"Karl" has been relentless the last few weeks! Feeling desperate to get away from of the fog and spend some time outdoors, Chris and I thought it would be fun to check out some trails and go camping...
For the First time,
Last minute.
In Northern California.
Ugh.
We could almost hear the internet laughing at us as we entered ReserveAmerica.com into the address bar.
One would think you'd have to break into the Matrix in order to find a last minute camping location in California, but thanks to a winning combo of naivety and determination, we were able to do just that. Enter our new found favorite apps, Alltrails and HipCamp.
All Trails
An app which will identify rated hiking trails locally or within a defined search
.
Pros:
Verified Trails
Downloadable Maps
Mature enough to have a wealth of crowd-sourced reliable reviews.
Photographs
Cons:
Pro version for downloading topographical maps is expensive, twenty nine dollars/year subscription.
Hip Camp
Similar to AirBnB except it is specifically for campgrounds and cabins across the world.
Pros:
Easy Booking
Not only lists National and State Camping locations with ratings, maps, and photographs, it also lists private or shared land camping sites. These private grounds are less known so accessible last minute!
Crowd sourced photographs
Mature enough to have a wealth of crowd-sourced reliable reviews,
Cons:
Unable to book state and National campgrounds directly in app, you'll be rerouted to external sites to book.
Unable to sort by private grounds and land share options, so you'll have to do a bit of hunting!
Credit Card Only
AllTrails led us to a completely amazing experience! Based on reviews of hikes nearby , we chose a series of trails through Butano State Park.
Tip: Don't be shy with the Park Rangers. Ask them what their favorite trails are. They have their finger on the pulse!
Butano State Park
Little Butano Creek Trail
Our first Hipcamp experience was at McCormick Creek Campground, I site we chose due to availability and nearest our chosen hiking trails! The campground fee was only twenty five dollars for a location nestled on the side of a hill among the Redwoods.
This was our first camping experience and we both realized we were most likely missing essentials for the trip. Because this trip was so close to home, we used it as a test trip for figuring out what we would really need on a longer expedition.
Our first timer essentials suggestions:
Campfire Clothes -You'll want something specifically for wood smoke in order to keep day wear smoke free and comfortable.
Bug Spray - The mosquitoes will find you, no matter where you are, they will come.
Lighter/Dry Kindling - even though kindling was provided, it was damp and difficult to get a fire going.
Quality Sleeping Bag - You'll be so much more comfortable if you keep warm throughout the night.
Sleeping Pad -We attempted to use our thick yoga mats. It was a rather uncomfortable sleep!
Our favorite campfire goodies for the casual camper;
21st Amendment IPA -great beer, recyclable cans.
Reese's Buttercup Marshmallow Smores - no recipe necessary. Points for gluttonous creativity with this idea.
McCormick Creek Campground, site #6
McCormick Creek Campground, site #6
Although it was a short getaway, we learned the impossible is possible when it comes to last minute camping plans.
Here are future last minute locations we'll be exploring through HipCamp. If you've been to any of these, leave a comment, I'd love to hear about your experiences!
