well off the beathen path

Saturday, May 4, 2013

California Tent Campgrounds

Tent Camping in California

Car camping is also referred to as 'tent camping', where you drive to your destination and pitch a tent to sleep in. Minimal crowds w/ maximum scenery is what most seek. Peace and quiet all weekend is often the goal. Hiking trails, biking trails, horseback trails too. Few RV campers, if any; Small campgrounds located on one-lane roads, or better yet - dirt roads!

mountains • foothills • deserts • beaches • rivers • creeks • meadows • waterfalls • trailheads • parks • forests • groves • lakes

Whether you seek a developed campground: paved, level parking spot w/ toilets; or a primitive spot on a dirt road w/ creek and rock campfire ring... we have all of them listed on this web site. National Parks, National Forests, State Parks, county campgrounds, backpacking trailheads, free car camping, PG&E lake camps, 4x4 camp sites.

Here at Total Escape we focus mainly on the secluded camping - off the beaten path, forested back roads camp sites at no charge. Yes, free camping does exist inside California - if you know where to look, have a capable vehicle to reach it and also get the proper topographic maps. Dispersed camping requires that you obtain a free camp fire permit. Always study maps before hand at home and have a plan B and C ready when traveling. Some best hidden campgrounds published 10 or 20 years ago, may be well-known and busy today.

With the California population continuing to grow, traveling further back into the boonies may be needed to avoid the mass of tourists. Lakes, reservoirs, rivers and beaches are the most popular locations sought, especially in summer months... so you may wanna keep that in mind.

Below is a list of various terrains w/ great destinations all around California, w/ campgrounds or camping close by. For real peace and quiet, choose a small campground at the end of a road, or a free camp on the remote back roads.

Back Road Camping

Creek Camping on Tamarack Creek, Sierra NF

Tahoe Campground Camping

California Camping A to Z

Friday, May 3, 2013

Free Camping California

Free camp sites may seem hard to come by in Southern California - or anywhere along the ocean on the popular west coast, but these no charge camps are quite common in the rest of the golden state. The very best camps are found inside the Sierra Nevada mountains and most any forests of Northern California.

Free camping usually means remote, secluded and private. Many accessible via dirt road. Creekside, lakeside, 4x4 not required. Minimal tourists, maximum privacy.

USDA rangers like to call it dispersed camping. Some parks refer to it as open camping. RV campers refer to free camp sites as boon-docking.

If you wish to camp overnight outside of a developed campground, then you will avoid fees and steer clear of any crowds. Many Californians crave the seclusion and privacy of the back roads, totally saturated inside real nature with the wildlife and all. Developing your self sufficient camping techniques means you will have more options and skills to choose your perfect camp site.

no signs, no pavement, no toilet, no table, no fee

for free camping you will need:

FREE CAMPING vs. developed campgrounds

regular tent campgrounds are managed camping parks with marked camp sites, picnic tables, campfire rings and quiet hours (10pm-7am). Pit vault toilets are common, but flush toilets are rare. Fees for camping overnight vary from $10 to $30 per night.

Certain small campgrounds found in National Forests are so far back in the boonies that the rangers rarely get to them, so these remote campgrounds are often at no charge.

see destination photos of free camps

free camping can be found on back roads

Anza Borrego Desert
Big Bear & Idyllwild
Big Sur Coast
Free RV Camping
Lassen Camping
Los Padres Camping
Mount Able
San Luis Obispo Camping
Sequoia Camping
Sierra Lakes Camping
SoCal Backroads
4×4 Camping California

SoCal or NorCal

Southern California is less likely to have free camping since most areas located near beaches, mountains, and any lakes are already developed. Although Southern California does have vast deserts for free car camping, just not so popular in the summer months w/ triple digit heat.

Northern California and the Sierra Nevada mountains are both excellent regions to search for free camping spots. Creeks, waterfalls, small lakes, meadows, dense forests and wilderness trailheads.

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Bass Lake Camping

Bass Lake is a very popular outdoor recreation area in Gold Country California. Lake Camping, due mainly to the fact that it is next to Yosemite National Park's south entrance, Hwy 41. Bass Lake has good fishing, boating, plenty campgrounds & this pine forested lake is close to the Central Valley, north of Fresno, CA.

aka - Crane Valley Reservoir
Crane Valley Dam

Bass Lake offers outdoor recreation: marinas, fishing, permits, public boat launches, boat rentals, kayak rentals, jet ski rentals, horseback rides, horseback and hiking trails. Residential cabins, homes and condo neighborhoods surround the lake on all sides.

There are numerous Sequoia Groves tucked way back near Yosemite, behind Bass Lake in Sierra National Forest. Miles and miles of forest roads to explore will lead to secluded, primitive camp sites (free), small campgrounds, creek fishing, lake fishing and recreation, higher elevations, backpacker trailheads, hiking trails, kayaking creeks and rock climbing.

Scenic and secluded Nelder Grove is a great gem of a small camp ground, dirt road access of course. Further back in the dense forest and deep in the mountains is a wonderful loop route - when it's not closed for winter conditions. Beasore Road #7 connecting to Minarets Road #81 make an excellent weekend of adventure for those who like winding one lanes roads. RVs and motorhomes are not permitted on certain portions on the road, so check w/ rangers before venturing too far back with a large vehicle. Boats and trailers, big dualie trucks, and smaller RVs are quite common on the paved route between Mammoth Poole and the small community of North Fork, CA. Certain sections of this back-behind-bass-lake region is closed off to through traffic annually in Spring for fawning season, so deer can do there thing in peace and quiet. Make sure to contact local rangers at North Fork for up-to-date road conditions and forest restrictions currently in place.

Primitive camp sites can be found on flowing creeks, scenic meadows, hiking trails and fresh air. On this backcountry route is the small ranger town of North Fork, Mammoth Pool Reservoir, Beasore Creek, Chiquito Creek, Clover Meadows, Granite Creek Campground, Jackass Lakes trailhead, Jackass Meadows and Ansel Adams Wilderness.

Sierra National Forest is the land surrounding Bass Lake & these hidden areas found on Total Escape, are perfect for camping for free outside Yosemite NP. Mountain bike trails, creeks, meadows and numerous reservoirs. Several hiking and backpacking trailheads lead to Yosemite Park or into higher elevations in Ansel Adams Wilderness.

None of campgrounds at Bass Lake are lakeside, but located close to the lake within walking distance. Large, developed National Forest campgrounds w/ fees, or private RV parks & cabin rentals. The free camp sites are found on the dirt back roads, so take a few good maps so you can cross reference your perfect, secluded, primitive camp site. Real maps, hard copies for backup!

USDA Sierra National Forest Map
Tom Harrison Sierra Forest Map

BASS LAKE Campgrounds

Redinger Lake, South of Yosemite NP

Chilkoot Campground
Kelty Meadow
Lupine Campground
Nelder Grove
Soquel Campground
Spring Cove
Wishon Campground

nearby towns:
BASS LAKE
YOSEMITE
NORTH FORK
FISH CAMP
OAKHURST
COARSEGOLD
AHWAHNEE
FRESNO

View Larger Map

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Cabins for Rent

Huntington Lake, Sierra National Forest

Alpine Cabin Homes, Soda Springs near Donner Pass I-80

Cabins to Rent

California has some amazing locations for cabin rentals. Gorgeous scenery in so many places, nearby hiking, mountain biking and fishing. Cabins in the redwoods, cabins on the coast, cabins on rivers, or in the mountains and rustic cabins in the desert.

Cabin Communities in California

Alta Sierra
Bass Lake
Ben Lomond
Big Bear
Big Sur
Dardanelle
Downieville
Fawnskin
Huntington Lake
Gold Lake
Idyllwild
Julian
June Lake
Kernville
Lake Almanor
Lake Arrowhead

Lake Tahoe
Mount Laguna
Nipton
Panamint Springs
Pine Mountain
Pinecrest
Ponderosa
Shaver Lake
Silver City
Truckee
Willow Creek
Wrightwood

Rental Cabins in California

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Fossil Falls on Hwy 395

While it may be a bit hot to visit here during summer, I thought I would let everyone know about this awesome "stretch break" along Hwy 395, where the Mojave meets the Sierra Nevada. When you are on your way northbound toward Bishop, entering the lava corridor of the Eastern Sierra, look for a red cinder cone volcano on the right side of the highway. This easy to miss turn off is after Little Lake (which is the remains of a burnt hotel) & before Coso Junction. If you are driving over 55 mph, you may actually miss it.

To find Fossil Falls (which is not a waterfall anymore) -- turn right off Highway 395, on to a well marked gravel road called CINDER ROAD. High clearance vehicle is not required. Follow road to the right w/ signs approx. 1 mile & you will be at a small primitive BLM campground & trailhead parking lot. Surrounded by a field of black lava chunks, the Sierra Nevada mountains to the west and Death Valley Park to the east.

New picnic tables & pit toilets are provided. Stop, get outta the car, breathe, stretch & view the surreal terrain.

Standing inside ancient lava beds from the Owens River, you can breathe deep and take in the lunarscape surroundings.

Hike from the parking lot less than half a mile & you are on top of a huge lava gorge, where a maze of fun awaits you. It's literally a jungle gym of climbing & exploring here. Rock climbers love this spot & if you are careful you can manage to squeeze your fat ass into one of the tubes, cubby holes or slots. Some of this terrain is smooth and slick, so it's easy to slip. Wear hiking shoes if you plan to explore deeper into the canyon. Your first time here you could easily get lost in the network of exploration, spending an hour or more discovering new stuff - right off the highway!

The primitive camp sites in the main parking lot are RV and handicapped accessible. Possibly 2 or 3 more camp sites located behind the rocks, away from the main parking lot.

Maps for the North Mojave Desert -

Forest Maps for the lower Eastern Sierra -

towns in the North Mojave region:
MOJAVE
RANDSBURG
RED MOUNTAIN
JO-BERG
RIDGECREST
TRONA
BALLARAT
PANAMINT SPRINGS
DARWIN
OLANCHA
LONE PINE