Rating: 
Summary: emphasis - "car camping"
Review: A good book for car campers going on a road trip. I refered to this book on my trip to Oregon around mid-March(just before peak season) and yes, some of the campgrounds were out of they way to the point of almost being eery, But, in a good way :) If you're thinking these campgrounds are somewhere amidst the wild, you're mistaken and need to look elsewhere though. Very good for quick reference for last minute camping en route. The map included indicating locations of the campgrounds is very helpful.
The book requires some updating as far as availability of campgrounds goes (year round/ seasonal),but that will probably happen in the next edition.
I would recommend this book handsdown.
Rating: 
Summary: Title is misleading - not for backpackers!
Review: I bought this book hoping that I would find some nice backpacking spots and get away from the crowds. WRONG! Oh well, it was worth a shot... Many of the spots in this book allow RVs, and the rest are for car campers only. If that's your thing, then you might be okay - but if you like to get away from people, stick to word of mouth and the favorites of the locals.
Rating:
Summary: Title is misleading - not for backpackers!
Review: I bought this book hoping that I would find some nice backpacking spots and get away from the crowds. WRONG! Oh well, it was worth a shot... Many of the spots in this book allow RVs, and the rest are for car campers only. If that's your thing, then you might be okay - but if you like to get away from people, stick to word of mouth and the favorites of the locals.
Rating:
Summary: It May Be a 5 Star Book
Review: I have not relied on it enough to warrant five stars; however, the narrative was accurate for the two campgrounds I visited. I look forward to using it again.
Rating: 
Summary: An excellent book for car campers!
Review: My family and I love this book. The narratives are interesting, insightful and up to now - accurate. Sometimes it's a bit repetitive in its advice - but that's okay too, as it continues to make the point about camping essentials. So far, the campsites have been exactly what we have been looking for - quiet, peaceful and perfect for car camping.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent book for car campers!
Review: My family and I love this book. The narratives are interesting, insightful and up to now - accurate. Sometimes it's a bit repetitive in its advice - but that's okay too, as it continues to make the point about camping essentials. So far, the campsites have been exactly what we have been looking for - quiet, peaceful and perfect for car camping.
Rating: 
Summary: I agree with Mr. Glaser's review
Review: The author, Mr. Mai, needs to rework the sub-title of his book since most of the sites recommended are not exclusively for tent-camping. It's misleading. But since you're reading these reviews, you won't be among the misled. He has selected campsites that are a bit more out-of-the-way so you have a better likelihood (but by far NO certainty) of avoiding campers with loud stereos. This book is for car-camping. It is not for backpackers (a point Mat Glaser made in his review). A second edition is now in the works and due to be released in September. We'll see if the author takes our comments into account.
Rating:
Summary: A good way to find good out-of-the-way campsites
Review: There are many, many campgrounds in California, and we spent several years selecting the targets of our camping trips based on friends' recommendations, or CA State or National Parks descriptions. Unfortunately, our criteria were not often what people were recommending a campsite for, and there are so many parks in CA that a comparative selection based on raw data is overwhelming. What we wanted was:
1. beauty
2. quiet and serenity
3. less popular sites (to stay away from the crowds)
4. car-camping or near car-camping (we have a toddler). Bill Mai's guide enabled up to make some quick selections based on his descriptions and ratings. His campsites are a highly rated selection already (his criteria are pretty close to ours), the information is fairly good, he gives good input on the best season to go, and his descriptions are very accurate. We ended up going to several campsites he recommended last year and never were disappointed. This year we have plans for several others based on his input.
It is simply an easy way to choose good places to go without having to worry that the site will be less than what our expectations are for it.
Rating:
Summary: Carefully researched & well-organized guide for car campers.
Review: This is the perfect guide for campers who are trying to escape California's crowded, car-choked campgrounds. Arranged by region (the Coast, Sierras, & Cascade Range),this guide rates and reviews 50 prime campgrounds. Two to three page profiles describe the campgrounds features and include information on nearby attractions and activities such as hiking, fishing, boating, swimming, picnicking, and bicycling. An easy-to-read sidebar lists contact information, facilities, open dates, parking, fees, and regulations. Written in a friendly, upbeat style, this is an enjoyable and informative read . However if you have the first edition, skip this one. The second edition updates the information but covers the same campgrounds.
Rating:
Summary: This book is very accurate and has become our camping bible.
Review: We have used this book to take us to areas we have not previously discovered and are very grateful to have it as our guide as it has really made our summer exciting by discovering more of California's wilderness areas. The descriptions of the sites were accurate for the most part and we liked the humorous sidenotes the author included. I even saw a friend at one of the remote camps, turned out she had the book too!
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