To Cali I go (Camping Info)

[Tslapper]

Hey all,

I'm looking for a little inside info.

I'm firing up the FJR and riding down from Helena Montana on the 25th of June. I plan to ride straight through to Markleeville, or thereabouts. Guess you can call this the going home ride. They say you can't ever go home again but I've 7 days to kill and I plan to hit a few places, just to see the changes. I was born and raised in Cali, I'm from the LA County area. I plan to see the house I was born in (Covina), then go to Porterville where I graduated from high school and then slide over to the coast and ride north to Seattle then home via some northern west-east route into Montana. I left Cali in 1979 and haven't seen some of these places since. Seems like a good ride to me.

I'll be looking for MC friendly campgrounds. Any suggestions for your part of the Golden State?

TIA

 

[HYCLE]

Check this out on Hwy 395. Virginia Creek Settlement

I had a good breakfast there on Sunday and it was a very friendly place.

 

[twowheelnut]

Porterville: Lake Isabella has a nice series of camping areas.

 

[madmike2]

There's a large campground just our of Markleeville, but this time of year they fill up fast.

 

[Tslapper]

There's a large campground just our of Markleeville, but this time of year they fill up fast.

Thanks guys. Yeah, figured I'd run up against the masses. I'll take my chances and it'll work out. Any other suggestions are appreciated.

 

[madmike2]

There's a large campground just our of Markleeville, but this time of year they fill up fast.

Thanks guys. Yeah, figured I'd run up against the masses. I'll take my chances and it'll work out. Any other suggestions are appreciated.

Everything close to that area (and all of the higher elevation campgrounds) are filled and usually reserved ahead of time. I show 4 or 5 campgrounds near Markleeville, but I no longer have my Campground Book from AAA, so I can't tell you the names or from whom to make reservations.

This site might help but it doesn't help to "find" a campground.... https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=737

 

[Tslapper]

There's a large campground just our of Markleeville, but this time of year they fill up fast.

Thanks guys. Yeah, figured I'd run up against the masses. I'll take my chances and it'll work out. Any other suggestions are appreciated.

Everything close to that area (and all of the higher elevation campgrounds) are filled and usually reserved ahead of time. I show 4 or 5 campgrounds near Markleeville, but I no longer have my Campground Book from AAA, so I can't tell you the names or from whom to make reservations.

This site might help but it doesn't help to "find" a campground.... https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=737

Cool. I'll do the research.

Maybe a good idea to pull up short on the Nevada side. Would hate to end a big day being stuck for a place to crash.

Thanks man.

 

[Khunajawdge]

There's a large campground just our of Markleeville, but this time of year they fill up fast.

The main campground just a mile or 2 from Markleeville is called Grover Hot Springs! The campground is in the pines with some beautiful meadow and riverside campsites. The outdoor Hot Springs are an added bonus filled from a natural Spring with hot water and drained daily. Good luck in booking it! Maybe try a weekday?

This campground is a very convenient base for crossing the Sierra Passes of Monitor, Ebbett's, Sonora, even the Kit Carson and Tioga passes aren't that far from there.

cheers,

 

[SacramentoMike]

You can throw down a tent pretty much anywhere in any national forest with no hassle. If you want to use a stove or build a fire, just stop into any ranger station in the state and they'll fix you up with a permit. You can get lists, locations, and contact info just by googling "u.s. forest service camping" or any similar search. Enjoy your trip.

 

[JREW]

Most National Forest campgrounds (not the National Parks or California State campgrounds) are first come first serve, especially the smaller ones. Also, the farther away you are from the heavily populated areas the easier time you will have. Good luck, and have fun.

John

 

[Tslapper]

Most National Forest campgrounds (not the National Parks or California State campgrounds) are first come first serve, especially the smaller ones. Also, the farther away you are from the heavily populated areas the easier time you will have. Good luck, and have fun.
John

It was a good ride with virtually no mishaps. Had a Montana trooper light me up going in the other direction but he was just letting me know I was doing 80 in a 70. Never did come back for me. Bike had some issues running but I'll work on getting that sorted.

I have to say that in all the roads I was on, the one from Mariposa to Sonora is now one of my top ten ever. Clean, smooth and miles of fun. My all time number one ride is now the last 22 miles of Route 1 until it connects with 101 in Legget. A real roller coaster ride with properly bank corners. Wow! My tires were chewed up to the edges after that run! The coast of Cali from Frisco to Oregon is a great ride, even with traffic. I was taking those corners as fast as I cared to. Oregon was ok but it had a lot of Saturday traffic. More like a parade than anything else. Washington was a hoot and I found a few good side roads but was making time on the main route I had selected. The Cascade Highway was as awesome as it was the last time I ran it. Oh yeah, Bodie California is a pretty cool bit of history stuck in time. I also visited another ghost town here in my back yard. Garnet is an excellent Montana mining town still in decent condition.

My first day was from Helena to Reno. Right at a 997 miles. Not much to report there and I took it a little easier on miles after that. Just fast two lane road all the way... A little over 3300 miles of some beautiful country.

Too bad California is burning, I missed seeing some things due to smoke. I hope for all you Californians that your fire people get that under control soon.

Did I mention it was a f'n hot ride. The coast was good, always a cool breeze, but holy mother, everywhere else was hot!

 

[jordylad]

Very cool.

Well hot, but cool. you know what I mean.

Thanks for sharing, great story.

John

 

[amansker]

FYI The Casini Ranch near the coast, west of Santa Rosa does not allow motorcycles, period!

https://www.casiniranch.com/

There is a state park in Idylwild, CA that does not allow motorcycles.

Kennedy Meadows and the ride there is highly rated! NE of Kernville. 8,000', killer roads.

https://www.desertdutch.org/kennedy.htm

 

[James Burleigh]

Dude, I just looked up Helena (my mother's name, BTW), Montana. I don't know if you know where that is, but it's right there in Montana between Glacier and Yellowstone. Which means that Silent and I may be riding through your hood somewhere's around July 20 or 21 or, uh, 22.... Who the ph**k knows. Anyway, y'all gonna be around?

Jb

 

[Tslapper]

Dude, I just looked up Helena (my mother's name, BTW), Montana. I don't know if you know where that is, but it's right there in Montana between Glacier and Yellowstone. Which means that Silent and I may be riding through your hood somewhere's around July 20 or 21 or, uh, 22.... Who the ph**k knows. Anyway, y'all gonna be around?
Jb

Yeah, I'll be here working after shooting my vacation wad for the next few months. I got yard space for tents. There's a good bit of tools available in my garage too if you need something by then. I rode around downtown Frisco for a couple hours week before last. Rode across the GG bridge and didn't see the thing. Banged my headers pretty hard going too slow over one of those cliffs you guys call streets. Had fun.

Doors open. I'll pm my cell.

 

[James Burleigh]

Dude, I just looked up Helena (my mother's name, BTW), Montana. I don't know if you know where that is, but it's right there in Montana between Glacier and Yellowstone. Which means that Silent and I may be riding through your hood somewhere's around July 20 or 21 or, uh, 22.... Who the ph**k knows. Anyway, y'all gonna be around?
Jb

Yeah, I'll be here working after shooting my vacation wad for the next few months. I got yard space for tents. There's a good bit of tools available in my garage too if you need something by then. I rode around downtown Frisco for a couple hours week before last. Rode across the GG bridge and didn't see the thing. Banged my headers pretty hard going too slow over one of those cliffs you guys call streets. Had fun.

Doors open. I'll pm my cell.

Right on! Let's be in touch to get a plan before lift off on the 19th, even if only to say howdy. Thank you for the offer of a place to crash, er, sleep . Sorry we missed you here.

Thanks.

Jb