Closest camping to Frustration Creek

Anyone ever camped out after climbing at Frustration Creek? Whats the closest good spot and how far away is it?

Thanks

Most of the time people hit up Frustration Creek for a day and then head to Holcomb Valley Pinnacles. Only people I hear exploring more routes on it are locals or the people who develop there.

There is a Mill Creek Ranger Station and a San Gorgonio Campgrounds yelp listing nearby a few miles downhill on 38 nearer to Mentone that may help you. I reccomend looking for camping like these that are downhill near the Mill Creek Wash because there is a little bouldering down there as well.

What routes are y'all interested in?

So there are some campgrounds off the 38 closer to Redlands? I was looking at Barton Flats which looks to be 20 min up the hill towards Big Bear. Thats the only campground that comes up when you google the area.

Definitely stoked to check out the steep routes off the Headwall. Never been so just looking to check it out since its better temps than around here in SD or Riverside.

Need a partner? Ive been trying to introduce the headwall to folks to no avail :(
The one crack climb there is glorious if not ultra hard on one part....

barton flats is cool... id just camp for frree at Holcomb climbers camp...

Looks like I wont make it this weekend but soon for sure.

Isn't Holcomb a lot further away/up the hill than Barton Flats?

Maybe a good option for a weekend coming up soon.

I'll let you know when I make it out if you want a partner.

Yes, Holcomb is much further down the road (~1hr). On this page you'll find links to info on dispersed camping and established campgrounds. I think there's a campground just before you get to frustration on the 38 (Mill creek camp?) but i may be mistaking this with a day use area.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/sbnf/recreation/camping-cabins

A quick glance at this makes me believe that Barton flats is your best bet.

Barton Flats is close. There's not camping on the 38 before Frustration Creek.

If you're just looking for a place to throw at tent up and sleep, you can go down the 38 less than a mile and head up toward Forest Falls. With a forest service adventure pass (or equivalent) you can park at the big parking area for the Momyer Creek trail and just walk your tent and bag across Mill Creek and camp in the trees on the other side of the creek. Not ideal, but good enough in a pinch, and less than ten minutes from Frustration Creek.

Do people drive more than 10 miles visit Frustration Creek?

Thanks Chris D. Maybe I'm an idiot but I was thinking of driving more than 10 miles to crag there for a weekend trip. Had some friends tell me the steep lines off the Headwall were worth checking out, and as much as I like the climbing at Holcomb-there's just not anything hard enough to keep me occupied for a weekend.

SCherry wrote:Maybe I'm an idiot but I was thinking of driving more than 10 miles to crag there for a weekend trip.

Ha! I've driven more than 100 miles to climb on way worse rock more times that I care to admit, so what am I talking about? IMO, every place I've ever climbed at was worth checking out at least once. Have Fun!

Thinking about it again, you may not even need the adventure pass at Momyer trailhead...but I think you do. The rules changed a while ago, but I think that parking area has the "improvements" (an outhouse) that qualifies as an area where you need a pass to park. Worst case, you get a notification to send in five bucks for not having the pass, or proof that you have one you forgot to display, so it's the same price either way.

Just ignore the adventure pass BS...... they got nothing.

I have camped in that area quite a bit. Valley of the Falls Drive, the road on your right just before you get to Frustration Creek, has some decent options. Valley of the Falls Drive dead-ends at the Big Falls picnic area. While no camping is allowed, I have camped there (don't tell anyone). I believe they lock the gate at night but if memory serves the trailhead for San Gorgonio starts there and you should be able to leave your car there and camp somewhere out of view of the rangers.

I did however have a very interesting bear experience when camping at the Big Falls picnic area. I had pitched my small, one man tent slightly down from the picnic area (I had no car there so rangers were not looking for me). I knew bears were in the area so I hung my food a little way off. In the middle of the night a bear decided that my tent was interesting. He sniffed it, pawed it gently, and rubbed himself up against it. It was a completely dark night and I'm in the tent with nothing I can do. I just hoped for the best and eventually the bear went on his way and I went back to sleep. Subsequent nights I got very creative with my sleeping options there so as to not have a reunion with the bear. If you look around enough you may find a platform made out of rocks high on one of the scree slopes built behind a tree. I knew no bear would have reason to attempt climbing the slope and if it did I would certainly hear it first.

Another, better option is a pull-out on the left side of the road. Another trailhead starts there and I believe a port-a-potty is in the dirt parking area. It is just before you get to the El Mexicano restaurant. I have parked a car there and pitched a tent down the trail just a bit, before crossing the streambed. I was not hassled and did this several times. Both of the above options will put you within five minutes of Frustration Creek.

ClimbingOn wrote:Another trailhead starts there and I believe a port-a-potty is in the dirt parking area. It is just before you get to the El Mexicano restaurant. I have parked a car there and pitched a tent down the trail just a bit, before crossing the streambed. I was not hassled and did this several times. Both of the above options will put you within five minutes of Frustration Creek.

This is the Momyer Creek trailhead I describe above. Glad to see that I'm not the only dirtbag to crash here. :)

I was climbing at frusty yesterday... Atop the waterfall climb was a baby bear, very curious of our activities... This came as a shock. I can't wait for this weekend, I'm planning to crag again. Wish me luck.