Campgrounds Blanketed With Holiday Revelers

For Ventura County residents thinking of practicing that time-honored Labor Day tradition of building sandcastles or tossing a line into the water while camping by the sea--forget about it.

From Leo Carrillo State Beach just south of the county’s southern border to Hobson County Park near the Santa Barbara County line, campgrounds are crammed full of weekend revelers--from as far away as Arizona--seeking to pack in a few more days of summer fun on this last holiday weekend before Thanksgiving.

“We are full in every single one of our campgrounds,” said Jindora Russell, a park aide for the Channel Coast District of the California State Beaches. “Every one has been full for the past three or four days.”

Even the two-lane Rincon Parkway that skirts the rocky coast north of Ventura is packed bumper-to-bumper with boxy recreational vehicles and buses as people head to the beaches to celebrate summer’s last hurrah.

Ventura’s Emma Wood State Beach, which takes campers on a first-come, first-served basis, filled to capacity days ago and rangers said it’s very unlikely any of its more than 250 sites will open before Monday.

“Most everyone’s paid up through Monday,” said Audrey Marsalek, an attendant at the beach. “But you never know what’s going to happen tomorrow. Something might open up.”

Park officials said the deluge of holiday campers is normal, particularly during three-day holidays and that most of them, like Doug Myslewicz of Calabasas, had to make reservations well in advance to enjoy an opportunity to sink their toes into the sand.

“We made our reservations back in February,” the mustachioed, 48-year-old said while stringing up a hammock between his camper and a tree at McGrath State Beach. “These campgrounds are really popular, and if you want to be here on weekends like this it’s absolutely necessary to start thinking way ahead.”

For people like Myslewicz who had the foresight to plan ahead, the National Weather Service predicts a weekend tailor-made for sunbathing, swimming and lounging around on the beach.

The warm temperatures and golden sunshine will hold through the holiday and into next week, meteorologists said, with highs along the coast in the upper 70s to low 80s and lows dipping into the 50s. Inland temperatures will climb into the upper 80s and 90s with lows in the 60s.

For those looking for a more rustic outdoor experience amid the pines and knotty oaks of the county’s hilly hinterlands, the crowds may have already beaten them to it.

The 300-site campground at Lake Piru filled shortly after 11 a.m. Friday and is scheduled to remain filled through the holiday.

Even the huge Los Padres National Forest with its hundreds of campgrounds has filled to a point where just a handful of sites remain. The always popular Wheeler Gorge campground north of Ojai filled early Friday, but a few sites remain available in areas such as the Blue Point Campground north of Lake Piru and at the campgrounds in Rose Valley along California 33.

“It’s always busy during these three-day weekends,” said Jim Youngson, a spokesman for the national forest. “I’m actually surprised that it isn’t busier.”

For those getting a late start, Youngson suggested heading north to Santa Barbara County, where there are several campgrounds such as Fremont, Paradise and Los Prietos with spaces available. For those who make the trip, Youngson promised a pleasant surprise.

The normally bone-dry Santa Ynez River is flush with rushing water as area dams have begun releasing overflow, giving the wooded valley a spring-like appearance.

“It’s just gorgeous up there right now, and the river makes for a totally different camping experience,” Youngson said.

For those who aren’t planning to head outdoors to enjoy the Labor Day weekend, there are still plenty of entertaining and interesting events scheduled in communities around the county.

On Saturday, the Southern California Wing of the Confederate Air Force will hold an open house at Camarillo Airport, where tours will be offered of the group’s vintage aircraft, which include restored World War II bombers and fighter planes. Also, the Channel Islands Harbor will play host to a Civil War encampment and mock naval battle beginning at 2 p.m.

With so many people headed out to enjoy the summer’s final fling, the California Highway Patrol will be out in force cruising the highways to make sure that people celebrate safely.

Since 6 p.m. Friday, the CHP has been augmenting its usual contingent of patrol cruisers with dozens of extra officers to monitor the highways for speeders and those who may have taken their celebration on the road after consuming alcohol.