Trip - Frazer Flats Camp and Hang

Chill basecamp at the side of the South Fork Stanislaus River

🌲 Trip Completed — Trip Report & Photos Below!

This page is the trip report for our September 11–13, 2026 Frazer Flat camp-and-hang outing. Traded the oak tree for the river this month — great weekend at Frazer Flat. Campfires, good food, and a Milky Way you had to see. Enjoy the recap, stories, and photo gallery below!

Join us for a relaxing weekend basecamp at Frazer Flat along the scenic South Fork Stanislaus River! Tucked into the lush pine forest of Stanislaus National Forest near Twain Harte and Long Barn, this trip was designed as a chill riverfront getaway with riverside relaxing, swimming, campfires, forest exploration, and good times with the Overland EastBay community.

📍 Information

🏕️ Early Advance Deployment — Thursday, Sept 10

Some of us headed out a day early (Thursday, Sept 10 at 10:00 AM) to secure our group camp spot along the river.

View Early Scout Trip →

📝 Trip Report

🏕️ Weekend Recap

"We camped two nights at Frazer Flat, then decided to move on for the third night (thank you, neighbors 😉). Moved the 3rd night to Dardanelle Campground. On Sunday we visited Kennedy Meadows — such a serene place — and ended the trip with pizza at Mia's on the way home."

From the Crew

"Went on a motorcycle ride Saturday. Stopped by Dardanelle Campground Sunday morning but everyone had already vanished. Stopped at Kennedy Meadows and saw three rigs, checked the store and restaurant but no trace.... headed to Bridgeport for lunch and returned. Broke camp this AM and was home by noon today. Fun and wacky trip... As usual lots of laughs, some tree pruning and good company... BTW... after leading everyone on an embarrassing jaunt around Pinecrest Campground, I googled the meaning of 'Wrong Way Do Not Enter' and found that it still means 'Wrong Way Do Not Enter'.... 🙄"

— Michael Norton

"Had such a great time camping with you guys! Great people, good times, lots of laughs (thanks to Jimmy and his friend 😉). Thanks everyone for making it such a fun trip."

— Jay B

"I had a great time! Looking forward to getting out there again soon. Thanks for welcoming me. Much appreciated."

— Trevor (Trevsworld)

"Thanks for the awesome weekend getaway. As usual Kimberlie and I enjoyed everyone's company and friendship. We ended up taking the scenic route home over Sonora Pass then over Monitor Pass to Meyers."

— Dave Brooks

"Hey gang, home, unpacked and showered. Great trip and look forward to seeing you all again soon on another adventure. Sorry to have missed you Trevor and we see you again. Michael, hoping the ride was nice and you get home safe. Thanks Kim for the wonderful treat... be well."

— Roger Fielding

📸 Photos from the Weekend

The group at the riverside basecamp under the pines
The group at the riverside basecamp under the pines.
The guys relaxing on the riverbank under the pines
The guys relaxing on the riverbank under the pines.
The group gathered in a circle at camp under the pines
The group gathered in a circle at camp under the pines.
Orange Tacoma TRD 4x4 with roof rack at the campsite
Orange Tacoma TRD 4x4 with roof rack at the campsite.
Exploring the pines with walking stick in hand
Exploring the pines with walking stick in hand.
Red Tacoma with solar panels, off-grid riverside camp
Red Tacoma with solar panels, off-grid riverside camp.
Clear river mirroring pines, truck with camper on right bank
Clear river mirroring pines, truck with camper on right bank.
Tan SUV with awning and kitchen setup by forest stream
Tan SUV with awning + kitchen setup by forest stream.
Gray Jeep Wrangler Rubicon with rooftop tent camped on the stream bank
Gray Jeep Wrangler Rubicon w/ rooftop tent camped on the stream bank.
Vadim in action prepping salad at camp
"Thank you for capturing the rarest event in nature: me making a salad. ;-)" — Vadim
Night shot around the picnic table with Jimmy and friends
Night at camp with Jimmy and friends providing comedic relief around the picnic table.
Group gathered around the fire pit under the night sky
Group gathered around the fire pit under the night sky.
Campfire circle at night
Campfire circle at night (campfires are the best).
Campfire glow with red truck light at the campsite, night
Campfire glow with red truck light at the campsite, night.
Milky Way over the pines at night
The Milky Way arching over the pines above basecamp (Milky Way at its best).
Sunday side trip to Kennedy Meadows
Sunday side trip to Kennedy Meadows — such a serene river valley.
Campsite with gray tent and red truck with LANCE slide-in camper
Campsite with gray tent, red truck with LANCE slide-in camper, picnic table, and fire ring.
Night fire pit with camper van and strings of lights
Night fire pit with camper van doors open, strings of lights, and prayer flags.
White off-road SUV and teardrop camper trailer with rear hatches open at camp
White off-road SUV and teardrop camper trailer with rear hatches open at camp.
Dark Jeep with olive-green and white truck camper at site 211
Dark Jeep with olive-green and white truck camper at site 211.
The group relaxing around camp with black SUV and petting the camp dog
The group relaxing around camp with black SUV and petting the camp dog.
White off-road SUV with cargo carrier driving a shaded forest trail
White off-road SUV with cargo carrier driving a shaded forest trail.
White Toyota with rooftop tent parked on a turnout overlooking the post-fire hillside
White Toyota with rooftop tent parked on a turnout overlooking the post-fire hillside.
Overland basecamp with white Ford Bronco, teardrop camper, and truck campers
Overland basecamp: white Ford Bronco with teardrop camper, rooftop-camper truck, and black truck with RTT.
Tan Jeep Rubicon with KICKASS side tent alongside white SUV and teardrop camper
Tan Jeep Rubicon with KICKASS side tent alongside white SUV and teardrop camper with prayer flags.
Group of 8 hikers and 2 dogs exploring the rocky stream bed
Group of 8 hikers and 2 dogs exploring the rocky stream bed.
Rocky stream flowing through charred and regrowing trees in post-fire forest
Rocky stream flowing through charred and regrowing trees in the post-fire forest.
Clear stream and fallen-log bridge through the recovering forest
Clear stream and fallen-log bridge through the recovering forest.

Dates

September 11 – September 13, 2026

📢 Capacity & Waitlist Update: An advance crew will be heading out a day early (Thursday, September 10) to secure enough campsite space to accommodate the waitlist as well! The 13-rig cap is currently in place as a baseline until we are on location and confirm available space. Please watch this space and our Google distribution list for last-minute news and announcements.

Meet-up Location

🚗 Friday Convoy Lead: Roger Fielding is leading the Friday morning convoy from the Pleasanton meetup point to Frazer Flat (leads if nobody else steps up).

Date: Friday, September 11, 2026
Time: Meet 7:45 AM, leave 8:00 AM
Location: McDonald's at Santa Rita and Highway 580 E. (Standard Deployment Point)

37°42'02.9"N 121°52'10.7"W
37.700795, -121.869642

Get Directions

Camp Location

Location: Frazer Flat Basecamp (South Fork Stanislaus River), Stanislaus National Forest (Mi-Wok Ranger District), CA
Details: Target camp spot along the riverbank in Tuolumne County near Twain Harte / Long Barn. Enjoy pine shade, river swimming, campfires, and forest exploration. Pack-it-in, pack-it-out.

38°09'25.5"N 120°07'03.9"W
38.15707, -120.11774

Get Directions

🔥 Fire Restrictions & Permits

Current as of September 4, 2026

Fire Restrictions: This trip travels through Stanislaus National Forest. Under seasonal fire restrictions, wood and charcoal campfires are prohibited outside of designated developed recreation sites (which means open campfires and charcoal fires are NOT allowed at our dispersed camp spots).

Permit Required: A free California Campfire Permit is mandatory for operating portable gas, propane, or pressurized liquid-fuel stoves and lanterns with an on/off shutoff valve. Every participant planning to cook must carry a valid permit.

Note: Under Stage 1 orders, wood/charcoal campfires are prohibited at dispersed riverfront sites along the South Fork Stanislaus River. Gas and propane stoves are permitted with a valid California Campfire Permit.

✍️ Obtain Campfire Permit 🌲 Official Agency Fire Orders

🐻 Bear Country Warning

You're in black bear country. Store all food, coolers, trash, and scented items (toothpaste, sunscreen, bug spray, pet food) in a bear-resistant canister or locked inside a hard-sided vehicle, ~50 ft from where people sleep. Never leave coolers or food unattended. Pack out all trash or use bear-proof dumpsters.

Note: The developed Fraser Flat Campground has bear boxes, but dispersed riverfront spots do not — bring your own canister or use locked vehicle storage.

🎣 Fishing Regulations & License

License Requirement: A valid CA Sport Fishing License from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is required for all anglers age 16 and older fishing public inland waters.

A valid sport fishing license is required on public inland waters. Use single barbless hooks when practicing catch-and-release, and verify local district bag and size limits before fishing.

Local Water Notes: The South Fork Stanislaus River offers wild rainbow and brown trout. Single barbless hooks and catch-and-release practices are strongly encouraged.

🎣 Purchase Fishing License Online

Weather

Preparing for the trip, check the weather at our basecamp location:

Current Weather

Weather at
Frazer Flat Basecamp
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Expected Trip Weather

Get Ready Before We Go

🛑 SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

Rear Amber Chase Light and HAM Radio communications are REQUIRED to travel with the group.

Why Amber Chase Lights?

Dusty trails are common – amber lights penetrate dust far better than white or red, helping prevent rear-end collisions in low visibility. Learn more about Why Chase Lights?

HAM Radio

Program to 146.460 MHz (simplex). Handhelds work great even without a license for listening.

If you don't have a ham radio yet, check out our guide to get started.

Other Essentials

Group Trip Agreement & Waiver

Before signing up, please review the Voluntary Acknowledgment of Risk and Group Trip Agreement. By RSVP'ing and participating in this trip, you certify that you have read, understood, and voluntarily agreed to these terms.