*this is just for the free campsites- there appears to be paid campsites and maybe RV hook ups very close by.
Pros: 1) Gorgeous lush forest 2) ice-cold flowing stream (in May) immediately off most camp spots 3) well maintained and leveled places to pitch a tent. 4) except for occasional cars, very very peaceful and far from any urban life or freeway.
Cons: 1) No cell service (Verizon) without driving 10 minutes, and then patchy for another 10-15 2) camp spots are mostly immediately off the road. It’s a very isolated place, so you have inconsistent privacy and peace and quiet. 3) several cars drove by and woke me up after 11pm. 4) the dirt road to get there as well as the pull off for the campsite are rough and a bit dangerous for low/regular cars. It’s doable but you should go very slow and watch out for giant holes and ridges. I bottomed out going into the parking space, and I lifted my Prius 1.5in
TO NOTE: Google maps incorrectly told me to take a right once I was on the dirt road that doesn’t exist. Just ignore it and keep going forward.
Explored up to campsite 4 the next day. Campsite 3 is a larger group site and a bit further off the road.
It’s not true “dispersed” camping because they have designated site you are supposed to stay at. Im not sure how many there are, but I only got up to #4, driving about 5-10 min down the dirt road.
Here’s the thing. You cannot trust either Apple or Google maps to get you here by these coordinants. Also, “here” is a relative term. DO NOT just look for a body of water as you’re going on the gravel road to let you know you’ve gotten to a legitimate campsite. I got very lost trying to find the place at night, and then getting back to the freeway the next morning. Apple Maps and Google maps showed me two completely different places over half an hour away from each other with the same coordinates. In the morning, I drove 20 minutes on the gravel road trying to get back to the highway, just to run into a dead end at a locked gate. I had to turn around and find another way to the freeway just by navigating myself down every road I could identify on the map visually, until I found a legitimate one. The reason the reviews are so disparate, is because there are dozens, if not hundreds of campsites over what I’m guessing is hundreds if not thousands of acres of woods. Some are by stagnant ponds that I’m sure are horrific breeding grounds for mosquitoes, and some are far enough from the water that you can’t see, or hear the water, and have fewer mosquitoes and bugs. Some campsites are pretty close to the road, and some are quite far. The main thing to do is, as soon as you exit the road, whatever turn off you take, start looking for very small signs that say “designated camping area”. By getting lost, I can tell you, there are multiple Roads you can take off the main highway. Get yourself to this general area, and don’t be in a rush, or frantic. Go very slowly, and just keep your eyes out for these tiny signs. Once you see one, you’ll realize they’re all over the place. Decide ahead of time if you want to be close to the road, or explore and try to find a place, closer to the water. Some areas are more open and the water is less stagnant (no, I did not find anywhere. I would personally feel comfortable swimming. The water is very murky, and does not look deep. In all of my getting lost, on a Monday in early April 2023, I did not see another single, solitary soul. Where I can’t, I also could not hear cars at all. I woke up to birds, singing, and trees rustling. It was very beautiful and peaceful.