Get in Your Car, Then Get Back to Nature

The cool air of a summer night in the mountains. The warmth of a roaring camp fire. The quiet splendor of the wilderness.

Yeah, right.

Anyone who has been car camping in California knows what a roll of the dice choosing a campground can be. Ever pitch your tiny two-person tent just a few feet from a motor home larger than your house? Or, wake up to the sound of a tape deck blasting that enduring campground anthem “Freebird?”

Although we can’t offer money-back guarantees, the following 20 campgrounds have distinguished themselves as some of the best in the state. Some are wildly popular, others are relatively obscure. All are located in beautiful places. And, most often, the level of mayhem at these campgrounds is mercifully low.

Before heading off on your trip, a few words of advice:

* The snowpack in California’s mountains is above normal this year, courtesy of El Nino. Phone first to check road conditions and, of course, to make sure the campground is open--some campgrounds might not open until July.

* All that melting snow should produce a banner year for mosquitoes. Don’t forget the bug spray as well as an after-bite cream. It might be a good idea to bring a mosquito head net, especially early in the summer.

* When it comes to weather in the mountains, expect the unexpected.

* If it’s possible to make a reservation for a summer weekend trip, do it. If reservations are not accepted, arrive as early in the day as possible.

* Put food in places where animals, and by that we mean bears, can’t see it. Never put food in a tent. Coolers should be placed in car trunks or under a blanket.

And away we go:

SIERRA NEVADA

Bridalveil Creek, Yosemite National Park--This campground is in the southern part of the park, a 25-mile drive from jam-packed Yosemite Valley, at an elevation of 7,200 feet. There are numerous nearby trails into the back country; popular destinations include Chilnualna Falls and Ostrander Lake. Drive to the end of Glacier Point Road and enjoy a jaw-dropping gander into the valley. Open June to September, weather permitting. Facilities: Flush toilets, grills, picnic tables, water. Fees: $10 per night. Reservations: Not accepted. Contact: Yosemite National Park, (209) 372-0200.

Upper Soda Springs, Inyo National Forest--Located 15 minutes from Mammoth Lakes, Soda Springs is small, with 29 sites for tents and motor homes. The campground is a few feet from the San Joaquin River, where good fishing can be found. The Pacific Crest Trail passes through camp; take your rod and hike upstream for even better fishing. Open June to October, weather permitting. Facilities: Pit toilets, picnic tables, fire grills, piped water. Reservations: Not accepted. Fees: $12 per night. Contact: Inyo National Forest Mammoth Lakes Ranger District, (760) 924-5500. Internet: https://www.r5.pswfs.gov/inyo.

North Lake, Inyo National Forest--Try to snag one of the four huge walk-in sites at this tiny campground (11 sites for tents only), located at an elevation of 9,500 feet in the mountains above Bishop. The scenery couldn’t be better. Mt. Emerson looms overhead. The north fork of Bishop Creek rushes by, and pretty North Lake (good fishing) is one-half mile down the road. The Piute Pass trail begins in camp, climbing five miles to the 11,423-foot pass. Open June to September, weather permitting. Facilities: Pit toilets, picnic tables, fire rings with grills, piped water. Reservations: Not accepted. Fees: $12 per night. Contact: Inyo National Forest White Mountain Ranger District, (760) 873-2500. Internet: https://www.r5.pswfs.gov/inyo.

Cold Springs, Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks--If the summertime crowds at the Giant Forest section of the park aren’t appealing, try this 40-site tents-only campground in the Mineral King section. The Kaweah River rushes past the campground and some serious peaks loom overhead. The private community of Silverton is nearby and there are more than a dozen trails to the park’s back country. Facilities: Pit toilets, picnic tables, fire rings, piped water. Reservations: Not accepted. Fees: $6-14. Contact: Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks, (209) 565-3341. Internet: https://www.nps.gov/seki.

Hidden Falls and Moses Gulch, Mountain Home State Forest--This secluded state forest is located in the western Sierra, about 30 miles from the middle of nowhere. The forest has more than 5,000 giant sequoias and is never as crowded as Yosemite or Sequoia/Kings Canyon. Hidden Falls has eight walk-in sites; Moses Gulch has 11 sites, all with parking spaces. Both campgrounds lie next to a branch of the Tule River, a gin-clear stream. All sites have bear boxes. Open June to October, weather permitting. Facilities: Pit toilets, picnic tables, fire grills, piped water. Reservations: Not accepted. Fees: Free. Contact: Mountain Home State Forest, (209) 539-2855 or (209) 539-2321 in the summer.

Horse Meadow, Sequoia National Forest--It’s located in the forest on the Upper Kern Plateau, at an elevation of 7,500 feet, about a 90-minute drive from Kernville. A creek runs directly behind some campsites while others are furnished with boulders the size of small houses. It’s a short drive to several trails leading into the Dome Lands Wilderness, a 90,000-plus acre patch of the eastern Sierra that sees relatively few visitors. Open from June to October, weather permitting. Facilities: Pit toilets, picnic tables, fire grills, piped water. There are no garbage cans or dumpsters--pack trash out. Reservations: Not accepted. Fees: $5 per night. Contact: Sequoia National Forest Cannell Meadow Ranger District, (760) 376-3781.

Woods Lake, Eldorado National Forest--A pretty lakeside campground located in an often overlooked part of the Sierra, about a 90-minute drive south of Lake Tahoe. Woods Lake is at an elevation of 8,200 feet, on the western side of Carson Pass. The campground has 25 sites for tents and motor homes; no motor boats are allowed on the lake, which keeps the surroundings quiet. From the campground, a 3.75-mile trail leads to Round Top Peak, where there are fine views of the surrounding wilderness. Open June to October, weather permitting. Facilities: Vault toilets, fire rings, picnic tables, hand-pumped water. Reservations: Not available. Fees: $10 per night. Contact: Eldorado National Forest, (916) 644-6048, or the Amador Ranger District, (209) 295-4251.

CENTRAL COAST

Ventana Campgrounds, Big Sur--This privately operated campground is located just off Highway 1 in a towering forest of redwoods. The sites are expensive, but roomy. Andrew Molera State Forest, a few miles north on Highway 1, offers trails through meadows and forests, as well as one of the most beautiful beaches in the state. Eat on the porch of Nepenthe--the restaurant has a porch with a mind-boggling view of the sea. Facilities: Flush toilets, showers, picnic tables, fire rings, piped water. Reservations: Send a $25 check ($30 for holidays) payable to Ventana Campgrounds with an itinerary to P.O. Box 206, Big Sur, Calif., 93920. Fees: $25 for one vehicle and two people and $5 for each additional person. Add $5 for holiday weekends. Contact: Ventana Campgrounds, (408) 667-2688.

Montana de Oro State Park--This pleasant little campground is situated under a canopy of oaks and sycamores, a few hundred yards from the ocean. Just down the road is a beach at Spooner’s Cove, as well as hikes along the park’s tall bluffs--during World War II, U.S. troops practiced the Normandy invasion here. The hike not to be missed is onto the park’s sand spit, a four-mile long slice of land that extends into Morro Bay. Facilities: Pit toilets, picnic tables, fire grills. No piped water. Reservations: PARK.NET, (800) 444-7275. Fees: $10-11 per night. Contact: Montana de Oro State Park, (805) 528-0513.

Jalama Beach County Park--The campground is far from world class, but the beach is spectacular. The beach is also remote, located between Gaviota and Lompoc, 14 miles west of Highway 1. Surf casting is good, as is the surfing near Tarantula Point. Facilities: Flush toilets, fire grills, picnic tables, piped water. Reservations: Not accepted. Fees: $14-18. Contact: Jalama Beach County Park, (805) 736-3504.

Refugio and El Capitan State Beaches--These campgrounds are 20 miles northwest of Santa Barbara on Highway 1. Both campgrounds sit right above the beach and are popular; they’re often booked seven months in advance. There’s good tidepools, surfing and bodyboarding yards from your tent. Facilities: Flush toilets, showers, picnic tables, fire rings, piped water. Reservations: PARK.NET, (800) 444-7275. Fees: $17-18 per night. Contact: California State Parks, (805) 968-3294.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

NIRA, Los Padres National Forest--Save this trip for some cool weather, because it bakes during summer. This small campground, with 11 sites for tents only or small motor homes, is located far in the Santa Barbara County back country. Manzana Creek passes nearby and a trail follows it in both directions into the remote and very pretty San Rafael Wilderness. Facilities: Pit toilets, picnic tables, fire rings, but no water--bring your own. Reservations: Not accepted. Fees: Free, but a Forest Service Adventure Pass is required. Contact: Los Padres National Forest Santa Lucia District, (805) 925-9538. Internet: https://www.r5.pswfs.gov/lospadres.

Yellow Post Camping, San Bernardino National Forest--Scattered throughout the mountains near Big Bear are 30 or so single campsites marked with yellow posts. Go to the forest service visitor center in Big Bear and ask for a yellow post site (phone first to check on availability). The ranger will direct you to one of the sites, all of which are accessible from forest service roads. You won’t have any neighbors here. Then again, you won’t have any plumbing, either. Facilities: Picnic table, fire rings but no water--bring your own. Reservations: Not accepted. Fees: None. Contact: San Bernardino National Forest Big Bear Ranger District, (909) 866-3437.

Stone Creek, Mount San Jacinto State Park--What you see is what you get at this forested campground with 50 sites for tents and motor homes. There is a network of trails in the state park, including the trail to the summit of San Jacinto. The village of Idyllwild is only six miles away. Open year-round. Facilities: Pit toilets, fire grills, picnic tables and piped water. Reservations: PARK.NET, (800) 444-7275. Fees: $12-$16 per night. Contact: (909) 659-2607.

Paso Picacho, Cuyamaca Rancho State Park--The park sits in the Laguna Mountains, east of San Diego. The campground sits in a dense forest at an elevation of 5,000 feet. Things to do: Picnicking on the boulders lining the beautiful Sweetwater River (five miles south of the campground), hiking to 6,512-foot Cuyamaca Peak or wetting a line at pretty Lake Cuyamaca, located a short walk from the campground. Open year-round. Facilities: Flush toilets, fire grills, picnic tables, showers and piped water. Reservations: PARK.NET, (800) 444-7275. Fees: $12-16 per night. Contact: Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, (760) 765-0755.

Palomar Mountain, Palomar Mountain State Park--The mountain is known best for its famous observatory, but the park is definitely worth visiting too. The campground sits in the woods and has 21 sites for tents and 10 for motor homes. There is a network of short trails throughout the park and tiny Doane Pond, a short hike away, is the perfect place to take the kids fishing. Check out the view of the Pauma Valley from the picnic area near the park’s entrance. Open year-round. Facilities: Flush toilets, fire grills, picnic tables, showers and piped water. Reservations: PARK.NET, (800) 444-7275. Fees: $12-16 per night. Contact: Palomar Mountain State Park, (760) 742-3462.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Gold Bluff, Redwood National and State Parks--The campground sits in a dense forest, right on the edge of a beautiful wind-swept beach. There is a herd of Roosevelt Elk that frequents the area--sometimes they are even seen on the beach. Don’t miss the short hike up Fern Canyon, two miles down the road. There are 24 sites for tents or motor homes (less than 24 feet long). Open year-round. Facilities: Flush toilets, fire rings, picnic tables, solar heated showers, piped water. Reservations: Not accepted. Fees: $14-16 per night. Contact: Redwood National and State Parks, (707) 464-6101, Ext. 5300. Internet: https://www.nps.gov/redw.

East Fork Trinity, Six Rivers National Forest--Living in Southern California, it’s easy to forget what a real, year-round river looks like. Trinity River is the real thing, flowing from Trinity Lake to the sea. This small campground is located off Route 299, right along the river. Kayaking and rafting are popular in the river; Trinity River Rafting (800-307-4837) in nearby Big Bar rents rafts and kayaks for self-guided tours. There are numerous trail heads nearby into the gorgeous Trinity Alps Wilderness. Facilities: Pit toilets, fire rings, picnic tables--but no piped water. Reservations: Not accepted. Fees: $6 per night. Contact: Six Rivers National Forest, (916) 629-2118.

Albee Creek, Humboldt Redwoods State Park--The park has 17,000 old growth coastal redwoods, ranging from 200 to 2,200 years old. The Avenue of the Giants, a road lined on both sides by the behemoth trees, bisects the park, as does the south fork of the Eel River (good inner tubing). The campground is located a couple of miles from the Avenue and has 14 tent sites and 20 motor home sites. Nearby, there are two loop trails through the forest, as well as an excellent visitors center. Open May to September, weather permitting. Facilities: Flush toilets, fire grills, picnic tables and piped water. Reservations: PARK.NET, (800) 444-7275. Fees: $12--16 per night. Contact: Humboldt Redwoods State Park; (707) 946-2409.

Warner Valley, Lassen Volcanic National Park--Who needs Yellowstone and the herds of motor homes it attracts? Lassen National Park is every bit as scenic with almost as much geothermal activity, including numerous hot springs, boiling mud pots and steam vents (but no geysers). Heck, Mt. Lassen erupted this century--in 1915! Warner Valley Campground is small, with 18 sites for tents and motor homes. The campground is located in the less-crowded southern section of the park. A trail head to the Devil’s Kitchen Geothermal Area is a half mile from the campground. Open mid-June to Oct. 5, weather permitting. Facilities: Pit toilets, fire grills, picnic tables, piped water. Reservations: Not available. Fees: $12 per night. Contact: Lassen Volcanic National Park, (916) 595-4444. Internet: https://www.nps.gov/lavo.