El Cariso, Cleveland National Forest, was a last minute stop on our way home from Bierbaum Pepper Farms.

The campground was right off the highway, cost affective ($15/night), and there were no reservations needed. There were 24 sites tucked in the woods. A few water faucets & bathrooms throughout.

Across the street was a Fire Station and Visitor Center. Directly behind the visitor center was a 1.4 mile looped trail we took our six year old and dog on around 3:00pm. The firefighter was helpful and guided us in the right direction. The trail ended at the Firefight Memorial. Pretty cool.

The campground was empty on the Friday afternoon in February - when we arrived. We stayed in site 10 after my 6 year old reviewed all 24 sites!

Fires were allowed. It was a good stop. Nothing special but worth it too.