Hickey Campground — Hotel in Fort Bragg

Spent a weekend camping here with my wife and toddler. I'm not new to this, having camped all over the western US: state parks, natl parks, USFS, BLM, boondocking, beach pirate camping, etc. That said, Standish-Hickey is… not it.

Giving it two stars because the drinking water was clean and our campsite was, in fact, flat. The bar is low, but they cleared it.

Beyond that, it was like camping in a dilapidated outdoor food court. The 101 is so close it sounds like you’re sleeping on the shoulder. Campsites are jammed together like a festival parking lot, so if you’re into hearing your neighbor’s entire Spotify playlist and their relationship drama, you’re in luck. Privacy? No.

Noise levels were a constant drone of generators, yelling, and amplified music, up to and well past the (mandated) 10 PM quiet time.

There’s a nearly continuous carpet of poison oak across the campground, so if you like living on the edge while walking to the bathroom, enjoy! Speaking of which: by midday Saturday, the bathrooms looked like a crime scene. Toilet paper everywhere, mud and mysterious smears on the walls, and of course no soap. Bonus points for the four separate dogs I witnessed being brought into the bathroom stalls by their owners. Nothing like peeing next to a pit bull in a hot concrete box.

On the topic of dogs: this place is apparently the Coachella of aggressive breeds. Malinois, bullies, and others were out in full force, barking their faces off at us just for walking our (leashed and chill) dogs past their sites.

The swimming hole is nearly a mile away and downhill, i.e. you must hike a mile back uphill to return to your campsite. Vaya con dios and beware the yellowjacket swarms.

All in all, if you’re 22, drunk, and allergic to silence (and soap), this might be your scene. If you’re looking for a relaxing weekend in nature with your kid and dogs…...

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