Dekkas Rock Group Campground is located in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest on the McCloud Arm of Shasta Lake.  I thought this camp was sugar-coated, finger-lickin' sweet.  It is set on a flat peninsula above the McCloud Arm.  You'll have beautiful views of and easy access to the lake (click here to see what I mean).  Plus, the campground is 2.4 miles from the Hirz Bay boat launch Continue Reading...

Located on the upper McCloud Arm of Shasta Lake with Ellery Creek passing through as it empties into the lake.  I could just imagine myself with a hot cup of coffee in my hand at 5:30 in the morning, staring out onto the lack of movement on the lake and listening to the empty echo of the morning atmosphere.  Perfection. 

The campground is terraced into the sloping hillside above Shasta Lake with a small strand of beach at the font end.  There are 19 Continue Reading...

This campground is located at the north end of the McCloud arm of Shasta Lake.  The entrance is about 600 feet from the McCloud Bridge.  Although it takes a bit longer to get out to, the intimacy of the camp is well worth the trip.

Each of the sites at the campground overlooks the lake.  Some have a partial view while others are lake-front.  All of the sites are shaded well by large oak trees.  The road and parking spurs are paved with pavers on Continue Reading...

Bridge Camp is located off the west shore of Trinity Lake.  You'll need to drive about 2 miles of very narrow dirt road after miles of paved but remote driving on Trinity Alps Road.  The campground entrance will be on your left.

Six of the campsites are situated right on the rivers' edge.  Sites 1 and 2 (after you click, spin around this 360 photo to see Continue Reading...

I hadn't been to Shasta-Trinity National Forest since...college.  The last time I was there I was in a bikini, driving our rented houseboat with a spatula in my hand and screaming "20 second keg stands for everyone tonight!"  I had a completely different perspective of Shasta at this time.  Preloaded keg stands can really shift what you see.

18 years later, Ryan and I traveled Continue Reading...

This is the review that I'm going to be disowned for writing.  The upside of writing about different campsites across California (and someday the entire United States of America) is that it'll get you out exploring the different campgrounds in the state.  The downside is that I'll have to compete with you for some of my favorite camping locations and face the possibility of being disowned by the Michalak family.

The Michalak's call this campground "Rob Continue Reading...

Kids will definitely get dirty while camping.  That's kind of the point.  Let them run, splash and roll around in the dirt all day!  You're an A+ parent if you take a wet wipe to their face at night and call it a bath.  Camping and clean really don't mix.  But you can pretend to have it under control by bringing a few extra back-up pairs of clothes for them.  

Word to the wise - save at Continue Reading...

Efficiency is king.  Having a quality list is what'll get you there.  If you're going on a weekend camping trip you don't want to spend 5 days packing for your two day holiday.  

You should bring a variety of clothes but you don't need your entire closet.  I wrote this list for a 3-4 day camping trip so make sure you adjust the quantity if needed.  

Most of the clothes I bring date back to 1998 (old AF).  But I do splurge on Continue Reading...

In all honesty, there's a lot I dislike about the camping kitchen.  I sincerely dislike managing the cooking and clean up chores all day.  I want to fish and hike and play!

Sad reality check - it was never written that camping was meant to be a break from the adulting necessary in life.  Especially if you bring your kids.  You just get to do the adulting in a more beautiful environment!  To make Continue Reading...

We camped with our son when he was 7 months old (our other two kiddos were 4 and 2 years old).  I mean hell, he was almost sleeping thorugh the night and adding a few extra warm clothes to the camping list didn't seem like such a big deal.  

I read through every packing list I could find and read every blog post out there.  Everyone encouraged me!  They all said this would give us an amazing bond within Continue Reading...

There's nothing worse than forgetting something really important when you go camping.  I forgot to bring extra underwear one year.  That sucked.  

Since that moment I've kept a complete list of camping necessities to pack.  Never again will I be staring at a can of chicken noodle soup without a can opener or standing over the local hot springs without my bathing suit (not that that's ever happened).  

Please Continue Reading...