I had always wanted to camp in the Inyo national forest. Oh ridge was on my list and I was able to finally make the trip. It was a hefty drive from the Central Valley but the views were stunning. The mountainous route was sketchy but arriving to June lake was amazing! Our campsite was awesome, site 6 in bear loop. You can see the lake perfectly from our site. There’s bathrooms and an easy short drive to the town. From our site we drove down to June lake which was short and easy. You could technically walk but I don’t recommend it if you don’t like walking uphill. The lake is cold but beautiful!

I made reservations here a week prior to our trip because I was looking for a warmer place to camp. I previously had reservations at Pinecrest, but it was going to be in the 50s during the day and 30s at night. Which isn’t ideal since I have a 7 month old and a 3 year old. But it ended up getting pretty chilly here as well - high 50s, low 40s. I do not recommended campsite 3, where we camped. It is a double site and is spacious enough for two families. But the campground had 3 bears that were visiting every night. One huge black bear, and a mama black bear with her cub. It was disappointing to learn this by getting a visit by the black bear who comes down from behind our campsite (which is why I do not recommend campsite 3). Luckily, our kids were asleep when the black bear came around 9pm. The camp host never came by to check us in, even though we were right next to their site. They did not inform us of the three bears that would be coming by. Obviously we are in bear country, so precautions were taken. But it would have been nice to know, since we have little ones exploring the area behind us (where one of the bears was coming down). When my husband informed the camp host of the bear that came by she wasn’t surprised at all and said “oh there’s three that come every night. One big black bear who is about 4.5ft tall on all fours - he’s a big guy! And a mama bear with her cub.” This was very strange to me that she didn’t come by and tell us this, nor did she tell the other campers around us. We went and informed the two sites by us so that they were aware of this. Aside from that, the campground is beautiful. You can chop your own wood, since there was a couple of dead trees around. The walk to the reservoir is short and sweet. The water isn’t freezing either, our dog enjoyed her daily swim. I recommend this campground for its beauty but be prepared for a bear visit.

We backpacked up to the high loch levens lake where we found many available campsites. But also a lot of the nice view spots were occupied since we didn’t start our hike up early, we started at 5:30pm. The middle lake is very large and had many beautiful spots to camp. But we headed to the upper lake since a lot of day hikers go to the middle lake and don’t always pack out what they pack in. All the sites are very dispersed and you have so much privacy. We saw some people even camping on the boulders! It was very serene and quiet with very respectful campers. The trail up is a bit confusing if you don’t pay absolute attention to where you are going. You can find some orange markings or stacked rocks that help you stay on the path. Reaching our destination was amazing. We swam in the lake and napped in our hammocks. I will say that there was a lot of mosquitos. Even with bug spray I left with 7 bites. But, it’s the outdoors what do you expect? Overall very beautiful area to camp!

We arrived Fourth of July weekend and the drive down to the campground is absolutely stunning! We stayed at site 120 which was very spacious and partially shaded. The river was a lot lower than I have seen the past few times I have been here 4 years ago. Therefore there was a lot of people playing in the river. There are flushable toilets at the campground but no electricity so bring your flashlights. This campground is located towards the end of the road and it’s a great location being close to roaring river trailhead and zumwalt meadows and roads end trail. Cedar grove is just a few minutes away where you can get some groceries or little souvenirs. The campground was extremely packed and filled with families. For campers looking for peaceful camping I do not recommend this campground. But since I have a new son whose 9 months old, I was fine with the noise. Quiet hours were respected and that’s the most important part. I loved the location of the campground as you look around you are surrounded by beauty and you’re right in the canyon!

We stayed here the last weekend of June and it was a really warm weekend. Friday was 82 at its highest so it was actually really comfortable since our site was shaded fairly well. Lake jenkinson is right across from our campsite so access was really easy! Saturday we walked over and set up our canopy to cool down by the lake. There are some rentals for water activity and this lake seems very popular for water skiing and tubing! Great way to cool down. Site 33 has an outhouse right at the top of the site so that was convenient! Across from our site was also a water spigot. There are no showers here and during the hot weather that honestly sucks! But moist towelettes work well to just cleanse your body. They sell firewood at the host area for $7 a bundle. Safeway is an 8 minute drive away so you can run there for ice and groceries. There’s a nice perimeter hike around the lake that is pretty shaded also! Overall the campground is awesome. I did wish they had actual restrooms so that we could use a sink. I took my 8 month old son for the first time and it was a great experience for him, especially playing in the lake.

This campground is huge! We stayed at K035 which was an awesome site right off the lake. We had a great view of Mt. Bailey, and also access to the lake from our site. We were not super far from the restrooms so that was also great. The restrooms aren’t too bad. The women’s restroom was clean, but the men’s restroom wasn’t as clean. The boat launch which was a three minute drive from our site has showers and bathrooms also. These showers are warm, and don’t forget to donate to the shower box to help maintain it. The water felt really awesome and we kayaked from our campsite right in. There are a lot of black bugs that just land on you almost every other minute here. You get over it though. There’s a store down the road from the area we were at which was the marina and boat rental store. They sell a bunch of groceries but of course they’re pricier than normal it’s a camp store. The location makes it’s perfect to visit Crater Lake National Park being 30 minutes or so away. It is also about 40 minutes or less from Toketee falls which is an easy hike and pretty popular. Beautiful views the whole way, definitely worth staying at.

We stayed at site 73 which was semi private and close to the area where extra vehicles park. At this area was also access to the south falls trailhead. Which was nice for us to just walk from our campground to the falls. Heading towards the falls is a large area for picnicking and day use. The bathrooms at the campground were extremely clean and the showers were nice and warm. The sites are fairly close to one another. There is not a whole lot of privacy. But the campground was very quiet and calm being it was filled with campers. You can purchase firewood at the front of the campground for $5 through the kiosk. Since we visited the beginning of June we got temperatures ranging from 75-80F which felt not too bad in the woods. This campground is just 45 minutes from Abiqua falls which is where we hiked while staying here. This campground is really family friendly and easy access to hiking for the ten falls trail. The second night we stayed at site 53 (camper van) and it was much closer to the other sites. But it was also very close to the restroom which was great.

Stayed here this last weekend and wasn’t sure how hot it would be. Luckily the weather was so amazing especially being right next to this beautiful clear clean lake. We stayed at site 14, across from us was a small path that lead you down to the water. We took tubes out and laid in the water and soaked up the sun, it was so nice. It’s especially so calming because there isn’t a million boats on the lake partying and such it’s just quiet and calm water. You do have to do a light hike up the the campsite, cause the sites are sloped. It’s not bad though. The views are incredible as the sun is rising, peaking through the mountains glistening over the lake. There’s a bathroom in front of site 12, but doesn’t have light. And there are flushable toilets near the entry of the campground but also no lights. There isn’t a camp store, so you do need to buy firewood and ice up the street from Lewiston gas station. About 10 minutes passed the campground is pine cove marina where you can rent out boats, and kayaks. They have very reasonable prices! The water down this part of Lewiston lake was definitely a lot colder, like icy cold. But since it was super warm when we went out (96 degrees) the water was very enticing, on a tube! Overall, this campground is so beautiful and peaceful. There is a campground host but they mostly keep to themselves. I liked that the campground only had 17 sites, it made our experience feel more personal.

I stayed here this weekend with my boyfriends family and it was wonderful. There’s a lot of activities for families and children to enjoy. It’s also less than 20 minutes away from devils lake state park which we spent our Saturday exploring. The location is also in a good area where you can still reach gas stations and stores if necessary. Everyone is super friendly, and the campground is well maintained. There’s also cell phone service here. I’m used to a more distant camping without cell phone service, stores are 20 minutes away, and no activities at all. But like I said, it’s a family campground really great for kids!

We did a road trip from CA to TX and decided to camp at Big Bend NP on the way to Austin. Since we were traveling during their less busy season (first week of October 2019) we were able to find a site on first come first serve basis. It was a little warmer than used to, but it was not that bad honestly. Especially once night fall hit, it was chilly and comfy. Something I wasn’t a big fan of was that no camp fires were allowed, which I understand with the climate and all. But it was just so dark and I’m used to having a fire for light and hanging around having beers. The camp host was so kind! He gave us a lot of information on the area and let us know that there is a bear (aged at almost teen) who likes to roam the campground. He’s just a curious little guy and leaves. I was kind of excited to see him but didn’t end up seeing the guy. We hiked the window trail since we only had one day/night to explore the area unfortunately. But that was such a worthy hike! I had never seen anything like it. Campground overall very clean and beautiful with restrooms right nearby, showers are a drive up hill to the visitors center, and a camp host ready to help on site!

I have hiked at Big Basin SP over 5 times and have only camped here once. From my camping experience it was so lovely. Peaceful and pretty dispersed campsites. I got lucky with a campsite someone had just canceled a couple days and I took it right away. It was thanksgiving weekend and the campgrounds were all booked up. Very quiet and calm because of the amount of space between campsites. They have restrooms nearby, a big visitors center and gift shop. They have a little shop for extra blankets and camp gear in case you forget anything! Just driving through here it is so breathtaking all the redwoods are just so beautiful. Our site had enough space (tree wise) so we were able to see all the beautiful stars at night. We hiked berry creek falls and it was in early March 2019 so there had been a lot of rainfall and the fall was very full!

This was my second time staying in the campgrounds that are in Kings Canyon NP. All campgrounds here are off the same road that the visitors center is on. The group site we stayed at was extremely spacious we had more than enough room. Staying here the end of August 2018, was pretty warm but nice weather. I normally camp in colder weather so the amount of contact we had with wasps here was extremely annoying. Every time we brought ANY food out we were swarmed with wasps. It made the experience a bit unbarring. I liked the campground in general but really disliked the wasps. Because this campground is in Kings Canyon NP there’s only one area with showers that are shared with the other campgrounds. You also have to get tokens from the lodge there and in the warmer weather everyone was lined up for a shower. Other than those annoyances, the park itself is so beautiful to explore.

We reserved two sites next to each other (sites 77 & 78) so we had plenty of space. I have to say this is a very busy campground because it is in a rather popular park (King’s Canyon NP). I enjoyed the stay because I was looking for a good time with friends playing lawn games and some exploring. I would say it was a bit louder after hours than most campgrounds I’ve stayed at but because we were a rather large group it seemed to fit the crowd. Sunset campground is nearby a couple other campgrounds, and the visitors center is only a 5 minute drive away. The showers are located in only one area. I really didn’t like this because it was near the visitors center and all the campgrounds shared this. You had to get tokens from the lodge nearby there also and then wait in a long line. A lake nearby that I enjoy visiting is Hume Lake, they have a cool gift shop also. Pretty much any drive you do hear is just spectacular views.

If you enjoy privacy and a very secluded campground this is it. We stayed at group site A. This site is amazing is right next to the lake I haven’t stayed at a more beautiful site. The only downside that I didn’t like was that there wasn’t a camp host. Having a camp host always gives me a little bit of ease especially in an area with no service, deep in the forest, and stores are more than 20 minutes away. For others they might love this but to each their own! Unfortunately the time we stayed it began to snow, and no other campers were staying in the sites. It was pretty much all to ourselves. We stayed there in late September 2019. Mother Nature never ceases to surprise me. But overall I definitely keep this bookmarked because it is so beautiful! Lassen in general has great hiking trails with many views, you got to visit bumpass hell if you go.

This campground is right outside of the park, near the visitor center. It’s a convenient campground with plenty of restrooms and they are well maintained. The site we camped at was very spacious (site 3). Its a very family friendly campground, many kids riding their bikes around. From the campground it’s an easy hike into pinnacles, or they have a shuttle that takes you right to the trails. The general store is next to the visitor center so it’s also walking distance for firewood and such. We hiked condor trail which was pretty killer seeing the condors up there. It gets pretty warm out here so definitely plan ahead and go during good weather time. We last minute booked our site for mid May and it actually wasn’t that hot.(low 80s during the day) The hikes are really cool, my favorite hike is bear gulch reservoir through the bear gulch caves trail!

It’s hard to miss Kaspian campground because it’s right off the road if you’re headed south towards South Lake Tahoe. I loved this campground because every sunrise and sunset we had the perfect view of the alpine glow from our site. The lake is literally across the road from the campground. There is service and Tahoe city is really close by for what ever necessities are needed. It is a hike in campsite, but it’s not that bad. There’s a parking lot and you just bring your stuff up to your site. The campground hosts are incredibly helpful and very kind. Something I didn’t love about the campground was how right off the road it was. You hear cars constantly driving by. But other than that everything is really awesome!

This was the first time I was camping in this type of terrain, I normally am near large bodies of water and or National Forest(s). But arriving at Joshua tree was unbelievable! A huge factor when it comes to camping is always the time of year and I made sure to make reservations during spring to see the wild flowers and get good weather. I arrived the second week of March in 2019. During the day it was in the low 70s and by sunset we got low 40s. The sunsets were nothing I had ever seen before, and the night sky was lit with stars. You can see so much of the sky here because it’s so open, which was a huge change for me always being surrounded by trees. The campsites were nicely spaced apart and we had a good amount of room at our site. The bathrooms were super clean and well maintained. Although there isn’t a camp store in the campground, stores were right outside the area (7 minutes away). There’s service here also because it is pretty close to neighborhoods.

Camp Edison is extremely beautiful! I love camping here either every year or every other year (I like seeking new campgrounds). The first time I camped here was the first week of October in 2016. It was a whole lot colder than I had thought, but luckily we just put some stones around our fire and wrapped it up in wool to keep at our feet and around our bodies when we did go to bed. It definitely kept us toasty. We were the only tent campers there were some camp hosts in RVs and campers but far from our site. So when the night came around, we got visited by raccoons and coyotes. They went through our campsite but nothing major. We did leave one bag of chips out and the raccoons ate it. Totally my fault and never left anything out ever again. Second time camping here (April 2018) our campsite was super spacious we were able to set up lawn games and play catch.

I have camped at Lassen Volcanic National Park twice. And this campground is definitely the family friendly, rangers in sight, store nearby type of campground here. It’s right next to manzanita lake, and easy to access the area off the highway. My first time here I was more than excited to see bumpass hell, unfortunately this was in June of 2018 so bumpass hell was closed for construction. I still enjoyed my time here because the park is very beautiful. We drove up to summit lake and did some exploring in the area. Summit lake also has a campground that only holds a few sites. It’s a more relaxed and quiet campground since there aren’t really stores nearby.

I have camped at burney falls twice. My first time camping here I stayed in the little cabins they have. (Memorial Cabin Area) That was pretty awesome it’s just a small cabin that has a bed, all cooking and hanging out is done outside the cabin. It has a little porch was pretty cute. The downside to this campground is that it’s pretty obvious that visitors feed the squirrels. The squirrels were more than accustomed to coming right up to us. I put groceries on the picnic table and was unloading the car and squirrels literally ran to the table to attack. I was more than annoyed by this because I don’t interact with wildlife, for their safety to the public who may harm them. My second time staying I tent camped and the first night it rained. (Pioneer Campground) This was no huge deal to me because from what I’ve learned about the outdoors is you’ll never get the weather you expect haha. The next couple days weather started clearing up but was still cloudy. We hiked down to the water fall which is so breath taking and then hiked out to the lake. They have a souvenir shop, firewood and restrooms right on the campground. There’s a small town about 15-20 minute drive to shingle town that normally has little outside events.