Any place to dry camp or Boondock near Solvang/Buelton?

Look up the directions to Rancho Oso CG(its a Thousand Trails Park) but the public is welcome. Now the reason I mention Rancho Oso is that on your way to this CG, off Paradise Road, there at at least two National Park Service CG's. All of them dry camping and everytime Ive driven by them, there empty. These Cg's put you about 15-20 miles from Solvang and only a few miles to Cachuma.

Just remembered that there is a municipal rv park in Lompoc -- easy drive from Solvang, and a lot cooler -- not fancy but adequate:

Lompoc River Park

There are also Davey Brown and Nira campgrounds up in the mountains above Los Olivos -- not far from Solvang as the crow flies. Unfortunately, we are not crows, and the drive is very twisty and slow! Perhaps an hour from the campgrounds into town??

Paradise Campground off of 154 is somewhat less remote, but I think they just had a fire in that area very recently.

We did a one-night dry camp at Flying Flags in late January. Pricy for no hookups, but the cookies at check-in were great!

al

There is a look out point on the south bound 101
about half way from Solvang to Santa Barbara you
can camp there the night with an ocean view :)

As SCVJeff has mentioned, those CGs listed will be reserved. I have been to almost all of them in my 40 years of camping. I don't want to be hunting for a lucky opening at 5pm on a Saturday. My plan was to drive up Saturday morning to Solvang, find an overnight spot and go back to Solvang Sunday for brunch and drive home in the afternoon.

Figueroa Campground in Los Padres Nat Forest. 13 miles up Figueroa Mt road from Los Olivas. Free, but must have adventure pass. Note: small and windy and lots of trees. We had a 21'tt and only fit in 1 site, all others too small. We were the only ones there aside from the camp host, about this time of year several years ago. If you like rockhounding, a hill full of serpentine is about 8 miles further up the road.

SCVJeff wrote:
Everything you mention is guaranteed to be locked up at least until fall (welcome to the west coast beaches) with the exception of Casitas, that is a LONG way from Solvang

;) Surely, Nothing is Ever Guaranteed 100%. IMHO.

Reservations are Made & Reservations are Canceled.
People Don't Show.
People Leave Early.

Enroute Campsites are not reserved (I would think). Not sure how much they are used.

It has been since 2005 that I've been to any of them. But we found a site at Carp', then someone needed to leave...we stayed over a week.

Hard to Forcaste What Might Happen. Even on the West Coast.

Found a site for a few days at McGarth & then at Point Mugu as well in 2005.

Weekends are a Bugger for sure. I'd Think. No Guarantee, however.

Solvang is less than 70 miles from Lake Casitas....not close, but is it a LONG way?

North Hills (if by Los Angles) is 118 to 123 miles from Solvang. Yep, 70 miles is Somewhat a long ways, but not as far as home.

And Lake Cachuma seems to have a two night (weekend) requirement.

Everything you mention is guaranteed to be locked up at least until fall (welcome to the west coast beaches) with the exception of Casitas, that is a LONG way from Solvang

Another vote for Lake Cachuma.