56+ years running, the Borrego Days Desert Festival is held in no other than, Borrego Springs California. Live music, food, arts & craft, car show & parade.
Annual event; October
760-767-5555
Rent a secluded cabin with an amazing view, a historic tower for wildfire spotting, or a USFS guard station – hidden deep inside USDA California National Forests. Several of these NFS lookouts have been closed recently, so the ones listed below have links to status and reservation information.
Dirt road access is common to reach these remote locations. Some require stair climbing, or steep access hikes. Winter months are usually snowy, inaccessible and sometimes dangerous for these high country locations. Access roads suffer from closures due to rock slides or landslides. Check with the locals ranger station for current conditions.
A few of these rentals are open all year long – in the southern part of the golden state.
Harvey West Cabin
4,720′ elev. on Silverfork American River, Gold Rush
Loon Lake Chalet
6375′ elev. near Georgetown, Gold Country California
Robbs Peak Lookout
Robb’s Hut / Robbs Cabin
6686′ elev near Placerville, Gold Country California
Sly Guard Cabin
Sly Park @ Jenkinson Lake, near Placerville, Gold Country California
Van Vleck Bunkhouse
6549′ elev. near Georgetown, Gold Country California
download PDF info sheet
McCarthy Point Lookout
overlooking Mill Creek Canyon and Ishi Wilderness
ranger & info 530-258-2141
Pine Mountain Lookout
>>>> Renovated & ReOPENS soon! April 2020
4400′ elev. over looking Eel River wilderness
ranger & info 707-275-2361
Crocker Guard Station
5700′ elev. near Meadow on back road
Lake Davis Loop, way out behind Portola, California
Coon Creek Cabin
Actually this one is a reservable group campground – next to a set of historic cabins. Big Bear Area Group Camp Site. Heart Bar Rd #1N02 near Angeles Oaks, CA
Morton Peak Fire Lookout
(no longer available overnight stays 2019)
Big Meadows Cabin
Big Meadows Guard Station
off Big Meadows Rd #14S11
7600′ elevation; located in between Sequoia NP & Kings Canyon NP
Camp 4 ½ Cabin
1100′ elevation; Lower Kings River
near Pine Flat Lake, CA
Grouse Valley Cabins
3 cabins near lakes; Giant Sequoia National Monument, Western Divide
4800′ elev.
Mountain Home Guard Station
Mountain Home State Forest, Sequoia Groves
6000′ elev. near Springville, CA
Needles Fire Lookout
(destroyed in structure fire 2011)
Oak Flat Lookout
Oak Flat Cabin Rental
4900′ elevation; Kern River canyon near Lake Isabella
Poso Guard Station Cabin Rental
open all year round, 4500′ elev. near Kernville, CA
Quaking Aspen Cabin Rental
Giant Sequoia National Monument, Western Divide Highway near Ponderosa, CA
Wishon Cabin Rental
Tule River, Giant Sequoia National Monument; open all year round. 4000′ elev. near Camp Nelson, CA
Forest Glen Guard Station
near Trinity River & Forest Glen, CA
Frog Meadow Guard Station
7760′ elev. near Lake Isabella, CA
Girard Ridge Lookout
Historic Fire Lookout Tower
4809′ elev. near Dunsmuir, CA
Hirz Mountain Lookout Tower
Hirz Mtn. Fire Watch Tower Rental
overlooking Shasta Lake, CA
(currently closed for repairs 2019)
Harris Springs Guard Station
near McCloud, CA
Little Mount Hoffman Lookout
Mt. Hoffman Rental
7000′ elev. near McCloud, CA
Post Creek Guard Station
near Hayfork & Platina, CA
Camp Four and a half Cabin
Camp 4 ½ Cabin Rental
Lower Kings River, open all year round
1100′ elev. near Pine Flat Reservoir
Bear Basin Butte Cabin & Fire Lookout
elevation 5300′ in Six Rivers NF / Smith River NRA
(road damage & access issues 2017)
Calpine Lookout Cabin Rental
near Sierraville, CA
Sardine Peak Fire Lookout
overlooking the Sierra Buttes and serene Lakes Basin, Yuba Rivers, North Gold Country CA
Sacramento Gold Rush Days in Old Town is now
“Waterfront Days Old Sacramento”
3-day event takes place on Front Street, The Embarcadero, and the 1849 Scene all along the wonderful Sacramento River. The heritage celebration features a wide variety of crowd-favorite entertainment, all free to experience and enjoy.
Annual event: May
Numerous locations hold historic themed street fairs, parades and festivals in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada.
this list is only a partial list, and more will be added soon
Arnold Independence Day Parade
Grass Valley Cornish Christmas
Murphys Homecoming & Duck Races
Nevada City Constitution Day Parade
NOTE: The Gold Rush Days in Old Town Sacramento is now called “Waterfront Days Old Sacramento”
listed alphabetically
listed from north to south
Plumas National Forest
Tahoe National Forest
Eldorado National Forest
Stanislaus National Forest
Calaveras Big Trees State Park
Sierra National Forest
The Oakland Black Cowboy Association is best known for the Black Cowboy Parade & Festival, the only celebration of its kind in the U.S.A. This parade is held in memory of the black cowboys that helped to settle the American West.
Annual event; October
One day event
From 5-9pm the whole community is invited to share in the holiday fun. Crafters and artists will have their wares on sale for that special one-of-a-kind Christmas gift. Great food and entertainment, pictures with Santa. Shops and restaurants open. Holiday Open House in all the old town village shops!
Annual event; December – multiple days
(2 different Saturday nights)
Old Town Auburn
Auburn, CA
530-888-1585
One day event. Paso Robles Pioneer Day was established in 1931, providing a day of community friendship and a commemoration of the heritage of the north county San Luis Obispo area.
Annual Event: October
805-238-2038
Nevada City’s Constitution Day Parade has been a local tradition since 1967 and is reported to be the oldest and largest Constitution observance in western America.
A parade, Revolutionary War Days Reenactment in Pioneer Park, the Gold Country Duck Race on Deer Creek and a free outdoor big band concert in the downtown historic district of Nevada City, Gold Country California. This place is known for its classic small town spirit and unique events, with a population of 3000, Nevada City swells to 10,000 or more on Constitution Day. Shuttle, Noon to 6pm
Annual event: September
530-265-2692
nevadacitychamber.com/nevada-city-events/constitution-day-parade
Forest, Park, Reserve, Monument, Recreation Area, BLM, Nature Preserve… arghh!
Don’t let all the park and forest names confuse you. It is all California and it is your public land! No bikes on trails, No gathering wood, No dogs here, No camping there; Now what?
Below is our overview graph for all California parks and forests – the basic concepts & the rules broken down for anyone to understand. Permits may be needed in certain areas. Only the government officials understand the true nature of all the ridiculous red tape.
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California Wilderness | Back country lands very protected from roads and human impact. Off limits to vehicles & mountain bikes. Only accessible by backpacking, hiking or horseback. Endangered species; Hard to reach terrains in the High Sierra. Overnight visits may require a wilderness permit. |
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California National Parks – NPS: National Park Service |
Federal lands are national parks, preserves & monuments; highly regarded as some of the most scenic in world & protected. Very popular places and crowds often in summer. Limited use areas for camping & recreation. No mountain biking on trails. No dogs on trails. Try off-season. Drive thru entrance fees. |
| NM: California National Monument |
Located within the National Park System & more specific to a region. Historic buildings, geological features and deserts ruins qualify. Some National Monuments become National Parks. Many locations have entrance fees. | |
| NRA: National Recreation Area | Located within the National Park System & somewhat specific to a waterways, coastlines, lakes and reservoirs. Some locations have entrance fees. | |
| NSA: National Scenic Area National Seashore |
Located within the National Park System & is basically scenic area worth preserving. Usually no entrance fees. | |
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California USFS: CA National Forests USDA Forest Service |
Areas of forest lands throughout state; some surround the National Parks. 18 national forests make up 20 million acres of federal land. Multiple use areas: snow skiing, mining, grazing, off-roading. OHV & SVRA Tons of small campgrounds, recreation & primitive spots for real seclusion. Best bet for finding a spot away from the crowds. Get a free fire permit & camp on back roads. No entrance fees, some parking or day use fees; SoCal requires an Adventure Pass. |
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California SP: California State Parks |
California Department of Parks & Recreation manages more than 260 parks. These smaller parks are located near cities with historical parks, as well as remote wild state land & coastal beaches. Entrance fees, day use, picnic and some have campgrounds. State Parks charge fees for day use, parking and overnight camping. |
| California SF: California State Forest | California Demonstration Forests, areas to be protected. Redwoods & Sequoia Groves; fragile eco-systems. Handle with care. May charge entrance fee or day use fee. | |
| California SRA: State Recreation Areas |
California Department of Parks and Recreation. Lakes, Reservoirs, Rivers. Many have boat rentals and active marina. Recreation lakes charge entrance, day use, parking or boat launch fees. | |
| California OHV & SVRA: Off Hwy Vehicle Area and State Vehicle Recreation Areas | Off Roading folks and dirt bikes can have their fun wheelin. Lands set aside for OHV use; dune buggies, quads & 4×4 enthusiasts. Most in desert regions; forest lands. Developed campgrounds large enough to accommodate RVs and trailers. Fees may apply in these off-road areas for day use or camping. | |
| California County Parks | Desert hot springs, oak foothills and campgrounds, local hills w/ hikes, parks close to urban regions. Back roads & rural land protected from freeways & development. May require parking or entrance fees. Find these listed on the California A-Z town pages | |
| City Parks in California | Urban Parks & Recreation, inside the city limits. Usually no entrance fees. Find these on California A-Z town pages | |
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BLM: public lands Bureau of Land Management | All public lands that do not fall into the above categories. Little to no fees for day use, recreation or overnight camping. Plenty of desert & off roading areas. Some forest lands, certain lakes. Small campgrounds or open camping allowed. Fees may apply in developed campgrounds. Camp overnight almost anywhere out here for free, with a ranger issued camp fire permit. |
Sequoia – which one?
Sequoia National Park
Sequoia National Forest
Giant Sequoia National Monument
Imagine that the Southern Sierra mountains is home to 3 different public parks named Sequoia. Yep, it’s true. Sequoia National Park, Sequoia National Forest, and Giant Sequoia National Monument. Other parks that have Sequoia groves are – Mountain Home State Forest, Calaveras Big Trees State Park, as well as Yosemite National Park.
As far as the Coastal Redwoods, most are included under State Parks. Find these parks on the Central Coast Big Sur and Santa Cruz mountains, plus Marin County, and all along the north coast US Hwy 101 from Mendocino to the Oregon border. Numerous redwoods parks are located along rivers.
The super scenic Big Sur coastline is home to Julia Pfieffer Burns State Park and to the similarly named Pfieffer Big Sur State Park. Leave it to park personnel, state officials or the non-locals to create such a confusing naming system within our most-visited state.
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at Indian Valley, Northern Sierra Nevada mountains
also known as –
Taylorsville County Campground
Taylorsville Community Campground
Taylorsville Park Campground
Beautiful North Sierra Nevada. The rural country life is out here… in the mountains of NorthernCal. Cattle ranches, a few sheep, grazing deer, big old barns, bike races and much residential. Taylorsville is a very small town, on the edge of the Indian Valley. Right across the valley from Greenville and Round Valley Reservoir.
All surrounded by Plumas National Forest
Taylorsville Park Campgroundelevation: 3200′
camp sites: 32
piped water near camp: yes
toilets: flush
showers: yes
fee: yes
season: May-October
The wooded campground is located at the intersection of North Valley Road, Genesee Rd and Arlington Rd – a few miles off the main highway 89.
Looking for a quiet place to tent camp in between Quincy & Greenville? then this is it. The best developed campground option in the whole region. Closed for winter months – cuz it does snow pretty good up here.
This shaded tent campground loop is on a hillside; across the street from the small rodeo grounds, the community park w/ picnic areas, tennis courts and a small RV park. Campground host located behind the bathrooms.
Nearest local laundromat in nearby Greenville, behind the main grocery market.
towns nearby:
maps of the region:
El Dorado National Forest
Carson Pass Hwy 88, Ebbetts Pass Hwy 4, Gold Rush Country
Sierra Nevada Mountains, Alpine Lakes
| campground | elev | spots | veg | toilet | water | notes |
| Airport Flat Campground | 5300′ | 16 | – | vault | no | Ice House Reservoir |
| Azalea Cove Campground | 4900′ | 10 | – | vault | lake | Union Valley Reservoir |
| Big Meadows Campground | 5300′ | 54 | pines | flush | piped | handicap access |
| Blue Lake Lower Camp | 8100′ | 16 | – | vault | piped | PG&E; fish, boat, camp |
| Blue Lake Dam Upper | 8200′ | 25 | – | vault | piped | PG&E; fish, boat, camp |
| Caples Lake Campground | 7800′ | 35 | pines | vault | piped | fishing lake |
| Capps Crossing Campground | 5200′ | 12 | pines | vault | piped | gold panning |
| China Flat Campground | 4800′ | 25 | – | vault | piped | Silver Fork Rd |
| Dru Barner Campground | 3200′ | 16 | – | flush | piped | equestrian trails |
| Gerle Creek Campground | 5300′ | 50 | pines | vault | piped | handicap access |
| Fashoda Campground | 4900′ | 30 | – | vault | piped | handicap access |
| Hell Hole Campground | 5200′ | 10 | – | vault | piped | walk-in |
| Upper Hell Hole Campground | 4600′ | 15 | – | vault | lake | Hell Hole Reservoir |
| Ice House Reservoir Camp | 5500′ | 83 | – | vault | lake | handicap access |
| Jones Fork Campground | 4900′ | 10 | – | vault | lake | Union Valley Reservoir |
| Kirkwood Campground | 7600′ | 12 | pines | vault | piped | narrow road; fishing |
| Lone Rock Campground | 4800′ | 5 | – | vault | lake | Union Valley Reservoir |
| Loon Lake Campground | 6500′ | 62 | pines | vault | piped | equestrian; group site too |
| Lovers Leap Campground | 5800′ | 21 | pines | vault | piped | rock climbing |
| Lumberyard Campground | 6500′ | 5 | pines | vault | – | RV access |
| Middle Creek Campground | 8200′ | 5 | pines | vault | piped | fishing creek |
| Middle Fork Cosumnes River | 6780′ | 5 | – | vault | crk | PG&E, swim, fish |
| Mokelumne River Camp | 3200′ | 8 | – | vault | crk | swim |
| Moore Creek Campground | 3200′ | 8 | – | vault | crk | swim |
| Northshore Campground | 6378′ | 15 | – | vault | lake | Loon Lake Campground |
| Northwind Campground | 5500′ | 9 | – | vault | lake | Ice House Reservoir |
| Pardoes Point Campground | 5900′ | 10 | – | pit | no | Bear River Reservoir Rd |
| Pipi Campground | 3900′ | 51 | – | pit | no | handicap access |
| Sand Flat Campground | 3900′ | 29 | – | pit | no | fishing |
| Silver Fork Campground | 5500′ | 35 | – | vault | piped | fishing |
| Silver Lake Campground | 7200′ | 62 | pines | vault | piped | boating lake |
| South Fork Campground | 5200′ | 17 | – | vault | piped | fishing |
| South Shore Campground | 5900′ | 22 | – | vault | piped | Bear River Reservoir |
| Strawberry Point Camp | 5500′ | 10 | – | vault | lake | Ice House Reservoir |
| Stumpy Meadows Campgr | 4400′ | 10 | – | vault | lake | handicap access |
| Sugar Pine Campground | 6000′ | 10 | – | vault | no | boating |
| Sunset Campground | 4900′ | 131 | – | vault | piped | boating |
| Wench Creek Campground | 4900′ | 100 | – | vault | crk | boating |
| Wentworth Springs Camp | 6200′ | 8 | – | vault | crk | 4WD recommended |
| West Point Campground | 4875′ | 8 | – | vault | lake | Union Valley Reservoir |
| White Azalea Campground | 3500′ | 6 | – | vault | crk | Mokelumne River |
| Wolf Creek Campground | 8200′ | 42 | – | vault | piped | boating, fishing |
| Woods Lake Campground | 4900′ | 25 | – | vault | pump | handicap access |
| Yellowjacket Campground | 4900′ | 40 | – | vault | piped | boating, fishing |
see more about El Dorado National Forest
nearby towns –
El Dorado Forest Maps –
Sierra Cabins near Sequoia Groves
Sequoia trees naturally grow in the Sierra Nevada mountains, on the west side of the range. Several parks & forests make up what is known as “the Sequoias” – in the Southern Sierra, Sequoia National Forest; Giant Sequoia National Monument; Mountain Home State Forest; Central Sierra is home to Sequoia National Park & neighboring Kings Canyon NP; Sierra National Forest & Yosemite NP. Yep, all those areas have Sequoia groves!
See all the Sequoia & Redwood Groves in California!
California Cabin Rentals near to Sequoia groves –
TOPO MAPS of California Redwoods –
If you are searching for tallest species, the Coastal Redwoods located on the shores of Northern California, then you can find them over here – NorCal Redwoods
Topographic Maps of California Baja
BAJA MEXICO MAP
The mysterious topographic map maker, Landon Crumpton, is gone. Although his Baja Almanac book of the Mexican peninsula is still as popular as ever.
The Total Escape crew has been using this amazing topo map for Baja Mexico since our the very first excursions in 1990. Click below to read more about the famous, hard-to-find Baja Almanac publication.
Topographic Map Book of Baja California
NatGeo Baja California Mexico Maps
Obscure Books & Maps, AAA Maps of Baja
These foothill regions below are the rivers & mountains of the infamous California Gold Rush of the mid-1800’s. Many mountain dirt roads will lead to your secluded, private camp site, near a creek or river. Or plan on camping in a developed Campground near a recreation lake lined with amenities, pine trees & oaks. River rafting & kayaking can be found throughout this area, as well as backpacking, mountain biking and hiking trails. Fishing is very popular as well.
Waterfalls, back roads, granite features, historic mining camps, big fishing rivers all abound. Wilderness backpacking in the High Sierra can be accessed by Hwy 108 (Sonora Pass) Hwy 4 (Ebbetts Pass) Hwy 88 (Carson Pass), Sierra US Route Hwy 50 & Interstate 80. Numerous small towns populate Historic Highway 49 for every tourists need – meals, laundry, grocery, coffee, lodging & shopping.
Gold Country California forest & parks –
Stanislaus National Forest
Columbia State Park
Arnold, Columbia, Dardanelle, Jamestown, Long Barn, Mi-Wuk, Murphys, Pinecrest, Sonora, Strawberry, Twain Harte
Amador City, Bear Valley, Georgetown, Jackson, Kirkwood, Meyers, Placerville
Alta, Colfax, Foresthill, Grass Valley, Norden, Sierraville, Soda Springs, Tahoe City, Tahoma, Truckee
Malakoff Diggins State Park
41,840 acres
20 miles N of Chico, CA
Lassen National Forest
Up in the mountains behind Chico sits a rugged landscape of deep canyons lined with bizarre rock formations and roaring mountain creeks. Wilderness encompasses lower elevations – ranging from 1500′ – 3500′ – making this outdoor destination a winter haven, when the rest of the backcountry is covered in several feet of snow. One of the most historic wilderness areas in the state, as the aboriginal existence of the Native Americans came to an end in this area.
COHASSET ROAD climbs up the volcanic fin of Cohasset Ridge into the pine forests high above the valley floor. The paved road becomes dirt and the road name changes to Ponderosa Way (Lassen Road# 28N29). The Ishi Wilderness can also be accessed from the north side via Highway 32, near the Tehama State Game Refuge.
The Heritage Days is held at McArthur-Burney Falls State Park. On the Sunday of Columbus Day weekend, the park hosts Heritage Day, featuring demonstrations and recreations of activities and crafts common to people during the late 19th century.
Annual event; October
530-335-2777
Ishi Wilderness Map