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Type: Campsite
Location: Bodega Bay, CA
Camping around the Bay Area is always a challenge, with so many outdoor aficionados it is hard to find a place that is not overly explored. Camp Mesa was the antithesis of that.
Because it is at least an hour and a half away, it is a trek to get out here. Given that, it is definitely worth it. Camp Mesa has so many options in terms of how you want to camp. If you like a bit more of a view, there is a trail to a campsite that has that. If you want more of a river site, you can find one near the river that passes through the property. If you want a bit of a nestled spot with an abundance of shade, you can stay in the Tipi site.
We stayed over at the Tipi site, and although it was the furthest site (about a mile and a half hike) it was a nice place to spend time with access to all the trails and hikes of the other spots. Please note, that unless you purchase a porter service, you will have to bring all your gear in, so please pack accordingly. The tipi site was nice because it has access to a nice grassy field for frisbee and football catch and you also have access to the river. We brought a hammock as well which was a nice touch to all the trees that was providing us shade for the weekend.
In terms of the essentials, you will have to use the bricks that are around the site to build you a fairly useable fire pit. I recommend building the pit two brick layers high as to allow the fire to get air to burn better. Unless you are adept at building fires, bring fire starters to make your life easy! There are no grill tops to cook, so you may want to do a lot of skewers. The tipis were nice, but they are also dusty. A bunch of us elected to sleep in our own tents, but if you do not have your own gear, the tipis are a great alternative to buying your own gear!
The scenery and the hikes were all amazing and were easy hikes for the entire group. Overall this is such a welcoming place for people of all camping levels. The staff is so accommodating and helpful and are doing a great job to help everyone enjoy the outdoors as best as possible. Keep up the good work!
