roadtripper362598

(stayed here 12/5-9/2021). Clean, quiet campground with ocean views. Sure, they have lots of rules (other reviewers seemed peeved) but since this is such a popular location, things need to be well-managed and orderly. All of the sites have ocean views and picnic table. We stayed in a "tent" site which is limited to 25ft TTs. Plenty of room for our TT and lots of space for the F-150. Easy access to the beach even with the steep road and water in the underpass. You can walk all the way to the Crystal Cove "village" of rental cabins, bar and restaurant, and visitor's center. At the campground, there is also a visitor's center with maps for the canyon hiking trails. Clean restrooms and pleasant staff. Your camping reservation also covers the other state parking lots along the coast for the duration of your camping trip.

We stayed at San Mateo CG for 4 nights July 21-25, 2020. Well-maintained. Mostly quiet in the evening but for some little kids having fun playing outdoors - like camping should be. We were in the dry camping area. Generator hours are until 8 pm and everyone very respectful to the hours.

The restrooms and showers were clean. Sink washing station in good shape, too. Sites are pretty level and have greenery separating the sites. Some open up onto open space. Others kind of backup to other sites. The map on the Reserve California website is pretty accurate.

There is a walking/biking path to the beach. Kind of hilly but keeps you away from the road. About 1.5 miles to Trestles (great surf beach). With your state campground pass, you can also use the day use parking at any state beach until 10 p.m. on your departure date.

We road bikes from the campground on two days. One day down to San Onofre - bike path nearly the entire way. Next day up to Dana Point - bike route and bike path the whole way.

You are really close to Camp Pendleton and can often hear their artillery practice. Fortunately, they don't start until 9 a.m. Be aware if you have pets that are afraid of fireworks or thunder as it can sound like that at times.

(Dates stayed 10/24-30/21) We had a great experience here. We don't usually stay in RV Parks but were meeting some friends who travel with their dog. We couldn't take a chance on getting a site with electric hook-ups in the Big Bend Rio Grande Village CG so chose this place. What a great choice.

We had a pull through site (I think they all are) with water, electricity, and sewer. Our friends were in the site next to us with the private fire pit. The sites were perfectly level and have a nice picnic table. Set up nicely so you get afternoon shade on the trailer door side (which is also the side with the awning). Nice view of the mountain and great view of the night sky (except the stupid liquor store across the road keeps their lights on all night!).

The owners have been really busy planting desert trees and shrubs. There is a communal area with games and a firepit. I think they even have some concerts. Location is great for access to Big Bend NP and State Park. Also, right across from Far Flung Adventures if you want to book guides for kayaking and jeep tours (highly recommend a river trip). Close to Terlingua town.

A bit of noise from the road as the weekend drew near but not really bad during the week.

(Dates stayed: 10/30-31/21) We wanted to visit the two national parks in the area. This was a great choice. Originally tried to get a spot at Sunset Reef BLM but as it was midday on a Saturday when we arrived, that site was full (and then some). Went back to Chosa and it was perfect.

We had a spot on the far rail (furthest from the entrance). Like others have said, you just kind of pick your own spot in the large, fenced lot. It is perfectly level. There are a few camper-made rock firepits to watch out for those as you pick your area. You can always disassemble them if they are inconveniently placed.

When we arrived there were about 5 campers dispersed around the CG. Most of the edges and a few that looked like they had been staying awhile. But, the CG was very clean and there is a large dumpster on-site. A few campers ran generators for brief time in the early evening and early morning but the CG was otherwise quiet and dark. A little road noise but not bad.

Some great sunsets.

Stayed 9/17/20 - Just traveling through Montana from North Dakota. Needed a pull-through site for one night and a place to do laundry. This CG was nice and well maintained. They assign you spots but ask ahead of time what you require. The spots that were right along the river were really nice and, if we had been staying longer, would have been willing to pay extra for those full-hook up sites.

The CG was pretty full and mostly big rigs. Looked like people spend quite a long time at the CG, maybe even the season. It was pretty convenient to the little town of Big Timber.

We had a site with W/E but not sewer. Had planned to use the dump (even though it was only one-night's worth of gray/black) as we weren't certain of our next stop. Unfortunately, someone pulled in right before we got there and they had no idea what they were doing so we left without dumping. Would probably be better to have the dump station inside the CG gate so random people (even though there is a sign) can't use it. This RV did not look like it had stayed at the CG.

Port San Luis in Avila Beach has 4 options for fully-contained camping. No tents allowed. Fully contained RVs only. We stayed in the Woodyard site which does not have any amenities. This campground is really just a pull out along the road on the short cliff overlooking the bay. Spots are well-marked. Host is friendly. Views are tremendous. A little noisy from the road traffic on one side and the ocean on the other. But, easily walkable to the town of Avila Beach and to the working pier in the port. Also accessible to the Bob Jones bike trail. Golf course is a mile away.

The Port has one other dry site called Nobi Point. Sites with full hook-ups are available in another area closer to the pier. Also, full hook-ups for boat trailer camping.

Unfortunately, the Port Authority is building a new glamping campground on the hillside so these oceanfront sites will be going away soon.

We stayed 11/13-17/20. This concession run campground inside Pinnacles National Park is well managed and maintained. We stayed in the "tent" side as we have solar so we don't need electric hook-ups. Many of the sites could have accommodated our 24 ft. TT. Our site, A 10, was secluded and quiet and backed to a seasonal creek. There are no generators allowed in the campground so it is very quiet. While we were camping, no fires of any kind were allowed which made for very quiet nights as groups were not out sitting around the campfire (cold at night). Since this is the only place to stay in the NP, once the day visitors leave, you have the park to yourself.

The RV "park" is very plain. They have electric at each site and communal drinking water spigots throughout the RV park so you don't have to travel with water. Some of the sites are close together. The few that back to the creek or the road are nicely shaded. And, since there isn't much traffic overnight, the RV side is fairly quiet. Lots of families and kids running around in the group area and tent area but that's what camping is all about. The camp store/visitor center has wifi so you can walk over to check your phone or mail, if you must.

The hiking in Pinnacles is great. Nicely maintained trails with lots of "skill" levels. Weekends are very crowded (not sure why we booked on a weekend since we are retired!) so if you can avoid Saturdays, at least, I recommend it. In non-Covid times they have a shuttle service that runs from the campground to the trailhead at Bear Gulch as the parking fills up quickly. You can walk from the campground to some of the other trailheads but it adds quite a bit of distance. You can also bike and there are bike racks at the trailheads. On the weekends the Rangers close the park roads when the trailheads are full so biking is safe.

Didn't get to see any condors or wildflowers so we will have to go back!

Stayed at El Capitan 4/12/21. We love this campground. Great ocean views from many of the sites. Easy walk to the beach. Campground is clean. Quiet in the evenings. Sites are generally spacious so even with a full campground, you don't feel crammed in. Some of the amenities could use some upgrading like the showers and bathrooms. Sites close to the highway can be noisy from truck traffic. Beach is great for walking, playing in the surf and has day use picnic/barbecue area right on the water. Nice nature trail (watch out for poison oak!). Good hiking in the foothills with beautiful spring flowers and ocean views.

Port San Luis in Avila Beach has 4 options for fully-contained camping. No tents allowed. Fully contained RVs only. We stayed in the Woodyard site which does not have any amenities. This campground is really just a pull out along the road on the short cliff overlooking the bay. Spots are well-marked. Host is friendly. Views are tremendous. A little noisy from the road traffic on one side and the ocean on the other. But, easily walkable to the town of Avila Beach and to the working pier in the port. Also accessible to the Bob Jones bike trail. Golf course is a mile away.

The Port has one other dry site called Nobi Point. Sites with full hook-ups are available in another area closer to the pier. Also, full hook-ups for boat trailer camping.

Unfortunately, the Port Authority is building a new glamping campground on the hillside so these oceanfront sites will be going away soon.

We stayed 11/13-17/20. This concession run campground inside Pinnacles National Park is well managed and maintained. We stayed in the "tent" side as we have solar so we don't need electric hook-ups. Many of the sites could have accommodated our 24 ft. TT. Our site, A 10, was secluded and quiet and backed to a seasonal creek. There are no generators allowed in the campground so it is very quiet. While we were camping, no fires of any kind were allowed which made for very quiet nights as groups were not out sitting around the campfire (cold at night). Since this is the only place to stay in the NP, once the day visitors leave, you have the park to yourself.

The RV "park" is very plain. They have electric at each site and communal drinking water spigots throughout the RV park so you don't have to travel with water. Some of the sites are close together. The few that back to the creek or the road are nicely shaded. And, since there isn't much traffic overnight, the RV side is fairly quiet. Lots of families and kids running around in the group area and tent area but that's what camping is all about. The camp store/visitor center has wifi so you can walk over to check your phone or mail, if you must.

The hiking in Pinnacles is great. Nicely maintained trails with lots of "skill" levels. Weekends are very crowded (not sure why we booked on a weekend since we are retired!) so if you can avoid Saturdays, at least, I recommend it. In non-Covid times they have a shuttle service that runs from the campground to the trailhead at Bear Gulch as the parking fills up quickly. You can walk from the campground to some of the other trailheads but it adds quite a bit of distance. You can also bike and there are bike racks at the trailheads. On the weekends the Rangers close the park roads when the trailheads are full so biking is safe.

Didn't get to see any condors or wildflowers so we will have to go back!