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It was fun last year.. and it’s time to make your reservations for Labor Day Weekend 2017 Czech & Slovak Community Camp again! This tradition was started over 50 years ago. Most of the time we camped at Hume Lake, but last year we decided to try out a new place, on the recommendation of long time regular campers who knew that area and felt it would be a good fit for us. The new location at Green Valley Campground in the San Bernardino Mountains. Green Valley Campground proved popular so we decided to stick to this location and also the timing over the Labor Day weekend, as we hope this makes participation easier for most.
Please note that Green Valley Campground is at 7,200ft elevation. This is higher than Bass Lake (elev. 3,415ft) or Hume Lake (elev. 5,200ft) where we have traditionally camped, or even Dinkey Creek (elev. 5,750ft) where the Sokol Family Camp takes place every year. Higher elevation means cold nights! It was the only complaint we had about the new location, so come prepared for cold nights! You want your tent to have a rain fly, and a good foam/mat, or cot with a foam/mat under you. These work better than air mattresses for keeping you warm. Bring good sleeping bags and extra blankets/comforters to put both under and over you, and don’t forget knitted caps! A cap makes a huge difference in keeping you warm at night.
In spite of the cold nights, we learned that the location worked well for everybody, but especially young families, as the relatively easy distance from both Los Angeles and San Diego makes it easier to travel with young children. The Labor Day weekend camps were originally held in the Sierra since it was about equally distant for both then-principal groups of campers – from the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas. However, we’ve had minimal participation from the Bay Area in the past several years when the camp was held at Hume Lake and that location is simply too far for campers from San Diego, which now has a fast growing and vibrant Czech and Slovak community.
Where:
Green Valley Campground in the San Bernardino Mountains. The camp is at an elevation of 7,200ft, and is about 100 miles east from downtown Los Angles, and about 135 miles north from San Diego, located halfway between Lake Arrowcake and Big Bear Lake. The campground is small, with only 36 campsites, 26 of which can be reserved 6 months before the date of arrival, and 10 are on first-come, first-served basis. If everyone makes reservations now, we could fill most of this camp.
Green Valley Lake is nearby, known for trout fishing. It’s about 1/10th the size of Hume Lake, so much smaller. It is a private lake and the management charges $5/day for swimming, $10/day for fishing, plus you need a valid Calif. fishing license.
When:
Labor Day Weekend Friday, Sept 1 – Monday, Sept 4, 2017
About Green Valley Campground:
Green Valley Campground is located in the San Bernardino National Forest in Southern California. It is centered between Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear Lake, providing ample recreational opportunities in the area's pine-covered mountains. Green Valley Lake, known for its exceptional trout fishing, is located about a mile from this beautiful mountain campground. The campground is situated in a forest of pine, fir and cedar trees, mixed with open spaces filled shrubbery and grassy meadows. It overlooks a seasonal mountain creek and sits at an elevation of 7,200 feet. Green Valley Lake, which is known for its trout fishing, is located just minutes away. Boating and swimming are popular activities as well. The high elevation lake also provides access to a variety of hiking trails.The campground offers single-family sites for tent and RV camping. Some sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Each site is equipped with a table and campfire ring with grill. Flush toilets and drinking water are provided. No overflow parking is available. Lake Arrowhead is about 16 miles west and Big Bear Lake is about 15 miles east. A variety of services and recreational activities are available at each place.
Green Valley Lake is nearby, known for trout fishing. The lake is small, only 9 acres, so about 1/10th the size of Hume Lake. It is a private lake and the management charges $5/day for swimming, $15/day for fishing, plus you need a valid Calif. fishing license. Green Valley Lake has a small downtown area that has a coffee shop that is open Thursday through Sunday only. A market and other restaurants are about 6 miles away, and more such facilities are available at both Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear, each about 15 miles away. We are told there is a volleyball court with cement surface and nice hikes in the vicinity. The lake has a beach and swimming, and offers boat and kayak rentals.
http://greenvalleylake.blogspot.com/ http://gvltackle.com/ http://www.green-valley-lake.com/
There is no group campsite at Green Valley Campground, each party must reserve own individual campsite. Reservations cannot be made earlier than 6 months before the arrival date. As of today Sunday, March 5, campground is open for reservations for Labor Day Weekend. We encourage you to make reservations as soon as possible. If you are not sure if you will attend, reserve your campsite now and decide later. It is much easier to cancel your reservation (cost to cancel is $15) than to try to find a campsite after all campsites have already been booked.