camp and mtb in Sequoia land?

[billwagnon]

I will be in Burbank for two weeks in September and am contemplating a weekend trip to Sequoia National Forest or the national park for 2 nights of tent camping.

I understand mountain biking isn't permitted in the national park, but is allowed in the forest.

I would need to rent a bike and need information about where a good place to camp. I do not need to see the "best parts" of the park - I would prefer less lightly traveled, but accessible areas. If it gets too complicated or expensive to get and transport a bike, I would be happy just hiking around.

From the maps it looks like a 5 hour drive from Burbank through Bakersfield to the Sequoia National Forest.

Does anyone have any recommendations or resources for this area?

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Well worth the trip.

Mountain bikes are fine in the park but only on paved roads.

Go soon - fire season is almost upon us.

[craigster59]

If you take the 5 to the 99 to the 65 you'll pass thru Porterville and Three Rivers. You can can check on bike rentals in those towns. As far as camping Lodgepole is the main campground that takes reservations but there are other nice campgrounds scattered thru the park.

[livi]

I envy you. Being a total tree freak, SNF is on my dream trip list.

[billwagnon]

I went on a family trip to San Francisco in June, and we spent about two hours total in Muir Woods. We had about 5 hours in Yosemite. They were both on my "go see" list but I learned that it is better to really be in a place and gain some feel for it. You only get one first time in a place. I'm hoping after 2 days I will be able to hit the road again.

[Hugh R]

PM sent

[scottmandue]

We used to go to a place called Balch park, it was in the redwood Forest but not on the main road, very nice and good hiking but a PITA to get to (long very winding dirt road to get to it).

Probably much easier to to go the way Craig described.

Hug a tree when a ranger isn't looking

Pretty good fishing if you are into that sort of thing.. and watch out for bears

[billwagnon]

Are these like San Francisco bears, or real bears?

[Evans, Marv]

Good luck with getting a camp place at this time of the year without already having reserved it. I would try to call ahead to check. You can also stop at Ash Mountain Headquarters for Sequoia to find about camping availability. Don't forget to see the General Sherman tree when you are there & take a walk through the Congress Grove next to it. Also, take a walk up to the top of Morrow Rock & check out Crescent Meadow. If you want to take a nice hike, start at Wolverton and hike up to the Watch Tower (3 mi. more or less one way). You can get an overlook of about 2K feet down. There is also a Forest Service campground about 15 miles past Giant Forest named Stoney Creek. It might be a possibility if the park campgrounds are full.

[scottmandue]

"hey boo boo check out those pick-a-nic baskets" bears...

The bears in the park are pretty domesticated, we slept in tents but they would come through the campsite every night. The rangers would come by ever dusk and make sure everyone treed their food. A little yippie dog went after one of the bears and he just ignored it.

Happy camping.