Camping Season almost here! Looking for a campsite in So Cal.

[porky]

Ok Pacific- Unitedwestand has the right map.

99 fwy Bakerfield
178 to kernville- you can fish in town and they plant it all the time-

Past kernville toward Johnsindale there are all kinds of camping spots:

There are a couple of fishing resorts

a few camps with showers and toilets

a few primitive spots with pit toilets

AND there are also TONS of spots off the road for primitive self contained camping.

You can hike all the way into the Sierras if you want -Kennedy meadows etc.

You can camp along the road to Johnsondale and then go out for a two nighter into the wilds if you want.

you can also camp along the road and be back in Kernville for a night at the Brewery in about 20-30 mins.


The Kern reminds me alot of the Santa Ynez Backcountry-which is two hours away too! the Santa Ynez is a smaller river of course but there is some good trout fishing at the resevoirs etc. I go out camping there alot too- not as firearm friendly but you can open carry.


CALL THE RANGER STATION ABOUT SHOOTING IN THE AREA!!!

Do not ask "if" you can shoot, ask them "where"- The ranger took out a map and showed us several spots five minutes away from our campsite!




I may be going back there on Wedneday till Friday! Will gwt more pics and shoot my Saiga for the first time!

[pacifico23]

Awesome man! Thanks for the help. I've camped Kennedy meadows a bunch from my dirtbiking days. I think this is where we are going to go. I'll def make sure to hit up the ranger station before I do any shooting. Thanks for the help!

[Alan Halcon]

Ahh hell, Porky, now I gotta go to Kern

[2ndornone]

Thank you for sharing this spot. We may go there this summer or into Monache Meadows.

[SickofSoCal]

Finally camp season is almost here! I wasnt able to go last year due to some health problems with my dog that literally kept me from going on any vacation for 4 months or so. We are trying to plan our first trip of the year we are looking for a campground that accommodates these activities within the vicinity of the campgrounds...

1) Fishing
2) Hiking/ Backpacking
3)Shooting
4) Dog Friendly
5) Somewhat smaller or secluded campsite. ( Cant stand those huge campsite)

Usualy we go up to Lee Vining, Independence, and everywhere in between. But we have a feeling the Sierras may be little too cold in late april. So we are looking for somewhere we can do some fishing, maybe drive somewhere secluded 10-15 minutes away to posssibly do some shooting. And hiking or backpacking. We were maybe thinking of doing a 3-5 mile backpacking hike, and stay overnight and then head back to our main camp the next day.

Any suggestions on a campsite like this? I know there are plenty in the sierra area. But we may have to wait a little for that. We are looking anywhere in so cal to central California. Any tips or help would be great!

First of all, where are you located?

[SickofSoCal]

I would not suggest the Kern river area if you are into "getting away from the crowds", unless maybe during the off-season. I have never seen a more crowded cluster in my life.

All the city folk from L.A. and Bako are there.....lot's of boozeheads and noise. It may be "getting away from it all" to city folk, but it sure isn't for a purest. There are just too many reasons for people to go there in the first place.(fishing, whitewater rafting, etc). In general, I try to pick places that people don't know about, or are less likely to go, such as areas off of dirt roads. When I drive 3-4+ hours and have to hear nosy dogs, kids, air horns, and the boozeheads raucous laughter reverberating off the mountain sides, I get a little pissed off.

National Parks are a big no-no too.......$20-25 bucks to get in, no shooting, and hordes of excitable foreign tourists with clicky cameras and designer clothing. Yeah, to say that spoils the wilds is putting it mildly.



Then again, if you can't drive more than 2-3 hours and are not picky, it may suit you just fine.

[porky]

Don't be hatin' sick-

it IS better before the opener, and the upper Kern DOES get crowded during the rafting season

BUT

All you have to do is go in a bit further and drive some forest service roads east of Johnsondale- camping where others are too lazy to go to...

Fish the creeks and tributaries of the Kern during the season, well away from any big crowds-

Although I had never been to the Kern, I am familiar with the NF areas surrounding it-

[SickofSoCal]

Although I had never been to the Kern, I am familiar with the NF areas surrounding it-

Well, to be frank it CAN look like this at times:



If you are going there for THIS type of reason/s, then more power to you. If not, then be advised.

That is all

[pacifico23]

Well we usually go mid week anyways to escape the crowds. And even so we always scout and try to ind the most low key private camps. Growing up camping the Santa Monica mountains, I have grown a hatred for hugely populated camp areas.
I'm currently located in SFV, and willing to travel 3 hours in any direction. So far, for the time of year this Kern spot is the best I have came across. Once summer comes I'll be easing up to lee vining area and some independence and lone pine camping.

[SickofSoCal]

Well we usually go mid week anyways to escape the crowds. And even so we always scout and try to ind the most low key private camps. Growing up camping the Santa Monica mountains, I have grown a hatred for hugely populated camp areas.
I'm currently located in SFV, and willing to travel 3 hours in any direction. So far, for the time of year this Kern spot is the best I have came across. Once summer comes I'll be easing up to lee vining area and some independence and lone pine camping.

I hear ya man. I'm the same way driving-wise........3 hours one way is about my limit for weekend or 3-day weekend camping trips.

Sounds like you know what you are doing. IIRC, you have a 5th wheel and other things which limit where you can go. I had a couple suggestions I was thinking of PM'ing you about, but I don't think that they will work for you!

Are you into desert camping during the cooler months?

[porky]

Thats a great pic of me and my friends primitive camping!

thats just about how it looks when tubers and rafters are all over the place -no wonder there are so many drowning deaths on the kern each year!
Those are the hoards to watch out for on the main river during the peak

[USMC VET]

I'm in nor cal, but I'm stoke camp season is around the corner. Going April 19th!!!!!

[couch]

I just heard from a few friends that they are going to go camping. Their plan is to go to Joshua Tree in May. I'd like to go, but I want to be able to fish and shoot, so I'm not really into the idea of Joshua Tree (from all that I have read).

We are all located in North Orange County, and I am personally fine with driving for a few hours to go to a good spot we can really camp out, fish and shoot without the hassle and without the crowds. This may seem like a lot to ask for.

I'm not looking to take over their plans, but I would like to throw out some suggestions as none of them are really the outdoors type so they are going by what they have heard from their friends. I trust CalGuns opinion over theirs when it comes to this sort of stuff as this isn't really their thing.

Kern isn't much further than Joshua Tree from here, I'm right about in the middle from both. Any other suggestions is greatly appreciated!

Note... I'll have my dog, handguns and possibly a shotgun (if I get it in time). Not sure who will be driving but I have a car, so I can't be climbing much with it or going thru any rough terrain. I'm fine with parking it and hiking, so it shouldn't be a limiting factor really.

[JasonM]

Is everything upstream of Lake Isabella off-limits to (trout) fishing prior to the "opener" (Last Saturday in April)? I'm not familiar with the names of all the forks and tributaries and it's a rather daunting task to go through the alphabetical listing in the DFG regs.

[pacifico23]

I hear ya man. I'm the same way driving-wise........3 hours one way is about my limit for weekend or 3-day weekend camping trips.

Sounds like you know what you are doing. IIRC, you have a 5th wheel and other things which limit where you can go. I had a couple suggestions I was thinking of PM'ing you about, but I don't think that they will work for you!

Are you into desert camping during the cooler months?

Oh yeah, I swear I should be a reviewer of camp gear or something when it comes to desert camping. Up until I sold my dirt bike, I prob made 15-20 desert trips a year. We would go every other weekend to Cal City, Jawbone Canyon, Dove Springs, Randsburgh, stoddard wells, Jhonson drive, El Mirage, Glamis. Hell everywhere I was allowed to ride I prob camped there.

If you want to test your gear, desert is where to go. Ive gone through 6 tents that have ripped, broke, snapped. Rip off camelbacks that broke down from the wear. Backpacks too. You should've seen my packs has after 3 years oh my god. One was a north face pack and the other was my riding bag. I've bought wind resistant lighters that don't work a crap in jawbone canyon.
The desert has taught me a lot. Like not to buy cheap camp gear. Desert weather just destroys my stuff. My last two tents have been Sierra Designs and currently have the Nemo Losi(my fav tent so far). The Sierra was good but just kinda small (was a 2p)