Please recommend a nice camping spot- never heard that b4...

[wannagetaway]

I am looking to tent camp with a friend somewhere up in the MS Jacinto area. I have only been up the tram twice, but each time walking around in the forest up there has been gorgeous and reminds me of the Cascades, where I grew up camping. We camped in Big Bear last year, but it was not very secluded and overall was not nearly as scenic as the area I saw at the top of the tram. Anyway, we are hoping to backpack in and stay at the same spot for two nights. We are not deeply experienced hikers, but have kicked around in the Sierras a bit and don't mind hiking in for 3-5 hours or so. I am seriously hoping not to sound too picky, but if anyone can recommend a pretty area with a natural water source (stream or creek) that is not too crowded, I would really appreciate it.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, I also need to get my kids out for a weekend camping trip- that however, will have to involve car camping. Can anyone recommend a nice clean car camping experience with a natural water source?

THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR REPLIES EVERYONE.

James

[Bivouac]

James,

A really great place to camp is in Tamarak campground. You hike to the Wellman's divide turnoff and go right, stopping to sign a camping spot on the bulletin board next to the rock cabin. From there you go slightly up and over and down over about 1/2 a mile. When you cross a nearly dry stream bed you take the first trail to the left and up towards the SJ Peak. In minutes you will find an alpine portapottie and two small camps just beyond that, one above the other and just above them, a beautiful hidden meadow. From either of these two campsites you can take a shortcut to summit up the old boy scout trail, or, explore the neighboring peaks jutting out along the huge relief looking down into Banning. You may run into some climbers, but generally it is fairly remote. Enjoy.
Bivouac (now in alaska for the summer)

[halhiker]

For a backcountry site in the San Jacintos I like Desert view 1 in the Forest. You access it from the ever popular Devils Slide Trail. It's between taquitz and laws creeks and you can hike from there.

For a car camping site I like dark canyon. However, the yellow post site that's just short of the Fuller Ridge trailhead has an awesome via although it is not developed.