Southern California Camping?

Chris Pierce

Chris Pierce

Joined
Nov 15, 2006
Messages
4,837
Howdy
I hope I'm putting this in the correct place.
I'm looking to go on an over night camping trip tomorrow. I'm hoping to find a place that is within 100 miles of Camarillo Ca. I'd like to do a short hike during the day and hike out Sunday morning. I'm new to the area but I know my way around a little. I don't mind bringing my own water but I'd prefer not to camp in the desert alone when I don't know the area too well. I also would prefer a place with few people. I don't think large animals are an issue, I know bear/food safety etc.
Also, I just bought a book on day hikes in Ventura County, and I'm kind of looking at Point Mugu and Leo Carillo state park.

EDIT: I'd prefer a place where I can just go and hike and camp, as apposed to an actual camp site with people and bathrooms and junk like that.

Thanks for any suggestions.

-Chris
 
Last edited:
Isn't Los Padres National Forest just to your North? That's where I'd start looking.
 
I'm looking there currently. I can't find a page of regulations. Anybody know if I can camp wherever I want up there? When I would camp in Washington I could just go into the National Forest and sort of do whatever I wanted.
 
I don't think it's going to be a problem, but you should call and talk to a ranger just to be on the safe side. I'm sure there are no open fires permitted.
 
Well it looks like I won't be able to get my fire permit and "adventure" pass in order in time to go camping tomorrow, so my trip will have to wait until next weekend most likely. But that's OK. It will give me more time to get my gear together and maybe pick up a fishing license as well.
In the California National Forests is it against the rules to collect fire wood? I grew up in (Northern) California and remember having to bring our own wood, but we mostly camped in State Parks I believe.
 
oh Wow. Thanks, I thought that I would have to go the a cal fire or forestry service office to get one.
 
JCavSD said:
Actually, if they allow an open fire the fire permit will probably take about 7 seconds to complete online.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/f...20Forest-%20Recreation%20Passes%20&%20Permits

You can probably pick up an adventure pass at a local sporting goods store on the way.
Click to expand...

The permits are not hard to get but I do believe that the fire permit is only for stoves and cooking fires.

By the way where is Suckville CA I am moving to a "ville" city near the bay area around San Francisco. I live in LA now so it must be better.
 
SuckVille is in the Center of Ventura County. It's also known as Camarillo to non-residents.

Yeah the bay area is better than LA, but it's still going to be surrounded by retards. I can't express how much I hate everything about California. But I'm trying to make the best of it here. :D
 
I live in Ventura and know the Los Padres and surrounding areas very well. I've spent almost 30 of my 38 years exploring it.

If I can be of any help let me know. There are several spots that are pretty easy to get to with water and cool camps.

Edit ...... I'd rather not give out certain spots publicly. I think you can appreciate that.
 
Last edited:
Hi Brian, Of course I understand that some things need to be kept confidential :)
Can you tell me what you think of the Middle Lion camp ground near Ojai?

Maybe you can answer a couple of questions for me. Are their places where I can go build shelters, make fires, build traps and practice general bush craft without people bothering me? I don't mind hiking for several hours or driving off road. How is shooting handled in the Los Padres NF?

Thanks
-Chris
 
Rose Valley Falls
phros1.JPG

Off hiway 33 near Ojai (past Wheeler Gorge)
Pine Mountain is a nice spot up there, also
Finding PINE TREE camping in the Los Padres National Forest is TOUGH :(

Figueroa Mountain is fun

Figueroa Mt. Vista by Trent Rock's Visual Vices, on Flickr
Off 154 near Solvang

If your really adventurous===>
Go to Little Caliente Hot Springs
[video=youtube;Z-CMANb97uA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-CMANb97uA[/video]
It's pretty cool
It's like a hot tub in the forest:thumbup:
2788321152_ab69e35342.jpg

And NO sulphur smell!!:)

Be advised of the infamous Los Padres Flyin' Black Gnat:eek:
I usually leave all upset around 11 am in the LPNF because of them!!! :mad:...lol
 
I went ahead and checked out the Middle Lion camp ground area. In the Rose Valley area of the Los Padres National Forest. I hiked the Sepse River Trail. Pretty desolate place compared to what I'm used to. There were lots of shrubs and some trees, lots of Bees and wasps too. I didn't want to bother bringing my Cannon Rebel, but I have some pictures I took with my cell phone. So I'll post them as soon as I figure out how to get them off of my phone.

It was nice to get outside, but there were a few things that I didn't like about it.
There were way too many people. I saw half a dozen people while hiking for just two hours and two van loads of teenagers showed up as I was leaving.
There are signs and markers all over the place.
The forest service roads are paved.
You're not allowed off the the trails.
You have to camp in designated sites. Which are small, crowded and offer no privacy. Or they charge fees and you must have a reservation.
You can only have a fire in designated fire pits
There is no shooting
You cannot gather fire wood, only "sticks off of the ground that can be broken by hand"

I understand the need for these rules, but they completely ruin the experience for me. Am I asking too much for a southern california camp site?

Does any one know a place near to Ventura County that does not have these problems?

-Chris
 
RUNIT said:
The permits are not hard to get but I do believe that the fire permit is only for stoves and cooking fires.

By the way where is Suckville CA I am moving to a "ville" city near the bay area around San Francisco. I live in LA now so it must be better.
Click to expand...
From the Bay lots of places to go like Humbolt and Lassen area or up into the Eldorado.
 
ac1d0v3r1d3 said:
I went ahead and checked out the Middle Lion camp ground area. In the Rose Valley area of the Los Padres National Forest. I hiked the Sepse River Trail. Pretty desolate place compared to what I'm used to. There were lots of shrubs and some trees, lots of Bees and wasps too. I didn't want to bother bringing my Cannon Rebel, but I have some pictures I took with my cell phone. So I'll post them as soon as I figure out how to get them off of my phone.

It was nice to get outside, but there were a few things that I didn't like about it.
There were way too many people. I saw half a dozen people while hiking for just two hours and two van loads of teenagers showed up as I was leaving.
There are signs and markers all over the place.
The forest service roads are paved.
You're not allowed off the the trails.
You have to camp in designated sites. Which are small, crowded and offer no privacy. Or they charge fees and you must have a reservation.
You can only have a fire in designated fire pits
There is no shooting
You cannot gather fire wood, only "sticks off of the ground that can be broken by hand"

I understand the need for these rules, but they completely ruin the experience for me. Am I asking too much for a southern california camp site?

Does any one know a place near to Ventura County that does not have these problems?

-Chris
Click to expand...

Welcome to California.

Now you know exactly why folks from everywhere else don't understand the BS associated with being an outdoorsy sort of folk here.
Carry the biggest knife possible, train with it and keep a low profile, it may sound all tacticool but the reality in California is the criminals don't abide, the animals don't abide but the dude must abide.
 
You like the weather here .. right! ;)

Trent Rock added some cool spots. You drove right past that waterfall in Rose Valley. The Santa Barbara backcountry has some neat spots.

Around here it's like trying to find an oasis in the desert!

There is one book by Ray Ford that has some excellent adventures in it.

Where you stopped at the end of the road on the Sespe used to be a camp so they are trying to keep people on trail there so that the vegetation grows back. Beyond that you can go off trail.

Shooting is only closed in certain areas when fire hazards are high.

At the end of the road, I'm sure that you spotted the rocks at Pierdra Blanca. The Sespe trail splits across the creek and heads up Lions canyon over those rocks. That trail will also go all the way up to Pine mountain. Fishing is decent in some of the pools way back. There are some clean flowing springs and plenty of spots to camp off trail.

I'll send you an email if you like.
 
So I thought that I had posted pictures of my hike here. But I don't see them so here it goes again.

A couple of pictures of the view
2011-08-09151043.jpg

2011-08-09152125.jpg


An old gate
2011-08-09152322.jpg


The difference between galvanized pipe and black pipe
2011-08-09152433.jpg


A dry stream bed
2011-08-09152613.jpg


A rock with a hole in it, and my new-to-me ZT200 for scale

2011-08-09152642.jpg


I'm guessing this part gets wet in the winter.
2011-08-09152937.jpg


Looking down one side of a stream at a ford
2011-08-09153525.jpg


Looking down the other
2011-08-09153544.jpg


A view of the Pierdra Blanca rocks
2011-08-09151035.jpg
 
The Sespe is seasonal ...... it would be hard to cross in that spot in early spring.

That gate used to close an old road that went all the way to Filmore.

The rocks are a cool spot to play on.

A few pics.

PB100088.jpg


P3140059.jpg


IMG_1026-1.jpg


P3140041.jpg


IMG_0770.jpg


IMG_0399-1.jpg


P4260239.jpg


P3070059.jpg


P4260259.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top