Mountain campgrounds in western states?

[Kblock108]

My family and I are picking up our first greystone on Monday and are anxious to find a place before summer is over. We live in Southern California and are willing to make a small drive, no more than 8 hours or so. What I am looking for is a place that does not have bingo, or any organized stuff. I want a fire pit and the ability to have fires and some lakes or streams for maybe some fishing. This is our first trip and I want my kids to experience the outdoors...no offense, but I will leave the major populated places for down the road. Thanks for any info

 

[wino2]

Try Shaver Lake outside of Fresno it is owned by SCE. Above it Washon. Best place of all is June Lake. Not sure how long your trailer is so on the first two you might be restricted on length. Best thing you could be doing for your kids.

 

[Mizmary]

Have you looked at Morro Dunes? It's not mountain but we stayed there. Quiet, small, beachside and all of that. It might still be too urban --- I'll keep thinking. We did lots of weekend trips from Monterey. I'll have to think of everywhere we went.

Can you get to Big Sur? That would be a great mix of mountains and beach. Maybe no campfires depending on fire restrictions. We loved that area. It's a bit on the long side for your drive depending on how far south you are...

 

[SD08ER]

I don't know what part of Southern California you are comeing from but check out. Quail Valley Recreation Village or Gold Country camping - Angels Camp RV and Camping Resort . There are more campgrounds on SR49 in the old gold country. They can get HOT in the summer time.

Enjoy your new Greystone. We just love ours.

 

[Lynn1130]

Your best bet right now is one of the types as mentioned above. Fire restrictions are on in most western states right now.

 

[wdk450]

I like the Hat Creek/Burney area of Northern California in the Sierras East of Red Bluff. There are 4 or 5 private campgrounds in the pines between Mt. Lassen National Park (geothermal features to see, last erupted "just" 100 years ago) and Burney. Hat Creek follows highway 89 from the park's North/West entrance North about 40 miles to Burney (State Park with continually flowing horseshoe waterfall from underground aquifer source). Hat Creek is one of the PREMIER trout fishing streams in the country.

The questions for you will be: do you need hookups, or can you "boondock"? Will you meet length restrictions for publicly (Federal/State) campgrounds (which mostly have no hookups)?

I suggest you get an idea of an area and consult RVParkReviews.com. Note the list of nearby campground communities at the top right of each page.

 

[Kblock108]

Great info guys, we are going to do some research on the spots suggested and look at the review site which I never knew existed. It will work out great for our Yellowstone / Montana trip next summer, really looking forward to the time together.

 

[neilandnanci]

Lake Skinner is in Temecula and it is pretty nice. You can have fire rings and there are playgrounds for the kids. Near Temecula but has a great outoor feel. Also, Lake Santee in the San Diego area is a good. Happy Camping and be safe.

 

[btbaillie]

Make your reservations NOW for Yellowstone next summer.

 

[wdk450]

Make your reservations NOW for Yellowstone next summer.

This is probably true if you stay in the park. I stayed at West Yellowstone, at a forest service campground with electric utility (water fill was available at the campground entrance), dumping (for a fee) available at any of the MANY private campgrounds in the West Yellowstone area. The forest service campground I stayed at (Bakers Hole) was no reservations, and I arrived the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, and had no problem getting a space for a 2 week stay. For us Seniors, the Golden Age Pass gets you in there for like $13 a night for a spot with electricity.

The City of West Yellowstone, Mt. is right at the West entrance to Yellowstone Park, and that entrance is an easy, scenic, 14 mile drive to the main park loop road.

 

[Mizmary]

We made reservations at the KOA north of Yellowstone about this time last year less than a week out. We stayed for a little less than a week. While traveling through. It was a bit of a drive to the park but beautiful. If you want to stay IN the park, make reservations now. If you want to be a bit spontaneous there is room for that too if you are flexible about where you stay.

 

[Kblock108]

Thanks guys, ya we make yellowstone awhile back. Only hope is the spot we picked has 30 feet max, our new coach is 33' (36'sh total). Not sure if this will be an issue...

 

[wdk450]

I just remembered a mountain RV park a LOT closer to you - Lake Hemet, in the San Jacinto Mountains. Highway 74 up the mountain is a windy, somewhat steep, 2 lane road for about 25 miles (with 4 lane passing sections). I grew up in Hemet, and had a girlfriend "up the hill" when I was in high school, and made many trips up and down this highway. In fact, there is was no high school in the mountains, and all the kids living there made an hour bus ride each way each day. I believe this is still the case.

Some of the original title views for the Bonanaza TV show were shot at Lake Hemet. When Elvis came to Idyllwild to film "Kid Gallahad", he used to stop production each day to greet the kids on the arriving afternoon school bus from Hemet.

Here is a link to the campground: http://www.lakehemet.org/index.php

 

[funntheson]

If you are talking summer, make sure you check out the weather. Places like Lake Skinner might be too hot to really enjoy yourself. My suggestion would be somewhere like Mammoth or June Lake. You could stay closer to home and go to Big Bear.

 

[RAHanock]

North central Arizona has beautiful mountain campgrounds and lakes. Were just there last week to get out of the heat in Tucson. 60 degrees at night, 82 during the day with a light breeze. It is 7.5 hours from LA according to Google maps. There are a lot of options including diverse camping. I would suggest the Black Mesa Ranger District area on this website.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/asnf/recreation/camping-cabins/?recid=44617&actid=29

 

[Lynn1130]

RAHanock-There is no NF in Arizona that is not under Stage 2 fire restrictions right now. Even with the forecast rain it will be two weeks or more before restrictions come off. If it does not rain, we are not far from the NF cutting off access to all forests. It is explosively dry right now.


UPDATE: 7/9/2013 Coconino and Kaibab NF have moved into Stage 1 fire restrictions. Campfires in developed campgrounds only.

Fire Danger The fire danger on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests is currently Very High. Fire Restrictions Stage II Forest-wide

 

[Wmnmy]

great good sam campgrounds in Colorado and Utah with lakes trout bass bluegills good eatn or fun to catch and release great fun for wife and kids too . upper Nevada also has great spots with awesome views ely Nevada pioche Nevada lake Tahoe reno nice weather and wild life . state parks are great and some have full hookups in Utah.