Jalama Beach CG

[wavery]

While we were on a camping trip to Refugio State Beach, we heard about a little known campgrounds that is in Northern Santa Barbara County and located 14 miles off of the highway on a secluded beach called Jalama Beach:
http://gorp.away.com/gorp/location/ca/la_stars1.htm

We took a drive up there. It is a beautiful drive through Santa Barbara's wine country. The 14 mile road back into the campground is well maintained but quite windy and narrow in places.

The campground itself is just as nice as any in SoCal but really in the boonies which would make for nice quiet camping. The walks and scenery are magnificent.

While we were there, a bunch of guys from Vandenberg Air Force Base landed in a close by field with their Black Hawk Helicopter to enjoy some of the local cuisine at the campground. Note the helicopter on the knoll in the second picture.

Camping there is first come-first served. Sorta risky in the summer but should be OK in off season.

[Camping Coxes]

As I said before, it's beautiful, but it can get very, very windy!  We got blown out.  And those railroad tracks are VERY ACTIVE and the engineer feels the need to "greet" the campers all night long with his whistle.  We lasted one night and moved on because it was so cold and windy we couldn't even build a fire.

We were camping on the top level, which has the best view, but we found out also has the most wind.  In the first picture, the RV all the way to the left with the awning out -- we were two spaces to the right of that.  Another drawback to that level -- no bathrooms up there.  You have to walk down the hill, which is not a  big deal, but walking back up the hill can be a bear!

[wavery]

As I said before, it's beautiful, but it can get very, very windy!  We got blown out.  And those railroad tracks are VERY ACTIVE and the engineer feels the need to "greet" the campers all night long with his whistle.  We lasted one night and moved on because it was so cold and windy we couldn't even build a fire.

We were camping on the top level, which has the best view, but we found out also has the most wind.  In the first picture, the RV all the way to the left with the awning out -- we were two spaces to the right of that.  Another drawback to that level -- no bathrooms up there.  You have to walk down the hill, which is not a  big deal, but walking back up the hill can be a bear!

I hear ya!! That point in the background is Point Conception, the windiest place on the West Coast. From Oct - April, one would certainly have to watch the weather forecast. If there is a cold front coming down the coast, abort your plans to stay there. We have to watch that at Pt Mugu CG as well. We have learned to be quite good at it (the sailor in me).

While we were there, the weather was ideal to sublime. I certainly wouldn't hesitate to camp there from May-Sept (watching the weather). There is a high pressure system that plants itself in the middle of the Pacific Ocean (Pacific High) during those months and cold fronts are rare. The only risk would be that the high could intensify, then you would get a Northerly and that beach "should" be pretty protected.

As for the trains, how can they be any worse than Goleta, Refugio, El Capitan or Carpinteria? They are the same tracks with the same trains and the tracks are a lot farther away than they are at the other beaches. Personally, I will take the trains over the highway noise, at the others, any day. I found the highway noise at Refugio almost unbearable. Although, we did have the worst campsite in the whole CG.

[dthurk]

Wavery, I take it that's you in the third picture?

[wavery]

Wavery, I take it that's you in the third picture?

That's me & Doofus

[TheViking]

That's me & Doofus

I never noticed Doofus!  Are you bringing him to the Oceanside campout in June??
 
 Kristi

[wavery]

I never noticed Doofus!  Are you bringing him to the Oceanside campout in June??
 
 Kristi

Gee.................how flattering . Most people don't notice me. They only notice Doofus :p .  I won't tell him that you said that .

He goes every where with us.......................It's "All about the bird" you know.

[griffsmom]

I heard the bird is the word.

[TheViking]

The Bird Bird Bird....The Bird is the word.....

[griffsdad]

What's the word??? You say the bird?

[griffsmom]

Don't you know about the bird?
Well everybody's heard about the bird!

[PITPOP27]

Wayne your so sweet looking!  No wonder I like you!

I have friends who go to Jalama all the time..for years now, but they have a cab over.  Have you gone yet?  Maybe after the cruise!