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.

Trip Four Anza Borrego Redux! January 16-18, 2010

It was a mere two years ago that we made the jaunt to Anza-Borrego and to this day it is the trip that Jack requests most often. So, it being July 1st and me being up and at the computer at 8am PST, I decided to book a return visit for January, 2010.
As usual there is nothing to do now except save the date and wait.

Here is a link to the photo's from last time if you want to get a taste of it and below some of the usual site info.

Anza-Borrego State Park US Parks page
Anza-Borrego Wiki page
Anza-Borrego Google Map



Did you know that Anza-Borrego State Park is the largest non-contiguous State Park in the State of California? Well, now you do!

Trip Three! Pt. Mugu State Park April 17-19th, 2009

Thanks to everyone who joined us, it is indeed a great spot and perhaps one day we will visit it again. There was a request to post a paypal button for payment for this trip. It is $30 and the button is below:

Also here is a slideshow of the images I had a chance to take. Not as many as I would normally have liked.




Pt. Mugu Booking info:

Just booked the third trip! Very excited too. I got a hot tip from a GP Alumni who has only the best things to say about Point Mugu State Park. Here are the bullet points:

One hour from LA
Very private group site
Trails that start right in the camp ground
Wifi (I know, crazy, huh?)
14,000 square miles of park
If nothing else, the Pacific Ocean is across the street

What Trails.com has to say about the park's trails

"The La Jolla Canyon and La Jolla Valley Loop Trail has an assortment of highlights. The trail enters a narrow, steep gorge following a perennial stream to a 20-foot waterfall and pool. It crosses broad meadows with spectacular views of La Jolla Peak, Mugu Peak, and Laguna Peak. There is a coastal overlook and a pond by a picnic area."




Point Mugu State Park

It is a good sized reservation with room for 50 people and 16 cars. Should be plenty of room for all.

Looking forward to it already!

Second Trip Malibu Creek Oct 10-13

OK, here is a real crowd pleaser. Close to home and plenty of space!
October 10-13 (3 nights!)
# of Occupants: 50 (min: 9, max: 60)
# of Vehicles: 20 (max: 30)

Once again, an awesome, out of the way group site:

Description - Just 25 miles from downtown Los Angeles, the park offers an escape from the city within the city. Twenty-five-mile Malibu Creek in the park is the principal watercourse of the Santa Monica Mountains - from Boney Mountain to Malibu Lagoon. The park was the center of Chumash Native American life for centuries and was once used to film numerous movies and TV shows, such as Planet of the Apes and M*A*S*H.

Attractions - Just 25 miles from downtown Los Angeles, the park offers an escape from the city within the city. Twenty-five-mile Malibu Creek in the park is the principal watercourse of the Santa Monica Mountains - from Boney Mountain to Malibu Lagoon. The park was the center of Chumash Native American life for centuries and was once used to film numerous movies and TV shows, such as Planet of the Apes and M*A*S*H.

Recreation - The park has over 4,000 acres, featuring hiking, fishing, bird watching and horseback riding opportunities. There are 15 miles of streamside trail through oak and sycamore woodlands and chaparral-covered slopes.

Climate - A warm, dry Mediterranean climate prevails over Southern California - inland it is hot in the summer, mild in the winter. Coastal areas have a more moderate climate with frequent fog in the summer. Most of the precipitation comes as rain during the winter months.

Location - The park is located four miles south of Highway One on Las Virgenes/Malibu Canyon Road, south of Agoura Hills.

LAT: 34.1033395
LONG: -118.7339771


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Sate Park Website

First Trip! Refugio State Park, Santa Barbara Sept. 5-7

Photo gallery from Refugio Trip






















Arrival Date: Fri Sep 05 2008
Departure Date: Sun Sep 07 2008
2 Nights
Campground: Refugio SB, CA
# of Occupants: 20 (min: 9, max: 32)
# of Vehicles: 8

One last chance to get together before the next school year. This trip was recommended by our own Marie Pederson and it sounds to me like Refugio is the perfect spot for us.

Refugio State Beach offers excellent coastal fishing as well as trails and picnic sites. Palm trees planted near Refugio Creek give a distinctive look to the beach and camping area. A bike trail along the beach bluff connects the beach with El Capitain State Beach, 2.5 miles east.

Refugio SB is located 20 miles West of Santa Barbara on Highway 101 at Refugio Road

I have not been to Refugio, but it sounds like a great place for us to have a GP Alumni get together. The site I booked looks SWEET! (it is the GANA group site. All by itself at the end of the loop)





















Here is a Google Maps repository of all our camping adventures.



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Here is a review of the camping at Refugio. And another

When we get closer to the dates I will start asking for confirmation from interested parties. Until then have a GREAT SUMMER!