# Mt. Madonna County Park



## Scrib (Jun 28, 2005)

If you're in the greater Bay Area (NorCal), you really owe it to yourself to check this place out. They actually have some spots with hookups (Valley View CG), but we were adventerous and got a spot up higher on the mountain (Tan Oak CG). We were the only trailer in the entire CG








Our site

The Tan Oak campground is awesome. We had a neighbor on one side, but nothing other than Coastal Redwood forest behind us. We couldn't see our other neighbor.
Another shot of the site
Be prepared for rain at night. It caught us by surprise







because we're not supposed to get any rain here for a few more months. What I found out was that Mt. Madonna makes its own rain! The fog rolls in at night, and the trees get saturated with moisture and the they start raining! I'm talking real rain here, too.

Of course, having neighbors isn't always a bad thing. We fiesta'd into the wea hours of the night. 
Party time
Our kids (and us!) have some new friends, and we're getting together for a birthday party in a few weeks.

This was our first foray into dry camping, and we're hooked. We ran the heater a few times every night, and then once in the morning to warm things up. We watched some TV Friday night, and the kids watched cartoons on Saturday - so probably 3 hours of TV. When we left on Sunday morning, the batteries were showing 2/3, the gray & black tanks 2/3, and the fresh water was at 1/3.


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## HootBob (Apr 26, 2004)

Sounds like you all had a good time 
Pictures look great
Glad to hear the batteries and the tanks lasted the whole time for you

Don


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## And4togo (Feb 18, 2004)

Looks awesome Scrib, Great to see everything worked out for you, we will have to look into that campground. 
Just wondering was there any Poison Oak? Henry Cowell Redwood State CG, has a load of it.

Rob


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## Scrib (Jun 28, 2005)

Heh - yeah, it's pretty much all over the place. I'm not allergic to it, but it will be interesting to see how the kids and DW fare.


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## ssrrchase (Oct 20, 2004)

Cool! I've wanted to go there with the trailer but thought it was too tight in some places. Too many trees close to the road.

Did you have a hard time getting the trailer in there?

-Steve


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## Scrib (Jun 28, 2005)

No problems at all with it being too tight, even up in the Tan Oak CG. There is a section of steep grade before you get to the main entry gate that almost gave me problems (I was running out of RPM's in 1st). Luckily it's a short section, but with a full fresh water tank, I need some more oomph.


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## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

Nice pictures, I'm going to have to camp there some day. It is a bit of a streach for a weekend trip about 6 hours but a 3 day weekend would be ok. Thanks for sharing this with us.


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## Scrib (Jun 28, 2005)

Yeah, that's what's been keeping us away from the Donner Lake AO - it's hard to burn a half day driving when you only have the weekend to camp.


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## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

Scrib said:


> Yeah, that's what's been keeping us away from the Donner Lake AO - it's hard to burn a half day driving when you only have the weekend to camp.


Have you ever camped at Big Basin SP ? My sister has a family get together every year in Sept ot Oct and I'm trying to decide if I will go this year. Not sure if a Trailer will fit, My sister always rents these Huts.


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## Scrib (Jun 28, 2005)

We haven't been to Big Basin - it's one of the (numerous) SP's that says "24-foot limit"


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## mswalt (Sep 14, 2004)

scrib,

Great pictures. Looks like a nice place.

You "dry campers" are my idols. Don't care to do that myself (I'm spoiled....I like A/C, swimming pools, sauna, etc) but does look nice a great site.

Mark


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## W4DRR (May 17, 2005)

We never did make it up to Mt Madonna, but looks like a great place.
We did frequent New Brighton Beach, Sunset Beach, Pinnacles CG, San Luis Reservoir, Shaver Lake, and our favorite "hot spot"







, Millerton Lake.
Would have loved to camp up on Fremont Peak, but lugging a camper up there would have been a difficult task.

Bob


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

Looks like a great trip, Scrib!









Happy Trails,
Doug


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