Tag Archives: cabin rentals

What is Camping?

Old Timers Berry Creek

Basically, what is Camping?

4x4 camping RV camping car camping primitive camping backpacking cabin camping

BLM camping State Park camping National Forest campgrounds National Park camping

 

An overnight stay out-of-doors. Sleeping out under the stars.
Air bed, camping cot, tent… or just a tarp on the ground.
Perhaps a luxury Cabin Rental in the mountains or on the coast. Your choice.

stars camptruck campfire

campFrom a luxurious cabin in the mountains, to a small clearing in near a meadow with a stream nearby – with just a backpack, the idea of “camping” is always a bit different for each person. Roughin’ it for free – in the wilderness, or on the back roads; Or pay dearly for the price of real amenities, while on vacation.

car camping

Various types of Camping in California:

type of
camping
average
cost per night
brief description – what to expect
modern cabin $300 – $600 better than a hotel room, full kitchen, phone, internet, TV, real furniture and maybe a hot tub
rustic cabin $90 – $299 bare minimum, beds, kitchen sink, electricity. maybe a bathroom
tent cabins / yurts $60- $150 wood floors, canvas walls, sleeping cots. reservations accepted. (very popular) may be open seasonally
camper vans, motorhome,
recreational vehicle
rentals, or own it all creature comforts on wheels, lots of luxury. camp the back roads.
camper shell own it mini motorhome on the back end of a pickup truck. smaller than RV
RV campground $35- $80 50+ sites, lots of facilities & families w/ RVs. reservations accepted
developed campground $20- $50 usually 30 – 100 sites, paved loop, facilities. toilets, piped water. plenty in our camping section (most popular)
small campground $12- $27 less than 25 camp sites, pit/vault toilets. plenty small campgrounds listed in our camping section
primitive car camping free way-out-there camp spots w/ dispersed camp sites, for the rugged self-contained, self-sufficient camper; access usually via dirt back roads.
SUV/ 4×4 camping free remote spots on long, steep, bumpy dirt roads; dispersed camp sites in secluded areas. 4 wheel drive may be needed
walk-in campsites
bike-in campsites
low cost or free camp sites that require you to physically haul your camp gear from a parking area to the camp spot, ranging from 1/8 mi. walk to a 1-3 mile hike
backpacking free w/ wilderness permit ultimate in seclusion, bring it all on your back, on foot into the wilderness & enjoy trail camps

  pinetree    fish

River Beach Campground
Trinity River Camping, Douglas City, CA

yellowpost

SO CAL CAMP FIRES – Yellow Post Campsites are remote camping spots in secluded areas, in a designated fire safe clearing. Camp FiresNo facilities such as toilets or showers. Maybe a picnic table & fire rings, if you’re lucky. Southern California forests have these kinda spots. Required campfire permit & you must double check on local fire restrictions.

Tent Cabin Rentals

Canvas Tent Cabins & Yurts

These structures are half way between ‘roughing it in a tent on the ground’ & having a ‘mountain cabin’. Tent cabins have wooden floors w/ canvas walls and roof; Dismantled annually for winter rain/snow, they are usually only available in mild, coastal climates or during summer months in the mountains.

deluxe-tent-cabinRentals typically include sleeping cots, but you’ll need to bring your own bedding (sleeping bags, sheets, pillows). Some rentals include shaded porches, wooden decks, minimal furniture, kitchenettes and/or wood burning stoves. Electricity may be available, or maybe not. Ask ahead of time, if you really must have that particular luxury when on vacation.

Yurts are a ’round version’ of this canvas cabin – which need to be aired out, often (to prevent mold). Yurt rentals are very popular and in high demand in California.

Find these type of rentals at yoga retreats, hot springs, beach canyons, remote lakes, redwood forests, high sierra camps, fishing camps and at certain RV parks.

National Forest Service Rangers wildlife

Deck w/ View

National Forest Fire Lookouts
& Historic Cabins

hiker

Tent Camp Yosemite Valley

Camping California Back Roads


Samuel P Taylor Campground

San Francisco Redwoods Camping

Samuel P Taylor State Park
Samuel P Taylor Campground

San Francisco Redwood State Park

SamP is one of the large redwood parks north of San Francisco, CA. Coastal redwoods can be found in the mountains above Santa Cruz, as well as on the Point Reyes peninsula in Marin County. Hiking in the region is amazing w/ enchanted forests, dramatic fog, waterfalls, numerous trails in every direction.

califrepublic

One of the best developed campgrounds in the region for car camping and RV campers.

Consisting of several camp loops, a group camp site, a horse camp and hike-in or bike-in camp sites. There are even cabin rentals in the park. This park has several camp sites that can accommodate visitors with disabilities. Reservations are highly recommended, especially during summer months. Be prepared to pay hefty fees for overnight use.

RVMax RV Camper Length: 31′
Max Trailer Length: 27′

  • Creekside Loop
  • Orchard Hill Loop
  • Madrone Group Site
  • Madrone Cabins
  • Horse Camp
  • Hike & Bike in Sites
    (8 person max)

Marin Redwoods
CA State Park

Samuel P Taylor State Park
59 developed campsites
+ cabin rentals
Sir Francis Drake Boulevard
415-488-9897

15 miles W of San Rafael, CA

Samuel P Taylor

camp

hiker

nearby towns:

State Park link

nearby parks:

  • Mount Tamalpais State Park
  • Point Reyes National Seashore
  • Tomales Bay State Park

Bridge

Tahoe Lake Map

Tahoe Maps: trail maps

lake camp, hike, mountain bike, off-road, ski, snowmobile

Tahoe Trail Maps / Tahoe National Forest

tahoe hiking maps

Numerous State Parks dot the shoreline at Tahoe, while the National Forest lands and Wilderness Areas span most of the peaks above. Camping, backpacking, boating, kayaking, fishing, climbing, mountaineering, mountain biking, snow skiing, snowmobiling are all popular recreation in this Sierra region. US Highway 50 and Interstate 80 are the main western access routes to Lake Tahoe. US Hwy 395 leads to Tahoe, up from the Eastern Sierra and Southern California.

Wanna find every waterfall or every creek to fish? This is the place that will help you find them. Easily, with good old fashion printed maps. Hard copies, some waterproof & tear resistant, most with topographical data and all roads, trails, campgrounds and parks. Whether or not you water ski or cross country ski, these maps will save your ass – when you are way back there in the boonies.

Tahoe’s Rubicon Trail connects the historic Gold Country to the alpine lake via granite wilderness sky ways above 7000′ elevation, but a real 4×4 and overnights are required. The back roads and trails are endless in these parts of the Central Sierra Nevada mountains.tahoe maps

keep tahoe blue

Nearby attractions surrounding Lake Tahoe –

Tahoe National Forest
Tahoe Rim Trail
Rubicon 4×4 Trail
Lakes Basin Recreation Area
Sierra Buttes
Desolation Wilderness
Grover Hot Springs
Blue Lakes
Hope Valley

cabin rentals

California Romantic Resorts

Ahwahnee Yosemite Valley
The Ahwahnee, Yosemite Valley

Favorite romantic places in California. Stay overnight, have dinner nearby & make a night of it, or perhaps a whole weekend. Certain places may require a 2-night minimum stay, especially on weekends or any holiday weeks. A wide variety of destinations are listed below, from rustic mountain cabins, to palm oasis hot springs, to historic lodges located in a spectacular scenic setting.

Neighboring lodges or nearby small towns could have equally as nice accommodations, perhaps still affordable, quaint, uncrowded, and “undiscovered” by the masses. Call the innkeeper and ask questions. They should be thrilled to hear from you.

SnowMo CaliforniaWINTER NOTE: Some of these remote locations may not be open year-round, due to snowy weather, so please confirm by phone before you make the drive. Tioga Pass Resort may require a snow-mobile to access.

romantic holiday vacations

mid-winter escapes

valentine romance ideas

California Romance (starts here)

desert California

Hotel Del Coronado near San Diego

Julian Historic Hotel, Julian CA

Beachcomber Motel, San Clemente, CA

Benton Hot Springs, N of Bishop, CA

Blue Lantern Inn in Dana Point Marina

Cambria, on Moonstone Beach, Central Coast

Camp Nelson Lodge, Giant Sequoia NM

Carmel-by-the-Sea, Monterey Bay California

Downieville River Inn, N Yuba River, Downieville CA

Furnace Creek Inn, historic Death Valley NP

La Fonda Hotel, Baja California

Laguna Beach – all of it, pretty much

Lantern Inn, hiking trails, Paradise, California

Lido Palms Resort Spa, Desert Hot Springs, CA

Lucia Lodge, Cottages on cliffs, North Big Sur

cottages miranda

Miranda Gardens, Redwood Cottages, NorCal

Panamint Springs Resort, Death Valley, CA

Rainbow Lodge, granite/river near Donner Pass

Sardine Lake Resort & Cabins, North Sierra

Tioga Pass Resort, Eastside Yosemite

Treebones Resort, Yurt Camping in Big Sur

Wine Country Towns $$$ – Napa Co / Sonoma Co

sardineresort

see also –

California Lighthouses

Lodge Resorts

NFS Rental Cabins & Fire Lookouts

Redwood Hotels

This new California Lodge List will grow as DanaMite finds more ideal places, deep in wilds of California.

Sierra Nevada Lakes

Bucks Lake Wilderness

DSCN0237

Bucks Lake Wilderness Area

Bucks Lake, California
Plumas National Forest

topo mapIn the hills and canyons above Chico many wonders can be found. North Sierra Nevada mountains, medium sized recreation lake surrounded by lush forest; N of Lake Oroville and S of Lake Almanor. North Fork Feather River canyon forms the northern boundary to this designated Wilderness Area. The area is popular with backpackers and PCT hikers, as well as equestrian and the region has over a dozen campgrounds. Backcountry terrain includes an impressive 6 mile long canyon wall.

camp Bucks Lake Campgrounds

hotels Bucks Lake Lodging

The popular boating destination, Bucks Lake reservoir, is just outside the wilderness boundary, which makes for an excellent destination for day hikes. Boating, fishing, backpacking, hiking, camping, canoeing, kayaking, rock climbing, snowmobiling and mountain biking are just some of the outdoor recreation in the area. This Wilderness region features a Silver Lake and Gold Lake, as well as numerous other small, unheard-of lakes. A few can be accessed by vehicle, but more than half are hike-in only lakes.

  • backpacking
  • boating
  • cabin rentals
  • camping
  • canoeing
  • fishing
  • floating
  • hiking
  • kayaking
  • sailing
  • swimming
  • Bucks Lake Wilderness
    23,958 acres
    5200′ elevation at Bucks Lake

    Alpine wilderness, mountain peaks, hiking trails, PCT trailheads, numerous small lakes, plus large recreational fishing lake

    Bald Eagle Mountain – 7183′
    Bucks Mountain Peak – 6819′
    Mount Pleasant – 7067′

    Small lakes around the Bucks Lake Wilderness Area

    Bald Eagle Lake
    Blue Lake
    Cape Lake
    Gold Lake
    Grassy Lakes
    Jacks Meadow Pond
    Kellogg Lake
    Lost Lake
    Mud Lake
    Rock Lake
    Silver Lake
    Snake Lake
    Smith Lake
    Thompson Lake
    Three Lakes
    Upper Mud Lake

    regional maps –

    nearby towns –
    Berry Creek, CA
    Meadow Valley, CA
    Quincy, CA
    Chico, CA
    Oroville, CA

    lodge and cabins
    historic lodge burnt down, but they rebuilt and are re-opened again

    DSCN0242

    more info –

    Bucks Lake Trailheads (PDF)
    BucksLake.net
    Bucks Lake Fire Dept
    Bucks Lake Wilderness Wiki

     


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