well off the beathen path

Eastern Sierra Camping - Bridgeport, CA NEW EDITION ffor 2014 -  Humboldt Toiyabe National Forest USDA recently updated most of their National Forests maps to a new plastic waterproof versions, with El Dorado being the very last of the paper maps. Front cover design takes a twist with the new retro-looking map featured here - Toiyabe's Bridgeport Ranger District . It was updated and printed in 2014   This USDA Eastern Sierra map covers places like: Mono Lake   Lee Vining   Conway Summit Bridgeport   Buckeye Hot Springs Travertine Hot Springs East Walker River Lundy Lake   Twin Lakes   Virginia Lakes  Bodie Ghost Town   Green Creek   Upper Summers Meadow Dunderberg Meadow Hoover Wilderness This rural Eastern California National Forest region is located on US Highway 395 (north of Mammoth and south of Lake Tahoe). Autumn and aspen colors are quite impressive in this area, so make plans to visit in late Se...

One great thing about Redding California is its proximity to awesome Northern California forests. Another is the big Sacramento River flowing right through the middle of town.   UPDATE: 2022 Updating this original 2007 blog post because of all the recent wildfires that have drastically affected the North State. Shasta Lake is due north & beyond that lies gigantic Mount Shasta. The Delta Fire & Hirz Fire have both burnt acres of terrain along Interstate 5 and many region may still be closed to camping and hiking. The PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) crosses this forest, north of the Shasta Lake/Reservoir. To the east is Lassen Volcanic National Park and half the park was burnt by the massive Dixie Fire. Both communities of Mineral and Mill Creek were spared and the forest is still intact. 2021 DIXIE FIRE - https://totalescape.blogspot.com/2021/12/dixie-fire-2021.html The first place you will see along Highway 299 after historic old town Shasta is Whiskeytown.  The whol...

Mokelumne Peak is at a towering 9334' elevation in the High Sierra known as Mokelumne Wilderness . Granite scenery, high country, big water at high elevations. 105,165 acres straddles the crest of the central Sierra Nevada, within the Stanislaus, Eldorado, and Toiyabe National Forests; bordered by Highway 4 on the south and Highway 88 on the north. The Mokelumne River starts way up near Blue Lakes (South of Tahoe) which flows down to Salt Springs Reservoir, on the Amador & Calaveras county line. Once inside the Gold Country region the Mokelumne River drains into Pardee Reservoir, near Jackson CA . Salt Springs Reservoir has a trailhead for the Mokelumne Wilderness. Ellis Road - El Dorado National Forest Road #8N25 a signed turn off of Sierra Highway 88; a steep long, winding, hairy drive on a paved, back road that switchbacks down to river and prime camping. Minimal access and recreation at Salt Springs reservoir. Mokelumne River Campground NFS Mokelu...

California Lake Destinations Record low lake levels at most reservoirs & lakes! The mega drought continues. Don't be disappointed on vacation: Lack of water at your lake destination may leave you mad this season. Know before you go. Check out the California Water Information page for more specific information. Reservoirs listed below are the lakes with the most water in California (as of June 2015). Number represents percent of capacity. WHISKEYTOWN LAKE West of Redding, CA 98% full  LEWISTON LAKE Trinity County, Weaverville, CA 94%  ANTELOPE LAKE Northern Sierra, Susanville, CA 99%  ENGLEBRIGHT LAKE Yuba Gold Co, Grass Valley, CA 95%  BULLARDS BAR Reservoir Gold Country, Grass Valley, CA 59%  ICE HOUSE Reservoir Gold Country, Placerville, CA 84%  UNION VALLEY Reservoir Gold Country, Placerville, CA 81%  LAKE TULLOCH Central Valley, Modesto, CA 96%  INDEPENDENCE LAKE High Sierra, Truckee, CA 95%  PYRAMID LAKE L...

Lake Sardine California upper sardine, lower sardine lakes One of the best camping lakes in California. Any lake near Gold Lake is prime pickens. This picturesque lake called Sardine Lake, or Sardine Lakes, is located within the Lakes Basin Recreation Area , north of Gold Country Highway 49 next to the peaks of Sierra Buttes and in between Tahoe National Forest and Plumas National Forest . A two tiered water storage in granite basin bowls, with the larger upper lake situated up above at the base of the mighty granite spires of the Sierra Buttes. Very impressive views all around the Gold Lake highway. Sardine Lake Campground , elevation 5,800' developed NFS campground near lower lake w/ fee, 29 camp sites, piped water, vault toilets. 530-862-1368 Tahoe National Forest nearest town: Sierra City California, on Historic Hwy 4. Frasier Falls, Gold Lake, Long Lake Trail, and Sierra Buttes are just a few of the area attractions. more on Sardine Lake Lake fishing,...

Lilypad Campground @ Lake Wishon Reservoir Sierra National Forest, California The long journey up the mountain into the Sierra National Forest is only for the true adventure seekers. First off, get a good forest map . Second, plan several days if not a full week off of work to explore this region in depth. It is a long drive from most anywhere in California, and this spot is way, way tucked back in there right up against the High Sierra peaks and wildness. East of in Fresno, historic village of Clovis is a good lunch stop in route. Drive up mountain on Hwy. 168, turn right at Shaver Lake on to Dinkey Creek Rd. Now you will clock the mileage 28.7 miles to the camp. Drive past McKinley Grove and past Dinkey Creek. Follow signs to Wishon Reservoir. This campground is located adjacent to the road before you reach the dam. All this travel time will have you asking 'is it worth it'? The answer is 'yes'..... if you want an uncrowded lake with plenty of wi...

California Desert RV Camping Colorado River Camping Picacho SRA: Picacho State Recreation Area not to be confused with Picacho Peak State Park on Arizona side of the Colorado River. This riverside Picacho Camp is also not the "Paso Picacho Campground" inside Cuyamaca Rancho State Park , in the neighboring San Diego mountains. Picacho Campground Southern California Desert Camping - 54 camp sites on the Colorado River @ 100' elevation first-come first-served camping Max Camper Length: 35' and Max Trailer Length: 30' 3 boat launches; day use areas and campground open all day and all night. Park Office: 760-996-2963 Long, graded dirt road leads to desert campground centrally located north of Interstate 8 on California - Arizona state border near Yuma, AZ. Lower Colorado River campground has adequate space for tent camping as well as motorhomes. Vegetation makes for privacy at most sites. Tall tamarisk trees provide shade at some sites and sky...

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  

Lotsa mid-western transplants typing in Google "Southern California Lakes". Well campers, I hate to break it to ya, but California has mostly reservoirs. Man-made lakes & river dams to supply our cities & crops with valuable water. The few more natural lakes in Southern California - Henshaw , Hemet , Cuyamaca nearly dry up in late summer. California is a dry state, the whole west for that matter. Face it, inland San Diego is almost a desert. It's right next to Baja & Anza Borrego Desert . If you wanna see clear mountain water, with trees, maybe pine forest views & hear bluebirds... with big rivers flowing & decent fishing, then you are gonna need to drive. When the crowds at Big Bear & Arrowhead annoy you, then the plan B is obvious. Drive further. Drive north, about half way up the Golden State Freeway I #5. About 6 hours from the busy hub of SoCal. For recreation lakes, alpine lakes, real lakes in California. The Sierra Nevada mountains ...

NorCal Lakes & Reservoirs Our northern California lakes region designates recreation reservoirs and lakes north of San Francisco, Sacramento and Truckee (Interstate 80 Donner Pass) California Lakes near Interstate 5 Lake Oroville Black Butte Lake Stoney Gorge Reservoir East Park Reservoir Shasta Lake Whiskeytown Reservoir Castle Lake @ Castle Crags SP Siskiyou Lake Lake Shastina West of Interstate 5 Lake Berryessa Hennessey Lake Indian Valley Reservoir Clear Lake Lake Mendocino Lake Pillsbury Ruth Lake Lewiston Lake Trinity Lake East of Interstate 5 Lake Almanor Mountain Meadows Reservoir Butt Valley Reservoir Antelope Reservoir Lake Davis @ Portola Eagle Lake @ Susanville Lake Britton @ Burney Falls Juniper Lake @ Lassen NP Iron Gate Reservoir @ Oregon border Copco Lake @ Oregon border Tule Lake Big Sage Reservoir West Valley Reservoir Northern Sierra Lakes Lake Tahoe Donner Lake Boca Reservoir Prosser Reservoir Stamp...

The Kern River is the biggest waterway in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains. Its headwaters start near Mount Whitney and eventually make their way down the granite gorge of the Lower Kern into the citrus groves near Bakersfield, CA. The Upper Kern is the stretch of river above Lake Isabella, north of Kernville, along the paved highway leading to the Forks of the Kern . The smaller South Fork Kern River leads into Lake Isabella from the eastern desert ranges, towering high above the north Mojave. This southern Sierra side-kick river descends down from high elevations on the Eastern Sierra, traverses through forests, meadows, granite, waterfalls and turns sharp 45 degrees to the west near at Hwy 178 @ Canebrake (jct. Chimney Peak Backcountry Byway). Kennedy Meadows, Troy Meadows, and Monache Meadows are all atop the area known as the Kern Plateau. Bakeoven Meadow is a slice of wilderness  heaven surrealism, surrounded by peaks and forest, all this beauty on the Inyo and Sequ...