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Autumn is a wonderful time of year. With a refreshing chill in the air and the pungent aroma of fall leaves tickling the nostrils, it's a great time to be outdoors. The long, hot "dog days," of summer are over, and camping couldn't be much better! I'm not sure which I enjoy more, camping in the spring or the fall. Both invite the enjoyment of nature at her best - and the summer vacation crowds have all gone home. Just after Labor Day there are plenty of excellent campsites available in popular campgrounds - choice sites that require reservations far in advance during the summer season.
In Southern California, for example, most Pacific beach campgrounds are overcrowded and booked solid during peak summer months. As fall descends, some very nice on-beach campsites open up. Pam and I discovered some great camping at Doheny State Beach. Located just south of Dana Point Harbor, Doheny is a well developed and maintained campground with lots of beach front camping. It has a beautiful and expansive beach that extends about 75 yards from campsite to the ocean. Thick vegetation separates the large and padded sites, and restrooms/shower houses are clean. Strolling on the beach (without pets) is a serene pleasure. There is also a big day-use park adjacent to the campground that has luscious grass and many palms. Pets on leash are welcome! As a fellow camper once told me, it is the best-kept secret in California. We camped there in early December and enjoyed wonderful weather. Many folks celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas camping at this wonderful park. Shhhhhh - let's keep it a secret, okay? The Sierra Nevada Mountains The fall season in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California is ideal camping weather. At five to eight thousand feet elevation, the days are cool while breezy during the afternoon. Nights can get downright chilly. The Grant Grove area of Kings Canyon National Park is our favorite haunt. Azalea campground is open year-round and is beautiful to behold! Giant sequoias, sugar pine and ponderosa pine stand tall and majestic. Swaying in the stiff breeze, they powder the campground with fragrant brown needles. Scattered throughout the campground are big peppered-white granite boulders and, of course, azalea bushes. There are a number of water faucets near campsites and a good dump station. No electrical hook-ups are available. Showers are available at Grant Grove Village, nearby, along with a small general store, post office, and information/visitors center. On weekdays there are few campers and tourists, but on weekends the campground is busy - although not full. We love taking our two beagles on some of the many short hikes available in the area. The cool, good-smelling autumn weather makes for great walking, and the campfire feels cozy and warm in the evening. At times it is so quiet that you can just feel and sense the coming of a snowy winter. Go To Page: 1 2
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