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Moon California Camping: The Complete Guide to More Than 1,400 Tent and RV Campgrounds
20 million acres of forest, 1,200 miles of coastline, and countless wilderness find your perfect campsite with Moon California Camping .
Whether you're a veteran or a first-time camper, Moon's comprehensive coverage and trusted advice will have you gearing up for your next adventure.
Narrowing your search? Try Moon Northern California Camping . Hitting the road? Check out Moon California Road Trip .
Full coverage The Redwood Empire, Shasta and Trinity, Lassen and Modoc, Mendocino and Wine Country, Sacramento and Gold Country, Tahoe and the Northern Sierra, the San Francisco Bay Area, Monterey and Big Sur, the San Joaquin Valley, Yosemite and Mammoth Lakes, Sequoia and Kings Canyon, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and San Diego (and their surrounding areas), and the California deserts, including Death Valley and Palm Desert
Whether you're a veteran or a first-time camper, Moon's comprehensive coverage and trusted advice will have you gearing up for your next adventure.
Narrowing your search? Try Moon Northern California Camping . Hitting the road? Check out Moon California Road Trip .
Full coverage The Redwood Empire, Shasta and Trinity, Lassen and Modoc, Mendocino and Wine Country, Sacramento and Gold Country, Tahoe and the Northern Sierra, the San Francisco Bay Area, Monterey and Big Sur, the San Joaquin Valley, Yosemite and Mammoth Lakes, Sequoia and Kings Canyon, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and San Diego (and their surrounding areas), and the California deserts, including Death Valley and Palm Desert
950 pages, Paperback
First published April 7, 2015
About the author
Tom Stienstra
100 books23 followersTom Stienstra is America’s most traveled and best-known outdoorsman, and now has broke new ground with his new crime novel set around the music industry, "The Sweet Redemption, An Inspector Korg Mystery."
Music . . . Money . . . Murder . . . Before writing this book, Tom met with homicide inspectors, rock stars and other specialists that helped bring the story to life, so you get the real insider's view of these worlds.
Tom is best known as the outdoors writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, and in 2008, won first place for best outdoors column in America. He is America’s first Back Country Sportsman of the Year, and the only two-time National Outdoor Writer of the year.
His books have sold more than 1 million copies. His television show on CBS/CW won first place as America’s best outdoor recreation show, and his radio show won first place in 2010 for best environmental feature show in America. As a photographer, he won first place in America in 2011 for best outdoors feature image.
Tom has hiked 25,000 miles, caught world-record fish, led dozens of expeditions and taken part in all phases of the outdoor experience. He was the fourth living member inducted into the California Outdoors Hall of Fame.
Tom can be reached at TomStienstra.com, where signed copies of first edition print run of The Sweet Redemption are available, and all of his books, and at tstienstra@sfchronicle.com. He posts a daily Twitter feed at @StienstraTom
Music . . . Money . . . Murder . . . Before writing this book, Tom met with homicide inspectors, rock stars and other specialists that helped bring the story to life, so you get the real insider's view of these worlds.
Tom is best known as the outdoors writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, and in 2008, won first place for best outdoors column in America. He is America’s first Back Country Sportsman of the Year, and the only two-time National Outdoor Writer of the year.
His books have sold more than 1 million copies. His television show on CBS/CW won first place as America’s best outdoor recreation show, and his radio show won first place in 2010 for best environmental feature show in America. As a photographer, he won first place in America in 2011 for best outdoors feature image.
Tom has hiked 25,000 miles, caught world-record fish, led dozens of expeditions and taken part in all phases of the outdoor experience. He was the fourth living member inducted into the California Outdoors Hall of Fame.
Tom can be reached at TomStienstra.com, where signed copies of first edition print run of The Sweet Redemption are available, and all of his books, and at tstienstra@sfchronicle.com. He posts a daily Twitter feed at @StienstraTom
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
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December 14, 2015I received this a little too late in the season to really be able to check out many new places, so I polled friends who camp, and everyone agreed the information and ratings were pretty spot on for ones we collectively have visited. The book is deceiving in size - over 850 pages of ratings, information, contacts, maps, all in a very compact book that will not take up much space in your packing. I have used Moon travel guides in the past, but this was my first time with one that does camping, so I am thrilled to see the high quality.
I received this book from the Publisher for an honest review.
I received this book from the Publisher for an honest review.
October 27, 2015
I won this in the giveaways and it's awesome! totally glad I won this. I have seen some of the grounds but it's always nice to have them in one nice book.
November 23, 2021
Pretty good synopsis of the author's favorite campgrounds and why.
June 28, 2019
Best camping book ever! Sorry for the other states :(
I loved it--I don't know if I trust his scenic meter ratings but the info provided is beyond what I had expected!!! He lists a few free sites-- that is one thing, I didn't know national parks had! Crazy!
I initiated got in on a kindle-- and I just ordered the hard copy--this will be by camping bible.
All the sites are separated by region and well organized and easy to find/read.
I loved it--I don't know if I trust his scenic meter ratings but the info provided is beyond what I had expected!!! He lists a few free sites-- that is one thing, I didn't know national parks had! Crazy!
I initiated got in on a kindle-- and I just ordered the hard copy--this will be by camping bible.
All the sites are separated by region and well organized and easy to find/read.
May 16, 2016
I read the first part with interest, I mean the generalities about camping, weather, how to sleep, etc.
When it got to the spots described, it is much more difficult to have an idea about them, if you are not in California.
I was hoping to get more information about the prices and the facilities, though. According to the author, the prices per vehicle go from $15 to $50, but what is included? just a place to put your tent or r.v.? or showers, refilling or your water, emptying the used water, etc? It makes a huge difference! Dome don't have drinkable water, or paying showers...
I could easily find the prettiest places. The other classifications are much more specialized, for divers, for hikers, et al. Where do you ever find a family with everyone likes the same thing?
I'll keep the book, of course, and may use it practically in the future. But it brings me back exactly to the lack of details with prices. I won't buy or rent an r.v. So, it would be a tent, and I think it is not cheaper than many motels, where you have water at the sink, a toilet in your bathroom et al. I have friends who bought an r.v. They spent more than $50,000 for a mid range one. They could afford it, so far, so good. The problem came with making the spent money worth it. No more trips with planes, holidays meant r.v. After a few years, the whole family was totally fed up. The father was the only happy one, he drove. The mother and daughters wanted to run away!
But I will try with a tent, once, to see what it is like. I wish pictures would be in cluded.
When it got to the spots described, it is much more difficult to have an idea about them, if you are not in California.
I was hoping to get more information about the prices and the facilities, though. According to the author, the prices per vehicle go from $15 to $50, but what is included? just a place to put your tent or r.v.? or showers, refilling or your water, emptying the used water, etc? It makes a huge difference! Dome don't have drinkable water, or paying showers...
I could easily find the prettiest places. The other classifications are much more specialized, for divers, for hikers, et al. Where do you ever find a family with everyone likes the same thing?
I'll keep the book, of course, and may use it practically in the future. But it brings me back exactly to the lack of details with prices. I won't buy or rent an r.v. So, it would be a tent, and I think it is not cheaper than many motels, where you have water at the sink, a toilet in your bathroom et al. I have friends who bought an r.v. They spent more than $50,000 for a mid range one. They could afford it, so far, so good. The problem came with making the spent money worth it. No more trips with planes, holidays meant r.v. After a few years, the whole family was totally fed up. The father was the only happy one, he drove. The mother and daughters wanted to run away!
But I will try with a tent, once, to see what it is like. I wish pictures would be in cluded.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews