I spent four summers near this beautiful lake and today I am reviewing it for you. It was paradise on earth!
My camp from space! Seeing it brings back so many wonderful memories. This really is a wonderful life!!
My campsite near Shaver Lake, CA. If you cross this granite slab, there are several more miles of great camping. From left to right that is Kyndal, James, Cheri, Suanne in the Prius, Steve and Trisha. Having a community close (but not too close) is a great thing!
The way it works is that as the desert starts to warm up and get too hot, I will keep moving up into a higher elevation; but I don’t want to move randomly (that wastes gas and money) I want every move to be toward my summer home. That is exactly what my friend is doing, planning her move towards a summer home. In California she has three great choices:
- The West side of the Sierra NF
- The East side of the Sierra NF
- Tahoe National Forest.
Homer and I out for a walk on the granite Dome.
Bottom Line: This is a very mixed bag, everything about it is perfect except it is a long ways away from decent shopping, there is no cell phone once you get away from the town and the ATVs buzz around every weekend. Plus, the bees are extremely annoying!
Land Ownership: Free dispersed camping in the Sierra National Forest.
Date Visited: Every summer for 4 years.
Elevation/Season: 6000 feet so it borders on being hot but you can be comfortable in the abundant shade. And there is always the lake for a swim if it does get hot.
Quality of the Road: Poor, nothing bigger than a van will make it in, although I was able to get my 6×10 trailer in okay. For vans it’s easy.
Internet: Very limited! Once you get 5 miles away from the town there is no cell or internet. At this location it was decent but not great. I never had a problem getting on every day. Once you get 5 miles away from town, there is no cell signal at all.
Shopping: Very poor. There are some expensive stores in the town but the nearest real grocery store is 20 miles away and a drop (and then climb) of 4000 feet on very steep, winding mountain roads. The nearest WalMart is 60 miles away and 6000 foot drop and then climb. The WalMart will be in triple digit temperatures the whole time you are here.
Ranger Enforcement: None. We only saw one Ranger the whole summer and he just drove by.
Scenery: Knock your socks off gorgeous! Fantastically beautiful! Best of all is the beautiful lake 10 minutes away you can visit as often as you want.
Feel/Size of the town: It’s a tiny mountain tourist town that is a very quaint and friendly place full of great and friendly people.
Wildlife: Deer are everywhere and we saw and heard coyotes pretty often. There are black bear in the area, but we only saw one anywhere near camp.
Solitude/ATVs: Not good. The Sierra NF is very thick with huge trees and brush so there aren’t many places to ride your ATV or motorcycle, so this place was full of them every weekend. We got used to having them around.
Hiking: Outstanding! I loved everything about walking in these woods.
Insects: The mosquitoes weren’t bad, but the bees were awful! They didn’t sting (only one person got stung all summer) but they were terribly annoying! They were attracted to water so if you left any water out there would be hundreds of bees buzzing around it. That included a closed water jug. They would just hover around it constantly looking for a way to get in. I had to have water out for Homer and there was a cloud of bees around it all the time.
Getting to Shaver Lake from Fresno, CA.
Just 26 miles up Dinkey Creek Rd is a beautiful grove of Giant Sequoias. Magnificent! This tree is 2000 years old and 20 foot across.
Take 168 to Shaver Lake. Just before you get into the “town” turn right onto Bretz Mill Rd.
From my camp you go up the granite slab and then wind your way through the forest on a “road” that stays on the granite. Over the summer we had many friends join us. Steve, James, Kyndal, Cheri and I were there for the whole summer. We like our breathing room!
My friend Jake coming down the granite slab. You can see he barely avoids scraping on it. This was easier than it looks. I usually walked in front of people to guide them through it. We were able to get a Toyota Prius across it and they are very low cars.
You could drive right back to the lake. Steve has a 4×4 van but you could drive a car just as easily.
We had a tree fall over the road, but it was cut up fairly soon. Fortunately, there was another way in and out.
Bob
Here is a good item for carrying a lot of water. The trick is filling it up 🙂
http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/portable-rv-fresh-water-tank-45-gallon/1605
Andy, that shouldn’t be a problem. Most places you can use a hose from a city water faucet to fill it. If you aren’t near a city then you could use a basic 12 volt RV pump to fill it with. You can get one for about $70. The bladders work well!
Bob
I forgot to mention that is a PVC bladder that you can fold up and store when not in use. It’s like an inflatable bed.
Andy I’ve heard of negative health effects from PVC water containers. I don’t know if it is true. Something to look into.
Bob
Very nice! I wonder how many other similar places are located in the Sierra NF’s. There’s just such a huge amount of land in CA NF’s.
I am a little creeped-out by the fact that sattelites can see us anywhere we go.
CAE, There is an unlimited supply of dispersed camping all over CA. And the weather is perfect all summer!!
Bob
Bob_
This is the area I had in mind to spend next spring. Great post! I appreciate the time it takes and attention to details. I have a couple questions.
How long do you and the other folks you camp near usually go between re-supplying when you don’t want to pay tourist prices?
I drink about a gallon of water per day and designed my rig to carry several 7 gallon containers…but this looks like a better way if it works good. This guy from the Northeast has it in his van. He has a few very detailed videos of his build on youtube… but I’m just curious about the purifier…any experience with something like this?
http://youtu.be/bR0-Y5nHvQ8?t=2m22s
Also I’m thinking about relocating my spare from underneath to mounting it on the back door and installing a grey water tank underneath…what are your thoughts on that?
Thanks again.
openspaceman, it really is a wonderful place to spend the summer: perfect weather and stunning beauty. When I go remote I try to come in with all the staples I need to last a month and then just buy perishables locally. Then once every 2-4 weeks I go out and do real shopping. It works pretty good.
Carrying a water purifier is a very good idea whenever you are in an area with water. I carry a couple. At Shaver Lake you can get water in town so I don’t use the filter unless there is none available.
I’m not a big fan of gray water tanks. It’s legal to just go outside and pee or wash your dishes and throw the water out or shower outside. That’s all legal. But if you put it in a gray water tank then it becomes illegal and you can get a ticket. So why put it in a tank?
Bob
Bob_
Simple is always better…regarding grey water disposal…I’ll skip the tank. Thanks.
Bob,
A couple of possibly silly questions. First, I read what you mentioned about this particular area and the type of vehicle that could navigate it. Is there any part of this area that would be suitable for a “more traditional” RV (fifth-wheel or motorhome)?
Second, if you simply dump the gray water, do you worry whether what you are dumping is safe for the environment? For instance, I’m pretty sure not all soaps are safe for the ground, the plant life in the area, or any animals that may come along. Just curious.
Walt, there are no silly questions! The problem is there are very few places with cell-internet. If you are willing to do without cell-internet then there are tons and tons of camping for every kind of rig. But, even on the road I was on there were places lower down the hill that had cell and any RV could get to.
You have to understand I use extremely little water. I wash my clothes at a laundromat and I wash my dishes with a quart spray bottle and paper towels, I don’t use soap. I rarely shower in camp I use wash cloths and wet wipes instead. I use Dr. Bronner soap which is totally safe for the environment. Great stuff!!
Thanks for posting this info. I want to spend time in the Sierras.
Al, it’s a magical place!
Bob
Where ever you go, I am there!
Maybe you tried this, but would the bee problem be lessened by putting out a pan of water for them at the edge of the campsite?
Al, yeah, that is what we had to do. We kept one out far from camp as a decoy. That helped but they ere still annoying. Everyone up there calls them “meat bees” because they are attracted to meat. They will land on it and tear off chunks. So any food or water you use near camp attracts them.
Bob
Meat bees? Love that.
I know it is hard to believe but it’s totally true. My first year up there I had never heard of them either so one day I was barbecuing burgers and had taken the patties out and went back in to get something, when I came back out there were dozens of bees swarming the burgers. I’d never seen anything like it! Later I asked my boss about them and he said yeah, they were meat bees. You just had to be very careful with meat outside.
Bob
That looks like a great place. Thanks for all the nice pictures.
I had not realized that water-disposal laws worked that way. Here in Ohio, we’re pretty much not allowed to put gray water anywhere not designated for the purpose.
Calvin, in the context of the post I was talking about boondocking on public land like BLM or National Forest. When you go tent camping in the forest what do you do with your gray water like dish washing or peeing? You walk a little ways out of camp and dispose of it on the ground. That is what is expected and is normal and is totally legal.
But if you have an RV or gray water tank and put it in there instead, then dumping the exact same water becomes illegal. Which makes sense, you don’t want to concentrate it all in one spot. So what i do when I establish camp is to be very careful to pee in a big circle pretty far away from camp. Otherwise it can start to smell.
Bob
Thank you for this wonderful post, Bob! It does look like a magical place!! And the great trees! Oh, my! I don’t want to pass up a chance to be so close to the great trees! I don’t think they’re at Lake Tahoe! I wonder if all the forest around Lake Tahoe south is also free to camp around like it appears at Shaver Lake. I did see some National Forest around Lake Tahoe.
My biggie decision is figuring out how to stock up on food for all those months without having to go into sweltering town to resupply, if I did Shaver. I’d probably have to do the same for Tahoe too. The other “gulpish” thing is having to go into town for van repairs during the summer months. I’d just have to cross my fingers and toes for that!!!
My current plan would be to “camel” up at a Costco’s or Sam’s Club while down here in the desert and store the staple foods in totes on the van’s back rack. I think I can only hold two large totes. Then, I need to lock it all up so no one walks off with my big food supply for the spring/summer. He he. Minor issue. So, I’m thinking like chains and a lock. I’m sure I could get a locking system at Walmart. This would also keep the bears from helping themselves too, if it’s locked. Though, I doubt they’d bother with canned goods.
I wish there were places along the CA coast to boondock one’s way up, but, it is kind of out of the way from the Sierras, Yosemite and Tahoe. And I’ve heard how strict CA is about boondocking along the coast. Anyway, I’ll figure it all out as I go. It’s exciting to feel the warmer weather on its way and the possibilities of adventures ahead. So looking forward to it and meeting some of you great folks along the way out there!
Don’t let the 110deg heat is Fresno be a hindrance. I know Costco doesn’t open early, but Walmart and Winco do. Just shop EARLY like 5-6am and you will be back in mountains by 9am.
There are options for camping along the coast, they are just fewer and harder to find (probably not much for free right on the beach though). There is BLM and Forest Service land though, you just have to find it.
Tahoe is more crowded, but again. Lots of FS land. Carson/Reno/Truckee are all pretty close for shopping. Go for it!
John, that’s true, but it’s a minimum of an hour drive to Walmart so you are getting up at 3:30 and leaving at 4:00. That’s a little early for me! By 9:00 it must be back to 100?
The heat was definately a hindrance to me!
Bob
There are lockable boxes made to fit racks like yours, Gloria. They can be bolted to the rack so folks can’t just lift them off and walk away.
Gloria, I’ll try to answer your questions:
1) Lots of great camping all over the Tahoe NF. And there is a Walmart 30 miles away at Reno, NV. But I think it will still be hot. I don’t think there are any Sequoia at Tahoe, but I’m not positive. It’s still a great place to spend the summer.
2) There isn’t any boondocking north of Bakersfield unless you cross over to the Sierras. When I drove over in may I always stopped near the town of Mojave and camped on BLM land and then drove to Fresno, stocked up at Walmart and Costco then went up to Shaver. You can stealth park along the way but it is too hot and ugly for me.
3) There are several good mechanics in Shaver Lake so I got all my work done there.
4) I went up with a LOT of food and only bought perishables there. There is a little town at 2000 feet with a real grocery store so Steve and I would drive down to it once a month for a “date” and to stock up. It would be in the mid to high 90s every time. So we just got there–ate lunch, got our groceries and left.
5) I stashed all my extra food in Rubbermaid totes in the woods so nobody could see it.
It’s hard to be in the mountains and be near to a WalMart. Flagstaff is rare for that. Leadville, Co was good because it had a Safeway and there was a Walmart 30 miles away at Vail. Vail is at 8000 feet so it was only in the high 80s.
Bob
Having grown up in Clovis and spending summers at Shaver/Chawanakee/Huntington, I’d say you picked a great spot to spend your summer months. There are also great camp sites all along Rock Creek Rd, which cuts back behind Bald Mtn to Tammarack. They also just finished the new Walmart in Clovis, right at 168/Herndon/Clovis Ave, so you don’t have to drive as far into town. Go at 5am and it won’t be too hot yet! Ha ha.
If you want closer ammenities, but a little more crowds, there is Bass Lake in Madera county. You’d be close to Yosemite, and only 3000ft, so it is nice in the spring and fall. It’s pretty empty outside of summer too.
Re: Bees
We always hung a chunk of fat or other tasty bit over a tray of water with dish soap in it to trap meat bees. They eat and then fall in.
John, that is all good info! I wish I had been there for the new Walmart, the old one was one of the worst I ever saw! But I loved all the trees in the parking lot so I could park in the shade! Homer and I took many walks at the University campus there in Clovis.
There is no dispersed camping allowed at the Bass Lake below Shaver lake, believe me I would have if it was legal. Much too hot to camp there in summer even if you could.
Yeah, we set traps to kill the bees but there appeared to be an unlimited supply of them. Kill 1000 and another 10,000 would appear. All the locals said it was the worst they had ever seen. Every trip into town included a discussion about the plague of bees!
bob
I had to google the “meat bee” thing, never heard of it.
Discovered that those are what we call “yellow jackets,” where I grew up.
John, they must be related to yellow jackets because at first we all thought that’s what they were. But they are not in the least aggressive. There were millions of them all around camp and only person got stung when a bee got caught under her skirt and stung her on her leg.
Bob
I was watching a show that a guy and his wife were living out of their big rig sleeper and storing food, water and such in there, cramp, but it looks like it works. They had two or three months of rations in the truck.
Douglas, some of those sleepers are huge! there is a gigantic amount of vertical space near the top of the rig so if you could build some storage up there they would hold a LOT of stuff.
Bob
Very informative post Bob. My girlfriend cant stop talking about the sequaya trees and wanting to see them! Thanks againg for the info, Bill
Bill, if you are in the right frame of mind, the Sequoia groves can be mind-blowing! Don’t miss out on them!
Bob
Nice post Bob, looks like a wonderful place to live.:)
Curtis, it was fantastic!!
Bob
Never been there, definitely putting into my list 🙂