Apple Canyon Campground was our first experience with “Yellow Post” camping in California. Yellow post camping differs from traditional dispersed camping in that camping is restricted to designated sites, and the sites have minimal improvements in the form of fire rings and benches. The standard rules of dispersed camping still hold true. Stays are limited to 14 days and Leave No Trace is the expectation.
Getting to (and leaving) the Apple Canyon campground was an adventure. While the campground is accessed from a major road, California Highway 74, the road is both steep and winding. The climb starts at around 1500 feet and ends at 4500 feet with very little respite. While we got here with little trouble, it’s not a place we’d be comfortable returning to.
The campground itself was beautiful and quiet. This may not be the case all the time as the campground is adjacent to a Ronald McDonald Camp.
Amenities Around Apple Canyon Campground
We were able to get our waste tanks dumped and freshwater tanks refilled at Joshua Tree National Park (our stop before Apple Canyon), but it was quite the drive, uphill, with a full load. Google shows a few RV parks in the area, including a Thousand Trails that you may be able to get serviced at, but we haven’t verified.
The nearby town of Idlwyld has an Amazon counter, which is great for getting those larger packages, including our new electric griddle that we all love. We stayed here at Apple Canyon so we could have access to Los Angeles. It’s a bit of a drive, but one of the closer free spots.
Overall, it’s a beautiful spot that we’ll probably never visit again due to the mountain roads needed to get there. However, if you’ve got a light rig and don’t mind the climb, it can be a great escape!
