We took a chance on a new campground for this month’s Road Trip and we scored big. Not only was the campground very close – a mere 75 miles from home – but it was very well equipped. Dos Picos (Two Peaks) County Park, 50 miles northeast of  San Diego, will become a regular given the proximity and campground amenities. More on that in a  bit.

It’s always fun to bring grandkids with us on our Road Trips. This time we brought Destiny. Shortly after we arrived Destiny and I took off to explore the immediate area.

After a short hike we discovered a well equipped playground. Destiny was having fun, the sun was setting, and I pulled out the newest camera in our arsenal. You may recall we first broke out this tiny powerhouse of a camera and discussed it’s attributes in this Road Trip to Anza Borrego post. It is now our “go to” camera for Road Trips.

When you  can produce photos of the quality shown below using a camera that fits in the palm of your hand you know you’ve found a winner. Speaking of winners – you can’t beat these two. You can’t help but feel safe in those loving arms.

I started this post with mention of the campground amenities. It’s very rare for us to “plug in”. We avoid RV campgrounds. Well, this campground is the exception.

We run our “luxuries” (small refrigerator, reading lights, satellite radio) off the house battery in our van. When we need to charge our iPad/camera/phone we turn on the inverter and steal a bit of charge from that large marine battery. No need to worry about the battery charge at Dos Picos. The majority of sites have electric hook up. And yet the sites are large and appealing. Top that off with free showers and you’ve got a great campground.

You can find those amenities at RV parks but you won’t often find the combination of amenities and large, wooded campsites. Dos Picos is surrounded by ranchland and steep rocky slopes which preserve its secluded atmosphere. This just doesn’t look (or feel) like your typical RV campground.

The campground is dommianted by majestic oak trees which produce prodigious amounts of acorns this time of year. We were awoken numerous times with the sound of acorns falling on the van. With the quiet environment, an acorn falling produces quite a bang. Destiny found a stock pile of acorns.

With the short days of winter you need a campfire to play and stay warm before retiring. Of course if you have a child and a campfire you inevitably have to throw in marshmallows. Here we see Destiny preparing and devouring one monster marshmallow.

Saturday morning, after a leisurly breakfast, we spent some time just goofing off. Photos like these are always fun to capture.

After our leisurely AM we took off for a hike.

It was a nice short hike, perfect for a child – especially when the trail ends at the playground

Destiny showed Rebecca around and was brave enough to scale the tallest features.

Destiny insisted we take the trail back to the campground and we were happy to do so.

Saturday afternoon was more of the same – relaxing fun around the campground sheltered by a canopy of oak leaves above and under foot.

Destiny helped clean the van on Sunday AM.

We then took another short hike to a wooden structure that had no real utility except for fun times and great photos.

It was a great weekend at a great campground that we’ve added to our list for future Road Trips. If you live in the area, there are very large day use and picnic areas. If you plan to camp – one caution – this campground fills up fast during the summer months. We suggest you visit soon, before the crowds arrive.

Be sure to join us for our next Road Trip Adventure to Joshua Tree National Park. In the meantime, check back for our weekly Tuesday Photo Tips. Better yet – be updated automatically when we post Road Trips or Photo Tips by “friending” our Facebook site.

You may also want to browse the resource articles on our site covering basic and more advanced photography topics. There are also tips covering topics such as preparing for family or infant/child portrait sessions. If you would like a topic covered just jot it down in a comment or send us a note.