Ashland OR overnight boondock?

[Kach]

Any ideas for a free or cheap overnight in the Ashland OR area? It looks like Emigrant Lake might be a good option - has a campground that I found but I'm wondering if there are any more primitive options available?

We don't do Walmart type of overnights - we like to have some open space for the kids to run around after a long day in the car!

[Kach]

We're headed to Disneyland for about the middle 3rd of the trip - have no choice but to go to the more populated areas and more expensive state parks. Being from WA, we're not used to the pricing system - you never pay more than about $35 for premium full hook-up sites here (and I complain about that).

No offense to Cali!

[JT]

I agree that California's state parks are overpriced, but to say, "CA, home of the $50-75 state park!" is inaccurate, to say the least! While there are a few state parks which are $50.00-$75.00 per night, the per night fee at the vast majority of California's state parks is $35.00, and some are less.

http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/737/files/Current_web_camping.pdf

[nina_70]

Kach wrote:
Thanks for the reply, I've got a couple of pretty good options. Free is always good - especially since we're headed to CA, home of the $50-75 state park!

OUCH!! Keep a lookout for BLM campgrounds in CA. State Parks are totally over-priced, but the BLM campgrounds are still VERY affordable. We regularly stay at BLM campgrounds on the Eastern Side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains that cost $5/night.

Also, county parks can be a good deal in CA. They generally run around $25/night and have good green space.

While in Ashland if you have time take in a Shakespeare show in the open Elizabethan Theatre. Very cool stuff.

[bobsallyh]

Be sure to keep a look out for naked bicycle riders while going thru Ashland.

[Kach]

Thanks for the reply, I've got a couple of pretty good options. Free is always good - especially since we're headed to CA, home of the $50-75 state park!

[nina_70]

Follow-up....Here's an example of ONE of the primitive campgrounds in the NFS near Ashland. Only for rigs 28-feet and smaller, but it's FREE:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/klamath/recreation/camping-cabins/recarea/?recid=13059&actid=29

[nina_70]

Emigrant Lake is where we stayed in the area. LOVELY campground and definitely worth it if you can get a spot. The primitive sites will *not* fit any kind of normal rig (they're tent-sites mostly), but the hookup sites will fit anyone.

I've also heard there is some nice camping over by Howard Prarie Lake, but don't know more about that area.

Your next best bet would be to check w/ the forest service for Klamath National Forest. There are definitely NFS campgrounds in the forest and there *may* be dispersed camping too. That's likely to be your cheapest option.
http://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/klamath/recreation/camping-cabins/?recid=13053&actid=29