camping june 9-12

[acm95301]

looking for suggestions on a last minute camping trip. Due to poverty, my son school schedule, and my wife's work schedule I haven't been able to make reservations. But know I'd like to make something happen.

I'm hoping for tent camping, with room to park a truck, with some type of bathroom nearby, shade, above he tree line, boating is a bonus but not necessary, fishing a must.

hoping fo a spot that isnt necessarily packed.

[kopper_bass]

ACM,
going camping in CA at the last minute, is a pain. Unless you find a private campground, most all state and county parks are gonna be filled.

1 jewel that we have found that is extemely close to the bay area is Joseph Grant Park, over in SE San Jose. Its super close by, almost always has available space at the last minute, is quiet, and a great place to relax. The hiking and wildlife is great too. They do have a few small lakes, ones even called bass lake, but i honestly have never tried fishing them. go here to look at:
http://www.sccgov.org/portal/site/parks ... rchannel=1

A second place i might recommend is a place we went last year. its Lake Mendocino and is West of Clear Lake, along Hwy 101. Great scenery, great camping, big lake for bank fishing or boat fishing, if you got one. Go here:
http://www.spn.usace.army.mil/mendocino/index.html

Enjoy,

Kopper

[f350mudder]

I don't know exactly what your looking for,but Don Pedro is a nice spot.Me and my family go every year,it has everything you are looking for,tent camping,room to park a truck and small car,bathrooms and showers near by.You can even find a spot anywhere on the lake if you have a boat and set up camp right there,some places have bath rooms a short walk away.

[Lugnut]

Not sure if you have tried Eastman or not. That is usually our last minute spot, you can go online now and check to see what they have available. It's even pretty close to your hometown. Just my .02, good luck and enjoy the family.

[rmd]

ACM why dont you go to lake mcclure they are open i will be there from the 9/13.george

[acm95301]

Guys I love to fish Mcclure, Ive got my annual pass for both Mcclure and Don Pedro, but the wife is an issue...she wants something up in the tree line.....in fact she said" I want something that doesnt look like Mcclure." Blasphemy I know, but whatcha gonna do... I get to go to Mcclure twice a week, so I can't complain.

Eastman is cool too.

[Jim Moulton]

Cherry Lake.

[Soulman]

Bass Lake outside of Oakhurst has several campgrounds in the Ponderosa pines along the south side of the lake. I have stayed at the Forks campground many times, although not for several years. Flush toilets, but you need to drive to the resort to shower.
Just checked reserveamerica.com and there are sites available.

Good warmwater/trout fishery with pretty good bank access. Should be all species biting this month at that elevation.
Plenty of amenties nearby, less than 100 miles from Atwater.

[acm95301]

Cherry Lake is a good one, Ill have to try that next year. I made reservations at Icehouse Campground. Icehouse Reseviort is east of placerville...a trout lake....at 5500'. Ill let you know how it turns out. Thanks for the input.

[krpierce]

ACM, Since you will be that far it would be worth your while to throw a few casts at Loon Lake. Its about 15 miles further than Icehouse. Ive caught some decent size trout from the bank in years past. Just a thought.

[Bill K]

If you want to drive a little further, try Lake Almanor. Almanor campground is pleasant and I am sure they have vacant spots.
Decent s/m fishing right now. Bill K

[mikema60]

Huntington Lake great lake 7000' . Here's a link..

http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/sierra/recreati ... eria.shtml

[DaveH]

I didn't look up where Atwater is, but Lake Cachuma outside of Santa Ynez fit all that you listed, the place is on a first come first serve basis, boat access, shore fishing,and if your a wino there's quite a few places to taste and doesn't sound like this would be up your alley there's a Indian Casino ten minutes from there, look the place up here on western bass also

[Spookin'Em43]

One of our yearly camping trips is to Twin Lakes Mono Village outside of Bridgeport. They have a ton of spots and they do not take reservations (you wont need them anyway). Its really beautiful and they have great trout fishing if you are into that ha! They have bathrooms, shade, you can feed deer, hike to their hatchery, etc. http://monovillage.com/