socal camping areas

[Dirty506]

so i'm looking to go camping one one of my weekends off and i have never been camping in the socal area. i want to go to a place that is very green with some sort of body of water near by to swim in and what not and if possible shoot of some guns as well. i'm out at fort irwin in the desert so green and water is not somehting i see all to often. what would you recommend? thanks calgunners

[TurboChrisB]

I've never heard of a spot ON a lake where you can shoot in SoCal......you'd have to find a lake where no one (including rangers) are at...MAYBE in the high sierras? And I've heard of some cool lakeside camping (but no shooting) up near mammoth.....good luck and report on what you find out.

[Dirty506]

ya i can do without the shooting the green and the water are priorities

[Which Way Out]

Depending on what you call camping. You could head up to Big Bear or over to Lake Hemet. Both are in the SBNF and have everything.

[Cnynrat]

Big Bear is probably your best bet for camping in Socal with green and a large lake. You can camp right on the lake at the Serrano campground (reservations required for summer weekends), or there are other campgrounds further from the lake in the surround area.

There are a few shooting areas nearby - check the San Bernardino National Forest website for info. Note that they often close from mid summer on due to fire hazard.

[Dirty506]

ya i'm thinkin big bear it is and i like real camping middle of nowhere stuff but the wife doesnt so a place that has things would be better for both of us her so shes happy and me so she doesnt kill me. i guess we are going memorial weekend and its probably going to be packed. any places in the area you owuld recommend?

[rockhead]

Holcolmb valley campground

[Dirty506]

hanna flats campground.. anyone been to that one?

[Got Stuff?]

hanna flats campground.. anyone been to that one?

Yeah. Remote and scenic.

Jenks lake or maybe Lake Arrowhead?

[Which Way Out]

hanna flats campground.. anyone been to that one?

Jeeped through there many times, its not near the lake. M Day will be a zoo either way. If you can, do a quick recon run before then so you dont get squeezed out.
Hanna Flats is up behind Fawnskin so its off the main road a bit, but if you had to run into town its wouldn't be that bad.
Have fun

[Alan Halcon]

lake Isabella and you can enjoy the Kern River. It is about 3 hours, maybe less, from L.A. That said, it will be packed for memorial.