By:
Submission
Deer Canyon Campsites tent sites are accessible only by foot, and require at least a 3 mile hike inland from the parking lot.
The camp is not flat be prepared to sleep at an angle. Also it's right off the trail about a mile and a half from the trail head. You need a permit from the rangers to camp.
Primitive camp site on a hiking trail. Had a clean pit toilet, a trash can and bench tables. Too bad there isn't running water. In the morning, if you sleep late, you will have hikers and bikers going by your place.
Site #2
Trash was strewn all over the campsite due to overflowing trash in the cans nearby. It had to be at least 2 week's delinquency in taking it out. Ants were swarming everywhere because of this. Hopefully it's dealt with more diligently in the future and the ant problem subsides because of it. A very cool in-season back-country spot if not for the above.
Nice, accessible, place to test out your backpacking gear locally in Orange County before taking a bigger trip. 3.5 mile hike up from the beach parking lot. Relatively clean pit toilet, available trash cans, most sites have a picnic table, no running water.
Downsides include that it is right along a trail used by local exercisers (people were hiking by and playing loud music in the evening), and there are an abundance of rats that we could see and hear in the bushes near our site. Secure your food! Also not a lot of separation or privacy between campsites, and at least two sites are on a slope. Checkout is also 9am, which could be a problem if you are a late riser...but the hikers and runners would probably wake you up before that!
The surrounding chaparral is beautiful, and home to many native animals and plants. But this camp is accessible from the road by around a mile. And the sites are very close to the trail. Also weird is that even from one hundred feet away from the site we camped at we could hear other campers very clearly - despite the fact that they were not loud. We arrived later in the evening, set up and were awoken around six or seven in the morning by at least one hundred hikers, all talking loudly. (Not an exaggeration) It doesn't feel safe or secure. The trail should route around it, but it doesn't. Don't camp here for more than a day and expect it to be safe to even leave your tent up. We booked two days but did not stay the second evening. This camp does have nice picnic tables. And, although hot during the day - it is pretty. But the hoards of people make it less than idyllic. Also - we're in the middle of a pandemic. Just another reason to avoid crowds. So, what is this site good for? Maybe taking your kids out for a quick camping evening?
