27 replies to this topic

[Jack]

Anza Borego is one of our favorite escapes from LA. At Anza Borego, bring a fire pan (or buy el cheapo large round barbecue pan at Ace hardware in Borego Springs). You can camp most anywhere in the park and if you have a pan, also have a camp fire. Stop at the Visitor Center and get road information and ask the rangers for their suggestions. Some of them know the park very well.

But if you are coming from the north, do stop in the Mohave Preserve (also one of our 3 favorite escapes). The Mohave Preserve is an even better kept secret than Anza Borego. You can camp in any existing site (there are lots), there are few people, and a bunch of old mines. Try Caruthers canyon and walk up the trail to an old copper(?) mine.

The third favorite escape of ours is the Carrizo Plain, halfway between Taft, CA, on the west and the 101 on the east.

[generubin]

The KOFA National Wildlife Refuge in Arizona is an often overlooked place. I've had a few trips there, each 9 days long, over 150 miles of low range and never saw more than 2 or 3 other people. Beautiful place!




Pictures below are from the Kofa's.

Also consider The Old Woman Mountains in eastern/southern California. :

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[ScottBailey]

Kofa is on my list....

[chnlisle]

You won't regret it and its close.

[ScottBailey]

You won't regret it and its close.

AZ Pop-Up 2010, maybe.

[Ted]

Thanks for all the suggestions. We bought some books and maps on Anza Borrego and are trying to locate all the places mentioned and plan our trip. We'll be exploring the area from Christmas to New Years. Maybe we'll see some of you out there.

[generubin]

Ted, I don't know your preferences but you should know that Anza Borrego is fairly populated with other campers. If you like solitude, reconsider Death Valley backcountry and KOFA NWR.

[Ted]

Gene,

Thanks for the advice. We do prefer to camp alone when possible. However, many places we go to and plan to go to are popular and it is not possible to avoid the crowds. We still visit Yosemite regularly and it is always crowded there. We have been to DV a number of times before and will be there again in January, so that is an unlikely substitute. KOFA sounds interesting and we will probably go there some day as well. There are so many places to see, and we are still cursed with that thing called work. Oh well. So for this trip, we will put up with the crowds for the opportunity to explore a new location.