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Take a look at my SoCal campsite Google Map and perhaps we can think about where future trips ought to be held?
  

New lease on life

I started this blog many years ago when I first encountered group camping with kids at the Growing Place.

Our trip this last weekend to Leo Carillo was so great and so rewrding that I decided to change the name of this blog and contiue to post my experiences and give the Hedgerow community a place in the history of Southern California Group Camping fun!

Leo Carillo is truly a great spot, and as Beth will let everyone know I have an exisiting reservation for Friday and Saturday nights, May 10 and 11th, 2014.

But we should not stop there, there are a number of great group sites in the LA area, the one I have my eye on, but have never been to is:

Malibu Creek Cirlce X Ranch

Looks pretty sweet, I like the way it seems to be at the end of the line.

But I also know that looks can be deceiving. Patrick suggested we take a scout up there sometime and see for ourselves and see if meets the Leo Carillo mark or perhaps even excels past it! Malibu Creek is the closest State Park Group Site that I know of.

I am too tired to do much else, but lets say:

• Cuts and Bruises: 4
• Broken limbs: 0
• Nighttime departures: 1

A very respectible first outing.

Feel free to make any comments about how I can make this blog more useful and interesting for our future adventures.

Cachuma Lake Santa Barbara Yurts

Cachuma Lake is a reservoir just north of Santa Barbara on Route 154. They offer yurts, which I have had the bookmarked for quite awhile and finally had a chance to stay in one.

The facility is part of the Santa Barbara Recreation Area and it run by the Parks Dept of California, so it is pretty much like a State Park. You can reserve Yurts, Campsites, Group Campsites and Cabins online. The recreation area at Cachuma Lake is situated on a point that juts out into the lake on the south western side.

In general Cachuma is is a pretty flat, scrubby unshaded facility and many of the campsites do not look all that appealing. By change I happen to pick the best situated Yurt of the bunch. The Sage Yurt is well shaded and has a fantastic view of the north end of the lake. You have direct access to the water for fishing and rocking tossing. It is a great spot for sure.

 

There are seven Yurts all together, four on the eastern edge of the point, that are right next to the boat launch and I felt very over exposed. The other three are up at the top of the point, facing west, with exquisite sunset views.

The are multiple group sites, but if I ever try to organize a group outing to Cachuma my idea would be this. Try to book all three yurts on the northwest side and make that your group site, a bit more expensive, but you have the best view, the best location and the most privacy in the entire facility. The Yurts ranges from $60-85 a night.

Since we went in September so it was quite hot during the day and since you are not allowed to swim in the "lake", it is a bit frustrating. You can however rent a boat at the launch and putter around the lake which was fun and cooler than being at the site. At around 4pm the wind comes blowing off the north side of the lake right tint the campsite, which was very welcome, but made it virtually impossible to start even "match light" briquets.

There are also cabins at Cachuma lake that are quite new, but they have tv screens and DVD players in the, which seems quite antithetical the the whole camping experiencing in my opinion.

Our second night I forgot to put the cooler back in the car and there was a fierce racoon/skunk brawl late in the evening, when I went out to move the cooler I clocked at least five LARGE racoons that barely moved until the made my own raucus.

I have never stayed in a cabin or a yurt before and I must say it takes a huge chunk out of the setup and tear down time, when traveling with little ones this is a big deal. I plan on returning to Cachuma someday and when I do it will certainly be to the Sage Yurt.

Bonus points if you head over to the Cold Spring Tavern for a meal, where I have had two of my most memorable Thanksgivings ever.

Things to remember:

Pros:
Great view
Genreal store
Gas Station
Boating

Cons:
4pm wind
Racoons
No swimming

Found a jewel

I am in Santa Cruz for the weekend and decided to go for a day hike in the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park which includes a some old growth sequoias. I noticed that they have overnight camping so I decided to take a drive around the campsite loops. Boy am I glad I did!

To me, this is as good as it gets. Beautifully maintained campsites, trail heads that start right inside the loops, relative privacy, and the surrounding area has horse back riding, the pacific ocean is a couple of miles away and the nearest town of Felton has a really good Health Food Store for supplies.

The most amazing part of all is that there was virtually no one there the day I went, which was a Sunday. I just feel like this is really a great spot that does not have any of the things I find objectionable from past excursions, noise, tail gaiters, drunks teens, boom boxes, etc.



I even jotted down what I thought were the best looking sites. Sites 15 and 18 being on the shady more nestled secluded wooded side and 40, 78 and 82 being on the ridge side with what I think are the best views I have ever seen directly from a campsite.

Here is a link the booking page and a contact number 831.335.4598


Anyway, I hope to make a jaunt up there soon, Even at 347 miles I think it will be really worth the trip.

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.