Camping has been part of both of our lives since we were children (former Girl Scout here!). A few months after we started dating, Mike took me on a surprise camping trip. I had no idea where we are going—a little risky considering we had just started dating. We ended up going to Big Sur and has become one of my favorite places to camp. After this trip, Mike and I have been fortunate enough to go on many camping adventures together from Joshua Tree to Lake Tahoe.
We had a trip originally planned in March but it got canceled due to all the state closures. When campgrounds started to open up back again we immediately started looking into booking a trip. We wanted to continue to explore our home state and looked into camping in Northern California. Originally, we were going to start in Central California and work our way up to a few spots in Northern California. Well, our Central California spot got cancelled as they pushed their opening date so we had to look elsewhere.
Mike discovered this beautiful campground called Wakalu Hep Yo Campground. The campground is in the Stanislaus National Forest in Arnold, CA on the north fork of the Stanislaus River. Our only concern was this is a first-come, first-served campground and it was going to be a 6.5 hour drive to get there. We were able to get a hold of a ranger who talked to us more about the campground and who was able to give a few tips. Shout out to the ranger for being super sweet and giving us helpful information!
We decided to go ahead and go for it as we were going up on a Monday so our chances were pretty good for getting a spot. Also, if we weren’t able to get a spot there, there were a few other campgrounds close by we could try for as well. For our second half of our trip we wanted to head to the coast. Someone from Reserve California recommended trying Patrick’s Point State Park in Humboldt County. SO glad she did because that campground was INCREDIBLE.
All in all we ended up staying two nights at Wakalu, two nights at Patrick’s Point and did one night at Gold Buffs Beach Campground in Orick,CA. While we did a lot of driving, it was an amazing trip filled with beautiful scenery, incredibly starry nights and overall was just a much needed break from everything. We had such a great time and will always cherish these moments.
We highly recommend each campground we stayed at. Below, I’ll break down more details on each site including the pro’s and con’s and any extra tips we have!
Wakalu Hep Yo Campground
We arrived at Wakalu at about 12:45 pm on a Monday. We drove around the site and noticed there were a handful of spots available. We were able to get a spot with plenty of space, shade and that was just a short hike from the river. There are a few spots right on the river or with a view of the river, but those were all taken.
Once you pick your spot, you grab your form from the front check-in, fill it out and place your cash inside the envelope ($20/night). Tear the stub and place it at your campsite noting how long you will be at your site.
Key info + tips :
- A lot of the sites did have a good amount of shade but some did not have any. I would come prepared with a pop-up tent or umbrella just in case.
- It was pretty warm, high 80’s, low 90’s during the day and dropped into the 60’s at night (this was in July).
- Sometimes there is no running water at the site so come prepared. You can check online and they will usually have updates.
- We have AT&T and had no cell service the entire time, including about 10-15 minutes outside of the campgrounds when we were driving.
- Some of the sites are hike-in. It’s not a far walk but be prepared to potentially not have access to your car right at your site.
- The water is very cold in the river and some parts of the river have very strong currents and can be dangerous. People have unfortunately drowned at the river. However there are several spots accessible from the campgrounds that have calmer water. Perfect place to float around in a tube. I would definitely recommend bringing life vests if you have children and to of course be very cautious.
- There are bears and mountain lions in the area. Be sure to store your food in your car at night or when not in use. There are no bear boxes.
- There were A TON of mosquito’s when we went ( July). Bring your bug spray or try burning sage in your fire. Another great option is burning dried coffee grounds in some foil, similar to incense. Set a couple around the area to help. We are going to purchase a pop-up tent with netting for our next trip. Looking into purchasing this one: https://amzn.to/3hywqhe
- There are plenty of trees throughout the campgrounds, bring your hammock if you have one! Here’s one similar to ours: https://amzn.to/2Eb0elB
- If you have a dog, dogs are allowed at this campsite!
Patrick’s Point SP Campground
Of our three locations on this trip, Patrick’s Point was my favorite. Unlike Wakalu, you need to make your reservation ahead of time on Reserve California. We arrived around 6 pm on Wednesday and checked in at the front. Our campsite here was not as private as our other site as we were somewhat close to one other site. However, there are several other sites that don’t essentially share a space with another spot and are much more private. We stayed at the “Penn Creek Campground”. If you would like more privacy, try to reserve a campsite on the outer edge of the camp circles, not the inner ( campsite 7 or 8 for example if viewing the map).
When arriving we immediately noticed the difference in temperature. Because we were right on the coast, it is much more humid but a lot cooler. The campground is in a very lush forest compared to the drier climate of Wakalu. As always with camping, make sure to bring plenty of clothing layers and ample blankets for sleeping.
Key info + tips :
- There is plenty of running water throughout the campgrounds and there are several bathrooms with flush toilets and showers. The bathrooms were very clean and kept in great condition in the campgrounds and in the surrounding hiking/picnic areas.
- Very minimal mosquito’s and bugs in general.
- There are bears, mountain lions and a lot of birds in the area. While each campground has a box, be sure to lock your food and cooler in your car and to not leave any crumbs around.
- Dogs are allowed on the campgrounds but not on many of the nearby trails.
- Swimming is not advised a the nearby beaches. The water is cold and dangerous with strong undertows and occasional sleeper waves.
- Whether you have an hour, half day or full day there are plenty of hiking trails available around the campground. We did approximately six miles and were able to see : Wedding Rock, Sumêg Village, Ceremonial Rock, Native Plant Garden and Agate Beach. There are also several spots along the beach that you may be able to observe tide pools and sea lions. Here is a map + more info on the available hiking trails and things to see : https://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/417/files/PatricksPointFinalWebLayout080816.pdf
Gold Buffs Beach Campground
About 40 minutes north of Patrick’s Point is Gold Buffs Beach Campground. What a beautiful campground, you are steps away from the beach and from the beautiful lush fern and redwood forest. It’s absolutely incredible!
Key info + tips :
- Sounds kind of silly to say but be sure to have plenty of gas BEFORE coming to this campsite. Once turning off the main hwy you drive down an unpaved bumpy one-way road through the forest for about 4 miles to get to the campgrounds. The closest gas is about 8 miles away and it’s literally one old school pump at a tiny local convenience store. The next gas station isn’t available for at least 20 miles. With that said I wouldn’t recommend driving here in a car that has low clearance.
- You can make reservations May- September, otherwise it’s first-come, first-served.
- The campsites feature flush toilets and showers, picnic tables, fire pits and bear boxes.
- Our campsite was huge and pretty far away from neighboring sites.
- There are bears in the area but you are a lot more likely to see elk. We saw one right when we drove in crossing the road and then to our surprise ran into two bucks on our hike. While beautiful and magnificent, these elk can be EXTREMELY dangerous. Never turn your back and keep as much distance as possible from them. Slowly back away from them and if they continue to approach or potentially charge at you try and get behind a tree or in thick vegetation if you have no other options.
- There is zero shade at any of the campsites. Be sure to bring an umbrella or pop-up canopy. I would recommend a pop-up canopy that can be secured into the ground as it gets very windy.
- You are right on the beach and it can get very windy, cold and sandy. Be sure to have strong steaks for your tent and bring many layers of clothing and blankets. Windproof matches are also incredibly helpful.
- There are many beautiful trails surrounding the campgrounds. The forest is filled with beautiful ancient redwoods and countless ferns. Be sure to visit Fern Canyon featuring 50 ft high canyon walls covered in ferns.
A few more thoughts…
Overall, we had an amazing time on this trip! We drove A LOT, but it was worth it to experience each of these beautiful and unique campgrounds. If you’re looking to go camping soon, we have two great posts about our starting camping gear essentials as well as our emergency kit must-essentials. We plan on going on many more camping trips and will be sure to share our thoughts and suggestions! Happy camping!
