Los Padres National Forest
A cool experience with 6 to 10 mile hikes
Pups are welcome at camp and on hiking trails
Driving to and sleeping at a campground
Trip · 3-day camping trip
For · Families
Vibe · Moderate and fun
Permits · No need for a wilderness permit, just fill out a CA campfire permit online and reserve a campsite
Drive · 4 hours from LA and SF
Ideal dates · November to March to see the seals and the best waterfalls
Pets · Welcome on trails and campgrounds
Los Padres National Forest (LPNF) boasts a whopping ten wilderness areas: Ventana, Silver Peak, Santa Lucia, Garcia, Machesna, San Rafael, Dick Smith, Matilija, Sespe, and Chumash. In total, the forest has a mind blowing 1.75 million acres. This trek takes you through Silver Peak Wilderness, which is supervised by the Monterey Ranger District, and covers 31,555 acres along the central coast. You'll walk through chaparral scrub to pockets of dense redwood forest—with seaside vistas and flowing streams. Did we mention there's a glorious waterfall too?
Official National Forest Website
Main image credit: Wikipedia
Each campsite comes with a:
Plaskett Creek Campground offers a beautiful location just minutes from Sand Dollar Beach, one of the largest and most popular beaches in central California. The campground gives visitors access to a variety of outdoor activities, including water play and exploration of the surrounding hills and forests. The family-friendly campground offers comfortably equipped sites, allowing anyone to enjoy a relaxing stay in the Los Padres National Forest.
Check-in: Noon · Check-out: Noon
Nightly Rate: $45
Silver Peak is named for "the silvery sheen of the chaparral vegetation that covers its slopes," according to the USFS wilderness map
Silver Peak Wilderness is known for its lush and unique vegetation along the creeks. This includes fern-covered canyons, grass and oak-dotted meadows, and heavy timber. The Wilderness hides the world's southernmost stand of redwoods, an isolated grove of coastal redwoods.
California has the second largest number of wilderness areas in the nation (Alaska has the most)
A spacious sleeping bag that will help you stay warm for spring, summer, and fall camping.
Essential Items
Whether it's coffee or cocoa, bring a silicone mug like this one into the wild. Your tummy will thank you.
Kitchen
Leave your backpacking pack at camp, and use this sleek, compressible pack for day hikes.
Shared Gear
An affordable day pack for bringing snacks, sunglasses, and water on your next day hike.
Shared Gear
Handmade in Seattle, Washington, this sleeping bag is pricey, but you can count on it lasting for years.
Essential Items
A fun, affordable tent for beginner car campers that can be used in the spring, summer, and fall.
Shared Gear
An absorbent, antimicrobial fabric that will keep you clean and dry down under.
Personal Stuff
This cook station has plenty of storage and counter space, and is easy to set up and carry out.
Kitchen
If you like to toss and turn at night, this sleeping pad is known for being a quiet, quality option for car campers.
Essential Items
A solid, lightweight, and relatively affordable tent for people are new to backpacking.
Shared Gear
Camp underneath the stars and watch glorious sunrises in Joshua Tree National Park, the second largest national park in California.
