I have been to the small camp on the West side of Pinnacles.  It is quite 
nice, but the sites are pretty spartan.  Few people around makes for a 
nice place to camp.  Pinnacles seems a lot closer to No. Cal. than to So. 
Cal. to me though...  I think since we had one near the bay area already 
that Red Rock Canyon sounds like a good alternative.

Does anyone know any place to camp in the San Joaquin valley near the 
"Carrizo Plain"?  I have heard great things about this place.  Also, is 
there any desert-ish camping on the East side of the Los Padres area?

Alice