 The Definitive Guide to California Camping |
| Review Date: May 10, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Fritz R. Ward, Crestline, CA United States |
Tom Steinstra is one of the most enjoyable outdoor writers California has produced. Reading his work is simply a treat. He is at once amusing, self deprecating, and, most important, thorough and accurate. This new edition of California Camping combines the best of his writing in one volume and should be your first resource when looking to camp throughout the state.
Besides a must read introduction covering such topics as how to avoid getting blisters and getting lost, strategies for keeping camping costs down, and how to limit bear access to your precious food supply, this book covers nearly every campground in the state from the Redwoods in Northern California to the Anza Borrego Desert in San Diego County. The book is divided into chapters, each of which covers a unique geographical province of the state. (These provinces match those found in Steinstra's popular book 'California Hiking' coauthored by Ann Marie Brown.) Each campground description includes a set of icons detailing nearby activities such as fishing, hiking, hunting, mountain biking, and swimming. The description also includes a list of scenic highlights near each camp. Finally, driving directions and the fees you can expect to pay are included. (Note: fees at state parks in particular go up regularly. Some prices listed will be outdated shortly after publication.)
Some people have had a few problems with previous editions of this book. There is, for example, considerable disagreement over the "scenic" ratings Stienstra assigns to each campground. I think these are for the most part accurate, though one could always quibble with the details. (In Humbolt Redwoods State Park, for example, I would rate Burlington an 8 and Albee Creek a 7: Steinstra reverses these ratings.) As a rule of thumb, the more urban the site is, the lower the scenic rating. A KOA near a city will not get as nice a rating as a state park. Readers should be aware that noise level is not included in the scenic rating, and this can detract from the experience. To his credit, Steinstra notes locations where readers of past editions have complained about noise level.
For me, the main benefit of this book is that it lists numerous free forest service and BLM campgrounds. Camping fees have gone up exponentially in the last few years (along with the cost of gas to get to the campgrounds.) I really appreciate Steinstra's careful listing of the obscure and remote campgrounds that are still available at no charge throughout the state. Although free, they are priceless, and readers looking for a nice base camp in California's many wilderness areas will find this book very useful. But then again, if you are looking for a place to park your RV or trailer, this book is also helpful. One of the great joys of comprehensive guides is that they contain something for everyone. Unlike most such books, this one is also very readable. Be sure to get it and have fun exploring this great state. |
great guide
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| Review Date: July 6, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Michelle Riaz, |
| I just got back from a road trip that we pretty much had no plans for. All i had was a map and this book and it served us very well. Ratings were all pretty accurate and directions and prices in line as well. |
most comprehensive
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| Review Date: February 16, 2010 |
| Reviewer: kur-v, california |
I have completely worn out several earlier editions of this book. There are not long descriptions of each
campground. Nor does it tell you the best sight in individual campgrounds. But it has every campground in California as far as I can tell. It does have scenic ratings which is important to me. Tom Stienstra is utterly thorough. The only problem is the california economy, It now costs 35 to 50 dollars a night to camp in a state park. That certainly isn't the fault of the book though, and the book might just help you avoid one of those overpriced overcrowded place. Stick to national parks and forest, or locally run parks. |
Great Book!
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| Review Date: February 11, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Maria E. Lopez, California, USA |
| I have no questions and hesitations when it comes to Tom Strienstra. I regard his ratings highly and the information provided are very helpful. |
A must for camping
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| Review Date: April 18, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Joan G. Zakrzewski, New Hartford, CT USA |
| This gives valuable information on camp grounds you might not hear of. I needed more campgrounds around the Big Sur than the travel sites were telling me. Most of the popular ones are filled way ahead of time. So this book is needed. He also gives great advise on camping and survival. A must book to have. |
From Sierra hike-in camps to roadside stopovers, equipment, best hikes with views or for families, and more
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| Review Date: July 19, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Midwest Book Review, Oregon, WI USA |
| From Sierra hike-in camps to roadside stopovers, equipment, best hikes with views or for families, and more, CALIFORNIA CAMPING: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO MORE THAN 1,400 TENT AND RV CAMPGROUNDS is organized by California region and offers specific, important campground info perfect for either advanced research or take-along tote for extended trips. Listing include scenic ratings, descriptions, reservation and location info, and more, and will prove a key reference to any California library catering to campers. |
Great campsite reviews
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| Review Date: October 14, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Twee, Bay Area, Ca |
| This book is all you need to choose the camping location and site to suit your needs. Very helpful, well written, easy to use. |
California Camping Book
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| Review Date: January 29, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Eileen, CA, USA |
| I love this camping guide! I have purchased several (4+) editions of this book to have the most up-to-date info available. I refer to it often and highly recommend it to all campers as a great resource guide. |
Book review in brief.
|
| Review Date: May 14, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Richard R. Tarbell, |
| In Brief - California Camping is clearly written, concise, with just the right highlights, well organized with very good coverage of California camp sites. |
All is Good
|
| Review Date: September 22, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Oscar R. Salgado, |
| I recieved my item in good condition. Although, the item was used but it looked like new. The only reason I did not rate this item a 5 (excellent) was the shipping took almost a month to get to my door. |
Moon publishing versus Foghorn Press
|
| Review Date: August 8, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Laurel Johnson, California, USA |
I have been a fan of Tom Stienstra's California Camping book for over 12 years. First purchased the 8th Edition from Foghorn Press. This particular edition from Moon is not nearly as well set up as the Foghorn Press editions.
The individuals maps are not as detailed, and much smaller print is used. The gridded "Chapter Reference Map" at the beginning of the Foghorn edition has now been replaced by a "California Regions" map not as useful. Foghorn edition also had a "Chapter Features" list of each numbered and named campground on each map, this is missing in the Moon edition. The foghorn edition also had a foldout California map in the back, quite useful if you forget to bring a map and this is also missing in the Moon edition.
As the previous reviewer took exception to the "Scenic ratings" this was not an issue for me personally as this is only a subjective classification. What might be a 5 for some, might be a 10 for someone else. Beauty after all IS in the eye of the beholder. Over the years I have seen many classify McArthur Burney Falls as a beautiful place. I was there once it was hot, dusty, not much of a falls and in my humble opinion not very pretty at all. Anyway, you get my point on that, I would never visit a place solely based on someones view of it.
All in all the Moon edition is useful if you have nothing else, but I for one am glad I retained my old Foghorn Press 11th edition, and oh Tom, if you happen to read this, please go back to Foghorn, and that format for the next edition |
Great content, small print!
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| Review Date: November 10, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Donald C. Strong II, |
| Great information on camping in California however, purchase a magnifying glass if you want to read it. |
Insufficient Information, caters primarily to RV users
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| Review Date: May 27, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Cali Hiker, |
The author mentions the trails to, from, and around the sites. Rarely was I able to find information about the length of hikes that were referenced in the book. For example, the "Fisherman's Hike In" on p. 781 says "Get here and you join the 5 percent club......it's worth the significant effort to get here." How many miles is it? What can I expect? "Difficult" and "significant effort" are subjective. For one to plan their trip, they'd need factual, verifiable information. This is completely unacceptable and insufficient.
The title of the book is hugely misleading. The primary emphasis is on RV "camping" and RV campgrounds. When perusing the LA and San Diego areas, I only found a handful that were for ONLY tent camping/hiking. And those that are listed often don't give you the mileage. (As I referenced in my second point.)
I was disappointed with this purchase. I'd return it, but the shipping would be almost as much as the book. |
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