Member of the Month

Biffbarf
February, 2025

Online

Welcome to the Newschoolers forums! You may read the forums as a guest, however you must be a registered member to post. Register to become a member today!

Camping in California

profile picture
ohmythugaim
Posts: 1376 - Karma: 130
So I am visiting LA with my girlfriend towards the end of August. We're spending some time in Vegas, and about a week in LA. We want to go camping in Yosemite but it seems practically impossible to get a campsite there. Are there any other cool places to go camping/hiking around LA? (We will have access to a car).

Also, I'd much rather camp at a place that isn't a "campground," with like 20 other people all in the same area. Are there places where you can camp where you are just on some land somewhere with nobody around?
12 years ago
6 4
profile picture
TheHamburglar
Posts: 3895 - Karma: 3,317
yoshua tree
12 years ago
1 0
profile picture
sugarloaf
Posts: 7866 - Karma: 299
try camping in the wilderness in yosemite instead of a campground. rent a bear box, pack everything in and go for a walk in the woods. you'll have much more fun than staying in a campground
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Ribss.
Posts: 3442 - Karma: 3,344
Yeah, you just said you don't want a campsite with 20 people around, but thats exactly what the Yosemite campground is, theres even a hotel. Just go up to Yosemite and take a walk with camping gear.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
ohmythugaim
Posts: 1376 - Karma: 130
what is the legality of this? lighting fires etc.?
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
.frenchy
Posts: 18231 - Karma: 12,397
Haven't seen OP post in a while, tis a shame.
12 years ago
0 1
profile picture
Ribss.
Posts: 3442 - Karma: 3,344
Ok, so everything I'm about to say is knowledge from 3 or 4 years ago, it might have changed. You have to pay to enter the yosemite valley at the front gate, and if you chose to go into the wilderness to camp you need a permit (which is free) because they limit and keep track of the number of people in the actual Yosemite Wilderness. You can also camp right outside of the National Park in the National Forest for free. A good way of doing this is driving up glacier peak road. Fires are legal if you put them out at before you sleep and have rocks surrounding your fire. I highly recommend going to Yosemite if you want to camp because everyone should experience the beauty that is Yosemite. Do remember that getting into the wilderness and away from the tourists is a long hike, upwards of 5 miles in any direction pretty much. I usually hike 15+ miles out. If you do camp outside of the park in the forest land be sure to make on trip into the valley at least. Also, if you have the time hike Half Dome, totally surreal experience.

Sorry for the wall of text.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
ThaLorax
Posts: 21097 - Karma: 8,540
You do not want to be in Joshua Tree in August. Talk about sweating balls....

If you're in LA, just go camping in the San Bernadino Mountains. Lots of huge mountains around there and you got Mono Lake.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Rachy
Posts: 4355 - Karma: 2,761
You can camp and do pretty much anything you want on BLM land no permit needed. There is a lot of this up by Mammoth/Lee Vining. There are actually some really amazing hotsprings and you can camp at those.

It's about a 45 min drive from the blm land to the valley. Great for camping and then driving in for the day. No bears... just mountain lions :)

By LA, there are a lot of camp sites off the angel crest highway that are really beautiful. They don't typically get too crowded either.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
TheHamburglar
Posts: 3895 - Karma: 3,317
missed the part about end of august. camped there last weekend, had a great time, still highly recommend it
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Ribss.
Posts: 3442 - Karma: 3,344
No, no, and no. So many meth heads up there. Mono lake is far from interesting, and camping in southern cali pretty much sucks. If you want a true outdoor experience Yosemite is the way to go. Like I said, everyone should experience the Yosemite Valley once in their life.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
act.resist
Posts: 8875 - Karma: 513
You need to have a backcountry camping permit to do this
12 years ago
0 1
profile picture
iFlip
Posts: 4544 - Karma: 19,145
I lived in Yosemite as a dirtbag climber for quite a while. I also climbed and camped extensively throughout SoCal. Sending you a PM with some info that I'd rather not post on a public forum.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
act.resist
Posts: 8875 - Karma: 513
Well youre no fun
12 years ago
1 2
profile picture
EricCartman
Posts: 268 - Karma: 410
Thats dope, im finna dirtbag in utah soon
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
iFlip
Posts: 4544 - Karma: 19,145
Hopefully not "soon" soon. You will bake in the heat. Don't consider Utah before October or November. Right now it's Toulumne and Squamish season!
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,003
If you're going to do Yosemite, get a spot in Tuolomne meadows or go to Hetch Hetchy. Should be way easier than in the valley.

Either that or go to Sequoia and Kings Canyon. Way easier to find camping if you don't want to do the whole backpacking thing (I've camped in free sites a bunch of times) and Kings Canyon is like Yosemite without the crazy crowds.

(I mean, really... most people would mistake this as Yosemite, anyways)

Click for larger image

And you have way sicker peaks...

Click for larger image


Either that, or do Eastern Sierra zones, where there are like 14 different 14ers, and countless 13ers and 12k peaks. North Palisade is my favourite...

12 years ago
1 0
profile picture
ThaLorax
Posts: 21097 - Karma: 8,540
What? The mountains surrounding Lee Vining are pretty damn "interesting" and it's the backdoor to Yosemite. How can you say that camping in Southern California sucks? Where do you think half of Dharma Bums was based on? Where do you think some of the largest mountains in the country are? You've got Kings Canyon, Seqioa National Park/Forest, and Inyo National Forest all in Central/Southern California.


And about this curious geographical region called "Cali". Cali is a mythical and ideological place created by curious east coasters seeking their Dog given right to manifest destiny. California on the other hand, has lots of great camping.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,003
Some more awesomeness of Kings Canyon and Sequoia NP. Seriously my favourite part of the sierras..

Click for larger image

Click for larger image

Also driving in there is a trip. 1500 foot walls. craaay.

Click for larger image

Click for larger image

Click for larger image

Click for larger image

Click for larger image

Click for larger image
12 years ago
1 0
profile picture
PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,003
I think he means southern california, as in south of the grapevine... In which case he's only correct because water is scarce unless there's heavy snowpack and it's no later than Mid-July.

I wouldn't call Yosemite, Sequoia or Kings or Inyo so-cal at all. It's all right out of Fresno, or Bishop..




Joshua, southern part of Death Val, and Mojave in that case are the only NP's in socal.



12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
ThaLorax
Posts: 21097 - Karma: 8,540
Hi Sean, if you re-read my post you'll see I said Central/Southern California.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,003
You know I don't speak marin-ese...
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
JakeAssBeatClap
Posts: 6673 - Karma: 2,537
hahahaha marin-ese, that's funny. but to be honest everyone from around the bay talks a different fucking language.

OP you should go camping in the area of LA that is east of San Pedro street, south of Third street, west of Central Avenue, and north of Seventh Street.

Lot's of adventures could happen in that area.
12 years ago
3 0
profile picture
Fun_dip
Posts: 2623 - Karma: 913
Yosemite Park has tons of great places that are less popular such as Wawona(has a falls, but it's way smaller), the Redwoods, etc that are less popular than the valley that you could find a lowkey spot to camp at in the forest. The valley is by far the most incredible part, but it is so fucking crowded and full of dumbasses. Bumper to bumper traffic a lot of the time and ridiculous amounts of dumb foreigners. It's that place where it's so awesome to see, but the whole time you just want to kill everyone around you.

My sister was going to do similar to what you're doing and she was in between the valley and Wawona and she saw a bear so she turned around and called it quits.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
ThaLorax
Posts: 21097 - Karma: 8,540
Cuz Money County is sooo cutty. More like cup cakes. Yadadaimean?
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,003
True that. When Nick and I hang out, we can barely distinguish ourselves between his Northbay accent and my Eastbay accent.

Hella.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Phil-X-
Posts: 7205 - Karma: 14,402
Yosemite.



I have travled the world and its one of the few places that have truly left me in awe.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
SmotSmoke
Posts: 599 - Karma: 2,728
Watch out for those park rangers, they are sternly out to get smot pokers and give hefty possession charges. A really good national park though.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Phil-X-
Posts: 7205 - Karma: 14,402
Funny story. During the same trip to Yos with my dad, we stayed in San Fran for a couple nights. While visiting haight and ashbury we were waiting for a bus and some random black dude asks us if we wanted weed. Now my dad is super foreign (POLSKA) and he didnt understand this guys ebonics and just answered "uh.....Yea"

First thought in my head- Holy shit my dads about to buy nugget from a sketchy ass colored... WAIT. MY Dad wants to smoke weed?!?!?

Second thought- Is that why he wanted to buy that chillum in the headshop?? He said it would make a cool souvenir...

Third- Wait this cant be right... theres no way he wants to smoke weed

Fourth- Damn, I really wish we could buy nug from this dude

Fifth- "Naw man, we're good"

My dad just looked at me and says (in polish) - "What was that about? What did he say?"


He had no idea what he had almost did
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
ThaLorax
Posts: 21097 - Karma: 8,540
Park Rangers in every national park are like that. It's on Federal land so they have to enforce federal laws. Last time I was camping in a National Park, the ranger told me that my friends wreaked of weed and that we should go before he gets us in trouble.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
ohmythugaim
Posts: 1376 - Karma: 130
so i can just drive up there with no prior permits or anything, go to the gate, get a wilderness camping permit and then just hike off into the middle of nowhere and find a spot? and this is all legit and legal?
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
ThaLorax
Posts: 21097 - Karma: 8,540
Yes, basically. Everything he said was true except for having a fire as long as it's surrounded by rocks. It's illegal to build your own fire pits and you can get a huge fine for it, especially in designated Wilderness areas.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,003
Yes. This. There are designated fire pits in certain areas though, so you shouldn't have too much trouble.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
pineiro7
Posts: 1 - Karma: 8
I like to use RoverPass to find campsites:
https://www.roverpass.com/
7 years ago
0 2
All times are Eastern (-5); Currently it's 3:20PM