Southern California - Riding and Camping for a few months

Hey all,

I'm new to the forums, but I thought this would be a good place for tips/advice/references. I'm starting to plan a 2 month trip to SoCal to ride and train over the winter months, but I'm looking to do it as inexpensively as possible. Ideally I would drive out (from Pennsylvania) and car camp for the 2 months that I'm out there, ride my bike 6 hours a day, and find a part-time job at a bike shop in the area.

I've started researching camping areas in southern Cal, but they're all fee camping. I haven't been able to find any free (or relatively cheap) long-term camping spots that also have good access to roads for riding. Do any of you know of any good areas to ride over the winter (weather- and road-wise) that have places to camp and work nearby? I know it's a long-shot, but even a pointer in the right direction would immensely help with my search.

Thanks for any info you can provide!

Welcome to the forums! :)

Geez that will be tough. Nothing is free over here. You can't even park on the side of a mountain road up here for free! You need a wilderness pass even to do that!

Most all free campsites around here are off hiking and biking trails and are not accessible by vehicle.

I used to come up here 3 summers ago and camp a couple of nights on weekends to enjoy the solitude. It took a couple of hours on the bike to reach this campsite (Henninger Flats above Eaton Canyon in Altadena) off of a closed off fire road (Mt. Wilson Toll Road) in the San Gabriel Mountains. No fee, free firewood, piped in water....it was all good.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c362/jojisan/HenningerFlats.jpg

Ya, if you leave you car unattended here long - it might get towed. Also - what about your showers (yuck!)

Winter is pretty much the slow season for many of the campsites at/around the beaches. Try the State Park site for northern LA county, Ventura county, San Luis Obispo, and around there... lots of great riding up/down the coast and into the mountains. Pobably pretty busy year round, though you should call and see what's best for you.

http://www.parks.ca.gov/

Also, consider a short-term YMCA membership- $50 to join, around $50/month for membership, and you can shower, work out, meet people, whatever.

For example: http://www.ymcasm.org/index_files/Page348.htm

I think there's free camping in downtown LA.
6th and Hill st.....

There's some free camping in the San Bernardino mtn's. I think they're called yellow post sites? I specifically remember some very nice sites on the way up to Lake Arrowhead. The road to Strawberry Peak is one area. I'll do some digging and see if I can find some details.

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=648 ?

I think there's free camping in downtown LA.
6th and Hill st.....

:roflmao:

Check with Adventure Cycling. (see adventurecycling.com). They specialize in fully loaded touring and camping. They should be able to assist you with a route etc.

Awesome! Thanks for all the help guys. I'll check into some of the suggested leads and hopefully turn up with something good. If all goes well I'll be riding in California this winter!

The least expensive campsite I know of is Prado Park in Chino for 5.00 / night.. Most other campsites can run between 15-20.00 per night.. This is at the bottom edge of LA county, right next to Orange County, not far from the Santa Ana river bike trail.. They also have hot showers..

http://www.co.san-bernardino.ca.us/parks/prado.htm