If you live n the Golden State you know that it’s getting harder to find private RV camping in California. Thankfully the authors of “Eastern Sierra and Death Valley Camping with Privacy” know how to help you find the solitude you’re seeking.
The authors’ goal is to help like-minded campers find their ideal spot before arriving (and staying) at a public campground. Photo courtesy: Patrick Wilkes
Private RV Camping in California Revealed
California’s spectacular Highway 395 is the backbone of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Few roads in this great state match the rugged, isolated beauty of the Sierra’s eastern slopes. Take a survey and you’ll find that only the most hearty campers go out of their way to visit this region as they’re looking for a break from more crowded, California camping destinations. As Kimberly and Patrick Wilkes know, this spectacular region gives these campers exactly what they want.
The outdoorsy couple has years of firsthand knowledge and experiences about camping in the Eastern Sierra and Death Valley. After reviewing a complimentary
copy, their 462-page guide includes finding private campsites in public campgrounds between Lake Tahoe and Death Valley. They also share incredible details about more than 3,416 campsites for tenters and RVers.
The Wilkes’ goal is to help like-minded souls find their ideal spot before arriving. They write:
What do we Mean by Campsites with Privacy?
According to the book, in order for a campsite to be included it had to meet one of several qualifications. The campsite had to:
- Be far enough away from neighboring sites so that they didn’t feel intrusive, and/or
- Be surrounded by vegetation on one or more sides, which blocked the view of any neighbors, and/or
- Have some sort of natural feature obscuring the view of one or more neighbors such as a hill or rocks, and/or
- Feel private and peaceful, especially compared to other sites in the campground.
Not Just for Tent Campers
If you started out as a tent camper but now camp in a RV, you understand how the privacy you once enjoyed is usually sacrificed for the sake of fitting into a campsite. Thankfully the Wilkes’ provide a way to find privacy even when you no longer sleep on the ground.
Although the book is geared toward tenters, there`s an endless amount of information many RVers with small to mid-sized trailers (under 34 feet) will find useful.
Although the book is geared toward tenters, it shares endless amounts of information that many RVers with small to mid-sized (say under 34 feet) will find useful.
“It was surprising to us how many people with motorhomes, travel trailers, and RVs have been interested in the book,” said Kimberly in an email. “We thought it would appeal mostly to people with tents, truck campers, and camper vans. At a book signing recently, there wasn’t a single person with a tent there. Most of them had trailers or RVs and only one person had a truck camper. We also point out in the book which campsites are best for RVs, especially those that have pull through sites.”
The Wilkes literally visited campgrounds and rated campsites within each one in order to give readers an accurate picture. They researched local cell phone connectivity, talked to campsite hosts, learned about local restaurants and other amenities.
“Because it has a pull-through, site #21 is popular with RVs, but it’s a fine tent site as well. Lots of greenery behind the space adds tranquility while Jeffrey pines provide shade. . .” – Site #21, Bootleg Campground at Walker River Canyon.
The authors, Kimberly and Patrick Wilkes.
Clearly the Wilkes went out of their way to learn as much as possible about surrounding areas and share incredible written and photographic details so that readers won’t be disappointed once they arrive. If the reader requires more first-hand information they can do further research online to gain insight from other RVers who have visited the area(s).
If you love RVing and camping in California, this is a must-have. About the only thing that’s missing in the book is a reference map and will hopefully be added in future editions. The book is only available in print now but in a few months will be released in an Amazon Kindle version.
Save
Save
Save
Save
Rene Agredano and her husband, Jim Nelson, became full-time RVers in 2007 and have been touring the country ever since. In her blog, Rene chronicles the ins and outs of the full-timing life and brings readers along to meet the fascinating people and amazing places they visit on the road. Her road trip adventures are chronicled in her blog at LiveWorkDream.com.
Leave a Reply