hunting and camping in Cleveland National Forest

[racinjason233]

Does anyone know of a trail or truck route I can drive into Cleveland National forest on, with the wife, from Orange county side? She wants to go camping and I don't wanna drive up the 15 interstate for hours. I would also like to find some rabbits for the stew pot. Thanks for all your help once again Calguns!

[TrailerparkTrash]

Going through Silverado canyon, there's a gate that leads into the forest. However, 99 times out of 100, it's locked closed by the Forest nazis.

If you want to camp away from it all, you're gonna have to suck it up and head elsewhere. The Cleveland sucks for camping. I've deer hunted (unsuccessfully) and predator hunted (successful) there. It's difficult and filled with mountain bikers, hikers and such. There's really no trees anywhere either, except near the Silverado canyon community and up near the Beek's place ruins. As far as sights, it's a boring forest with several locked gates.

Over the years, I've called several times the forest service and have asked specifically if certain gates were open or closed for whatever reason. I've been told dozens of times that the gate was "open," only to drive up and find it closed. I wrote a nasty letter once to the Clevland forest administrator about his staff not knowing their left hand from the right. My calls and letter went unanswered.

I highly recommend you camp elsewhere. Perhaps in the Palomar district of San Diego county, the Clevland nat'l forest is better. My experience has been strictly within the OC.