Northern California Redwoods Camping Buzz
Nature lovers are raving about Northern California's redwoods via Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area's campsites and trails as a gateway. Washington's Battle Ground Lake State Park is being touted for spring-fed lake, camping, cabins, and top-rated hikes in Cascade foothills, while Myrtle Beach's Grand Strand state parks are promoted for hiking, wildlife, picnics near the city.
Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area serves as the southern entry to California's famous redwood belt and has grown from a 40-acre plot donated in 1922 to over 1,000 acres today. The park boasts about 10 miles of trails, including a path to the 1,200-year-old, 225-foot-tall Captain Miles Standish Tree. Three campgrounds—Hickey, Rock Creek, and Redwood—offer a total of 160 campsites for tents and RVs up to 27 feet, though none have hookups. Battle Ground Lake State Park is often called a "miniature Crater Lake" due to its formation within the crater of a dormant volcano. The 280-acre park offers 46 campsites, including standard, partial hookup, and primitive hike-in sites, alongside four reservable cabins. Its five miles of trails include the one-mile Lower Lake Trail that circles the spring-fed lake, a popular spot for swimming and non-motorized boating. Local legend at Battle Ground Lake speaks of a massive sturgeon that mysteriously inhabits the deep, spring-fed waters, a tale even some park rangers have claimed to witness. The park provides amenities like hot showers, an RV dump station, and a store that rents kayaks and paddleboards during the warmer months. In South Carolina, Huntington Beach State Park is a top destination for birdwatching, with over 300 species recorded. Visitors might spot pelicans, roseate spoonbills, and even alligators in the salt marsh. The park features several trails, including the two-mile Sandpiper Pond Nature Trail and the historic Atalaya Castle, the former winter home of sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington. Just a short drive away, Myrtle Beach State Park was the first to open in South Carolina in 1936. It protects one of the last remaining maritime forests on the coast and offers trails like the Sculptured Oak Nature Trail. The park is a haven for wildlife, where visitors can see coastal birds, turtles, and sometimes deer.
