Tag Archives: 4×4 camps

Back Roads, Camping, Historic Site, Sightseeing

Centerville, California

July 9, 2020 DanaMite

Centerville is a popular place name inside California

Centerville Flat Campground
Alpine Co.

@ California State Route 4 (Hwy 4 east Ebbetts Pass). Silver Creek meets the east fork of Carson River in the majestic Eastern Sierra, W of US Hwy 395.

Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
Centerville Flat Dispersed Campground NFS
Open all year, no fee, vault toilet
Latitude : 38.631372
Longitude : -119.723082

Historic Centerville wiki

Centerville Beach
Humboldt Co.

Centerville Beach County Park

4000 Centerville Road
Ferndale, CA
Contact: 707-445-7651

North Coast California, Humboldt County – This long steep coastline was the place of a historic event in 1860s, a ship wreck off the coast. In heavy seas, the ship beached 20 miles below the mouth of Humboldt Bay, near the village of Centerville. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centerville_Beach_Cross

Northern Cal

Ferndale, CA – has dining, accommodations, local business, and maybe an RV park. Mostly residential. Rural farmlands, forests, and remote. Wild, windy, rugged coastline.

Centerville, CA
Butte Co.

In between Chico and the volcanic ridge (called Paradise), is the historic Centerville Road, which leads to oak lined canyon of the small community of Centerville. Mostly rural residential w/ a museum, schoolhouse, creek, covered bridge, maybe a winery, orchards and a oak canyon.

CAMPFIRE, Butte County – This particular area has been scared by the wildfires of 2018, so expect some back roads to be closed. Landslides and tree falls are quite common after a wildfire, especially on narrow mountain roads. Nearby Paradise got destroyed, but they are rebuilding. rebuildparadise.org

Honey Run Bridge

BELOVED BRIDGE

Located along Honey Run Road. Chico’s historic Honey Run bridge, was built in 1887, reconstructed in the late 60’s, and recently destroyed by wildfire in late 2018. Honey Run Road intersects w/ Centerville Road further up the canyon.

2020: Reconstruction on a new bridge is already underway.
Honey Run Covered Bridge Association

Centerville Road
Modoc County Rd #54

Southwest Alturas, CA

A major backroad (paved connector) in Modoc; connecting South Alturas @ US 395 to Canby @ Highway 299

a whole lotta nuthin’

Rural residential w/ farmlands and cattle grazing. California Pines (POA), Donovan Reservoir and the Pit River is along this route called Centerville. Portions of zoom on GoogleMaps has this Centerville Road listed as N West Street

dirtbikes

Modoc National Wildlife Refuge is @ US Highway 395

cowtown — Alturas, northeast California – is cattle country.

Centerville, CA
Fresno Co

Rural, residential farm community along Highway 180
E of Fresno, CA

W of Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park

Kings Red Rafters — Kings River – Red Rafters + Kayaker

canoe

hiker

4x4 Camps OHV, 4x4 Routes, Back Roads, Backpacking, Campgrounds, Campsites, Campspots, Creeks, Equestrian, Group Campgrounds, Hiking, Mountain Biking, Off Road, Off-Road Trail, OHV Parks & SVRA, Trailheads, Washes, Wildflowers

Frazier Park Camping

January 20, 2020 DanaMite

Mount Pinos Camping & Frazier Park Campgrounds

Drum Circle Camp — Mount Pinos Fire Circle Camp Spot

camp5 — Gold Hill Campground (which is now closed) – right next to Piru Creek.

Frazier Park and neighboring towns, like freeway-close Lebec and Gorman, is where the Los Angeles hills meet the Kern County mountains. Mojave Desert meets to Coastal Range. EXIT I-5 @ Tejon Pass (elev 4144′)

Wildflower hills, seasonal creeks, forested peaks, high desert canyons. Bike trails, hike trails, off road routes. High elevation backpacking, hang gliding, mountain biking and camping in every direction.

MTB SOCAL — Mountain Bikers love the trails at Mount Pinos.

High desert washes, oak creeks, pinyon pine forests, mountain meadows and numerous peaks – Frazier Peak, Reyes Peak, Alamo Mountain, Mount Pinos, Mount Abel (Cerro Noroeste) and north facing San Emigdio ridge.

Mt. Pinos District:

campground	elev	spots	veg	toilet	water	notes
Aliso Park, Cuyama	3200′	11	oak	pit	no	Aliso Cyn Rd. (#10N04)
Ballinger OHV Camp	3000′	20	pinyon	vault	no	Rd# 9N10, Cuyama Valley
Camp-O Alto	8286′	12	jefferey	pit	no	ridge, Cerro Noroeste
Caballo Campground	5850′	5	oaks	pit	no	Rd# 9N27, Cerro Noroeste
Cherry Creek 4×4	5200′	2	oak	no	spring	4WD trail, Cuddy Valley
Chuchapate Campground	6000′	30	pines	vault	piped	Rd# 8N04, closed winter
Chula Vista Walk-In Camp	8300′	12	pines	vault	no	walk-in camps & RV lot
Cottonwood Campground	4600′	2	ctnwd	no	creek	4WD only trail, fish
Dome Springs Camp	4800′	4	oak	pit	no	Rd# 8N40, Lockwood
Dutchman Camp	6800′	8	pines	no	no	Rd# 7N01, 4WD trails
Half Moon Campground	4700′	10	pines	pit	no	Rd #7N03, May-Oct
Kings Campground	4250′	7	pinyon	vault	no	OHV & Piru Creek
Marian Campground	6600′	5	pine	pit	no	closed in winter
McGill Campground	7500′	50+	pine	vault	seasonal	mountain biking
Mount Pinos Campground	7800′	19	pine	vault	seasonal	closed winter
Nettle Springs Camp	4400′	9	pinyon	vault	no	Rd# 8N06, Apache Cyn
Ozena Campground	3660′	12	cottnwd	vault	no	Lockwood Rd
Pine Springs Camp	5800′	12	pinyon	pit	no	Road #7N03
Pleito Campsite	5000′	2	mixed	no	no	dirt rd access, dispersed
Rancho Nuevo	3550′	2	mixed	no	no	river crossing
Reyes Creek	4000′	30	oaks	vault	yes	creek camping
Reyes Peak Pine Mt	5200′	6	pines	none	no	ridge camping
Salt Creek 4×4	3000′	2	mixed	no	no	4WD only
Sunset Campground	4300′	2	cottonwd	no	no	Lockwood / Piru Creek
Thorn Meadows	5000′	5	pine	pit	no	Rd# 7N03C, horse corral
Tinta Campground	3600′	3	pinyon	pit	no	river crossing
Toad Springs Camp	5700′	5	pinyon	pit	no	Rd# 9N09, Quatal Cyn
Twin Pines Camp	6600′	5	pine	vault	no	Dry weather only
Valle Vista Camp	4800′	7	mixed	pit	no	condors, new toilet

See Mount Pinos Recreation Campgrounds only

Group Camping Sites in Los Padres Forest

Hiking Pinos Signs — Mount Pinos – Peak to Peak hike.

Maps of Los Padres NF –

Los Padres mountain towns –

Toad Springs Campground atop Quatal Canyon. Small camps located in Los Padres NF have no fees, and often no toilets – so bring the shovel.

Many dirt roads are gated seasonally for wet weather or snow. Call rangers to find out which routes are open before you plan your weekend. Or have a plan B and C camp site ready if route is closed. Flashfloods, thunderstorms, and erosion means you may all-of-a-sudden need to use your 4WD. This is the mountains after all. UNpredictable weather is common.

Primitive Camping in Quatal Wash, next to the OHV Route and the Chumash Wilderness

PeaktoPeak — Peak-to-Peak Hike: the toughest climb you’ll do, this decade.

Off Road

4×4 Off Roading

January 17, 2019 DanaMite

Off Roading Moab Utah

Originally uploaded by danamight

4×4 offroad

When people hear the phrase “off road” a hundred things can come to mind. Granola types envision rednecks, guns & beer cans tearing up the wilderness; while teen boys may like dirt bikes or motocross races; your co-worker digs the rock crawling rigs (on TV); your lesbian pals like to do desert & ghost town exploring in their Jeep & a million families like to camp out with RV & toys in tow. The quads, the sand rails, the rock crawling machines, the custom built buggies. Trophy trucks, rally racing Subies, 4WD camper vans, dirt bikes, the standard stock SUV, some w/ 4-wheel drive and who can forget the ever-freaking-popular jeaps. Sunday drivers sightseeing or hard core dare devil racers can be found in the realm of off-road: Off pavement.

They are ALL off roaders! And they are all unique, custom & no two created equal. There is certainty of it & the passionate fans will tell you. The off roading interest has gained popularity as more & more recreation vehicles become available to the main stream market. And TV shows promote these awesome rigs, the sport of dirt racing, rock crawling & the fantastic terrain. (And if you still watch television, that will soon change!)

Baby boomers seek retirement vacations: compact 4WD camper vans, or smaller RVs capable of trailering an off-road machine; Fathers look for ways to entertain family out of doors, or escape on solo trips (for sanity sake). The off-road sport and interest has literally exploded over the past 20 years w/ media, hobby, competitions & after market products – along with the rising gas & tire prices.

4x4 Ford Camper at a Big Bear Campout — 4×4 Ford Camper at a Big Bear Campout

California Back Roads
WHERE TO START?

Plan better trips, learn to really read a topographic map, depart for your trip over-prepared and find new, amazing destinations all over California. Use Total Escape often and get a bumper sticker for your rig!

Many folks drive dirt roads just to get to a trailhead and go hiking, mountain biking or rock climbing. Many backpackers trailheads are indeed located miles off pavement on forest dirt roads.

Some outdoor enthusiasts crave seclusion: peace and quite, away from city life, city folks, all noise… well away from the crowds. Preferring to camp outside of developed campgrounds, which means free camping (mostly on dirt roads). Campfire permits are always required. Many excellent, hidden camp sites can be found on rugged, unpaved back roads – some requiring 4 wheel drive, others not.

Gear Heads: those who value ‘vehicle time’ over ‘real nature’ will literally SIT inside their rigs (almost all day) – enjoying scenery from a safe distance. Picnic spot, viewpoint, yes, but rarely ever seeking out a hike, or a waterfall. Should a break-down occur, these dedicated guys will have their heads under the hoods or crawling underneath, for hours if needbe. Always be prepared with food in the cooler.

And believe it or not, some off-roaders will not even tent camp! They do not sleep on the ground. They prefer a local lodge in the nearest small town or they could own a luxury RV (towing a trailer w/ the overbuilt Jeep). Talk about gas guzlers.

Now, where are those green buggies?

Backcountry routes may be signed – high clearance needed, or not. Black diamond, double diamond trail. Yikes 4×4 required, what! Did we miss a sign or take a wrong turn?

SIGNS are not always reliable on the back roads.
Small Signs: get shot at, run over, blown over and washed away with erosion… so best have a hard copy map (at all times).

In Trinity, locals have been known to remove forest road signs to confuse tourists and prevent traffic in certain directions. I can’t imagine why. Cough, cough, Hyampom!

PVT – private property

This brings us to private ROADS & LAND. Just because a dirt road is located in a forest or rural region doesn’t mean it is open to the public. Generally private lands are well marked w/ ‘No Trespassing’ notices, some fenced and gated. In Baja and in ranching areas in general, public access may be allowed to pass through. Inquire at a local ranger stations for the area you wish to explore.

Do Not Litter

Litter removal 101 should be the norm; Don’t Trash California! Teach your children well. Respect the land and always Tread Lightly! Find more about ECO – CAMPING

Dumont Dunes OHV Desert Death Valley — Dumont Dunes OHV / Desert Death Valley Xmas Trip

Total Escape Outside

Tag Archives: 4×4 camps

Centerville, California

Centerville is a popular place name inside California

Centerville Flat Campground
Alpine Co.