Moon California Camping: The Complete Guide to More Than 1,400 Tent and RV Campgrounds (Moon Outdoors) (Paperback)

by Tom Stienstra (Author)
Key Phrases: big stump, main park road, state forest headquarters, Forest Road, County Road, Open May (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Tom Stienstra, the nation’s top-selling outdoors writer, invites you to spend the night under the stars with the latest edition of Moon California Camping. Extremely comprehensive and packed with useful information, Moon California Camping covers more than 1,500 camping options throughout the state, from sites nestled among towering redwoods to remote backcountry destinations in the High Sierra to sun-drenched, beach-side campgrounds. Detailed descriptions, directions, contact information, and Tom’s signature “scenic rating” are provided for each site. Tom also includes lists of the best campgrounds, such as Best for Hikes with Views and Best Family Destinations, as well as sixty pages of helpful camping tips. With Moon California Camping, seasoned outdoors enthusiasts and camping novices alike can experience the best of the great outdoors in the Golden State.

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Product Details Paperback: 944 pages Publisher: Avalon Travel Publishing; 16th Edition edition (March 1, 2009) Language: English ISBN-10: 1598800965 ISBN-13: 978-1598800968 Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 1.2 inches Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #11,331 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books) Popular in these categories: (What's this?) #3 in  Books > Nonfiction > Transportation > RVs #6 in  Books > Outdoors & Nature > Hiking & Camping > Camping #7 in  Books > Travel > United States > States > California

Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

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Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
big stump, main park road, state forest headquarters, pioneer trail, coastal trail, forest highway, big sycamore, backcountry use permit, ponderosa way, village park, night for each additional vehicle, restrooms with coin showers, restrooms with flush toilets, leashed pets, three group sites for tents, two group sites for tents, pet per night, five sites for tents, eight sites for tents, additional vehicle per night, six sites for tents, campground entrance road, group camp for tents, nine sites for tents, vault toilets

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Forest Road, County Road, Open May, Ranger District, Open June, Forest Service, Tahoe National Forest, Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Pacific Crest Trail, Los Padres National Forest, Inyo National Forest, California Land Management, Sierra National Forest, Open April, Sequoia National Forest, Shasta Lake, Plumas National Forest, Eldorado National Forest, Stanislaus National Forest, Trinity Lake, Bureau of Land Management, Mendocino National Forest, Lassen National Forest, San Bernardino National Forest, Yosemite National Park

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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	78% buy the item featured on this page: Moon California Camping: The Complete Guide to More Than 1,400 Tent and RV Campgrounds (Moon Outdoors) 4.6 out of 5 stars (7) $16.29
	6% buy Moon Northern California Camping: The Complete Guide to Tent and RV Camping (Moon Outdoors) 4.0 out of 5 stars (2)
	6% buy Foghorn Outdoors California Camping: The Complete Guide to More Than 1,500 Tent and RV Campgrounds 4.4 out of 5 stars (14)
	5% buy Moon California Hiking (Moon Handbooks) 4.7 out of 5 stars (3) $16.47

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7 Reviews 5 star:  (5) 4 star:  (1) 3 star:  (1) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 4.6 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 22 of 22 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars The Definitive Guide to California Camping, May 9, 2007 By  Fritz R. Ward "dayhiker" (Crestline, CA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)       This review is from: Moon California Camping: The Complete Guide to More than 1,400 Tent and RV Campgrounds (Moon Outdoors) (Paperback) 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. 11 of 11 people found the following review helpful: 3.0 out of 5 stars Moon publishing versus Foghorn Press, August 8, 2007 By  Laurel Johnson (California, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    This review is from: Moon California Camping: The Complete Guide to More than 1,400 Tent and RV Campgrounds (Moon Outdoors) (Paperback) 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 2 of 2 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars great guide, July 6, 2007 By  Michelle Riaz - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    This review is from: Moon California Camping: The Complete Guide to More than 1,400 Tent and RV Campgrounds (Moon Outdoors) (Paperback) 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.		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 4.0 out of 5 stars Book review in brief. In Brief - California Camping is clearly written, concise, with just the right highlights, well organized with very good coverage of California camp sites. Published 2 months ago by Richard R. Tarbell 5.0 out of 5 stars A must for camping 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. Read more Published 2 months ago by Joan G. Zakrzewski 5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book! I have no questions and hesitations when it comes to Tom Strienstra. I regard his ratings highly and the information provided are very helpful. Published 17 months ago by Maria E. Lopez 5.0 out of 5 stars California Camping Book I love this camping guide! I have purchased several (4+) editions of this book to have the most up-to-date info available. Read more Published 17 months ago by Eileen Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Paperback: 944 pages
• Publisher: Avalon Travel Publishing; 16th Edition edition (March 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1598800965
• ISBN-13: 978-1598800968
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #11,331 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #3 in	Books > Nonfiction > Transportation > RVs
  #6 in	Books > Outdoors & Nature > Hiking & Camping > Camping
  #7 in	Books > Travel > United States > States > California

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Definitive Guide to California Camping, May 9, 2007

By	Fritz R. Ward "dayhiker" (Crestline, CA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Moon California Camping: The Complete Guide to More than 1,400 Tent and RV Campgrounds (Moon Outdoors) (Paperback)

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.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Moon publishing versus Foghorn Press, August 8, 2007

By	Laurel Johnson (California, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Moon California Camping: The Complete Guide to More than 1,400 Tent and RV Campgrounds (Moon Outdoors) (Paperback)

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

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great guide, July 6, 2007

By	Michelle Riaz - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Moon California Camping: The Complete Guide to More than 1,400 Tent and RV Campgrounds (Moon Outdoors) (Paperback)

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.