A view of the mountain from the Four Jeffrey Campground near Bishop, Ca

It was a beautiful, sunny, warm weekend in the Sierras.  I love the whole camping experience. Cooking breakfast on a camp stove, which always seems to taste better and coffee made in a plain coffee pot over a fire made with a good gourmet coffee, (you have to have good coffee.)  Then there is the toasted marshmallows roasted on an open campfire in the cool evening. The night sky is amazing. The stars are out in full force and the thin clean air will remind you to take deep breaths. The soothing sound of rushing water from the nearby creek is mesmerizing and makes you sleep like a baby.  Waking up to see a family of deer walking through the campsite makes you just want to say “Awwww”, and seeing them wondering around in their own habitat is a joy… Bears, not so much, but should be expected.

I have to admit though that I’m a bit of snob, so when it comes to camping, I like the comforts of a motorhome or a pull out trailer.  Camping doesn’t have to be “roughing it”… bring some of your favorite essentials from home, like a French Coffee Press and a good bottle of wine!  Food and ice chests are locked up in the bear boxes, alcohol too.  As you can see we have our priorities!  Drunk bears in our camp is not a good thing, (be sure to use the bear boxes provided at each site.)

Get an early start for stream fishing.  Wading through a stream with a pair of hip waiters on makes me happy!  Fresh caught trout for breakfast, lunch, or dinner is a treat and consider yourself lucky to catch a few for a meal that day.  When the fishing is good, stick to the rule that you should eat what you catch!  Freezing a few fish is fine but should be eaten within a few months.

About a 5 hour drive from LA, above Bishop are a ton of campgrounds for our outdoor enjoyment.  With so many campsites to choose from, it is a good idea to search the internet for a location.  All of the campgrounds will list their amenities and its a good idea to reserve a space months in advance.  Some campgrounds have flushing toilets, (a must for me), however, very few have showers.  If need be, an outdoor make shift shower with sun heated water will do.  When making your reservations be sure to look for the amenities before reserving your spot.

Check out Four Jeffrey Campground. Happy Camping!