Good first camping spot in socal?

My buddy got a 4runner so he wants to camp for his bday midweek, any spots to reccomend? We want to be relatively close like a few hours away at the max so I was thinking maybe anza big bear or joshua tree. We'll be camping out of our trucks. Leaving thursday coming back friday.

 

Big bear has plenty of nice and pretty inexpensive camping spots. They are usually fitted out with food lockers, restrooms, and even showers. Depending on what you want to do (offroad, hike, just relax) depends which campsite location will fit you better. For example if you just want to stay close by the vehicles and hang out at the campsite, or do short scenic walks or maybe interact with locals you can get a campsite right by lake arrowhead (Serrano Campground on the northside is nice).

If you don't want to deal with tourist traffic, feel like being further from the small town commotion, easier access to some offroad trails you can do like Barton flats or san gorgonio.

 

Holcomb valley in big bear is a good one too, about a 5-7mile drive off the main road. Joshua tree this time of year is peak climbing season so good luck getting a site with all the dirtbaggers that are there for the season to climb gets pretty crowded.

 

Is Holcomb valley dispersed? Looking for something more primitive

 

not really they do have some BLM land out there as well but not sure how open it is to get trucks out there to camp.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/sbnf/recarea/?recid=26385

 

San Gorgonio Wilderness. It's the highest level of protection land can get to keep it wild in the immediate area. It's well used, and staffed by USFS and volunteers. Tons of options depending on skill level, etc. I know, used to volunteer for SGWA.

 

Can you do dispersed camping on blm land on or near Joshua tree? Was thinking of exploring the mines near there during the day

Found this article https://www.theoutbound.com/ty-merkel/how-to-camp-in-joshua-tree-national-park-for-free

 

yes you can do dispersed camping on BLM land with no fires but in Jtree if you are wanting to camp for free you are not allow to take your truck offroad. you are only allowed to camp no less than a mile from and road or trailhead and 100ft from water and jtree is very strict on that too so it would be putting all your gear in a backpack.

 

Weather was perfect this weekend in Anza-Borrego.

 

Moses Gulch up in the Sequoias is a great place. It is first come first serve and you just drop cash in a box that gets picked up. There are two out houses for your business and fire pits at all the spots. Down the hill is the river and if you walk about 20min you come to a pool you can jump in for a really cold rinse. Further yet you will come to an abandoned cabin with a fire pit if you actually wanted to sleep there. Moses Gulch is also close to Balch Park which has a lake for fishing.

 

Lots of yellow post camp site around big bear and lytle creek if you want to stay localish.

 

You literally have several hundred options to pick from, even if you're looking for dispersed camping. We were just up at Keller Peak (Hwy 18 towards Big Bear) last month and the views were great. Some hiking up there too.

https://www.hipcamp.com/california/san-bernardino/keller-peak-yellow-post-sites

 

I found this link a while back. This is in the Mt Laguna area and as long as you are outside of the "recreation area" you can camp remote. NO fires..

https://www.cheersnature.com/free-camping-in-secret-san-diego-the-laguna-mountains/

 

Lots of great places mentioned. I’ll add the Kern River. Not to far away and not to busy this time of year.

 

The fishing is great this time of year too.

 

Yes. You’re right !!!
Thanks. Now I want to leave work and go fishing.

 

Good luck finding a good spot these days unless you go on a weekday. The Lagunas are overrun with van life douchebags and hoardes of other campers that descend on the area on weekends thanks to guides like this one and free camping apps. The site highlighted in that article was blocked off by the Forest service within the last year or so. Much as that sucks a lot of these sites have been trashed by people who are clueless about leave no trace and instead leave their shit (literally) and used TP, plus other trash all over the place.

 

I've been to both of those places already didn't really notice that at the time.. They do close the gates as soon as it snows to keep all of the fools out with their 24 inch rim escalades

 

I just went to Fish Creek in Ocotillo wells, got there around 630pm Saturday and found a spot with a fire ring.. Not bad..