Camping with no bears

I love camping with my family, but very uncomfortable with the idea of sharing the campsite with bears. Is there a place in Northern California that does not have that problem, or where bear are kept under control? I know, they don't hurt, must keep your food away, etc... but still would rather not wake up in the middle of the night with a gigantic bear sniffing my head (from the outside of the tent) as it happened last time. So please don't tell me what to do in the event it happens, or that camping is not for me. I was raised in the Italian Alps and camping with my kids is what I love the most. Thank you. Susanna

So -- Henry Cowell or Portola Redwoods near Santa Cruz, Salt Point in Sonoma County, farther north to Mendocino or Humboldt Counties.

Or you could try the Eastern Sierras around Mammoth.

IMO bears are only a problem in campsites that are heavily frequented by humans. More remote campsites are probably less likely to be visited, simply because there aren't as many people throwing food scraps around there. Erin

Camping 1-2 hours from East Bay

Hello, I am looking for a camp ground recommendation no farther than 1 to 2 hours from the East Bay. It will be the first time camping with four kids ranging from 2 - 5 yrs old. So, any advice is also welcome. We'd love to stay 2 nights and would like a camp ground that offers car camping AND feels semi-private. Quiet, starry nights. We also would love to be able to access some points of interest either from the site or very nearby -- redwood trees, river, lake, trails, hot springs, etc... Thanks! Jill

Where to go camping with my 14-y-o son?

I've promised to take my 14-year-old son camping this summer, though it's something our family hasn't done since before he was born. It will be the two of us and one of his friends. I'd like suggestions for somewhere to go that will satisfy both of us. He didn't like the campgrounds I suggested, because they were too big. He'd like to feel like we're living in nature, and he's more into the experience of sleeping in a tent and cooking outdoors than he's into the destination or the scenery. I have some mobility limitations and can't backpack anymore, but a short walk -- yards not miles -- from a parking space may work. We'd like to avoid campgrounds that attract parties or other noisy groups (e.g. lots of slamming RV doors or people up at the crack of dawn to go fishing) and places that would make us feel unsafe. We can do without showers, but I prefer piped water. Northern or Central California would be good, but we could drive a little further. We'd prefer cooler rather than hot weather. And we'll need something that will be available for 3-5 nights sometime in mid-summer; weeknights are ok. Can anyone recommend specific campgrounds or destinations? Thanks!

Close by, I recommend Butano and Big Basin State Parks - their campsites have a good amount of space which can give you that good deepwoods feel.

We love the Desolation Wilderness area which has two campgrounds - one at Fallen Leaf and one at Wright's Lake. These are beautiful areas with lakes and rivers right in the campground. Family friendly, no crazies.

Any of the national forest campgrounds around the Trinity Alps area would be great too. Even peak summer you can find a spot to drive in without reservations. Like most NF campgrounds, there aren't showers but there are outhouses and piped water at most spots.

I'm interested in the other responses you get! Enjoy. Camper

There are other sites in the King Range as well, and it's cheap as heck. From the campsites, you can hike up to the trail that gives you a fantastic view. It is more cool than hot and the coastline itself can get fogged in easily. I also drove down to Shelter Cove, which was charming (but dangerous for swimming). On the way back, saw a small group of people by the side of the road. It turned out, they were watching 3 elegant elk in the field by the road. An unforgettable trip. Jennie

A FAVORITE place of ours is Butano State Park, just south of Half Moon Bay and very close to Pescadero. Redwoods and lovely trails. Very good place for children and adults (and even our teenagers love this place). Phipps Ranch is about a mile away -- has small animal farm (pigs, ponies, bunnies, birds, rabbits, goats) to walk through as well as strawberry and ollalieberry fields where you can "pick your own." Small roadside market sells beans and fresh vegetables and local honey

China Camp in San Rafael. Marsh hikes, drive a little way to "private" bay beach and the China Camp museum.

My husband and I took our niece and daughter to China Camp State Park in Marin County to camp overnight a couple of years ago for a "dry run" before we went to Yosemite. We all loved the place. Campers must walk in which eliminates nearly all of the nuisances generally associated with drive in campgrounds ie. RV's charging generators, loud radios, etc. The facilities were top notch including flush toilets and hot showers that are cleaned regularly. This was a plus for the girls who are pretty fussy about those things. The campsites are spaced generously apart in oak woods. We swam one day in the bay at the China Camp Beach where there are historic buildings and displays about the Chinese Americans who settled there and commercially fished the bay for shrimp. If you are interested in going to the beach, make sure to wear foot coverings because the beach is made up of small stones (great skippers) and are tough on the feet. We saw lots of animal life in the campground after sunset several deer, a gray fox, a family of raccoons, and a skunk. You can make reservations through Mystix.

Death Valley

I am thinking of going camping in Death Valley this winter (Jan/feb/March) with spouse and 3 year old son. Is this a good idea or bad? If good, any ideas for campsite? Is Furnace creek good...if so what site? What activities should we think of doing? Hiking or biking? Thanks for your help! Sarah

Let me answer your questions: The nights are very cold in the winter. I have seen countless campers over the years, hanging out in the diner for pure warmth and light after 5pm. I would certainly not go camping there with a toddler before March. Check if they get any snowfall in March. April is better for camping, but too hot in the daytime and because of that you may also encounter scorpios and rattlesnakes looking to cool down & hide in your tent or motel room (told by motel staff who lives there year-round). We prefer to go in December and we usually check into the Stovepipe Motel. Once we splurged and paid for Furnace Creek and it was great too. After playing all day in the desert, I want to be able to clean up and feel comfy at night. Just adds to a better experience. If you have the easy type of kid that goes along with everything you do, count your blessings. If you have a kid with distinct preferences, for the three year old I suggest visiting the sand dunes, Scotty's Castle and walking into artist palette right before sunset to admire colorful rocks. Zabriskie Point is stunning and even nicer to hike down into, but I don't find that suitable for the comprehension and condition of a three year old. He will probably be more interested in walking on the barrier than enjoying the view. Death Valley has great hikes and sites for adults or emerging adults from Mosaic Canyon, Ubehebe Crater, Natural Bridges and more. You could take your toddler to Salt Creek and Bad Water and the Nature Center, but many things will be lost on him. He'll be happier playing with his hot wheels and you could be having the time of your life in this desert without him if you had a relative at home with your son for 3 days. That's my honest take on the situation - but it totally depends on what your expectations are for a trip like that. I love camping in many places, but in Death Valley I want a motel. Heike

Camping in the Grand Tetons

Ever since reading about them in a novel, I've wanted to go to the Grand Tetons. I'd like to camp there Summer 2006, maybe for a week. Has anyone done this? Do you have campgrounds to recommend? Other things to know? How much bearproofing do you need to do when you're in a campground? My son is 5 and we love to hike and paddle in our inflatable canoe (Tahiti K). Also, I'd like to do this as cheaply as possible. Thanks! Jennie

My children and I have spent many a weekend at the Olema Family Campground and have really enjoyed it. It isn't a beautiful, scenic, out of the way place, but it is right next to Pt. Reyes which is. There are hot showers, a playground, small store, and nightly campfire entertainment (stories and singing) right there. A laundromat, another store and deli as well as a great restaurant are all within short walking distance.

They can be reached at (415) 663-8001. They have a web site at www.campgrounds.com/olemaranch.

Olympic National Park

I'll be heading to Olympic National Park w/my husband and twin 3.5 year olds. Our plan is to tent-camp 4 nights. I've never been there and would like to get an idea of a good place to stay and things to do (short - 1 hour long hikes). I'm intrigued with the rainforest area, but would love to hear any recommendations about all of the park Nancy

Pinnacles

We'd like to go camping around the Pinnacles in the fall. 1)How's the weather there in Sept.? 2) I've heard the West entrance is more kid-friendly and you can see more without hiking long distances. Do you agree? 3) There's no camping within the parks, but a few campgrounds not far from the park. Any advice re: which campgrounds are nice? We're looking for somewhere quite, with firepits, ideally with toilets/showers, kid-friendly. 4) How long is the drive, from your experience?

Another camping suggestion (almost car-camping): We camped at the Pomo Canyon Environmental Camp (part of the California State Park system), near the coast and the Russian River, a few weekends ago. There weren't a lot of kids around, but our 3-year old daughter loved it (and so did we!) It's a walk-in campground, which we consider the best of both worlds--almost as convenient as car camping, but much nicer because there are no vehicles in the camping area. (Though you need to pack slightly efficiently if you don't want to walk back and forth a million times to bring in your stuff.) Many, but not all, of the sites are quite private. The drive was a little over 2 hours. (To get there, you turn off of route 1 onto Willow Creek Road, which is just before the Russian River. It's about 3 miles down the road to get to the Pomo Canyon camp.)

Here's the (true) description (found at www.mcn.org/1/rrparks/parks/scsb.htm ): "Pomo Canyon Environmental Camp - $10 per night, $5 day use. 20 campsites with fire rings, picnic tables, pit toilets and running water nearby. Campsites are within 1/4 mile from the parking lot, one is disabled accessible. Camps are set in a beautiful redwood grove among the ferns. A three mile trail to Shell Beach takes off from the campground, crossing seasonal streams and rising up into the grassland with marvelous views of the river and finally the ocean. To protect the wildlife, no dogs are allowed. This campground is not on the reservation system."

We went up early on Friday, arriving at the campground around 3 pm. Of 21 sites, there were only 4 left at that point. Everything was gone by 4 pm. The hike to Shell Beach was also wonderful, but make sure to bring lots of water, and be sure you (and any kids that are walking) know how to identify poison oak. (None of us got poison oak but we definitely had to be aware of where we were walking and what we were touching for large portions of the hike; there was no poison oak in the camp area.)

we went to Van Damm State Park which is near mendocino. It was a really nice camp ground and with lots of hiking. It's also just across the street from the beach. We took our son who had just turned 8.

Is there anywhere around here--within a few hours, say--where I can take my dog camping and actually go on trails? There are some places dogs are allowed in campgrounds, but not on trails, which doesn't do me any good. I went to www.dogfriendly.com but it wasn't helpful. Anyone? Dog Owner

I'm considering going on a long , 2-4 week camping trip with my 1 year old, 3 year old, and 2 dogs. I'm looking for somthing within maybe 3 hours of the bay area. I'm trying to avoid a typical campground because I would like to be able to let my dogs run around. Any suggestions? Allegra (2001)