Camping close to Campo

imported
#1

Does anyone know if there is any place to camp about 5 miles from the start of the trail. We’ll be getting a late start and want to see what our options are for finding a safe place to camp close to the border.
Thanks.

Oscar

#2

Last year we camped near a stream with running water about (if I remember correctly) 3 miles in from the border after a late start. This was after a relatively wet Spring season, so I don’t know what the water sources will be like this year. The stream was listed in Yogi’s book. It wasn’t hard to find a good spot to pitch a tent around there.

Carter

#3

Just make sure you camp well off the trail; not so much for safety but for your own peace and quiet. The night is a busy time on the trail with the Mexico To LA hikers doing some night hiking and they can make a bit of noise.

Miner

#4

You might want to check with the caretaker of the Gaskill Bro’s Stone Store Museum (about 100 yards behind the Campo Store) In '05 he let Smack, Hellcat, and I camp on the property, which includes a nice bathroom and water, etc. He even opened the museum up for us at night and showed us an awesome movie on the history of Campo!

happy trails, freebird

freebird

#5

For camping near the border take this article into consideration. Go to www.tucsonweekly.com and read “The Corridor of Killing” The articles link is right below the big Pub crawl 2007 ad. I definetly will be more discreet about camping the first few days after reading this. Sorry if this posted twice first time it didnt come up. Really sad that this kind of stuff is never in the newspapers. Though it deals with Arizon/mexico border, i cant see how the California border issues could be different

Richard E

#6

We can confirm there was water available at the small stream mentioned by Oscar on April 12. Although the water was pretty murky the spot would be nice for camping. There’s another stream crossing not that much farther up that would be nice as well.

Mark and Sophie

#7

I might advise avoiding that stream 3 miles in, or atleast camping out of site of the trail. Last yr I met 4 thru-hikers who camped there their first night out. They were woken up by border patrol who id’ed them and thought they were illegals. Aparently it was some sort of routine raid/check of the area which sees a lot of traffic at night. Might stay off the beaten path if I were you.

A-Train

#8

Naturally sleeping well on the first night is a good idea, so you need to be comfortable and make decisions for that.

However, I look at the whole illegal immigrant issue as the first of MANY fear stories you will hear as you make your way north. You can literally gauge your progress on them: illegals, water availibility, heat, snakes, guns, snow, stream crossings, bears, fires, rain, and finally snow again. Be responsible, but trust your independent judgement and enjoy your separation from our society of fear.

Has there EVER been a confirmed negative interaction with an illegal on the PCT? If I was crossing the border, spending my savings and risking everything for a better life, the very last thing I would think of doing is messing with an american backpacker immediately after crossing. Please, locals (I write this from Wyoming) correct me if I am wrong, but I would think people in that situation would know better.

Anyway, we cowboy camped our first night right next to the monument, I was probably 3 feet away. I still have an incredibly powerful image of the slightly moon-lit monument towering over me and my feet pointed directly at Polaris. Free yourselves from fear, be independent, go hiking!

Cheers to the class of '07! Damn, that PCT was a good time.

Hans Berg