CA campgrounds are now open but most are already reserved through August

[Ronnie]

I just spent the better part of 2 hours looking for a lake within 4 hours of the SF Bay Area that has campsites available and found that most sites are already reserved Friday through Sunday until September. What a bummer, last summers camping opportunities were very limited and this years don’t look any better for me. On top of this CA is in a drought so water levels are low at many of the lakes I boat in. I know, first world problem that most won’t care about but it still sucks to have such a problem. I hope things are better for the rest of you.

 

[dzeppos]

I saw the same up on northern cal. Got lucky as hell last month to find 3 day houseboat reservation at lake Shasta - my first time - can’t wait!

have you tried don pedro?

 

[Ronnie]

I saw the same up on northern cal. Got lucky as hell last month to find 3 day houseboat reservation at lake Shasta - my first time - can’t wait!

have you tried don pedro?

Not yet but thanks for the reminder, I looked at nearby lake mcclure last night. They are fully booked. So is new melones, along

new lake hogan, new bullards bar, etc.

unfortunately house boating is out of my budget. The last time I checked it came out to $1,500 per day at peak season. The rep said, just get 14 other people to pay $100 per day for the 2 or 3 day minimum rental period. I think it would take me less time to earn the money than it would to find 14 people willing to pay $200 to $300 to share a room or deck space on a house boat.

I did discover that new bullards bar has a camp site dedicated to group camping. They have less than 10 sites but all have a capacity of 25 or more and prices start at $80 per day. They also have to boat-in camp grounds. Maybe this would be a good location for an member meet up.

 

[dzeppos]

Houseboating is ridiculously expensive - and still always old out. I guess camping is out for the summer - maybe I'll do a river cruise up to Sacramento and get a slip and stay at the hotel there. Good luck with campsites -sometimes people cancel last minute. We are also renting a home for a few day at Lake Tulloch - to boat with our 'non-boating' relatives who aren't into serious boating and like the convenience of a home right on the lake.

 

[Sotally Tober]

I just spent the better part of 2 hours looking for a lake within 4 hours of the SF Bay Area that has campsites available and found that most sites are already reserved Friday through Sunday until September. What a bummer, last summers camping opportunities were very limited and this years don’t look any better for me. On top of this CA is in a drought so water levels are low at many of the lakes I boat in. I know, first world problem that most won’t care about but it still sucks to have such a problem. I hope things are better for the rest of you.

- Travel south to California/Arizona.
- Grab a river Air BnB/VRBO
- Explore the Colorado River

 

[Ronnie]

- Travel south to California/Arizona.
- Grab a river Air BnB/VRBO
- Explore the Colorado River

I may do this on my own or with a few friends but my focus right now is finding a place to hold my family’s annual group camping event. Things are not looking good.

on a related note, I’m pondering towing my waverunners to Vegas with my brother and riding them up river to Laughlin and staying there a few days before riding back to Vegas. It’s only 60 miles or so on the water each way. Do you think is it worth the effort (I.e.,12 hour drive to and from Vegas) or would I be better off flying in and renting a boat or jet ski when I get there?

 

[Sotally Tober]

I may do this on my own or with a few friends but my focus right now is finding a place to hold my family’s annual group camping event. Things are not looking good.

on a related note, I’m pondering towing my waverunners to Vegas with my brother and riding them up river to Laughlin and staying there a few days before riding back to Vegas. It’s only 60 miles or so on the water each way. Do you think is it worth the effort (I.e.,12 hour drive to and from Vegas) or would I be better off flying in and renting a boat or jet ski when I get there?

So Laughlin is actually down river from Vegas (Lake Mead). To do this you would have a few obstacles in your way.

The first one being the Hoover Dam. If you launch from Lake Mead and start heading south down river you will run right into it.

If you launch below the hoover dam (Lake Mohave) and continue south you will eventually run into the Davis dam. Davis Dam is just North of Laughlin.

I've never attempted Vegas to Laughlin but I have boated from Lake Havasu to Laughlin. That ride is definitely worth it at least once.

 

[dzeppos]

When boating near Laughlin - or for the matter anywhere on the river north of Havasu (Needles to Laughlin) - check dam flows- as some mornings there is little water, even for jetboats.
Another great trip is launching from Cottonwood Cove at Lake Mohave and boating up to Willow Beach, or going south to katherine's landing (right by the Davis Dam) which is right above Laughlin.
I'm doing Lake Mead on memorial day weekend - which is always a good place to boat, even on a holiday, as it's so big that it can never get crowded.

 

[digitalthug916]

I just spent the better part of 2 hours looking for a lake within 4 hours of the SF Bay Area that has campsites available and found that most sites are already reserved Friday through Sunday until September. What a bummer, last summers camping opportunities were very limited and this years don’t look any better for me. On top of this CA is in a drought so water levels are low at many of the lakes I boat in. I know, first world problem that most won’t care about but it still sucks to have such a problem. I hope things are better for the rest of you.

Campgrounds open reservations on a rolling 6 months. I have 7 trips planned this summer. Every 2-3 weeks I just login and look for somewhere that’s got space. It takes diligence to keep up with it but I have gotten some great lake front sites.

Dark day campground at bullards bar is nice but gets booked quickly. The lake is great for boating with nice warm water.

 

[Ronnie]

It looks like I just didn’t get on it quick enough this year. I will make the best of it. Headed to billiards bar tomorrow with my son and the waverunners. Looking forward to it but it’s booked every weekend through Labor Day. Thinking about new lake hogan and / or lake Berryessa Spanish flat campground for some weekend trips. Basically I will take what I can get even if its not right on the water.

 

[Ronnie]

@Sotally Tober , how long is the ride / distance between Havasu and Laughlin? How’s the water access to the hotels/casinos? I’m hoping for a hotel / casino with a dock.

@dzeppos, please answer the same questions for the Mojave to willow beach and or Katherine me landing runs.

 

[digitalthug916]

It looks like I just didn’t get on it quick enough this year. I will make the best of it. Headed to billiards bar tomorrow with my son and the waverunners. Looking forward to it but it’s booked every weekend through Labor Day. Thinking about new lake hogan and / or lake Berryessa Spanish flat campground for some weekend trips. Basically I will take what I can get even if its not right on the water.

A cold front just moved into NorCal. Dropped temps about 25 degrees. Could be a light rain this weekend. Good luck at bullards. I’ll be at French meadows on one of my camping trips.

 

[dzeppos]

From south of the hoover dam is willow beach. (On AZ side). It’s a wide river with a few fingers - about 20 miles south to lake Mohave.
lake Mohave itself is huge. The dock/launch there is cottonwood cove. Easy to access from NV side about 40 miles off the I-15. They have a cheap but dockside 1 star motel there, sites for campers and mobile homes and houseboats. Lake is always full - but sometimes they get some wind. Go south of the lake for about 15 miles is Katherine’s Landing where there is a launch ramp boating docks - launch- beach. So from the Davis dam.
distance willow beach is 50 miles. You can also stay at Laughlin- and it’s a 10 minute drive to Katherine’s landing to launch your boat.
——-Or you can go south of Laughlin and head to needles and then Havasu (60 miles i think). There’s so much to see. Happy to give you any more specifics.

 

[Ronnie]

Follow-up:
I visited Lake Comanche (South Shore) on the way back from Rollins lake. At the entrance was a sign (no pic) that said something like, Lake Comanche closed due to being at capacity. We went to the gate anyway, just to see if they would let us look at campsites we reserved for next month. They have 30 free passes but would not give me one since all of the campsites were full. However, they did go on to state that they don’t do full blown invasive species inspections during the week, just the weekends/holiday weekends. Also if you fail or aren’t bringing your boat in from the area (norther CA), you can pay a $30 fee for the staff to decontaminate your boat or pwc. No pics as I didn’t even see the water (or any campsites) much less touch it.

 

[Sotally Tober]

@Sotally Tober , how long is the ride / distance between Havasu and Laughlin? How’s the water access to the hotels/casinos? I’m hoping for a hotel / casino with a dock.

@dzeppos, please answer the same questions for the Mojave to willow beach and or Katherine me landing runs.

Havasu to Laughlin is definitely a long ride. Expect a few hours depending on how fast you are going. We have been staying at Pirates Cove lately and that cuts the trip to about an hour and 15 minutes. Home

The casinos in Laughlin are right on the water and you should not have any issues with a dock. I've never actually stayed at any of them so your best bet is to give them a call and confirm though.