California Central Coast Campgrounds

[johnnytrails]

'53 - The rest of our trip went pretty smooth, though Plaskett Creek was no where near as nice as Kirk, and the fog settled in on Tuesday, had to drive up Naciemento Rd (w/o AS) to get above it. My parking got a lot better as the trip wore on, and driving Hwy 1 was a breeze. Spent a few days at a hot spring near Soledad after Plaskett, now THAT was relaxing. Looking forward to next year, will spend a few days at Kirk instead of the overnighter, hopefully at full moon again.

[jspafford]

Our favorite central coast campground is Montana de Oro state park, west of San Luis Obispo. No hookups, water available, excellent beach access, raccoons, wonderful ocean air ...

Fill your fresh water tank at the Union 76 station on the west end of Los Osos.

If you have any difficulties on the way, Sky Harbor Airstreams are in Paso Robles.

Be sure to visit the mission in SLO, and walk through gum alley.

[Jim Foster]

If you stop in Pismo Beach, there is Pismo Coast Village. Walking distance to town, large beach just over the dune. Clean laundry facility. Nice but not too upscale. Everything looks freshly painted because it is. Reasonable for the location.

[Ike T]

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

We'll have to take Cal. 120 from US 6 near the Nevada state line to Lee Vining and across the northern part of Yosemite to get to the Yosemite Valley. Looks like a slow, winding road. It seems we'll be there a few weeks before snow season.

Any feedback on any of this?

Gene

We drove this route in mid-July with a 30' Motorhome towing an 18'-car trailer (20k lbs total weight more or less). CA-120 is freshly paved from Benton (I think) towards Mono Lake. There are some steep spots that had us in 1st gear crawling.

CA-120 has a beast of a climb to the east entrance of Yosemite. We were in 1st gear quite a bit at 6am, avoiding the climb in the heat of the day. Temps at the pass were 32* when we passed through. Frost on the ground.

CA-120 through Yosemite has beautiful views, according to my wife. I was completely absorbed by keeping the motorhome and trailer in my lane. 50' length was really too much for the road and traffic volumes, but we made it safely. Climbs aren't too bad in the park. It's just tight. Took around 2 hours to drive across the park to Yosemite Valley. The decent down into Yosemite Valley was steep (8* grades at several points).

When we transited, rigs over 45' feet were "not permitted" on CA-140 heading west from Yosemite. A rockslide forced the construction of a temp bridge, which has a tight turn to access it. But we made it through with no problems.

If all the free sites or RV parks are full, you can stay in the Mono Lake National Scenic something-or-another center's parking lot overnight without any issues. That's what we did on our trip.

Enjoy your trip.

[G1obetrotter]

Wow, this has turned into a pretty cool thread. there are enough tips here for another trip after this one. thanks you all for piping up.

[Berry Bunch]

We are very familiar with the local campgrounds (we live in Arroyo Grande).
What are you interested in? (i.e. Coastal Mountain Range, Near Water, Beach, Exclusion, Convenience?) I'd be happy to share my knowledge.

Nate

[FreshAir]

Originally Posted by Berry Bunch

We are very familiar with the local campgrounds (we live in Arroyo Grande).
What are you interested in? (i.e. Coastal Mountain Range, Near Water, Beach, Exclusion, Convenience?) I'd be happy to share my knowledge.

Nate

We live on 50 on the way to Tahoe. So any inquiries from 'flatlanders' of destinations up this way are welcome. However, Lynn and I have promised ourselves to visit more coastal campsites. One other recommended place to visit is New Brighton and of course the Bogeda Bay area. Any other ideas? Of course please include roads NOT to tow on. A side history (mine) note...1952 after an across country journey on RTE 66 to LA, mom wanted a coast route up to SF. No one then cautioned us against HWY 1....while towing a 26' trailer! I was 14 and remembered THAT trek. Can you image what HWY 1 would be like bck then?!
Neil
Neil

[Relentless]

Great thread. We've pulled the 120 entrance to the west side of Yosemite. Its called Priests Grade. Steep but short. Used 2nd gear both going up and coming down. Only takes about 15min. but does seem a lot longer.

John

[kingfisher24]

and here we go...see how this works for the seasoned calif traveler...as this is my first time

I will be at the Eureka KOA..I want to travel south on the 101 and still see as much of Calif 1, sans trailer that i can...

so i leave Eureka and head for Fort Bragg (Harbor Rv Park) via the 101 and then on Calif 20 at Willitis to get to Fort Bragg ...stay there 2 or 3 days and I can day trip north and south on the Ca1 without the airstream....

then head out back to Willitis and the 101 bound for Cloverdale; (thousand trails/RussianRiver Park) for a few days and can day trip down to Bodega Bay and cover he Ca1 down to Stinson Beach with day trips out of Cloverdale....

then head out on the 101 out of CLoverdale headed for Monterey...hitting the Golden Gate Bridge just as dawn breaks...not many choices of places in Monterey?????

Could go to the Big Sur area..How is the trip down the Ca1 from Monterey South to the Moro Bay area where it hooks up with the 101 again.

Can the trip be made safely in a 25ft airstream on the CA1 south from Monterey>?????? to Pismo Beach

thanks

[Relentless]

The most difficult part of that trip, IMO, will be 20 from Willits to Ft. Bragg amd back. I did it last year with my 25' and you need to take your time. Its up and down and around the whole way. The rest of your trip will be no problem.

John

[kingfisher24]

The mountain directory advises of the trip on 20 from Willits and from Legget down Ca 1 and says the 20 is the better road.... sounds doable??

RV Park Reviews gives the Harbor Park near Fort Bragg great reviews with some caution....

so the trip down Ca 1 from Monterey , through Big Sur and further down is ok??...even through LA.......

How would be the best way to get to Hemet at the Santa Barba area and avoid the cluster of LA, possibly from the 150 to the 126 to Santa Clara then the cluster of interstates...210 to San Berdardino..the 215 snaking down through Riverside and then to Hemet.....

then out to Joshua Tree and then high tail it on 10 and then to 60 and worm my way to the Balloon festival in Albuquerque

And the juant between Cloverdale and Monterery???? throught the Golden Gate bridge on the 101...lotasa traffic...best time??????

or is it worth the trip?? to go through... down to San Clemente and take cal 74.... to Lake Elsenore...which sounds..as white knuckle as it gets, according to the mountain directory......

I have been on 74, from Hemet to Thousand Palms..without the trailer and it would be scary enough........

but the 74 from San Juan Capistranio sounds even more like a roller coaster with lots of hairy traffic but yet...do you feel lucky???

thanks.....

[FreshAir]

We were just in Big Sur. We towed our 1966 24' Trade Wind from our weekend stay in Carmel to Kirk Creek Campground....estimate 35 - 40 miles through Big Sur. The road, HWY 1, is winding and steep in places buy very doable. There are several traffic signal one way construction areas. Buy gas and supplies before you get to Big Sur...VERY expensive and limited there. We used KJirk Creek as a base for day trips back to Big Sur, est 15 miles, and to Cambria, past Hearst Castle to the south, est 35 miles. Road is good and easy to there.
Neil.

[Ike T]

Originally Posted by kingfisher24

Can the trip be made safely in a 25ft airstream on the CA1 south from Monterey>?????? to Pismo Beach

thanks

Please be mindful of the weather conditions along this stretch of coast. We were headed to Big Sur from Monterey yesterday morning in our car but turned around just south of the Bixby Bridge. A wall of fog rolled in with strong gusts and created zero-visibility conditions. Literally, the car in front of me (100' at most and with lights on), the road, and the earth simply vanished.

We probably could have waited it out the fog in one of the turn-outs, but we headed back to sunshine just 2 miles north. There definitely was not enough space and visibility to safely u-turn a truck and trailer to return north.

[marzboy]

Originally Posted by kingfisher24

The mountain directory advises of the trip on 20 from Willits and from Legget down Ca 1 and says the 20 is the better road.... sounds doable??

RV Park Reviews gives the Harbor Park near Fort Bragg great reviews with some caution....

so the trip down Ca 1 from Monterey , through Big Sur and further down is ok??...even through LA.......

How would be the best way to get to Hemet at the Santa Barba area and avoid the cluster of LA, possibly from the 150 to the 126 to Santa Clara then the cluster of interstates...210 to San Berdardino..the 215 snaking down through Riverside and then to Hemet.....

then out to Joshua Tree and then high tail it on 10 and then to 60 and worm my way to the Balloon festival in Albuquerque

And the juant between Cloverdale and Monterery???? throught the Golden Gate bridge on the 101...lotasa traffic...best time??????

or is it worth the trip?? to go through... down to San Clemente and take cal 74.... to Lake Elsenore...which sounds..as white knuckle as it gets, according to the mountain directory......

I have been on 74, from Hemet to Thousand Palms..without the trailer and it would be scary enough........

but the 74 from San Juan Capistranio sounds even more like a roller coaster with lots of hairy traffic but yet...do you feel lucky???

thanks.....

The 101 over the Golden Gate takes you thru the heart of San Francisco. If you must do it, make it EARLY.
Avoiding the L.A traffic is nearly impossible. But lucky for you it will not be the worst of it. Taking the 101 south to the 134 burbank to the 210 east (the 134 turns into the 210) that would be the quickest way out of town. Have fun!!

[Gene]

I intend to avoid LA and SF. We'll come to the coast a bit north of Monterey and exit via Cal. 126. A friend from Cal. tells me 126 was once extremely dangerous, but is much improved. He also advised we'd like Joshua Tree NP much more than Big Bear. He also mentioned the roads into BB are pretty slow and full of switchbacks.

Lots of good info here and when it gets closer to October, I'll be printing out this thread or copying the info for our trip.

One of the things to see in Big Sur is Cafe Nepenthe. Great views from the upstairs restaurant, but the downstairs restaurant (both are outdoors) is a lot cheaper, views are good, and you can walk upstairs to see the better view. Henry Miller once lived there and there is a bookstore where he lived. Esalen also is there, but not easy to get into. They have a hot spring—I belive they are required to allow the public to use it, but they only open it to the public from 1-3 am.

I'm wondering what the closest CG's are to Big Sur, public or private?

Gene

[kingfisher24]

RV Park Reviews.com lists several and I believe the Kirk Creek campground has been mentioned on this thread.........Kirk Creek will be my choice on my trip if i can swing it

[kingfisher24]

A friend of mine who currently lives in california; Hemet, and previously lived in the Bastrop (lost pine) area near Austin, Tx advises that my trip to Big Sur will find that it is like the lost Pines of Bastrop, only air conditioned and that there are"mucho hippies"...since i am a retired old hippie myself...i cannot miss Big Sur

[kingfisher24]

Getting ready to leave Oregon this morning bound for Eureka for a few days and get my bearings and supple my reserve for the journey down the 101 to San Juan Capistrano...

still dont know where i will stay after Eureka...going to explore the Fort Bragg area and survey the highway 20 and Ca 1 conditions before i jump

[Relentless]

Mendacino, just down the road from Ft. Bragg, is a neat little town. Leave the A/S in Ft. Bragg. A little known fact. Mendacino is the town they shot "Murder She Wrote" in.

Pretty good food at the restarant in Ft. Bragg down by the water. I can't remember the name.

You won't have any trouble on Rte. 20 if you just take your time.

John

[Mexray]

Check out....

ALL PUBLIC CAMPGROUNDS: STATE PARKS NATIONAL PARKS FORESTS camping Canada Provincial Parks BLM Army Engineers TVA County Regional campgrounds

It's easy to drag the map to the area you're checking out - then zoom in to see all the campgrounds, click on a camp to get all kinds of data...

Another great feature is the small draw-down button in the upper RH corner of the map - it allows you to change to topos, sat views, etc...

This same info is available as a Mac APP for your iPad, iPhone, iTouch...cool!

Ray