NFS Campgrounds - Walk-ins

[Steve Dunkel]

One of the nearby National Forest Service campgrounds have campsites that cannot be reserved online and are designated for walk-ins only. How many paid days are allowed for these sites? The Memorial Day weekend is obviously all booked by now. We were thinking of arriving a few days earlier in the week when campsites are available and extend the stay into the weekend. Is this possible?

[Frederick L. Simson]

How many paid days are allowed for these sites?

U.S. National Forest Campground Guide lists all of the campgrounds in alphabetical order.
I looked up my favorite campground. The answer is there, but they make you wade through a lot of other information to find it.

Originally posted by U.S. National Forest Campground Guide
CAMPGROUND NAME: Cibbets Flat

VISIT DATE: 12/23/1997

UPDATE DATE: 4/30/2009

STATE: California

REGION: Pacific Southwest

RANGER DISTRICT: Descanso

NEAREST CITY/TOWN: Pine Valley

RESERVATIONS: No

DIRECTIONS:
From Pine Valley, CA, take Interstate 8 east 9.2 miles to Cameron
Station exit. At end of exit ramp, turn left onto Kitchen Creek
Rd. and go 4.7 miles to campground sign. Turn right at sign into
campground.

GENERAL COMMENTS:
The elevation is 4,100 ft.

Campground is comprised of large Live Oaks with grassy
understory. It has a nice blend of open and shaded areas. Some
sites are located along a seasonal creek. The six walk-in tent
sites share five water spigots.

SEASONS
Open Seasonal: No
Open All Year: Yes

RATE AND MAXIMUM STAY PERMITTED
Rate: $14 per day
Maximum Stay Permitted (days): 14

The maximum stay is standard amongst all the campsites within the Forest Service.

[Frederick L. Simson]

We were thinking of arriving a few days earlier in the week when campsites are available and extend the stay into the weekend. [b]Is this possible?

Not only possible, it is required. Everyone else will be doing the same thing.

[Steve Dunkel]

Not only possible, it is required. Everyone else will be doing the same thing.

That's not encouraging. Almost all of the reserved sites are available during the week but none are available for the weekend. There's no way of knowing how many of the walk-in sites are available before getting there. Looks like our plan will be to show up during mid-week when at least a reserved site is available and hope that we can get a walk-in for the weekend. The campground that we're hoping to get into is Mount Laguna in the Cleveland NF.

Fred - Are you planning to hit Cibbet Flats for the holiday?

[Frederick L. Simson]

Almost all of the reserved sites are available during the week but [b]none are available for the weekend.

Fred - Are you planning to hit Cibbet Flats for the holiday?

I gave up on trying to get a Reserved Camp Site anywhere in San Diego County a long time ago. [b]The competition is just too fierce! The people who return to the same site year after year are well versed in sniping the best times at the earliest reservation availability. The full-time RV community here is HUGE and they know all the tricks, effectively shutting out casual weekenders and working stiffs.

Cibbets Flat on a holiday? It's too small, too easily accessible, and too popular.
I only go there at off-peak times, usually in the Fall AFTER Labor Day Weekend...

Robert and I may go to Oak Grove, up near Temecula, but still in San Diego County.