Abby S.
Yelp
A much more affordable alternative to the few and far between hotels/BNB's in Anderson Valley. Though I'm not a dedicated camper (seriously, I sleep in the woods maybe once every 5 years), if I had to rough it a little, this is the ideal spot.
Reservations are recommended on the weekends, as there are about 100 or so campgrounds and they looked full when we pulled in on Saturday afternoon. Though the entrance is right off the highway, you're tucked away into the trees, secluded from cars driving by or disturbances from the road. Lots of redwoods, too.
The site that we reserved was perfect for two tents, though it could've probably fit more. But since we were only allowed one car without any fees, so not sure how we would've fit another few people or their gear into the vehicle. Probably could pay extra to bring another set of wheels? And frankly, since I'm not one with the wilderness too often, keeping it a small group was preferred.
Yes, there are bathrooms. And yes, they're very basic. Plus, the women's room was trashed after one night. They ran out of toilet paper (God bless the very nice woman who gave me a few squares) by 8 am. There's no soap at the sinks, bring some antibacterial wipes if that sort of thing grosses you out. There are pay showers, but I seriously wouldn't recommend. You're camping, just get dirty and take a shower when you get home.
Quiet hours begin around 11-11:30 pm, one of the rangers came by our site to tell us to shut it down. Though we weren't very loud, I guess they want everyone to get a good night's rest. Plus, there are a ton of families nearby who would appreciate it if you keep it down. Fair enough.
Got a pretty good night's rest, thanks to some rented REI gear. We were up and at 'em pretty early the next day, since the only food we had to cook over the fire was s'mores. Plus, I was ready to get out of the woods. 12 hours up in Mother Nature's grill was enough for me. AND there's a cute coffee shop/diner just down the way that serves breakfast until 11:30 am. Score!
Overall, a nice outdoorsy experience. Would recommend if you're trying to cut costs and be one with nature for a night or two. Plan on using one of the restaurant/winery restrooms as much as possible and pack an extra roll of TP.