For those looking to camp inside a national park and still be close to Orange County, California, there are many options. The location of Orange County affords a camper an array of options in just about any direction, and almost always within a half-day’s drive. For those who seek to enjoy the diverse beauty of California, the choices range from deserts to islands and mountains.
A High Desert Paradise
The rocks of Joshua Tree National Park are a climber's paradise.
Located about 120 miles east of Orange County is Joshua Tree National Park. Set in the high desert north of Palm Springs, this park straddles two separate deserts: the Mojave and the Sonora. The granite rocks found on the western side of Joshua Tree attract rock climbers from around the world. Camping is best found within the interior of the national park, including Jumbo Rocks or Hidden Valley campgrounds. Hidden Valley can accommodate RVs 25 feet or smaller, and there are no hookups. Both areas offer expansive views of the rock formations and high desert plains filled with the park’s namesake tree.
Unspoiled California Islands
- About a 100 miles north of Orange County is Channel Island National Park, encompassing five of the eight California Channel Islands. Accessing the islands can be done by boat or plane, mostly by national park concessionaires that work out of Oxnard and Ventura. Limited camping is available on all of the islands, and all sites are walk-in only -- there are no vehicles on any of the islands. Perhaps the most accessible is Anacapa Island, about 12 miles off the coast of California. There are seven windswept campsites here, about a half mile from the boat landing. There are no concessions on any of the islands. However, there are wide-open vistas and unspoiled California coastlines that look the same as they did thousands of years ago.
The Hottest Place on Earth
There is a variety of landscapes in Death Valley National Park.
Death Valley is located about a four-hour drive northeast of Orange County, home to Furnace Creek Campground, which sits 196 feet below sea level. There are 136 campsites here, many with full RV hookups. There is a full array of concessions here, including the iconic Furnace Creek Resort. Camping is available year-round, but given that summer temperatures can reach 120 degrees, winter is the best time for those who like to hike the park’s canyons, salt flats and dunes.
Among the Giants
Some giant sequoias are thought to be more than 3,000 years old.
Located on the western slope of the Sierra Nevadas -- about a five-hour drive from Orange County -- is Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park. This park is home to magnificent giant sequoias, the largest living things on earth. The park’s largest campsite, Lodgepole Campground, has 214 sites, some of which are accessible for RVs, though there are no hookups. Lodgepole Campground is located near General Sherman, the largest tree in the world, as well as several groves of sequoias. For campers who crave the granite peaks and high-country lakes, many trailheads leave near Lodgepole Village and head into the Sierra Nevada backcountry.
