Where to camp in Angeles National Forest?

November 7, 2017 5:21 PM

Fans of Angeles National Forest, which campgrounds are most likely to have a spot available for people arriving late on a Thursday night on Veterans Day weekend?

I want to camp with a friend in Angeles National Forest. I see a lot of recommendations for campgrounds on here (Buckhorn, Chilao), but I worry that a nice or desirable campground will be full when we arrive: around 1am this Thursday night, Veterans Day weekend.

Do you have a sense of which campgrounds are unlikely to be full? It's all right if they're less picturesque.

posted by a sourceless light to Travel & Transportation around Los Angeles, CA (4 answers total)

Best answer: It might be a good idea to plan a route to try each campground in order, that way it would cover all your bases. On the other side of Mt. Gleason is the Thousand Trails Campground and the KOA Acton. The KOA is on the Pacific Coast Trail and the TT has river beds to hike into the hills. Not quite the same, but both allow you to book in advance if you need a backup.
posted by Vaike at 6:41 PM on November 7, 2017

Best answer: You might be able to find a spot at Horse Flats. It's relatively close to Chilao, but it's a few miles off the main road, and we never had trouble getting a spot there. The website says it gets moderate-heavy use, so I don't know if it's more popular than it was when I lived there, or if they're just trying to give you a fair warning.

Anyway, you'll have to bring in your own water (or fill up at Chilao), but there's some nice hiking around there.
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 1:34 AM on November 8, 2017

Best answer: I would do what Vaike suggests. Assuming you're heading north into the mountains from LA on the 2, hit Chilao--Horse Flats--Buckhorn in that order. I doubt you'll have a problem finding a spot.

You probably don't need to be told, but please be mindful of the other campers when arriving that late. Driving around in circles with your lights on looking for a spot is going to be annoying for people trying to sleep. Maybe park and walk around with a flashlight looking for a site?

Also, be prepared for cold weather. Looks like it might get down to freezing this weekend.
posted by dadaclonefly at 12:37 PM on November 8, 2017 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Reporting back that Chilao was super empty on Thursday. It filled up the next day, but Thursday wasn't a problem.
posted by a sourceless light at 11:09 AM on November 13, 2017