Mc Grath SP review

[wavery]

We had a nice weekend at Mc Grath SP. We got to meet another PUT member and as usual, they were great people.

Mc Grath is located on the coast (sorta). It's about 1/4 mile off of the water (inner lagoon) but it's a nice walk and lots of bird life on the beach. If you want to actually walk to the ocean, you must walk about a mile (or more) down the beach to get around an inner lagoon. I don't think that you would want to step foot in the water of the lagoon. This really is NOT a beach campground (IMO). So, if you are looking for a place to camp and play in the ocean, this may not be the place unless you are willing to take a long hike.

The campground had a lot more trees than I expected and the campsites are quite generous and private. Each site has a picnic table and fire pit. The campsites have tons of rabbits & squirrels. (see pics below "McGrath SP")


The restrooms are located so that there is not a long walk from any of the sites. The restrooms will rate a C- with me. They seemed like they were cleaned each day but they are in serious need of upgrading (kinda dingy and falling apart). The water was hot (25 cents for 2 minutes) but the shower stalls are very small and very wet. If I am going to pay an extra $10 a day (above Pt Mugu) for showers and flush toilets, I expect more than what they offer.

There are plenty of grass areas for the kids to play. "NO dogs on the beach" signs were all along the sand berm.

I was rather amazed at how noisy the highway was. Others have mentioned it but I guess I just didn't expect that road to be THAT busy all night long. It's amazing how far off of the road that you are and how many trees are around but the road noise just cuts right through.

For you kayakers.....about 5 miles south is Channel Islands Harbor. If you turn off of Channel Islands Blvd (head toward the ocean) on Victoria St and go about 1 mile, you will pass the Coast Guard Station on your right. There is a small beach about 100 yards down. You can park for free and launch your kayak right next to the road. It's about 1/4 mile out the harbor entrance to the open ocean or you can paddle for miles up and down the many protected inlets with homes on both sides.

The highlight of our trip was the drive home. We spotted a pod of Humpback Wales feeding just off shore in Malibu. We stopped and watched them and a few hundred Dolphin frolicking around just beyond the kelp beds.

[Azusateach]

I'm wondering where you were in relation to the beach.  Last time I went I don't remember it being that long of a walk.  

We were there over Veteran's Day weekend a couple of years ago and there was NOBODY on the beach.  Had a blast with Brandy, and one of my favorite pictures of the 2 of us was taken there.

It is noisy, compared to several other state CGs.  Were you as far away from the road as possible?  

When we go in May I'm going to try & get there as early as possible so I can get a site in the interior part of the CG.  

Still want to go, still looking forward to it!

Laura -- and Jed

[wavery]

I'm wondering where you were in relation to the beach.  Last time I went I don't remember it being that long of a walk.  

We were there over Veteran's Day weekend a couple of years ago and there was NOBODY on the beach.  Had a blast with Brandy, and one of my favorite pictures of the 2 of us was taken there.

It is noisy, compared to several other state CGs.  Were you as far away from the road as possible?  

When we go in May I'm going to try & get there as early as possible so I can get a site in the interior part of the CG.  

Still want to go, still looking forward to it!

Laura -- and Jed

We were as far in as we could get. There were sites closer to the berm but they were taken.

When we first got to the CG the ranger told us that they had a series of very high tides and part of the CG was underwater. I'm not sure what he was talking about but maybe he was referring to that lagoon that separated the CG from the beach.

When you look at the picture below, there is now a lagoon that goes from the top of the picture to the bottom (and farther) between the CG and the ocean. It's about 100' across and maybe a mile long. We didn't walk to the end but it was farther than we could see from the top of the berm.

We are still planning to go too. We're going to bring the kayak and launch it at Channel Islands Harbor. We're looking forward to it. We'll bring ear plugs though .

[Azusateach]

Wow... sounds like the set-up at Pismo.  What a pain!  Used to be, we could walk right between the burm/dunes and be on the beach.  Don't know what I'll do about getting down there now, but I'm thinking it won't happen (taking Jed to the water).

[wavery]

Wow... sounds like the set-up at Pismo.  What a pain!  Used to be, we could walk right between the burm/dunes and be on the beach.  Don't know what I'll do about getting down there now, but I'm thinking it won't happen (taking Jed to the water).

The other thing is.....that water may be gone (or at least less) in 3 weeks .

[paspilot]

Love the google earth picture of the sites. The tide was very high.
During my walk around the campsite with the kids, I got to see the usual trails to the beach were flooded, along with several of the best campsites nearest the beach. Pretty much everything green to the north of the campsites shown in the picture was under water. The extra vehicle parking lot was also flooded out.
Another Kayak launching spot about two miles north just across from
Channel Island Visitor Center- A narrow beach facing the harbor entrance with about a 150 yard walk from the parking lot. A kayak rental operation working in the parking lot, and an outrigger canoe place was launching there too.

Looking at this picture Wayne, we were about as close to the entry
gates- and that #$@! highway noise as we could get.

[oldmoose]

We'll be at McGrath Saturday to put on a Dutch oven class for some 60 Girl Scout leaders. Roy Powell and his buddy Paul Brown and Paula and I will be there. They'll learn about Dutch ovens and then cook their own meals. We've done this before with Roy and we have a great time. If anyone was at the Beach DOG, he was the one doing the info class at 9:30.Moose

[wavery]

We'll be at McGrath Saturday to put on a Dutch oven class for some 60 Girl Scout leaders. Roy Powell and his buddy Paul Brown and Paula and I will be there. They'll learn about Dutch ovens and then cook their own meals. We've done this before with Roy and we have a great time. If anyone was at the Beach DOG, he was the one doing the info class at 9:30.Moose

Moose,

Please let us know if the water has receded from that lagoon.

[Steve-o-bud]

Hi all. We go to McGrath every year with our Indian Princesses group, and this is a real accurate review.

 
The lagoon was formed about 3 years ago, durring some winter storms, and has remained ever since. That made the walk to the beach quite a bit longer.
 
It is a nice spot, nonetheless. Easy to get too, and this last July, we had perfect weather.

[wavery]

OK.......I'm making one more post on this thread.

We went back to McGrath this weekend. Had a real good time with friends and would only return for that reason.

We stayed in sites 31, 32, 33 this time. Those sites are just about as far from the highway as you can get and there was no change (in my opinion) to the level of road noise. I could hear the traffic at ALL hours of the night, right through my ear plugs.

The bathrooms were not as clean in this site because (believe it or not) this bath-house was older than the other one :eyecrazy: . The toilets were over flowing because they are very difficult to flush so some people (boys) don't bother. They are the kind where a handle comes out of the wall and you push the handle down to flush (when they work properly). However, these are worn-out and instead of repairing them, they put a little (hand-written) sign that says, "Push in to flush". They are hard to push in because the handle is not designed for that and most kids just simply can't do it.

Oh ya......those cute little bunnies and squirrels .......they did what rabbits do...they multiplied......rabbits everywhere. When we got up in the morning, I had to sweep the droppings off our mat (lots of them). If I would have brought the kids, I would NOT have allowed them to sit or wrestle on the grass. I saw other kids doing that and it grossed me out  :eek: The grass was literally covered with rabbit poop. Campers sure must feed those rabbits a lot and there are hundreds (if not thousands) of them.

If we ever did return to McGrath, I would try to get site #32. It was a nice private space.

[Azusateach]

I had a nice time at McGrath, too.  While I didn't see much of anyone (largely due to me being such a early go-to-bedder & having company), it was fun to see the Wavery & Recumbentman groups.

I was in Site 32, and it's nice if you're not interested in using your awning & have no slides.  Pretty closed in.  Didn't notice bunny poop everywhere, probably because Jed peed right outside of the trailer (in the grass) & the bunnies didn't want to become his latest toy.

The sites I liked the looks of were 43-45 -- right against the dunes.  While there's a kind of path there, they open onto the dunes & are nice & large.  Much sunnier, too.

Suprisingly, I didn't notice the road noise -- a real shift for me, which was nice.  Never stepped foot in the bathrooms, but actually never expect state CGs to have nice facilities (again, another reason to be grateful for my HTT!).

While it's not the Ritz, it's not bad.  I'd go again, but then, I'd go again to Guajome!

[griffsdad]

I had a nice time at McGrath, too. While I didn't see much of anyone (largely due to me being such a early go-to-bedder & having company), it was fun to see the Wavery & Recumbentman groups.
 
I was in Site 32, and it's nice if you're not interested in using your awning & have no slides. Pretty closed in. Didn't notice bunny poop everywhere, probably because Jed peed right outside of the trailer (in the grass) & the bunnies didn't want to become his latest toy.
 
The sites I liked the looks of were 43-45 -- right against the dunes. While there's a kind of path there, they open onto the dunes & are nice & large. Much sunnier, too.
 
Suprisingly, I didn't notice the road noise -- a real shift for me, which was nice. Never stepped foot in the bathrooms, but actually never expect state CGs to have nice facilities (again, another reason to be grateful for my HTT!).
 
While it's not the Ritz, it's not bad. I'd go again, but then, I'd go again to Guajome!

You'll go to Guajome again!!!!  Me too!!!!!!

[Sue Hardee]

You'll go to Guajome again!!!!  Me too!!!!!!

I also would go to Guajome again, no bites on any of us1  Me thinks it was all in their heads.

[wavery]

I also would go to Guajome again, no bites on any of us1   Me thinks it was all in their heads.

It must be the perfume that you wear.... Besides.....I don't think that Chiggers like sweet stuff.:J

[wavery]

I figured out a way to keep the rabbit poop off of my awning mat. It just took a slight adjustment to my TV.
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