Where to go tent camping between Arizona and San Jose, CA?

May 16, 2021 7:24 AM

We will be traveling to San Jose the last week in June. We’d like to stop and camp for 3-4 days along the way and then again on our way back to Scottsdale the following week but we can’t seem to find a campground that checks all of the boxes.

Although we have reservations for a campsite at Lake Havasu, I’m growing increasingly worried about the heat. Additionally, this is not the kind of camping I’m accustomed to. I am more accustom to the campgrounds in Oregon at Diamond Lake or along the Rogue River. We want somewhere that allows campfires, has running water and vault toilets are fine. We want trees, a body of water at the site (river, creek, lake) and a bit of space between us and the other campsites. I’m finding that many campgrounds are restricting campfires. It hasn’t been too difficult finding sites that have running water and bathrooms, but so many are right on top of each other, or don’t have a body of water and/or don’t allow fires. Are there any suggestions for campgrounds that meet the above criteria?

posted by twin_A to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (7 answers total)

Keough's Hot Springs between Bishop and Big Pine has a lot to recommend it. They appear currently to allow fires. Not roughing it, but not swanky.
posted by Glomar response at 8:35 AM on May 16, 2021

Some people I know from my time in Phoenix literally wrote the book on this for AZ. Unfortunately it's not going to have info on COVID restrictions or drought restrictions, but they do discuss which specific site numbers are best for the sort of things you're looking for. Might give you an idea of who to call, at least! There's other books in that series too, so I imagine you could find the same for CA, too.
posted by Alterscape at 8:46 AM on May 16, 2021

I would definitely pick somewhere along CA 395, maybe Convict Lake or Silver Lake. Looks like they allow fires now, but that could change.
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 9:15 AM on May 16, 2021 [2 favorites]

In California, even if a campground allows campfires, they might temporarily ban them if a red flag warning is in effect- you won't be able to plan that in advance because the weather conditions could change. Given the current drought, it unfortunately seems likely that there could be a fire risk while you're traveling.

I'm assuming you're looking for something midway on your trip, but closer to San Jose, Pfeiffer Big Sur is beautiful.
posted by pinochiette at 9:25 AM on May 16, 2021 [1 favorite]

We live in Arizona and camp a lot. There is just no good reason to have a campfire anywhere in the state right now - it’s just dangerous. As far as water and other things go, we are a desert, so it’s just not a very common thing. Maybe Oak Creek in Sedona, but it’ll be competitive to get a site.

Maybe look at Whitney Portal Campground above Lone Pine. The creek is lovely.
posted by chuke at 1:47 PM on May 16, 2021 [2 favorites]

Given the catastrophic drought situation going on right now, by the end of June anything with a spark will almost certainly be prohibited. I don't think it's possible to overstate how dangerous a campfire will be this summer.
posted by jesourie at 4:00 PM on May 16, 2021 [5 favorites]

I sent you a memail re my favorite secret spot
posted by soylent00FF00 at 4:54 PM on May 16, 2021