Bob Scott Campground- Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest

Stopped here at Bob Scott, just outside of Austin, NV on our way to Yellowstone in July to dry out and have lunch. It was dry and windy- the perfect place to lay out the wet tent before mildew set in. The campground is set very close to Hwy. 50, but could be a good stop if you are on a road trip. It is pinyon-juniper country, and there are campsites with good shade.

East Creek Campground - Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest

This place was a nice surprise. After driving Hwy. 50 across Nevada (beautiful!), we stopped in Ely for gas and decided to check out East Creek. This little campground stretches along the creek (still running strong in July), and is a lovely patch of green among the sagebrush in the mountains NE of Ely. The kids spent most of their time playing in the creek, and there is a trail leading from the campground, although we did not hike it this time.

Hampshire Rocks Campground- Tahoe National Forest

We stopped here on our drive out to Yellowstone with a thunderstorm looming on the horizon, not to mention two hungry kids and a fussy toddler in the backseat (in other words, we did not have a lot of time to look for a better spot!). While Hampshire Rocks is in a lovely area, right along the river, with some great climbing boulders for the kids, the intense traffic noise from I-80 and a nearby train track pretty much cancels out the positives. One bonus: We weathered an early morning thunderstorm, packed everything up post haste, and headed into Truckee for a delicious breakfast at the Squeeze In.

Sheep Camp and Brandy Creek Campgrounds- Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

I cruised through these 2 campgrounds a few days ago, scouting a potential trip for us. Sheep Camp (see right photo) is small- 4 sites, and though it is close to several trails, it lacks structure and privacy.  It looks as if campers have just driven through wherever, leaving the area denuded of vegetation, although the site could be pretty if there were actually some understory left. It is right on a dirt road, and the campsites get the dust cloud from vehicles driving by. The Brandy Creek trail is very close, and the trail to Brandy Creek Falls is just up the road.

We ended up camping later at Brandy Creek Campground (see left photo). It has just 2 sites, tucked peacefully back off the road. The 2 sites are not close together, so privacy is very good. In fact, site #2 is one of the most secluded campsites I have seen. The campground sits above the creek, and though access is possible, it is steep and inconvenient. The Brandy Creek Trail goes right through the campground, and it is also just a few miles from the Brandy Creek Falls Trail, which we hiked, and wow! It was really beautiful. Highly recommended. 

Once again, I have to add that Whiskeytown NRA is close to town, and is therefore subject to the effects of campers who come out to party. Our campsite, though nice and quiet, had some graffiti (which was scheduled to be painted over the next day), and there was plenty of broken glass around. Our kids like to collect bottle caps from each of our campsites, and we gathered more here than anywhere else!

Gumboot Lake Campground- Shasta-Trinity National Forest

Gumboot Lake Campground looks like a sweet spot. It is a primitive campground, with just a few sites scattered around the edge of a little lake. We stopped by there to check it out on our way to the Gumboot Trailhead on the Pacific Crest Trail, which is just a few miles up the road from the campground. We didn't stay this time, but perhaps we will need to plan a return trip! It is a pretty easy trip from I-5 to the campground, so I am wondering if this place attracts the partying crowd...? The hiking on the PCT northbound was great by the way, interspersed with views of Mt. Shasta, the Trinity Alps and several small lakes down below the crest.

***Added June 29, 2009*** Stayed at Gumboot last weekend. The lake is beautiful and our kids had an excellent time swimming for 2 days straight. There were quite a few visitors to the lake, but we had our section of shore all to ourselves. But I was right that this spot does attract partyers. The campground is really just like dispersed camping, with no picnic tables or water and only one vault toilet. My book listed some walk-in sites across the creek, but people drive across, and that area was crowded. We had a good site at the end of the road, but it was barren from over-use. There is no fee to camp here, which is a bonus, but I felt like some campers had been there for an extended time. I would stay here again, but on a weekday, and I would want one of those camping tables to cook on.

Tuolumne Meadows Campground- Yosemite National Park

Tuolumne Meadows is a large, crowded national park campground. Some sites are very small, others are ample. There are enough loops in there to cover half the alphabet, and if you arrive after dark, it may take you a while to find your site. You might have to wait in line for the bathrooms. But we spent almost a week there and loved every minute of it.

It is the incredibly beautiful Tuolumne Meadows area itself that makes it all worth it. There are a plethora of hikes to choose from, many of which you can do with children. The kids went to a great Junior Ranger program and couldn't get enough of playing by the river. The store is within easy walking distance, so if you run out of beer or bananas, you can make a quick run. Going off trail and climbing some of the smaller domes was a favorite for the kids too. They love walking right up that sticky granite.

For more info, and to find out about making reservations, go to:

http://www.nps.gov/yose/

Tahkenitch Campground- Siuslaw National Forest- Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area

First let me say that the Oregon Dunes area is a great place to camp. The beach is always an exciting trip for the kids, but adding in the elements of tall sand dunes to climb and warm freshwater lakes to swim in really makes for some serious fun.

Warning: This area has very heavy OHV use, so you must use caution in choosing both a campground and your beach for day trips if you are not into that sort of thing. I would really rather not hear the drone of a 4-wheeler all day long, so my goal is to avoid that entirely. Some campgrounds in the area allow and cater to OHV use, and others do not.

We stayed at Tahkenitch Campground, which was a smaller, relatively nice spot. There is a big dune right among the trees at the campground, which the kids loved to climb. There is also a trail leading right from the campground to Threemile lake, and beyond to the ocean. The sites are small, so plan for that. We did get 2 medium sized tents in one site, but the walls were practically touching. The campground is too close to Highway 101 for me. You could definitely hear traffic noise. And there is nothing like some nosey campground hosts to put a damper on the fun. 

However, we really enjoyed the area despite those negatives. We spent one day at the beach in the Siltcoos area (the beach is near a plover nesting site, so no OHV use allowed). The Waxmyrtle Campground near the beach access looked like a good option for a return trip. And many years ago, we camped at J.M.Honeyman Memorial State Park, which I remember being very good.

We had one very rainy day, and still had a great time with the kids, going to the Umpqua Discovery Center museum in Reedsport, and touring the lighthouse at Umpqua Lighthouse State Park. Stop at the Reedsport Coffeehouse for a good cup.

Relevant links- Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/siuslaw/recreation/tripplanning/oregondunes/index.shtml

http://www.umpquadiscoverycenter.com/