Prado Lake County Park

Anaheim Hills, Orange County, CA

    It's easy to think of Southern California as sunny beaches. Indeed, that was the case from Seal Beach south to San Juan Capistrano. However, as I drove toward the NE on SR91, the Riverside Freeway, it became clear that there's more to Southern California than just beaches.

    There are also mountains -- and some peaks are over 10,000 feet, which is considered a significant height even in the Sierra Nevada. As you can see in the photo to the right [click once or twice for a better view of the mtns in the background], there is considerable snow on the western-most mountain in the mountains which run from San Bernardino on the right to near San Fernando on the left. And the mountains are part of two national forests: Angeles NF and San Bernardino NF.

    In fact, more than half of the campgrounds in Tom Stienstra's West Coast RV Camping, Los Angeles and Vicinity, are in national forests. And very few of them have even partial hookups (usually water & electricity); they usually have a somewhat level parking area for one's vehicle, RV, trailer, etc., a fire ring, and a table/benches combo.

    But Prado Regional Park has something many other RV parks lack: solitude or peace and quiet. Many RV Parks are developed near highways and freeways, which provides potential paying customers; but as those roads become more heavily-traveled, the background noise level grows louder. For most of us seniors, the increased noise is not a problem, but some young whippersnappers with fairly good hearing might have trouble sleeping on hot summer nights.

    And Prado's prices are somewhat lower than most: $30/night regardless of the type of RV you drive. Prices at some state and county beaches range from $45-75. The only cheaper full-connection parks I've encountered have been Woodward Reservoir near Oakdale in Stanislaus County and River Park on the NW outskirts of Lompoc.
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    While I'm working on my route for February, the main priority today is to drive to Brea to see if George C. Lemmon's step-daughter, Irene Hannah, is still alive and, if so, what she can remember of her step-father.

T 1 Feb Route: Prado County Park - Anaheim Hills - Brea - Prado County Park