With so many of us here that camp we can tell of our best and worst camp ground stays. 

 

Twice a year I try to get to Mono Village just outside of Bridgeport, CA.  At 7100' your camping in a forest of large pine trees right next to a deep cold water lake with rainbow and brown trout.  You can sit in a boat and fish all day or hike to high alpine mountain meadows. There is a lower lake next to this one and a large reservoir 25 minutes away.  The camp ground is rather disorganized and when you check in they tell you to just find a spot and come back and "tell us where you're at".   There are less than 50 sites with full hookups and the rest dry camping.

I go around the first or second week in May and just about any time in October and I've run into a few forum members there at these times.  If you go in the summer the week ends are really busy with Monday through Thursday no to bad.    

 

        Camp sites with wild life.

                    

It's a good place for many reasons with surprises around every bend. I was going there once a year for a few years before I found IBMobile had been going there for many years. Now I meet up twice a year and in doing so I've learned how important it is to get away every so often.

 

We are camped in the valley in the tall trees just beyond the lake 

Edited January 29, 20205 yr by JAG1

All I can do is dream of camping... Last camping trip was back when we all go together for the eclipse.

One of my favorite late winter early spring campground is Roosevelt lake in central/southern Arizona, the lake is a warm water with typical large and small mouth bass and crappie and catfish. Even if the fishing is slow the campground can make up for a bad day fishing with its spectacular desert views and warm weather, although most of the campground is primitive with no hook ups, but does have community water wells and running water bathroooms and showers, the price is right too at 6.00 per day and over 300 campsites spread around the 30 mile long lake you can find find primitive spots with no neighbors and just camp where ever you see fit. They all have paved roads and leveled sites with fire rings, grills and cabanas. along with several boat ramps. 
 

Solar power is a great option to with 12 plus hour days of sunshine a common thing. A little to hot for me in the summer but a nice winter time getaway that you don't have to drill holes to go fishing   Lol.  
 

It is located about 1 1/2 hours east of Phoenix Az.  about 2000 ft. Elevation, It about an 8 hour drive south for me, 360 miles but that double towing 5ver and boat, it’s all down hill from Colorado from my place at nearly 8000 ft. just kinda sucks going back home 

Edited February 6, 20205 yr by 01cummins4ever

Wow nice expansive views. That would be nice to visit there and  bet it's comfortable in winter.

 

My mom moved to Scottsdale.... can you tell me if it's real rat race down around there? I only go where my rv goes and I don't ever wanna fly again.

3 minutes ago, JAG1 said:

Wow nice expansive views. That would be nice to visit there and  bet it's comfortable in winter.

 

My mom moved to Scottsdale.... can you tell me if it's real rat race down around there? I only go where my rv goes and I don't ever wanna fly again.

The only rat race is around Phoenix and surrounding suburbs, Roosevelt lake is in the Tonto Basin, very laid back with a couple small towns within a 30 mile drive with a few restaurants and gas stations, Scottsdale is about an hour and half drive I believe 

I've got a few campgrounds around here I would love to visit again and post up. I've got one really close to home that is up Smokey Boulder road. It a unmarked campground and it right beside brush creek. Very quiet place typically through the summer. No hook ups totally on your own. 

 

I like no hook up places too they are usually most natural. 

Edited February 7, 20205 yr by JAG1

That is me personally if I got to pay to access the forest campground it not what I want. USFS is going up in prices just for parking for a few nights. No hookups your just buying the ground for the night. So the lonely dirt pull outs, hidden forestry roads and unusual parking spots look rather inviting. 

 

Myself I've never liked crowds or having neighbors close. Most RV parks or campgrounds are just that too close and tight. Too noisy, too much traffic, etc. 

 

I'll make sure to share more of my weird little spots come spring time. Too much snow for now to even reach some of my spots. There is one right now I could reach but its cold spot. Go up the Big Salmon River past Spring Bar and there is dirt camping spots along the river. The temperatures are cold because the amount of daylight hours are short in that area. 

 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/45%C2%B025'41.8%22N+116%C2%B008'22.3%22W/@45.428285,-116.1406233,370m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x0:0x0!7e2!8m2!3d45.4282846!4d-116.1395285

 

Biked out to a mountain gravel wash for a little prospecting with my metal detector tied to the bars.

Right down the road from @Mopar1973Man forest campground is the Riverside RV Park on the Little Salmon River in Riggins, Idaho.  I've been there twice and both times we found it clean, quite, and the owner, Doug Crump, is a nice, friendly guy.  

This was the view from our 5th wheel.  

 

 

 

That must be MoparMan waiting for parts to come in.

 

Edited February 12, 20205 yr by JAG1

I didn't even notice the deer the first time I saw this.

Me too, I didn't see the deer the first time.

Maybe @IBMobile didn't either? 

On 2/12/2020 at 8:31 AM, JAG1 said:

That must be MoparMan waiting for parts to come in.

No, I was waiting for MoparMan to bring a VP44.  I was towed into that campground on @Mopar1973Man recommendation.  When I got there and told Doug Crump that Mike sent me he said no problem.

 

2 hours ago, kzimmer said:

Maybe @IBMobile didn't either?

You mean this deer eating the peaches.

That was a nice set of circumstances that came up all stemming from your VP giving up. Nice perfect camp with river, good fishing, peaches, shade and Mopar1973Man just up the road, short walk to town for supplies and they allowed repairs. That was cool being it was on your way to the Canadian Rockies it could have got real complicated if it broke down anywhere else. To tell you the truth after we left the Eclipse camp I was aware that yours was due to go out based on averages with original VP lasting only so long. I was so relieved when yours gave up in most perfect situation. What a camp.... you must have enjoyed that.

 

 

Edited February 14, 20205 yr by JAG1

It made a bad situation better.

To me it was real good because I knew you were due. Didn't want you running all the way north with an iffy VP that I know the originals only went on average about 70 or 80 k. It was real good that happened.

Edited February 18, 20205 yr by JAG1

We went to the ocean near long beach Wa. It did nothing but rain all week we were there. After a day or two we saw a sign that said overflow parking BUT it  was 3 feet of rain in the overflow parking. We found that very funny

Good time for metal detecting after it rains and the sand is wet  I want to say welcome to all who have joined up. Maybe we have big Pow Wow someday at Michaels place. We can split enough firewood to stack up a privacy fence.