A convenient, quiet place in the forest on the road from Willets to Fort Bragg. It was free when I stayed three years ago, costs something now.
There is NO check-in procedure here, only check-out. Odd. Just pick a site, do your thing, and there's only one way out, so pay at the station when you leave.
California state park campgrounds are too expensive. If you're paying for beachfront that's one thing, but parking my van on a level spot in the woods with a bathroom for $35 does not work for me. The fine young man at the entrance kiosk told me that a couple of miles back on National Forest land, the signs saying "Camping 14 days max" also signify "OK to camp here tonight". So that's what I did.
A sleepy little campground in a sleepy little park. Pleasant and quiet. The Suwanee River is pretty, it would be fun to kayak it. The bathroom/laundry had a little book exchange!
on the steep hill overlooking the Columbia River. Kind of a gloomy spot, but handy in the heart of the gorge area
Lovely campsites right off the busy highway, next to NWR water - either a small lake or a large pond. Idyllic except for the noise and headlights of the constant semis 300 yds away.
very pretty, next campground has wifi, level enough to bike around
spent more time at my site this time - very pleasant, woodpeckers and that nice pine tree smell!
My campsite karma failed tonight, and I am 40 feet away from overweight theater troupe, who act as if they've never been out of the city before and are being very, very loud very late into the evening. Elevation 5900', so it's pleasantly cool here, even while Redding, 50 miles west and 5500' lower is hitting 101.
An awesome find! Beautiful campsite right on a bend of the Salmon River.
Small campground on the busy road from Crescent City to Grants Pass. Quaint lodge a few hundred yards away with breakfast and even a bar!
Very handy campground on the Virginia side of Cumberland Gap. You drive a while off the highway to get here, but you're really just looping around to be right by the highway again, so there is road noise.
pretty but nondescript little spot in the interior of the state. Really nice fall colors when I was there, big yellow leaves covering everything!
Right across the highway from the Trees of Mystery, a few miles north of Leggett. On the map it looks like it's right on the Eel River, but it's on the bluffs, quite disconnected from the river, which is a dusty, steep hike mile long hike down the hill. Full-featured family campground. Swimming pool, big play area, decent regulation basketball hoop. There's a bar and a little restaurant, a lovely shaded patio and bocce ball. Happy hour 3-6 every day!
Lovely, quiet campground in an amazing location, tucked in a little valley six miles south of Winnemucca. You can hike up,up,up the creek, or hike up the side if the hill for an epic view north to the Jackson Mountains.
Small but very handy campground 50 mile north of Susanville. Very near the road, but the road is not heavily traveled. The stream is very small but pretty
large and pleasant, had to check in with the host
Glad I stopped here, really nice campground at a cool place, behind a State of Oregon trout hatchery. The campground is pretty deluxe, there are heavy wooden fences lining the roadway and each campsite, I guess to clearly delimit where people should walk and where they shouldn't. So the forest ares are pretty pristine. The campground is either new or recently renovated. The hatchery has been around for a while.
In the style of Inyo Forest campgrounds(*), this one is hard to find(**) and kind of shabby and rough, but it's in a really beautiful location. This one is on Lee Vining Creek, in the aspen/pine forest on top of the glacial till. It's the first campground on CA 120 west of Mono Lake heading up to spectacular Tioga Pass. It's pretty cool. It's very popular with fishermen. (*) Except the Inyo campgrounds around June Lake/Mammoth. They are run by a concessionare. They are a little nicer, cost twice as much, and have three times as many rules. (**) There is an arrow for "camping", but you must turn off the road to see the "Lower Lee Vining" sign.
pleasant, quiet campground. off the road across a little bridge, on the creek.