Pretty View Campground

Chula Vista Campground in Los Padres National Forest

Chula vista means “pretty view,” and whoever named Chula Vista Campground in the Los Padres National Forest was right on the mark. The views extend all around and even upward to the heavens. Situated at 8,300 feet near the summit of Mount Pinos, Chula Vista is the best stargazing spot within two hours of the bright Los Angeles lights.

Park in the big lot—amateur astronomers set up their scopes here during new moons—and walk roughly 500 yards along the trail to one of 12 first-come, first-served sites under endless groves of Jeffrey pines.

Though you can’t go wrong with any of the campsites here, take the first small spur trail on your left and hug the meadow to reach one of the three best spots: sites 10, 11, and 12. They offer the best meadow views and plenty of shade under the pines, where Nuttall’s woodpeckers drum against the trunks. Each site has a picnic table, fire pit with grill, and resident chipmunks to keep you company in this truly solitary setting. You’ll need to bring in your own water, and the vault toilets are currently closed, so it’s like camping in the backcountry.

Take time to explore the trails around the grounds (on foot or mountain bike), but if you’re looking for a highlight hike, head to the southern end of the lot to the Mount Pinos (yes, that means “pines”) summit trail. It’s a gradual 2-mile hike to the 8,847-foot peak, the highest in Ventura County. The views northward of the San Joaquin Valley and Sierra Nevada make bagging this low-effort, high-reward peak a Chula Vista must. As a bonus, you might spot a California condor. That’s right—pretty views all around!

To get to Chula Vista Campground, take the I-5 to Exit 205 (Frazier Mountain Park Rd.), and head west. Go 7 miles and continue onto Cuddy Valley Rd. for 5 miles. Keep left to stay on Cuddy Valley Rd. and head up the mountain for 8.5 miles to the large campground parking lot. Camping is free.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Taking the Stage: Tyler Ranch

    Hike the recently opened Tyler Ranch Staging Area in Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park, with 18 miles of new trails. This 6.5-mile loop up Sunol Peak is a challenge and rewards with exceptional views of seasonal iridescent hills.

    View
  2. A woman stands at Dante's View in Death Valley, looking out to Telescope Peak and Manly Lake, Badwater Basin below.

    Sunset Hike (and Manly Lake Vista!) at Dante's View

    It’s one of the world’s best places to watch a sunset. Dante’s View is a 5,476-foot vantage of the whole southern basin of Death Valley from the top of the Black Mountains. On clear days you get views of both the highest and lowest points in the contiguous U.S. 

    View
  3. Swing into Spring

    Swing into this 7.1-mile hike in the hills of Half Moon Bay! It’s got gorgeous views, fields of spring wildflowers, and a hidden rustic tree swing.

    View
  4. The Carson Show

    Carson Falls is ready for primetime. This three-tiered, 100-foot stunner is hidden back in a canyon outside of Fairfax and reached on a 3.25-mile (round-trip) hike.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Lava Lava

    Once a land of volcanic activity, Mojave National Preserve shares plenty about its past via a quick yet adventurous hike to the Lava Tube in the Cima Dome Volcanic Field.

    View
  2. Kelso Dunes

    The hike to the top of Kelso Dunes in the Mojave National Preserve is only 3 miles (out and back), but you’ll feel like you’ve hiked much farther by the time you’re done.

    View
  3. William Kenyon Overlook

    Some of the best vistas of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park are easily accessible via a short and sweet 1.25-mile (round-trip) hike just off the CA-78. Enter your next favorite desert viewpoint: the William Kenyon Overlook.

    View
  4. Beaudry Bountiful

    There are no cars allowed on Beaudry Loop, but this 6-mile hike takes you on a wild ride. You’ll be climbing 1,500 feet up the southern Verdugos along a chaparral-lined trail with gorgeous mountain and urban vistas every step of the way.

    View