This place is a real gem, tucked into the mountains between Red Bluff and Chico. I had no idea this special place existed at low elevation so close to home. On the edge of the
Ishi Wilderness, it feels very isolated. The drive in is a bit arduous, as it is about 20 miles of dirt road, some places very slow-going, with one creek crossing. We were able to do it in our Subaru wagon, which I would not really consider a high-clearance vehicle, but a sedan might not be the best bet for this winding, rocky, narrow road. The dirt section took about 1.5 hours, but has several great views and passes through some beautiful territory (as well as some recently logged areas). We came in from the north side, off highway 36, but access can be gained from the Chico area as well (we were told this was the rougher of the 2 roads).
The campground itself is primitive, with no potable water available, so bring your own or a filter. There is one outhouse, which seemed generally unmaintained (bring your own toilet paper!). We had two lovely sites right at the front of the campground, with large grassy areas and just the right balance of sun and shade. The sites further back were more shaded, but less private. There is a trail into the wilderness that leaves right from the campground.
This has been an unusually cool year, so the creek was still flowing very rapidly, and the weekend was chilly, so we did not do any swimming. But I am certain that in warmer weather, you could find some great spots to cool off. We actually got snowed on- in May! The kids loved exploring up the creek and found a beautiful waterfall not far from the campground.
I highly recommend this unique place if you are willing to do the drive. You will not be disappointed by this area and its namesake monolith.
Back from a quick trip to Death Valley. Camped one night at Furnace Creek, (which I still like as the best option for family tent camping in the park). The kids love playing "fort" in those large trees near the visitors center. We then had to move to Texas Spring, which offers only a very few sites with shade (although if you get one of those 4 or 5 with good shade, it would be great). Next night was Stovepipe Wells, which I had previously listed as a parking lot for RV's, but it does have tent sites along the back side which are not too bad, though they offer very little shade. However, those sites do offer plenty of room to roam, as you are at the back of the campground, they have a view of the mountains, and you can set up your tent a nice distance from the parking area. You do have to trek across the parking lot to utilize the bathroom facilities.
