Balch Park, CA

[Dave Mazone]

Went and boondocked at Balch Park in CA for a couple days. Last 20 miles was narrow, windy and relatively steep road, but worth it! Had severe brake fade on the way down; discovered I didn't have the trailer brakes adjusted properly so the truck was doing all the work. Last day my wife said it had rained most the night...not! That turned out to be a little tinny sound from the heater; like a pieve of tin foil was in the vent. Had aperfectly good time with the wife, dog (Dash) and our Ollie. 🙂

[John E Davies]

Thanks for posting, from the reviews you probably took the “wrong” road with your trailer; there is a longer route that isn’t so steep. If it was gravel you could have used 4 Low to save the brakes. Did you find the sites to be dusty? Bears? Why is the water brown?

https://thedyrt.com/camping/california/california-balch-park

It is always a good idea to say where the campground is located, 99.9% of us have no clue at all. From the pictures I thought it was on the coast… when in fact it is in the Sierras.

Thanks.

John Davies 

Spokane WA

[Dave Mazone]

53 minutes ago, John E Davies said:

Thanks for posting, from the reviews you probably took the “wrong” road with your trailer; there is a longer route that isn’t so steep. If it was gravel you could have used 4 Low to save the brakes. Did you find the sites to be dusty? Bears? Why is the water brown?

https://thedyrt.com/camping/california/california-balch-park

It is always a good idea to say where the campground is located, 99.9% of us have no clue at all. From the pictures I thought it was on the coast… when in fact it is in the Sierras.

Thanks.

John Davies 

Spokane WA

Hi John,

It was the only road recommended for trailers (I think the optional route was being worked on). We did use low, but it was probably better that I learned I had a bad adjustment. The road was all paved, until you got into the campgrounds, but no trouble there. Yes, on bears, although we didn't see any or have any problems. Thanks for the location tip, I'll be sure to mention that in future posts.

[Dave Mazone]

Ps: the water wasn't really brown; decently clear, actually. This was just a combination of view point and perhaps a dirt botton.

[John E Davies]

39 minutes ago, Dave Mazone said:

 We did use low, but it was probably better that I learned I had a bad adjustment. The road was all paved, until you got into the campgrounds, but no trouble there. 

I was actually talking about 4wd Low Range, not your regular low gear, but since the road was paved that isn’t an option, unless you are in a Land Cruiser which has a center differential and can be driven in 4 Low on hard surfaces. I use that range every now and then in Idaho, with and without the Ollie, there are some steeeep grades, approaching 20%..

Does your brake controller allow you to test the “gain” setting using a lever? That is the best way to see what the heck is going on in back, before you head down that precipice 😳

Please add your tow vehicle info to your signature, that is often helpful.. Thanks.

John Davies

Spokane WA

[Dave Mazone]

4 hours ago, John E Davies said:

I was actually talking about 4wd Low Range, not your regular low gear, but since the road was paved that isn’t an option, unless you are in a Land Cruiser which has a center differential and can be driven in 4 Low on hard surfaces. I use that range every now and then in Idaho, with and without the Ollie, there are some steeeep grades, approaching 20%..

Does your brake controller allow you to test the “gain” setting using a lever? That is the best way to see what the heck is going on in back, before you head down that precipice 😳

Please add your tow vehicle info to your signature, that is often helpful.. Thanks.

John Davies

Spokane WA

Gotcha. TV added (thanks). Yes on the. Controller (I didn't know how to properly set it...I believe I figured it out.

Thanks.

[John E Davies]

Yay, sorry I hijacked your campground thread.

John Davies

Spokane WA

[Boonter Jeff]

Lived in California for 60 years and never heard of that park.  Not so good with So Cal.  Looks like a winner.  After all these years I should be able to tell the difference between a coast redwood and an inland redwood (sempervirens vs gigante).  Was that a picture of an indian grinding hole?

[Dave Mazone]

2 hours ago, Boonter Jeff said:

Lived in California for 60 years and never heard of that park.  Not so good with So Cal.  Looks like a winner.  After all these years I should be able to tell the difference between a coast redwood and an inland redwood (sempervirens vs gigante).  Was that a picture of an indian grinding hole?

Hi,

Many of those big trees are Sequoias. My wife hasn't shared the pics of the really big ones with me yet. Those ground'out holes are indian bath tubs (no joke).

[Dave Mazone]

7 hours ago, John E Davies said:

Yay, sorry I hijacked your campground thread.

John Davies

Spokane WA

Not even! Good conversation, John.