California Camping: The Complete Guide to More Than 50,000 Campsites for Tenters, ...

by Tom Stienstra

Book Overview

Completely revised and updated, this award-winning guidebook offers information on every campsite in the Golden State. More than 50,000 sites are profiled for tenters, RVers, and car campers. 60... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0935701990
• ISBN13: 9780935701999
• Release Date: January 1996
• Publisher: Foghorn Press
• Length: 848 Pages
• Weight: 2.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.8" x 5.4" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Comprehensive and personal

I can't speak for the person who disagreed with some of the ratings. In my experience, this is an invaluable reference, and the personal descriptions of each campground are extremely helpful. Few references will go the extra mile to provide ratings and personal observations about each site like this one does. It's clear that the author has actually visited most of these sites, which is not always the case. It's a great book, and the anecdotes & camping advice in the introduction are very well-written. This book covers every kind of campsite in California, from hike-in primitive sites to RV parking lots. I highly recommend it.

Excellent Book!

I have actually purchased this book twice now, once about 10 years ago and it was the best book then! then I lost the book in the Cedar fire in 2003. Now we are ready to go camping again, so what book did I look for? That's right, the Complete Guide but realized it had been burned like all the others. So I quickly purchased it again, and upon its receipt and review am amazed at all the new campsites he has added and all the fantastic information! The one thing I miss-all my notes I had made in the other book! Oh well, time to start the new one!

Don't ever fret about finding a campsite again...

5/4/02Whether you're a grizzled veteran or a newbie this will become your bible of California Camping. Of the three past editions I own, the 2001-2002 twelfth edition truly is the most improved. As Tom says in his introduction: "More than 5000 updates and upgrades have been made in the campground listings of this edition, the biggest makeover in five years, and the third major makeover in the 15-year history of the book." And it shows! Many of the directions are now detailed down to the nearest 10th of a mile. All new reservation numbers have been added plus web site information and the RV camps that accept credit cards and are wheelchair accessible are just some of the additional improvements.To insure accuracy "... the page galleys were reviewed by hundreds of field scouts, including 200 rangers at Forest Service Districts and state parks. Research editor Stephani Cruickshank, faxed the galleys out to field stations, then personally reviewed each listing with rangers. A similar process was completed for every page."So it is not only the most complete - with more than 1,500 campgrounds listed - but by far the most accurate. This book achieves the author's goal of making it possible to always find a spot for the night.After living in California for some forty years, I've moved a couple of states to the north. I got this edition so I'd be up-to-date and able to show my kids and grandkids who live in California some of the wonders of the great outdoors in their beautiful state (without getting lost!).

Another great book from Tom

As an avid camper in the north state I would like to recommend this book to everybody. It is user friendly and has all of the information you need from directions to your destination or a phone number of the the place you would like to make reservations at. Buying this book is worth all the time you would waste otherwise.

Incredibly complete!

I don't know how Tom Stienstra does it but I'm sure glad he does. This is the best guide ever written for California outdoor enthusiasts. Whether you're looking for a state park, national forest or private campground; if you're a wilderness backpacker or a Winnebago warrior Tom has compiled everything you need to know about every possible destination in the golden state categorized by region. Each year's new edition is up-to-date. Helpful reminders, lists of things to take, words to the wise...it's all here. This book is my home state outdoor bible.