabins

Marin Headlands Camping
reservations required; no pets & no RVshiker
415-331-1540

Samuel P. Taylor Redwood State Park State Parks
reservations recommended; open year round
415-488-9897

  • Devils Gulch Horse Camp
  • Historic Camp Taylor
  • Madrone Group Camp
  • Car Camping / Tent Camp
  • RV max 27′
  • Cabin Rentals @ SPT

DSCN4484

Cycling, hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, kayaking and boating are all popular outdoor recreation activities.

Small towns located on the Point Reyes peninsula do have a few private campgrounds, some of which can accommodate motorhomes. Follow towns links for those.

RV camping

There are no RV parks, camper trailers or motorhomes allowed in campgrounds on the steep coastal region of Point Reyes. Most of the narrow, winding roads are forbidden for motorhome travels. No shoulder, no guard rails, on many curvy roads. Great viewpoints are best when you STOP to look, off the roadway.

hike NPS

Golden Gate National Recreation Area NPS

Point Reyes National Seashore

Stinson Beach Park

Tomales Bay State Park State Park

Tule Elk Reserve

dockside

nearby towns – 


Los Angeles Beach Camping

DSCN0006

There are very few camping options along the Los Angeles coastline and what is available is geared toward RV campers and the dreaded, amusement parks. Orange County Coastline has the best camping near the Los Angeles region (without needing to smell the oil refineries). Ventura and Santa Barbara, both north of L.A. also have excellent camping beaches.

blue links lead to State Park pages with camp reservations.

State Park

SoCal Camping

Sunny and near perfect temperatures all year long, Southern California seriously pulls in the tourists. L.A. is a major metropolis city right next to the Pacific Ocean. With 22 million people residing in Southern California, and millions of visitors annually, this region is pretty busy all the time – even in winter months. Off season for camping might be November-March, when most of the precipitation falls for the year, but campground reservations are highly recommended all year long.

(located from south to north)

Orange County Beach Camping

camp

Long Beach and LA Campgrounds

queenmaryship
Queen Mary Ship @ Long Beach, CA

Bolsa Chica State Beach, Long Beach CA State Parks

Golden Shores RV Park, Long Beach CA

Redondo Beach (no campgrounds)

Hermosa Beach (no campgrounds)

Manhattan Beach (no campgrounds)

Dockweiler State Beach RV Park
Situated near LAX airport, the Chevron refinery and the main sewage treatment plant, this location can be stinky at times. Paved bike path along the beach leads north & south.

Playa del Rey (no campgrounds)

Venice Beach (no campgrounds)

Santa Monica (no campgrounds)

Malibu Campgrounds

Leo Carillo State Beach Campground State Parks

Point Mugu State Park Campgrounds State Parks

  • Sycamore Beach & Canyon Campground
  • Thornhill Broome Campground

Ventura Beach Camping

DSCN0076

DSCN0034

DSCN0090

John Muir Wilderness

John Muir Hiking / John Muir Map

High Sierra Hiking

California Wilderness Area Acres Topographical Maps
John Muir Wilderness

elevations: 4000′-14,496′

584,000 John Muir Wilderness Maps
Inyo National Forest

JMT

High Sierra Nevada / Eastern Sierra

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.

John Muir Trail Maps
– JMT Topo Map

lacontedivide
Le Conte Divide, Sierra Nevada California – 12,000′ elevation peaks

Eastern access via steep granite hiking, off US Hwy 395 (Bishop, Independence, Lone Pine)
Western access backpacking thru Kings Canyon National Park, Hwy 180
or Sequoia National Park, Hwy 198 (Mineral King, Three Rivers)
or Sierra National Forest, Hwy 168 (Lake Edison, Florence Lake, Courtright Reservoir)
North access via backcountry Yosemite National Park, Hwy 120
or Mammoth Area towns (Lee Vining, June Lake, Mammoth Lakes)

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

JM Topo Trails

USDA National Forest
USFS, NPS, BLM

NFS NPS

Eastern Sierra Interagency Office
US Hwy 395 @ SR 136
Lone Pine, CA 93545
760-876-6200

JMT
JOHN MUIR TRAIL- John Muir Wilderness

nearby towns, parks & resorts:

Aspendell
Big Pine
Bishop, CA
Courtright Reservoir
Florence Lake
Independence, CA
Kings Canyon National Park
Lake Edison
Lone Pine, CA
Mammoth Lakes
Olancha, CA
Tom’s Place
Wishon Reservoir
Yosemite National Park

www.flickr.com

Gaviota Hot Springs

Las Cruces Hot Springs
also known as Gaviota Hot Springs,
and as Gaviota State Park Hot Springs

Top Pool

W of Santa Barbara, W of Goleta, CA
North of Gaviota State Park

US 101

US Hwy 101 @ PCH 1 exit
follow frontage road on south side of the 101


View Gaviota Hot Springs in a larger map

This soaking spot is a convenient stop for those traveling the 101 on the California Central Coast. The hot pools are located in an overgrown canyon, about half mile up the hill from the parking area. The natural earthen pools tend to be warm, mushy, and smelly (like sulfur) but never super hot.

These are old, historic, volunteer built pools that are not maintained regularly, so keep that in mind when comparing this location to other well-manicured springs. Many of the locals that care for these sacred spaces only get paid back by reckless visitors with litter, graffiti and vandalism. If you want places like this to stay open, we must do our part to ensure that we leave it better tan we found it.

Parking fee, lot managed by California State Park. Gate closes at dark.

gaviota park signs

1 mile hike round trip

Poison oak, snake and ticks can be a problem at this location, so do be on the lookout.

swampy pool

hiking trails from here –
Gaviota Peak (fire road) and Campbell Trail (unmaintained)

San Francisco RV Park

RV Campground San Francisco / RV Camp Ground

San Francisco RVing

Beach RV Park
2505 Portola Dr
Santa Cruz, CA
831 462-2505

Betabel RV Park
9664 Betabel Rd
San Juan Bautista, CA
800-278-7275
831 623-2202

Candlestick RV Park
650 Gilman Ave
San Francisco, CA
800 888-2267
415 822-2299

Costanoa Coastal Lodge & Camp
2001 Rossi Road @ Hwy 1
Pescadero, CA
650 879-1100

Coyote Valley RV & Golf Resort
9750 Monterey Rd
Morgan Hill, CA
866 376-5500
408 463-8400
San Jose, CA

Marin Park
2140 Redwood Hwy.
Greenbrae , CA
888 461-5199

Novato RV Park
1530 Armstrong Ave
Novato, CA
800 733-6787
415 897-1271

Olema Ranch Campground
Point Reyes National Seashore
10155 Highway 1
Olema, CA
800 655-2267
415 663-8001

Parkway Lakes RV Park
100 Ogier Ave
Morgan Hill, CA
408 779-0244

Pinto Lake Park
451 Green Valley Rd
Watsonville, CA
831 722-8129

San Francisco RV Resort
700 Palmetto Ave
Pacifica, CA
877-864-2728
182 sites

Santa Cruz Ranch RV Park
917 Disc Dr
Scotts Valley, CA 95066
877-864-2728
Full hook up, pull-thru sites

Saratoga Springs Park
22801 Big Basin Way
Saratoga, CA
408 867-3016 x824

Trailer Tel RV Park
1212 Oakland Rd
San Jose, CA
408 453-3535

Treasure Island RV Park
1700 El Camino Real
South San Francisco CA
650 994-3266

see also –