well off the beathen path

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 cli...

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 North Coast Shasta/Cascade Gold Country The Sierras San Francisco Central Valley Central Coast The Deserts Los Angeles Orange County Inland Empire San Diego  

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 US 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 ...

Camping is great here nearly year round, but campfires restrictions are often tight in dry summer months and into late fall. The Kern River draws visitors from Southern California, as well as Central Cal. It is the southern most big river of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Located near a few big Sequoia trees, the Kern River winds thru Golden Trout Wilderness & Sequoia National Forest, dumping into Lake Isabella before heading west to the flatlands of Bako. The smaller & lesser known south fork of the Kern River is located way up top at Monache; Granite peaks, joshua trees, sage meadows & wilderness near Olancha Peak, on the very border of the North Mojave desert. Plenty cool stuff to see and do around the Lower Kern Canyon: Alta Sierra Domelands Wilderness Fairview CA Golden Trout Wilderness Kennedy Meadows Kernville CA Lake Isabella Pondersosa Remington Hot Springs Road's End Sequoia National Forest Wofford Heights CA Upper Kern is often thought ...

Most people moved to California for the great weather, the awesome scenery & the forward thinking culture. Or maybe you just relocated here for a job, a career or college. Either way, you are here now & all the plans you had to travel have slipped by the wayside. Computers have now taken over your daily entertainment, your life and society. NOT! No matter what your excuse is the need to be outside enveloped in nature and to explore new trails is still buried deep within you. You crave the sunshine, the fresh air, the real true connection w/ the earth. Caves & caverns of Gold Country, the High Sierra peaks, the wineries to tour.. it's all still out there. Not all the forests have burned - yet. California  A to Z In case you don't already know the back roads of California like you really wanted to, DanaMite has compiled the awesome California small town list , an ever growing compilation of all small towns & some not-so-small cities. It's the perfect...

Mojave Desert / Mohave Camping Mojave, one of the largest deserts in the USA. Named after the Mohave tribe of Native Americans, it contains a number of ghost towns, the old railroad depots, and nearly 2000 plants species. The Mojave Desert is crossed by major routes - Interstate 15, Interstate 40, US Highway 395 & US Highway 95. READ MORE Right in the middle of the Mojave Desert is the National Preserve. The largest joshua tree forest in the state of Cali. Summer temps can easily reach the triple digits, so camping and hiking is most favored in autumn, winter or spring months. There are many primitive style (free) camp spots inside the park and surrounding the park, and there are also a few developed campgrounds as well. Goffs schoolhouse to the east has outdoor showers. Hole in the Wall Campground Mid Hills Campground Black Canyon Corral & Group Camp Hundreds if not thousands of dirt roads network the Mojave desert This desert park is an ideal spot for "i...

General Store at Kennedy Meadows, on the Kern Plateau, California There are 2 different places in the Sierra Nevada mountains called Kennedy Meadows. This one photographed above is on the Kern Plateau, located in the Southern Sierra in between Dome Land Wilderness & Golden Trout Wilderness . The infamous Pacific Crest Trail (the PCT) passes through this region. Sequoia National Forest spans most of the land to the south and west of Kennedy Meadows. Inyo National Forest sits directly to the east. Monache Meadow s and Olancha Peak are to the north side kennedy meadows on the kern plateau -  High elevation Sherman's Pass Road leads uphill from the west, where the steep turn off, next to the Kern River is often gated. Way north of Kernville, CA . Shermans Pass Rd is a paved back road that closes annually for snow, so call the local ranger for up to date weather & road conditions. Access to Kennedy Meadows from the east side, Inyo County Road # J41 off of Easte...

The Sierra Nevada mountains range in elevation from 2000' - 14,494' above sea level. From rolling foothills with creek, oaks & wildflowers to tower granite peaks, alpine lakes & high country meadows of the Eastern Sierra. Imus Geographics makes a nice overview map of the Sierra Nevada mountains and this one is a hot seller on Total Escape! Over at the Total Escape map store we have an epic selection of Sierra Maps - see all Sierra Nevada Maps Eastern Sierra Map Gold Country Maps Lassen Maps Mammoth Maps Mt Whitney Maps Sequoia Maps Tahoe Maps Yosemite Maps Northern Sierra Forest Map Set Central Sierra Forest Map Set Easterm Sierra Forest Map Set Southern Sierra Forest Map Set California Sierra Wilderness Maps PCT - Pacific Crest Trail Maps  

California is the most epic place to live for those who love the outdoors and camp often. Terrain can be extreme like the vast deserts and higher elevation mountains. Moderate elevation forest, mountains and rural regions, such as river canyons in the gold country and Northern California. Mild and mellow landscape w/ developed campgrounds along the coast and near the urban centers. The weather is always decent somewhere in the golden state. Deserts are prime areas for wintertime camping, off-roading, old mines and ghost towns, as well as early Spring wildflowers. Wine country camping , farm-stays and recreation reservoirs are abundant all around the Central Valley and areas north of San Francisco. Coastal and beach camping is the most popular and sought-after destinations, so make your reservations if you want a guarantee spot. City camping is primarily offered by State Parks, county parks, regional parks and private RV resorts. California mountains are the place to be in the...

Boating Powell: The Couples Choice No need for a big houseboat? Try a power boat rental instead. Cheryl and Jay rented a 21 foot power boat. This was MUCH less expensive than a houseboat rental, and a much faster way to get around the lake. It allowed them to motor deep into some of the slot canyons & find private coves for overnight stays. Obviously, they gave up a lot of the luxury of the house boats, but this power boat had a cabin that slept 2 comfortably, and it was nearly ideal for their needs. Jay brought his inflatable kayak, which worked great to get deeper into the narrowing canyons. From there, they could continued on foot, and had to wade or swim through some passages. It was a great experience! Lake Powell is located in the desert near the Grand Canyon. In the Summer shaded coves may produce relief from 100 degree days. The water temp ranged from about 80 to 86 degrees. Spring & Fall are very comfortable. Powerboat rentals start at $350 per day and ...