Leo Carillio April 10 and 11, 2011

Back to the place where it all started for me. the Leo Carillo group site is still one of the best group campsites I have been to and it is only an hour away, who could ask for more!

Hope to see you all there, if you have not signed up for emails, please do so by using the form at the top of the page and if you know someone that might like to be on this mailing list then tell hem to fill out the form as well.

Lookout Towers Camping

Ever since I have heard about lookout towers I have been in love with the idea of staying in one. I came close last year and booked one, the closest to Los Angeles, but alas I did not make it. The good news is that I have done a lot of homework and am gladly sharing it with you here.

There is plenty of information on the web about these fascinating accommodations, since I have yet to actually visit one I will just list the info and you can look into it on your own. Please let me know if you discover something I should know about staying at a lookout tower.

From Fire Lookout Wiki Page:

"The typical fire lookout tower consists of a small room, known as a cab located atop a large steel, or wooden tower, however sometimes natural rock may be used to create a lower platform. In some cases, the terrain makes it possible so there is no need for an additional tower and these are known as ground cabs. Ground cabs are called towers even if they don't have a tower to sit upon."

Here is a map I made of all the closest lookout towers up to the Northern edge of California.


View Lookout Towers and Cabins in a larger map

Here is a vast page of state by state lookout tower information including rental information.

Here is a listing from an interesting website on unique places to stay called Odd Inns and Uncommodations

Here are some direct links to lookout towers and cabins in California that you can rent within the states park and national forests websites:

Bear Basin Crescent City area
Girard Ridge Mount Shasta Area
Post Creek Shasta area
Oak Flat in Sequoia. This is closest Lookout Tower to Los Angeles as far as I know.

Just to wet your appetite, this is some time lapse film a friend of mine shot at the Girard Lookout Tower after I told hi you could rent these places and he could not believe it.

Labor Day Weekend 2010

Please enjoy a beautiful sideshow of photos from the trip via Mary Redfield and a sideshow movie courtesy of Henry Cline

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Sequoia National Forest, Kern River
September 3rd, 4th and 5th 2010

I had a heck of a time trying to book something this morning. I tried like five spots and all were unavailable. Then I started fishing around and came across this. Looks pretty outstanding if you ask me, so I booked it.

Hope to see you there!

Camp Three Group Site

Camp 3 Campground is located on the Upper Kern River 5 miles north of the town of Kernville. This mountain setting campground with oak and locust trees stretches along the Kern River that offers many water activities. The campground consists of 52 paved sites with and a group camp that will hold up to 30 people for friends or family gatherings.

The group site is at the head of the campground and therefore I hope it would afford some privacy. But heck, it is literally on the Kern River! That has got to be fun.

GP Alumni Google Map

View GP Alumni Camping in a larger map

Here is a Google map that has most of the Campgrounds we have visited in the past and a few I have my eye on for the future.

I am going to try and book either Lake Casitas or Dorst Creek next. Please send me your thoughts, comments or additions to this map.