Chainplate
Member
My wife and I picked up our new-to-us 2023 17B in the beginning of November and drove it 2,800 miles home, stopping at 5 different campgrounds on the way. It was fun but much too hurried and very long days (we only drive at 60mph). December is often a busy month but we were so excited to get out camping that we found a way to schedule a 6-day trip close to home.
Our first night out was just 45 miles from our house but it felt delightfully remote as we pulled into Potrero County Campground. Just a few miles north of the USA/Mexican border, the large oak trees providing shade though it was a little cool during the day and even cold at night (our Canadian friends are probably saying, "You Southern Californians don't know what cold is!"). We were the only ones in the campground and we loved site 26 - still, there was a slight weird feeling to be alone but the camp rangers were very helpful and pleasant. A very well maintained hiking trail took us on a 3-mile circular route and justified several cold refreshments.
After 2 nights there, we hooked up and drove about an hour-and-a-half to Agua Caliente County Park - this was mid-week so there was virtually no traffic on any of the back roads and the few times I did have a vehicle behind me, I as able to pull off the highway and let them pass easily. Agua Caliente is very popular at this time of year as the temperature is almost perfect and there are 3 swimming pools that are fed by hot springs. For some unknown reason, we were in a hurry to select a camp site though we didn't need to be - there were lots to choose from. Site 2 was one of 2 pull-through spaces and it was almost completely level but it lacked the view that's available from the 'Hollywood' area. We didn't have anyone on either side of us which was nice but we could hear the pool pumps. We took the Moonlight Canyon hike but were stymied when we came to a shear cliff - probably 60' high - though on the map it said that it was 'steep'.
Two nights later, we were underway again, this time taking Highway 78 westbound, up the Banner Grade, which limits vehicle traffic to no longer that 40' total (pulling our 17B with our 2016 Kia Sorento {V6 and AWD} we're 32'), I kept the Kia in 2nd gear and about 20mph. It took us about a half-hour to reach the mountain town of Julian and the William Heise County Park was only about 5 miles further. Nestled among the pines and oaks, we were again surprised and pleased that we had almost the whole place to ourselves. We drove through the entire campground (twice) before selecting a site and then drove back to the ranger station to see if our favorite was reserved. Nope, there was no reserved dot on the map for site 29 and though we would have been more comfortable if we could have confirmed it with a live person, we assumed that the site was available. Wrong. We leveled our 17B, unpacked, set up camp and made lunch when all of a sudden a woman knocked on the side of our traveling home and said, "You're in our space. We have it reserved." She had a printout of her reservation confirmation so we didn't argue, packed everything up, hooked up and pulled away. When we finally found a park ranger and complained, he said, "I guess the map hadn't been updated." There was a very nice hike up to a lookout from where a fabulous view of the desert could be had. The knobs on the showers were missing so I had to take a pair of pliers.
At all of the county parks there were partial hookups and the rate was $29 per night. Firewood was available. We felt like we had found a well-kept secret in finding these parks so close to home. All were worthwhile destinations.
Safe travels.
Our first night out was just 45 miles from our house but it felt delightfully remote as we pulled into Potrero County Campground. Just a few miles north of the USA/Mexican border, the large oak trees providing shade though it was a little cool during the day and even cold at night (our Canadian friends are probably saying, "You Southern Californians don't know what cold is!"). We were the only ones in the campground and we loved site 26 - still, there was a slight weird feeling to be alone but the camp rangers were very helpful and pleasant. A very well maintained hiking trail took us on a 3-mile circular route and justified several cold refreshments.
After 2 nights there, we hooked up and drove about an hour-and-a-half to Agua Caliente County Park - this was mid-week so there was virtually no traffic on any of the back roads and the few times I did have a vehicle behind me, I as able to pull off the highway and let them pass easily. Agua Caliente is very popular at this time of year as the temperature is almost perfect and there are 3 swimming pools that are fed by hot springs. For some unknown reason, we were in a hurry to select a camp site though we didn't need to be - there were lots to choose from. Site 2 was one of 2 pull-through spaces and it was almost completely level but it lacked the view that's available from the 'Hollywood' area. We didn't have anyone on either side of us which was nice but we could hear the pool pumps. We took the Moonlight Canyon hike but were stymied when we came to a shear cliff - probably 60' high - though on the map it said that it was 'steep'.
Two nights later, we were underway again, this time taking Highway 78 westbound, up the Banner Grade, which limits vehicle traffic to no longer that 40' total (pulling our 17B with our 2016 Kia Sorento {V6 and AWD} we're 32'), I kept the Kia in 2nd gear and about 20mph. It took us about a half-hour to reach the mountain town of Julian and the William Heise County Park was only about 5 miles further. Nestled among the pines and oaks, we were again surprised and pleased that we had almost the whole place to ourselves. We drove through the entire campground (twice) before selecting a site and then drove back to the ranger station to see if our favorite was reserved. Nope, there was no reserved dot on the map for site 29 and though we would have been more comfortable if we could have confirmed it with a live person, we assumed that the site was available. Wrong. We leveled our 17B, unpacked, set up camp and made lunch when all of a sudden a woman knocked on the side of our traveling home and said, "You're in our space. We have it reserved." She had a printout of her reservation confirmation so we didn't argue, packed everything up, hooked up and pulled away. When we finally found a park ranger and complained, he said, "I guess the map hadn't been updated." There was a very nice hike up to a lookout from where a fabulous view of the desert could be had. The knobs on the showers were missing so I had to take a pair of pliers.
At all of the county parks there were partial hookups and the rate was $29 per night. Firewood was available. We felt like we had found a well-kept secret in finding these parks so close to home. All were worthwhile destinations.
Safe travels.
