Blauert on Outdoors: Finding the perfect campsite

A month ago, I provided my annual list of opening dates and deadlines for reservations and permits for some of the most popular and hard to reserve outdoor destinations in Central California.

This week, I’m focusing on campgrounds – and how to pick a good one for next summer.

Some of the best locations require reservations well in advance – especially on weekends, and even more so around summer holidays.

Here’s a recap of campground reservation availability dates:

Reservations for campgrounds in Yosemite, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Pinnacles and all other national parks are available through the National Recreation Reservation System (http://www.recreation.gov/ (877) 444-6777). You can book up to five months in advance with a new month of reservations available on the 15th of each month at 7 a.m.

Reservations between April 15-June 14 will become available Dec. 15 at 7 a.m. On Jan. 15, reservations for May 15-June 14 will open up. Yosemite reservations often sell out within a few minutes, so hopeful campers should be on the website and ready to go before 7 a.m. For the best luck, have multiple dates and campgrounds prepared in advance.

The majority of the state’s campgrounds are located in national forests. You can also book them through the National Recreation Reservation Service, with reservations available six months in advance and generally far less in demand than those in national parks.

California State Park campground reservations are available at http://www.reserveamerica.com or by calling (800) 444-7275. Reservations can be made seven months in advance. Reservations are opened in month-long blocks on the first of each month. Currently, they can be made through June 30. The next block (through July 31) will open on Jan. 2 at 8 a.m.

Here’s what I look for when I pick a campground:

Location: There are two kinds of good campgrounds – ones that are located in beautiful spots, adjacent to several recreation opportunities (and likely popular and populated), and remote ones that are ideal for peace and quiet. Either can be enjoyable; it just depends on what kind of vacation you are looking for.

Bad campsites are located along highways and have considerable vehicle noise throughout the night. Who wants to drive a long way into the mountains and listen to traffic all night? A surprising number of campgrounds were built in these kinds of locations. I look at maps when booking a site to see how far it is from the nearest thoroughfare. You can do this easily if booking online through recreation.gov or reserveamerica.com. The webpage for each campground has a map, and you can use the “zoom out” function to get an idea of the immediate surroundings.

Amenities: Campsites in national parks and the most popular state parks often have flush toilets and coin-operated warm-water showers. The majority of campgrounds, however, have more primitive facilities such as pit or compost toilets. Some of the most primitive campgrounds require you to pack out your trash.

Access roads: Many remote campgrounds in national forests are accessed by dirt or gravel roads. If you want to keep your vehicle on the pavement, verify the type of access road before you book your site. Even if the access roads are paved, it is common for the roads within the campground, or at least the parking area, at each individual campsite to be unpaved though generally maintained well enough for any vehicle.

Opening dates, region, elevation and typical weather: Many campgrounds are closed in the winter. Campgrounds along the coast and at foothill reservoirs are good bets for spring and fall – and even in the winter, if you are prepared for cold nights (the coast provides the most temperate weather in the coldest months).

Campfires: Most campgrounds allow campfires at least part of the year, though fire restrictions often go into effect in dry summers, especially at lower elevations. If part of your plan includes enjoying a campfire, plan your trip for June or pick a campground in the higher elevations of the Sierra (7,000 feet or above). It’s not guaranteed these factors will allow you a fire, but they will increase your odds greatly.

Activities for children: If part of your camping trip includes ranger-led activities for children or families, you are most likely to find them in national parks and the most popular state parks. Pinecrest Lake is also a good destination.

Site size: The average campsite allows eight people and one or two vehicles. Larger family groups often need to book adjacent or nearby sites. A few campgrounds offer larger group sites to accommodate families or organizations ranging in size from nine to more than 100 people.

Pets: Most campsites allow pets, but many locations – especially state and national parks – limit the places you can take them, including most trails. If you plan to take your dog on a trail, head for a national forest campground.

Once you have identified your priorities, you can browse campgrounds and read about them at Recreation.gov. All you have to do is search for a campground around a specific park or town and these sites provide a list of available campgrounds in order of distance from your search location. Clicking on each campground in the list provides further information about it.

Generally, my “go-to” resource is Tom Stienstra’s “California Camping.” It provides the basic facts and helpful reviews of about 1,400 campgrounds in our state. Updated in 2013 and full of helpful information, I recommend it as the best resource to find the perfect campsite.

If you’re a AAA member, the club publishes two helpful maps: “Campgrounds of Northern California” and “Campgrounds of Southern and Central California.”

Next week: some favorite campgrounds.

This story was originally published December 9, 2014 at 7:40 PM with the headline "Blauert on Outdoors: Finding the perfect campsite."