BlueBear
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Post by BlueBear on Aug 11, 2015 9:38:03 GMT -8
Hi,
I'm personally unfamiliar with Southern California, but I find myself needing to find areas in S. Cali (near LA) where I can take a couple kids (ages 7 & 9) camping for weekends in the Fall/Winter/Spring. Drive in tent campsites are preferred, although we can hike some if needed as well. Any tips would be great!
I'll be doing this somewhat frequently (3-4x per year), so if there's anywhere a guy can store camping equipment during the times that I'm not there, that would be great as well. I can rent a monthly small storage unit somewhere, but would love to save $$ if possible.
Let me know, and thanks!
- Mike
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BlueBear
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Post by BlueBear on Aug 13, 2015 8:45:02 GMT -8
Anything?
I know LA and the surrounding areas aren't exactly world renown for being a camping Mecca, but if folks know of good tips on affordable places (doesn't have to be the world's deepest wilderness, local and state parks are fine), I'm all ears. No worries if we'd have to drive a couple hours each way to get there.
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Post by High Sierra Fan on Aug 13, 2015 9:52:09 GMT -8
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speacock
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Post by speacock on Aug 14, 2015 19:19:25 GMT -8
It is dry and this year dusty - hikers have taken off north for the Sierra. The late fall, winter and early spring cool off and at times are wet. You may be restricted this year from overnight camping, and certainly with fires (including stoves). Parking along much of Southern California's mountains requires a Wilderness parking permit. REI sells them as do many other places. REI doesn't wake up early in the morning, however. It is east of Pasadena just south of I-210 .25 mile on Santa Anita Blvd. If you go the other direction on Santa Anita Blvd it dead ends into a parking lot - Chantry Flats. Hogee Camp is popular with Boy Scouts. Down a long 3/4 F mile hill (that you have to come back up!!) and about two miles to Hogee Camp. From there you can explore on up the trail as far as your legs will take you. Up from the Old Wilson Road,in Sierra Madre about 3 miles gets to Orchard - camping area. There is a car close campground just north of Baldy Villiage at Manker Flats. A few miles from there up the trail is a Green Sierra Club Hut. Check on availability. mapper.acme.com/?ll=34.26336,-117.62366&z=15&t=T Ice House Canyon is close and a good hike. I'm not sure if any camping is allowed. Out of La Crescenta is Angeles Crest Hiway to Buckhorn www.hikespeak.com/campgrounds/buckhorn-campground/Farther east is San Gorgonio. Vivian Creek is a VERY steep first mile to a camp area near the creek. I'm not sure camping is allowed any more on Mill Creek mapper.acme.com/?ll=34.07918,-116.88397&z=15&t=T On the other side of Gorgonio is Barton Flats with drive in camp grounds. mapper.acme.com/?ll=34.14108,-116.80561&z=13&t=T Fish Creek is a better trail than Vivian Creek mapper.acme.com/?ll=34.11983,-116.79462&z=15&t=T There could be considerable snow there late fall. San Jacinto is just south and has an aerial tramway to near the top and interesting places. There is snow here in winter. mapper.acme.com/?ll=33.80615,-116.65034&z=15&t=T There are others who should chime in about their favorite places to take young kids...Tarol? |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 15, 2015 16:55:41 GMT -8
There are some surprisingly good camping locations around here, and there are many I would avoid -- Campgrounds close to the city tend to attract rowdy party crowds (loud music, trash, graffiti.) In my experience, much of Angeles National Forest falls into the second category. Los Padres National Forest is pretty close to Los Angeles, and has a better ratio of good/bad spots. |
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BlueBear
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Post by BlueBear on Aug 17, 2015 12:49:27 GMT -8
This is some great stuff. I appreciate it! I'm taking notes.  |
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speacock
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I'm here for the food...
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Post by speacock on Aug 18, 2015 12:44:16 GMT -8
There are a few bazillion people within a very close encounter with the mountains near LA.
Tempting, in late Spring, are the Sierra. 4 hour drive leaving early can get you to some beautiful trail heads, and car camping. By mid June the trails below 11,000' are clear of snow (usually). The closest town to a big mountain and lakes is Lone Pine. There are several car camping areas available including one 26 miles up at Horseshoe Meadows and 10,000'. You can day camp there and take a hike up toward Cottonwood Lakes...if the road has been plowed. For years we took our 6 and 8yo up there on Father's day for a long weekend of back packing for them. Since most of the trailheads between Lone Pine and Mammoth are above 9,500' it is a late May/June for most trails.
Temperatures are mellow(ish) and the kids can have unlimited snow cones - if you bring the syrup. My favorite mid Spring hikes are: out of Independence - Shepherds Pass trail up to first water or as far as snow will allow AND out of Bishop - Bishop Pass trail to Long Lake from South Lake. Shepherd starts at 6,000' and has amazing water falls from high ridges on your left. This is a more adult hike than kids for a day hike. But they do grow up.
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markskor
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Post by markskor on Aug 18, 2015 13:43:27 GMT -8
Agree with above. Grew up LA and hiked all local - most crowded, dirty, no water...well, springtime was tolerable.
Just bite the bullet, (we all soon enough come to this realization) and head for the Sierra. 4 - 5 hours to where you really want to go anyway.
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BlueBear
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Post by BlueBear on Aug 20, 2015 11:45:29 GMT -8
I totally agree that the Sierras are superior to the immediate LA region, but I have keep in mind (a) the kids aren't adult yet, (b) they don't get out of school until 3:00pm on a Friday, when we'd be heading out, and (3) we're only going for a weekend each time (Fri-Sun), so driving 4-6 hours each direction (depending on LA traffic) to get them out to the Sierras would be, at best, a "once in awhile" thing. The "when they're older" suggestions are great, for when they're older. But in the meantime they're the age they are. Any suggestions that have us driving 4-6 hours (needing to eat dinner out along the way) and arriving at a trailhead long after dark when the kids are asleep in the back seat aren't as helpful.
I've taken the kids camping and backpacking many times. One thing I've learned is (and it's a lesson we could all do well to remember), it doesn't take the world's deepest wilderness to make them happy and entertained for a weekend. Somewhere that I could pick them up from school and have them out camping by dinner-time would be the most pleasant of all, even if it doesn't meet the criteria for "best of the best of California camping" that we adults seem to limit ourselves to.
That's the reality I have, and am hoping for suggestions that fit within that reality. Some of the suggestions have been really helpful here, and I'm thankful for them!
- Mike
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speacock
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Post by speacock on Aug 20, 2015 12:00:51 GMT -8
The local inland and coastal mountains (and desert) are where you want to be during winter/spring. My kids 3+ very much enjoyed car camping with short day hikes any place that wasn't school. That included the beaches for a weekend too. Nothing like having them participate in surf fishing with no fish encouraged enough to be caught , collecting shells and rocks and seeing a shark egg with a beating heart for the first time, dissecting a large clump of washed-ashore sea weed looking for critters. And, oh yeah, stepping on tar balls - the equivalent to dog poo in a park. |
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BlueBear
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Post by BlueBear on Aug 20, 2015 12:46:05 GMT -8
The local inland and coastal mountains (and desert) are where you want to be during winter/spring. My kids 3+ very much enjoyed car camping with short day hikes any place that wasn't school. That included the beaches for a weekend too. Nothing like having them participate in surf fishing with no fish encouraged enough to be caught , collecting shells and rocks and seeing a shark egg with a beating heart for the first time, dissecting a large clump of washed-ashore sea weed looking for critters. And, oh yeah, stepping on tar balls - the equivalent to dog poo in a park. This is great stuff, speacock. Specifically where can I take the kids camping at the beach? And where would you suggest near LA to camp in the desert, etc? We can bring water to any dry sites (not an issue). It will be crowded (no doubt) and it won't be wilderness, that's understood. But that's okay. If you haven't guessed, the family situation is... complicated. I used to have a lot of help with this stuff, but I am completely unfamiliar with Los Angeles and need to make plans there. Any help is tremendously appreciated. I can send a PM if that'd be better. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 20, 2015 15:40:02 GMT -8
Hi Mike I dont have LA car camping answers but I do live here and have hiked most everywhere in the last 15 years. My site PlanetRambler.com has a bunch of local dayhikes (at the bottom, haven't posted dayhikes lately) and a handful of overnights, but not car-camping. As mentioned by speacock, the scorching heat - from June up to late September - sucks the fun from lengthy hikes, but there are opportunities as the seasons change. Many destination spots locals dayhike to have campsites within an hours hike where you can get away from most of the crowds, eg. Santa Anita Cyn. And like he said, all of the big wilderness areas have camping - Los Padres Nat. Forest, Sespe Wilderness, San Gabriels, San Bernardino Mtns. I think you might do well to take the guys on some dayhikes to familiarize yourself with conditions & terrain and what they like and can handle of SoCal hiking. There is a lifetime of exploring some of the world's coolest places here! Then you'll find overnight opportunities in many places that even locals wouldn't guess exist, eg our own Santa Monica mountains. This site has a bunch of dayhikes. What you don't get much of in this area is tons of campsites with a view, or on a lake. Even finding a stream with water can be a challenge. Of course, this will change as the winter rains come, but its still a drought. Here's a car-camping spot that might fit the bill, north of Ojai up Hwy 33, seasonal, small with a great view: www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/lpnf/recarea/?recid=11024Larry |
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Post by High Sierra Fan on Aug 20, 2015 15:45:54 GMT -8
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speacock
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I'm here for the food...
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Post by speacock on Aug 21, 2015 5:52:52 GMT -8
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speacock
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I'm here for the food...
Posts: 378
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Post by speacock on Aug 21, 2015 7:05:55 GMT -8
One caution!! Make sure the kids know and recognize poison oak. It abounds in the mountains and near beaches. For those susceptible, contact with it is a big inconvenience for weeks afterward. Technu for those moments when you forget or your dog returns from a romp in the bushes and lands in your lap to show how much he loves ya. poisonivy.aesir.com/view/technu.htmlThere are rattle snakes in the mountains. They won't bother you if you won't bother them. Just watch where you are walking. You will slip and fall a thousand times for not looking where you are going before you see one tho. Of all of the millions of visitors to the mountains there might be a few rare bites. Mostly to the face and upper body of high testosterone loaded, inebriated young men with females in the nearby vicinity. Quell the urge to pet all of the dogs (should be on a leash) on the trail. They too are in a different environment and may nip just out of excitement. Bears are rare events on the trail but common in neighborhoods that back up against the mountains. But it is BIG news when one does show up in a pool or hot tub on a hot day. The most rare event of all are mountain lions - well, ok, meteor strikes. In the last 150 years there have been only a small hand full of encounters - of any kind - anywhere in N. America. Don't worry about the wild life...poison oak is something else.  |
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