- Tehachapi
Not currently accepting bookings on Hipcamp
Similar campgrounds nearby
Reviews
100% Recommend12 ratings · 11 reviews
This was a wonderful place lovingly taken care of by Sandy. She is thoughtful to the needs of the campers that visit, and seeks to make sure to anticipate needs. The directions Sandy provided were detailed, thorough, and accurate. The dirt road past the locked gate is narrow and winding with sharp turns and one really tight hair pin turn. The last stretch before the property the road becomes narrow with shrubs, so pin striping is possible. Sandy greeted us upon arrival and walked us around, showed us where to set up and store gear. She also shared with us some of what we could expect. (the black shape moving in the scrub at night would most likely be a visiting cow, not a bear.....This turned out to be the best thing that Sandy shared as sure enough, the first night we were walking back to our tent we flushed a big black shape out of a bush! Our first reaction was to think bear but we remembered what she said fast enough to catch a glimpse of a cows tail flicking as it ran away.) We knew that Sandy was available if needed and where to find her, but after greeting us and showing us around we didn’t see her.
The days were hot. The nights were fantastic, with perfect temperatures, beautiful sunsets, and a night sky filled with stars from our mountain top vantage point. Hiking and exploring here would be adventurous and exciting, but for this visit we were happy to sit and simply enjoy this special place.
Shelly O.
5 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· July 2020
This place is a gem and so is its host, Sandy! My boyfriend and I went for a weekend trip and can’t wait to come back (when it’s a bit cooler)! Temperatures were very hot (in the 90s) during the day but sleeping at night was very pleasant, especially underneath the clear starry sky. Bugs were bothersome during the day and the heat took a toll but we were lucky to have many shady options and Sandy willing to pump cold crisp water for us. She was always available by cell phone and was a pleasure to get to know, along with her 2 beautiful horses.
We made it up to her place with a 2 wheel drive going very slow and following Sandy’s directions which were extremely helpful when cell service dropped off.
We went hiking on our full day in the morning and were out for a total of 5.5 hours. We didn’t make it to PCT trail unfortunately because of the thicket that was impossible to get through. Sandy said this must have grown recently. She said she’s working on a map of the mountain and hopefully next time we’ll find a better route to get to the top. On our way back from the hike, however, we ran into a nearby owner, Benny who was really sweet. He warned us that he had just encountered a poisonous snake (unclear what kind) that he had killed. Please be aware of your surroundings and take the necessary precautions! With all that being said, this place was breathtaking :)
Natalie C.
5 years on Hipcamp
Oakley Ridge is a great escape, especially during the pandemic. I took my 6yo daughter and 8yo son and they loved it.
The drive up (from LA) was pretty straightforward. Print and follow Sandi's instructions because you will lose phone service for the last 70-90 minutes (though amazingly, you will get 1-2 bars of service at the very top when you arrive). The last 45-60 minutes are Sandi's dirt road driveway. You do need an SUV, either with 4WD or a driver who has driven off-road before. The bushes near the top will scrape the side of your car if you're not careful. Leave the Tesla at home.
The property is beautiful. It sits on top of a mountain at 5000' and you basically have 360 views. There are a few larger trees on the property and boulders for kids to climb. It is heavily covered by sage brush. There are only 2-3 camping sites, but Sandi is working on the place, so there may be more eventually. And she's open to you clearing room and making space anywhere on the 80 acres. There is a pad about 100' from the parking area, which worked for us as we couldn't haul our gear much further with the kids. The pad is fantastic with rocks to climb and an amazing view. Smaller tent footprint (10x10'), our 7x7' fit fine, but again, you can clear a shrub or two easily. We cleared a bit of space above the tent where we set up a shade tent, table, etc.
The property is great for light hill hiking. There are a few paths around, though with kids we did not venture far. The property backs up to public forest land, so you can go forever in a variety of directions if you wish.
This is high desert. Hot in the day (in the 90's this week), but perfect in the evening and night (60's). The evenings are beautiful (sunsets and stars) and unbelievably quiet. The days are very dusty and dry, so bring liquids. There is a well on site that Sandi can pump for you (generator) to load up water jugs. Very cold, clean water coming from 370' deep. We brought water guns, which worked really well for the kids. Also, there is wildlife, but it's limited. Lizards, a few chipmunks, a few birds, tons of bugs (ants, flies, some spiders, etc.). We did not see a snake, but apparently a group earlier in the week did see a rattler. Sandi said a bear comes through once a year, has a drink, and wanders on.
Sandi has two semi-wild horses who wander the property. She feeds them well, so they do come back to the main area for food, where she can close a couple of gates to keep them around. We were hesitant at first (I don't have much horse experience), but the kids loved them, listened to Sandi about how to read and communicate with them. Within 24 hours of arriving both of my kids were riding the horses. They would wake up in the morning and sprint out of the tent to go look for the horses. The horses are older and because very social. By the end, the would wander over to our campsite just to say hi.
Finally, what can I say about Sandi? She was a fantastic host. She will disappear the entire time if you would like and does not get in the way of a private trip. But, she is also more than willing to tell you about the land, introduce you to the horses, pump water, and provide any other support. She's incredibly nice and sweet. She loved having kids there. She also was very respectable. She wore a mask the whole time and stay distanced from us, but also did not require or ask us to if we did not want to. Given the heat and open air, we decided to stay mask free, but she still kept hers on the whole time. She pumped well water for us. She has tools around for clearing the land if needed. She has a portable toilet, which is essentially a bucket with a sealable garbage bag in it and a seat that attaches to the bucket top. It actually works great and she provided us some bags. She has a sun-heated outdoor shower setup. We did not use it, but easily would have. She is slowly working to improve the place for campers like us, so she loves feedback and help around the place.
In summary, this was a great back country camping experience in the sense that we were truly in the middle of nowhere and fully exposed to the outdoor environment. That said, it's perfect in that it comes with some support. If you have an issue or forgot something, Sandi can may be able to help. The area is mostly fenced in, so it is slightly protected. It's used enough (especially by the horses) that there are paths to walk and space to camp. But, it's also extremely remote. You will not see litter, light pollution at night, or noise pollution from neighbors.
We will be back someday for sure. In the meantime, please take care of the place and enjoy!
C
Conor N.
5 years on Hipcamp
Sandy is a wonderful host - the ridge is a special place and we were happy to be able to share it with her. We saw hawks, quail, and a roadrunner while we were there and had a lovely time meeting her horses. The weather during the day was hot (not unexpected for july) but the morning, night, and evening were comfortable. The views were stunning - bring your camera and enjoy the especially magical magic hour here.
T
Tom P.
2 reviews
We absolutely loved camping here! Sandy has a gorgeous property that is secluded, private, and serene. The highlight was definitely meeting Sandy and getting to know both her and her beautiful horses. The horses are incredibly friendly and almost adopted our two boys as their own. I’ve never seen horses so friendly and patient. They were also very good with our dogs (who were quite excited to meeting something so big!). We will definitely be back! Unfortunately this trip the weather was quite hot so we stayed low around camp but we definitely want to come back and take advantage of all the hiking and access to the PCT. Thank you Sandy for such a special weekend!
S
Sara T.
2 reviews
Oakley Ridge is 80 acres of a oak scrub and sage brush on a ridge (~5400 ft) of the Piute Mountains well off the beaten path; in fact, it's 5 miles up a winding improved dirt road which I made with my BMW X3 with no issues. It's a nature preserve with lots of critters around including ticks (Sandy warned us about ticks). Sandy has made some upgrades including a "luggable loo" which is a surprisingly brilliant invention. Sandy is a friendly welcoming accommodating host. We will definitely re-visit. We tried beating a path to the PCT but got within 500 feet and turned around when he came to a wall of scrub.
Matthew O.
5 years on Hipcamp
Sandy is absolutely marvelous. Very kind, helpful and knowledgeable about her natural surroundings. The road leading up to her site is recommended for a 4 wheel drive vehicle. A 2 wheel drive vehicle should make it, too. The trail is not as challenging as described.
Our children especially had a wonderful time with Sandy’s horses. The two horses live wild and free on her property, but are very tame and our daughters were able to ride them. Sandy shared a lot of horse knowledge with the children and happily engaged with them.
We were able to go on beautiful hikes directly from her property and truly enjoyed our time completely off the beaten path in the great outdoors. It’s a very special experience!
J
Joana F.
3 reviews
Recommends
· June 2020
Group trip ·
Oakley Ridge Nature Preserve
Oakley Ridge Nature Preserve is an amazing getaway, and Sandy is an excellent host. If you are looking for a unique off the grid camping destination, this is a great option. It’s out there and worth every mile. The directions and logistics were perfect and Sandy was there to greet us and give us the lay of the land when we arrived. The horses were definitely the highlight for my two boys - they are very sweet and well mannered (the horses, not necessarily my boys!). The views are simply amazing and the wilderness endless. As Sandy notes, this is primitive camping not glamping, but you’ll be rewarded with amazing views, hiking, seclusion and wildlife. Thanks Sandy for sharing!
J
Jim M.
8 years on Hipcamp
The site was better than I’d imagined! I booked this site to avoid the busy camping holiday and there was no better way to avoid those crowds. It was very private, extremely quiet, the perfect getaway. I look forward to going back again. Sandy was a wonderful host, very attentive, informative and kind. I look forward to visiting her again in the near future. Thank you sandy!
L
Loren G.
2 reviews
Recommends
· May 2018
Sandy has a gorgeous plot of land bordering BLM forest in the southern tip of the Sierra Nevada. Very remote and quiet, and just a 45-minute hike to the Pacific Crest Trail. Ideal for backpackers and campers looking to avoid all the overcrowded weekend spots. We spent a couple nights camping and day-hiked the PCT. Gorgeous weather, spectacular views, stunning sunsets and stargazing, and a warm, wonderful host.
Lucas C.
2 reviews
Recommends
· May 2018
Sandy is extremely nice and her property is beautiful. I’m already looking forward to going back
Nick B.
8 years on Hipcamp
Location
Tehachapi, Kern, California, United StatesTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
Hosted by Sandy G.
Joined in September 2016Things to do nearby
Hipcamp is created with ❤️ and hope for our future.