Orange County CA - Reasonable RV park?

tpi wrote:
When are you planning on going to O'Neill? If it is mid week period, they let you scope the sites on your own and come back and register. There will be a lot to choose from. Friday, Sat nights can get busier.

I'm a little reluctant to recommend a site because everyone like different things and my memory is not quite perfect. Sites 15, 16, and 17 are very long pull throughs. As I recall they have good shady areas. Location of water faucets vary in the sites. Dump station is near sites 2,3 and 4.

I highly recommend this park for the $15. with senior discount. I sometimes take my nightly walk through the campground. If you have question, I can look. PM me.

park map

Nearby Rose Canyon Cantina good place to grab a drink on their outside deck-very scenic in nice weather. Many good restaurants in nearby Rancho Santa Margarita. Also grocery stores, Target, etc. When you're in campground, it seems much more remote than location suggests. Traffic quiets down on Trabuco Canyon road in the evening after the commute. Campground is generally quiet at night. If you're planning at being out late, chat with ranger about how to get back into your spot.

Thank you for the good info.

I will be headed that way in early/mid October. Likely to arrive mid week.

Spaces 15-17 look sweet. I prefer to be as far from my neighbors as is reasonable.

I spent some time in Trabuco Canyon back in the 80's. Looking at Google Earth I am amazed at how much development has taken place. It looks like residential developments are right across the creek.

Well, I am going to try and reserve one of the 15-17 spaces and after I make camp I will buy you a coldie at Rose Canyon Cantina. :)

Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on perspective) I still have to pay the $25 rate.

Thanks for the info.

Steve

Enjoy your visit. I hope the weather cooperates for you and you have the nice Oct days and not the occasional heat wave. The fortunate thing about the Rancho Santa Margarita development is that it is up on the bluff (Plano Trabuco), elevated 300 ft above the creek. It is set back enough that from the campground it is not visible. I live in Robinson Ranch which before development was Escape Country. Off road motorcycles, hang gliding, BMX, camping.

For others visiting in the winter and spring, I recommend the Holy Jim falls area. You need high clearance vehicle for the 4 miles of rough dirt road and your NFS pass. Weekdays have far less visitors. It is green and well watered in the in average rainfall years in the spring. Fall isn't good time for this trip, especially after three drought years. It is a small falls a couple miles from the trailhead.

san mateo campground in San Clemente, full hookups no tv around $30.00