Nature offers and will always end up being for me, one of the best things that this life has to offer you. I often have an appreciation for the great outdoors, camping, and discovering nature. You would never think how wonderful your own state or even your backyard really is! More than the previous 10 years, I have spent virtually every calendar year camping with a team of family and friends all over California. Nothing at all comes close to the level of friendship and camaraderie that camp brings to our friends.

Being the big, boisterous, and raucous group indicates that sound is generally a major concern for all of us. While in more recent years, we’ve muted the sound, we’ve had more in the past, we’ve gotten our fair share of complaints (of course, looking back now, I’m just getting my mind off it…but I’m glad I grown as an individual) Over the years we have discovered some useful ideas while camping. Whether you’re a seasoned recreational camper or just starting out, we’ve got a list of some awesome spots, as well as guidelines for camping during the first term. We fully understand and appreciate camping etiquette, and with that in mind, here are some of our favorite spots, the best camping spots in California, as well as some of the best backpacking hikes in Ca.

Henninger Flats, Alta Dena, CA

This is our current favorite backpacking trip and one of the best backpacking trails in Southern California if you’re looking for something for the beginner-intermediate level. This will typically be the journey we start with for friends who are just beginning to walk.

The hike to the campgrounds starts from the front gate about 3 miles down an extremely easy fire road. We found that parking on Pinecrest Ave and then walking to the entrance is quick and easy and there is usually enough parking for cars. Once the ride begins, the elevation totals about 1400′ and is reached via a continuous but reasonable incline in about 2 hours or less (with several breaks of course). The biggest problem with this hike is definitely the hard to find protection along the hike. If you plan to do this hike during the summer, I recommend starting at night and earlier to avoid high temperatures. Although this isn’t necessarily a rec area hike as far as ease the quality is definitely simple more than enough and there are 4 benches about 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 way up the trail and after that , one last counter right before the Henninger Flats Campground sign if you want to shed excess weight and catch your breath.

Once it helps to get to the campsite there are usually 3 levels of campsites spread out with lots of shade, trees and bushes and places to set up the hammock. Every website has its own personal box stove (although fire restrictions are usually “higher danger” meaning gas stoves are generally the type of open fire source allowed – you need a chimney permit.) There are usually trash and recycling bins scattered throughout.The upper level is definitely considerably the most remote and the views you can see from this level are usually simply spectacular.The wedding reception is definitely spotty but not too poor .This is a dog friendly leashed campground.There are several trails beyond Henninger Flats and this campground will generally be used as a base for a getaway for longer and longer backpacking and hiking trails.

Camp Nylen, Joshua Tree, CA

If you are looking for Joshua Tree Camping or desert camping, I highly recommend this private gear camp. This will be one of many secluded campgrounds I have been to in Joshua Tree and the site itself is just fantastic. I recommend an AWD or 4WG car as the road to get to the place is definitely very rough and unpaved (a normal vehicle should do just fine as long as you go easy and go slow) As soon as you arrive you will see the pergola it will be quite large and now there is usually a number of picnic furniture set up, as well as a large barbecue and cooking range. No trash available – pack it up, pack it up. There are usually well-maintained, personal portable potties and free drinking water is provided (be sure to refill – instructions will end up being offered)

There is a gas fire pit set up near the large rock range which makes for a great evening gathering place. The stones at night provide a beautiful background by the fire hole and during the day they are fun to climb and we spent a fair amount of time hanging out better riding a kite (it will be quite windy there). Numerous shooting stars can be seen from here, as well as the Milky Way and some other constellations. There is hardly, if any, reception here. This will be a dog-friendly campground, but watch out for the critters. There have always been little or no creepy crawlers every time we’ve been here.

One thing to watch out for is snakes (since this is a desert environment, it’s usually good to have some knowledge regarding the types of things you’ll encounter). So you can notice a lot of celebrities here and there is no light pollution to interrupt your view. There are usually noise limitations at night, but as long as you keep it to a reasonably lower degree, you’ll be fine. With the locations in Joshua Tree, this is effortlessly my #1 spot for group camping in Southern California.

Mustang Horse Ranch, Lake Hughes, CA

If you are looking for a campground with incredible sunsets and you like to hike some of the best hiking trails in California, this campground will meet or exceed your expectations. This will be like an ideal and perfect place to camp. It is a mix of deserts and hills with numerous hiking, quad and equestrian trails. The website is definitely big and right in the middle of the farm, close to the horses. You usually discover the racehorses just prancing happily, and if you’re lucky, you can get some perfect team photos with them in the story.

The hostess Daniela is wonderful and very friendly. The first time we stayed here was for a surprise suggestion group camping trip for my girlfriend turned fiancee. You can also find very open latrines and a gasoline campfire. More drinking water will be available. Daniela offers guided RV tours by request for an additional fee, but she is very personable and well worth it. This will be a dog-friendly campsite. It’s not too far from Orange County, but be sure to download the instructions for the offline setup, as there will be no wedding reception here (many of our team dropped out of the first part because it can be difficult with GPS navigation) weather can get incredibly windy, so be prepared just in case.

Kirch Flat Campground, Tollhouse, California

By far my favorite group spot to camp in Southern California within every ranking. There is a mix of first-come, first-served camps here, as well as a lottery-winning big team camp. Although this is still further into the main part of California, this place will exceed your expectations even with travel. The trip takes about 5.5 hours strong from Orange County, but it’s relatively simple to generate to the base of the slope. There will be some canyon driving (I personally love traveling through canyons) and as soon as you get to the campgrounds you should find it pretty simple off the highway.

There is a beautiful and refreshing river, the King River, that flows through here from the runoff of the hill. During the summer months, the heat can triple, so hanging out near the river closest to the group camping region is definitely the best place to be. There is a large coastal area and generally there will be a good amount of space, although it can be quite exciting.

There are several outhouses around and they could be a bit clean, but they’re not horrible like some of the LA County hiking trails we’ve been through. There’s a ring of fire at each site and several areas sit right along the river banks, so the moving water muffles a lot of sound. If you are lucky enough to win the team camp you arrive with a fairly quiet region in the back of the camps near the water along with several open fire bands and a large fireplace band (I talk a lot!)

There is ample room to park cars and pitch tents and plenty of picnic tables for food and supplies. The landscapes around each path can change quite significantly and can offer various background scenes and locations. There are a lot of frogs near that audio that make a pretty funny croak as if a cow is sizing you up (“hmm?!” – you have to hear it to realize it) the first time we were here we thought there had been cows out of our stores. This will be a dog camp and our group offers several canines that definitely like it here. There is no air pollution from lighting and again most of the sound will be muffled by running water so team camp will be ideal if you have a noisy group like ours.

There was a whitewater rafting company here almost all summer every year but as a result of Covid they may have sadly closed for good. There are usually different places to go here to enjoy some amazing landmarks and views. You can discover some trekking spots and many areas to continue fishing. This is one of many lovely campsites I’ve already been to and best of all, it’s completely free. If you had to choose just one place in Southern California to move to camp, the beauty of Kirch Flat Campgrounds would totally blow your mind.

While there are so many amazing walks and trails in California now, these would be some of my favorite recommendations based on location, views, and amenities. With the tens of hundreds of reviews, it seemed easier to go through everything and offer what we found to have been the best overall. Whether you’re looking to go hiking, camping, or team camping, any of these areas will provide you with the perfect camping destination, you won’t end your trip unsatisfied!