Mountain Recon trip

I went out on Sunday to one of the FREE camp sites listed on FreeCampsites.net. I just picked one reasonably close and rode there to see what it was like.

Big Bear Lake, California
GPS: 34.128422, -117.005478

Now, one camp site isn't indicative of all of them, especially on a site like that one, but it seemed worth looking in to.


The name told me it was in the mountains, but I was still surprised with how far up and how far in I had to go. The road that goes to the free sites is a forestry access road and looked like this:

It was interesting to use the NC700x as an adventure bike avoiding deeper ruts and mud puddles on a road you just wouldn't take the family car on (unless your family drives a jeep).
5.5 miles along this road at 10 mph took some time, but the land finally opened into a plateau with camp sites.
a fire pit and a sign stuck on the tree that says "don't use the fire pit".

It was Sunday, and I only passed two trucks on the dirt road. It was REMOTE... no facilities of any kind... so bring your own water and a shovel!
Still.... it was the sort of place I always hoped for when I took my family camping when my children were young. It was quiet, remote, and absent any evidence of drunken yahoos with loud music. It was the sort of place that made me think "hey, are there any wild animals around here?", and it was a great camping site. If the other "FREE" sites are anywhere near as good, then I'll do well to seek them out.

Looks awesome, did you have fun?

What were your first impressions waking up the next morning? "Wow, this was great!" Or...?

I'm assuming he didn't stay overnight or he (I) would have taken a pic with NC and campsite/tent set up.

Yes, StratTuner, many free sites are just like that (especially around Ark.). So many people can't go a night without electricity and running water that the best spots (to me)are left free. I love those secluded places!
Great score. Now, you need a Rotopax water container. Then, you have coffee and face wash in the AM!

PS- since you are new to camping, here's a tip. See those pine cones? They make great fire starters!

I did not stay the night. I just wanted to put the GPS coordinates in, find the place, and ride home....that's my idea of a sunday adventure.

Fires in California.... well since the state has been burned (literally) so often, it's very rare that you can have a fire anywhere but in the desert or on the beach....

StratTuner said:

Fires in California.... well since the state has been burned (literally) so often, it's very rare that you can have a fire anywhere but in the desert or on the beach....

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I think there's a conundrum (right word?) there. Fires start easily with all the wood they DON'T let you burn. If (responsible) campers are allowed to burn the dead underbrush in controlled fires, there would be less fires. I'm sure that's a big bone of contention over there.

itlives said:

I think there's a conundrum (right word?) there. Fires start easily with all the wood they DON'T let you burn. If (responsible) campers are allowed to burn the dead underbrush in controlled fires, there would be less fires. I'm sure that's a big bone of contention over there.

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Dilemma = two difficult choices
Conundrum = more than two difficult choices

It's just so darned dry here...and hot in the summer... I think that's why the protocol is so strict.

Responsible people in California?? .... might be an oxymoron.

StratTuner said:

Responsible people in California?? .... might be an oxymoron.

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You have a point, but they're everywhere and.......they vote.

Thanks for the English lesson. You'd never know American is my first (and only) language!

StratTuner said:

It was interesting to use the NC700x as an adventure bike avoiding deeper ruts and mud puddles on a road you just wouldn't take the family car on (unless your family drives a jeep).

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StratTuner will be riding on tkc80s soon. After that first taste of dirt there is no turning back!

itlives said:

You have a point, but they're everywhere and.......they vote.

Thanks for the English lesson. You'd never know American is my first (and only) language!

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I hope I wasn't rude with that.... I like sharing things I know.

Itlives is in Louisiana. What they speak down there isn't English.

StratTuner said:

I hope I wasn't rude with that.... I like sharing things I know.

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I didn't think it rude at all. The way I wrote it shows I did not know if I used it correctly. I'm always a willing student!

Every "free campsite" I've been to is down a road like that, most of them worse than what you've photo'd above (and I appreciate that the photos of bad roads rarely make them look as bad as they really are) Most of them have been taken in the "family car" which would either be my Imprezza or the wife's outback.
One of the places we went to (and decided not to camp) required a stream crossing (only 3-4 inches deep) and water had pooled in ever rut so there was no telling how deep any of them were, lots of swerving to try to keep all 4 tires on high ground.
Another was unreachable due to 4 ft deep snow... in April.
Another still had 6-12 inch rocks sticking up all over the road (careful navigation to protect my oil pan on that one).



I've personally liked most of the free campsites I've managed to get to though.

You might also consider looking up the rules for "dispersed camping" in various state forests, and national forests you might find yourself passing through, as well as BLM land. You won't get any amenities... what you need you have to carry in. And you generally won't be allowed to have a camp fire there either (I've given up on expecting to be able to have a fire any where that there isn't snow on the ground, and I'm not good enough to find fallen timber when there is snow on the ground.)

Rules for dispersed camping vary widely and you need to know what they are before you get there, so it's kind of a pain, but it can make a great backup plan for when a "Free campsite" turns out to be a parking lot, or a playground.