Suggestions for July Camping with in 6 hours on OC Ca

[gardenmomof2]

We have 5 night in July avail. to camp and we would like somewhere new to try. Last year we headed up to San Simion and Morro Bay. We had a great time  We want something with in about 6 house of Orange county Ca. Any suggestions for us?

[Russinator]

We really like the San Diego Couty parks. We haven't been to them all but the ones we have been to are great [Dos Picos and Guajome]. If the old saying is correct [a picture is worth 1,000 words] then the links below might help.

http://www.co.san-diego.ca.us/parks/camping/dos_picos.html

http://www.co.san-diego.ca.us/parks/camping/guajome.html

http://www.co.san-diego.ca.us/parks/

http://www.therussinator.com/Guajome/

http://www.therussinator.com/DosPicos/

[OC Campers]

We have always enjoyed Bridgeport.  Which is about 90 miles north of Mammoth.  From Orange County it is probably 450 miles.  Lots of hiking, boating and fishing.  It is set at 7,500 ft so in the summer time it is pleasant.
 
Jacqui

[Camping Coxes]

Sequoia National Park, Lodgepole Campground.  We love it and it's about six hours from me in La Mirada.

[beacher]

We have always enjoyed Bridgeport.  Which is about 90 miles north of Mammoth.  From Orange County it is probably 450 miles.  Lots of hiking, boating and fishing.  It is set at 7,500 ft so in the summer time it is pleasant.
 
Jacqui

That's where the family and I will be for the 4th!  But you really have to reserve FAR in advance for that week if you want a spot with hookups and shade.

Any of the State beaches around Santa Barbara are very nice, and you might find an available spot.  The OC and San Diego beaches are full.

Yosemite and Sequoia are at their best at that time of the year.  Floating down the river in Yosemite, or a nice shady hike through Sequoia in July!  Priceless!

[gardenmomof2]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. We have stayed at a few san Diego parks and really like them but wanted to go a bit farther this trip since we have the time. Bridgeport and the Sequoias were something I was thinking about laying in bed last night. What is the bear situation up there? What precautions do we need to take with a popup. I would guess they have bear boxes for food, is there anything else we need to think about.

[Camping Coxes]

Bridgeport and the Sequoias were something I was thinking about laying in bed last night. What is the bear situation up there? What precautions do we need to take with a popup. I would guess they have bear boxes for food, is there anything else we need to think about.

They have bear boxes that are very roomy.  They were replacing them as we arrived July 2002 and they ran over and replaced ours out of order so we could get our stuff into them, which I thought was really nice of them.  We had two large coolers and a box of dry food and it all fit, and we put our shower kits, my make-up bag, our deoderant or anything else that might have a scent in there too.  Sealed things like cans are okay in the PU as long as you don't leave them out in plain view.  We left our pots and pans on the counters of the PU we owned then because we had little storage space, so we just kept our curtains closed when we left anywhere.
 
Everyone freaks out about the bears in campgrounds, but they really don't want to be around humans unless you're leaving food out.  They know they can't get into bear boxes, so they don't even try.  The RV is a big bear box to them.  You of course use common sense -- i.e. don't cook a roast in your crock pot that's going to leave lingering aroma.  That's too irresistable.  But we had no problems.  When we emptied a cooler, we left it under our bunk end LEFT OPEN so the bears can easily see that there's no food inside.  They equate coolers with a free meal and will rip it open to see if there's food in there, so you want to make it easy for them to sniff and move on.  The rangers will give you guidelines/rules to follow.
 
My son and husband were hanging out while my daughter and I went to do something and they had a few deer come running by very close to our site, then about two minutes later came a big bear and her cub.  They ambled over the rocks, sniffing around, and kept moving.  DH and son just sat at the picnic table and watched them.  The bears were looking for berries or leftovers or whatever they could find and had no interest in eating those nasty-tasting humans.  That only happens in horror movies.
 
Sequoia is an awesome place to visit.  Your kids will love it.  Even if you're not an avid outdoorsman who loves to hike huge mountains, you can take easy walks on the trails and see some amazing stuff.  At Lodgepole there is a river that pools near the bridge that separates the two parts of the campground (camp on the other side of that bridge for best spots) and the kids loved to swim in it.  It's ice cold, but deep and crystal clear.  Every so often they'll spot a fish swimming by too!

[OC Campers]

Bridgeport does not have bear lockers.  Basically you keep all your food and coolers inside your tow vehicle with a table cloth or tarp over them.  We have been going there for 11 years now and have never had a problem with the bears.  They will occassionally roam thru the cg but we have never had an issue.

Most of the campgrounds are dry camping up there.  There are a couple of private places where you could get hookups but we prefer the state cg's.   Most of the private places are either too expensive or their sites are out in the sun.   We really like Robinson Creek North/South, Paha, and Twin Lakes campground.  We have stayed in all 3 of them.  Probably the one to stay away from is Craig.  It is a newer cg but there are no trees so your camper will sit and bake in the sun.  The temperatures up there in July will be in the 80's during the day and 40-50's at night.
 
You could also try Tom's Place.  We have never stayed in these campgrounds but have been told they are very pretty.  They are not too far outside of Mammoth.  You could also try June Lake.  Both places are pretty and just off the Hwy 395.
 
Jacqui