Vasquez Rocks Park is just a quick drive up the 14 from Los Angeles, and certainly worth the trip. I had never even heard of it until my buddy Chaz found it on Google Maps when looking for return directions from our recent camping trip to Saddleback Butte State Park. On the way home from that trip, we pulled off Highway 14 in Agua Dulce and did a bit of …Read More
Big Pine Creek Campground may be a long drive for those of us in Southern California, but it’s well worth the extra mileage. Stunning views, awesome camp-sites, a winding creek (more like a river to those of us from SoCal) and some pretty decent stream fishing are all on hand. At around 4-5 hours from Los Angeles (depending on how fast you drive), Big Pine offers some spectacular scenery, the …Read More
Saddleback Butte State Park is essentially like a mini version of Joshua Tree National Park, but with far less variety (in terms of rock formations), and far fewer foot traffic. Though we only stayed two nights, I got a great feel for the place and I’d love to return sometime. For those in search of desert solitude, or Joshua Tree sightings, this place is tough to beat, especially since it’s …Read More
It’s hard to believe some of the imagery in this post, but I promise that every bit of it is 100% accurate and true. My trip to Boulder Basin Campground turned out to be a lot more exciting than I had originally planned for. What was supposed to be a casual camping trip in 70 degree weather turned into a 20-degree white-out snowstorm that I had no idea was coming. …Read More
Point Mugu State Park Directions: Head 21 miles north from Malibu along the Pacific Coast Highway (Highway1), or South 15 miles from Oxnard along the same. The official address of the Point Mugu State Park is 9000 West Pacific Coast Highway, but you’ll see the signs along the road once you make it to the campground. Point Mugu Campground Details: There are three different campgrounds in Point Mugu State Park, …Read More
Backpacking in Joshua Tree National Park has been a personal dream of mine for some time now. Though I’ve camped and hiked there a couple times in the previous year, I had never been able to work out the logistics for a real backpacking trip- mostly because I couldn’t find a specific destination that seemed worthy of the extra effort required for desert backpacking. It’s no easy task to carry all …Read More
I was all set for another exciting weekend of backpacking with the usual suspects, when at the last second- everyone else bailed out. Fortunately, I’ve spent so much of the past year traveling, backpacking, and camping by myself that this no longer poses even the slightest problem for me. Going it alone has become a necessary evil since I started getting serious about my photography, bringing a tripod along on …Read More
Sandy Flat Campground Directions: From Highway 99 take Highway 178 east to 4 miles west of Lake Isabella. Turn right on Borel Road then right on to the Old Canyon Road. Approximately two miles turn right into Sandy Flats Campground. Sandy Flats Campground Details: Campground reservations must be made 3 days in advance, though sites are also available for first come first serve- don’t expect to be able to find …Read More