Camping Sites

@msegal55... great pics. Never knew this existed. Will be planning a trip there soon. Thanks.

 

Great pics! Love Anza Borrego so much we were married in the desert there in front of a big ocotillo.

One word of caution- don’t park or camp next to those cliffs - I’ve seen a ranger’s jeep roof caved in by a falling rock there!

 

^^thinking about heading up that way this weekend...care to share a few cool spots you think would be open this time of year? obviously very low snow year and high pressure for the next few weeks so i figure the conditions are still OK.

 

Since I've posted that I never thought so many people would want to camp up there. I don't know why I didn't do this before, I guess I figured people wouldn't want to camp in Tulare Co. haha.

Ok, so the two camping sites in the immediate area are Quail Valley and Leavis Flats. Quail Valley is a RV park that has full hook-ups to the best of my knowledge. I don't know a whole lot about them, but they do have a website: http://www.quailvalleyrv.com where you can find more information if you're towing a trailer. Now, the other site. Leavis Flats is a USFS campground that has ~20 or so spots and is mainly a first come first serve basis. It has all the basic things that you'd expect from a fed campground. Fire ring, picnic table, a bathroom possibly (?). Again, you can hop on the USFS website to find more info.

So the "generic" directions up to the area from the So CAL area I'll start off from Fraizer Park (off the 5). So NB 5 to Bakersfield to the 99 to highway 65 (to Porterville) where you'll hit the town of Ducor (last gas by the way) where you'll make a right turn onto Mtn. Rd 56/ Ave. 56. That'll take you up the "hill" and the campsites will be off this road.

Now, just some general FYI information. The area has no cell service, no gas stations, and the nearest city is Porterville which is about an hour and a half away. For groceries and general goods you have the Hot Springs Store and the general store in Pine Flat. They'll have basic canned foods, bread, essentially the basics if you need something while camping. There are hikes in the area, but for those just shoot me a PM asking, I don't want to flood this thread with my backwoods directions and Google earth latitudes/ longitudes.

 

I was about to say the same thing! Looks like he was only there for a minute to get a pic but yeah don't spend anymore time than necessary near those walls.

Been going to the mud caves there for 15 years and its crazy how much the walls have shifted and moved over the years. Every el nino season the big rains shift everything around, looking at pics from 2000s of arroyo tapiado its unrecognizable!

I cringe when I see people setup TENTS right next to obviously collapsing walls :/

But best advice for the area: do NOT hike on top of the caves. Thats how most people die out there including a boy scout leader a few years ago. Hike on the top and you fall through an unknown cave which then collapses around you. I don't even think they ever found the scout leaders body :/

 

What is it with Boy Scout leaders? Falling into mines in Death Valley, getting scouts lost in mines in Utah, falling while rappelling with no experience, pushing over boulders in Gobblin Valley (a YouTube selfie moment that got them in trouble with the feds and Boy Scouts!), and now stepping into pitfalls at the mud caves? They keep making new leaders out of the boys they are teaching, too!

 

SUb’d! Planning to camp presidents weekend, just don’t know where. anyone planning anything for that weekend?

 

Just spent the weekend at Montana De Oro just south of Morro Bay. Very nice campground the spots were spread out a bit too. Five minute walk to the beach. Only downside is poison oak everywhere.

 

What's with the rock stacking? Is that a "thing"? Maybe I've got to get out more...

 

Sub'd! Always looking for a new spot in Socal! This is great.

 

Just throwing out Kennedy meadows/ Fish Creek/ Troy Meadows areas.

 

Prewitt Ridge/Alms campground if any of you want free & dispersed in Big Sur. It's up in the hills overlooking the entire coast

 

Wow! Looks awesome on google maps. Need to remember this one.

 

Very much agree with #2 and #5 !

 

There aren't any good camp sites or attracions here in the Eastern Sierra... none, zero, zilch...

 

Just be wary that the bugs can get insane in the summer up there lol

 

Can a DCSB with a small teardrop trailer get thru the trails up there?

 

Pretty sure cars do it, it's just a dirt fire road.

 

Added to my list too!

 

Shouldn’t be trouble. I made it in a corolla lol