The SFFMC campouts will once again be in the redwoods at the Boulder Creek Scout Reservation, about a mile from the town of Boulder Creek—the same place as the 2012 July 4th and Labor Day campouts. It’s off Highway 9, south of Big Basin State Park, on Bear Creek Road.
For a map and directions to the camp, see the end of this page.
This is one of our favorite camps; we’ve always had good times here.
| Overnight: | Adults: | $17 |
|---|---|---|
| Kids under 16: | $8 | |
| Babes in arms: | free | |
| Day use: | $10 | |
Children
under 16 are $8 each night, up to two children in a family.
Additional children in the same family are free.
No pets, no radios, no TVs, etc. RVs are OK. No hookups.
We’ll have informal musical jams in the daytime and around the campfires at night, open mics on two nights and workshops on various topics. Previous workshops included children’s songs, the New Lost City Ramblers, Utah Phillips, John Prine, sea songs, two-chord songs, Irish songs, Wild Women, and Hank Williams—and others. Many thanks to the workshop leaders!
This year we will again have workshops; the subjects will be announced later. Some suggestions for possibilities: singing techniques, instrument instructions, Malvina Reynolds, Carter family songs, and others. If you want to lead a workshop or have suggestions for a topic, e-mail Phyllis Jardine at or just sign up at the workshop board.
Bring your swim suits! On July 4 and Labor Day the weather is usually great for swimming. We plan to have a lifeguard (required) and swimming in the afternoons on the second and third days. See the flyers at camp for the hours; they may be different at the July 4 camp and the Labor Day camp.
There will be a community potluck at the outside dining area near the kitchen on the second night at 6:30 p.m., followed by an open mic in the amphitheater. Food can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer in the camp kitchen; it has to be removed by 11:00 a.m. on the last day.
The kitchen has a stove with an oven, a microwave, pots and pans, also a sink for washing dishes. Please mark clearly all dishes, pans, utensils and food that are yours. Each person is responsible for clearing off tables and washing dishes and pans used before leaving the kitchen..
Two hiking trails lead from the camp: one a self-guided historical trail about 3.5 miles long (about one and one-half hours), and the other a nature trail about 2.5 miles long.
Outside
the kitchen is an outdoor dining area with a deck, picnic tables
and umbrellas. On the deck by the kitchen door is an ice machine,
with plenty of ice (free). Nearby are a swimming pool, eight
tent-cabins with cots and a bathroom with showers. More tent
cabins are available, with a total of about 17—first-come,
first-serve. There are usually enough for all who want them.
The camp is a linear design, with campsites along the road, room for 100 to 200 people. Many of the campsites have fire pits, and often the camp has firewood available.
At the bottom of the hill is a large flat site, Cubland, which accommodates tents, with a parking lot nearby, and also bathrooms with flush toilets and running water.
The road from the parking lot up to the kitchen is one-lane, with no loop at the end, and we have to keep it clear at all times for emergency vehicles. It is important for everyone to follow the directions for parking. We will have people to register campers and direct parking. Vehicles must back into parking spaces.
We cannot drive directly into the campsites; we
have to use carts provided by the camp to unload and load gear.
RVs must park in the parking lot. Other vehicles park in the lot
after unloading.
If camping isn’t your style, you could
choose to come for the day, rent an RV, or stay in a motel
nearby.
SFFMC T-shirts will be for sale at the registration table at $15.00 each, in burgundy (the most recent color), blue and maroon in various sizes.
We need everyone over 12 years old (except day use attendees) to do an hour of camp duty: registration and parking, cleanup after the potluck, or camp cleanup on the last day. Kids can be helpful with cleanup. We always need parking lot volunteers—especially on the last morning.
Final camp cleanup
includes the kitchen, restroom and litter patrol. We always need
volunteers for them! Please sign up for chores at the registration
table as soon as you can after arriving. Other volunteer jobs:
early arrivals (check-in is 2:00 p.m. the first day) can help post
signs, register and direct parking. E-mail
if you can be there early—or just come to the registration
table at camp.
Please show up for your chore. If you can't, leave a note at the registration desk so we can cover the time.
The camp has neighbors directly across Bear Creek, so any singing after 10:00 p.m.—the usual curfew for noise—near the creek will need to be quiet songs. It would be best if we can locate our singing circle or circles as far from the creek and the ranger’s house as possible if we plan to sing later than 10:00 p.m.
We are publicizing this campout widely again this
year to increase attendance so we can afford to keep coming to
Boulder Creek Scout Reservation, one of our favorites. Please help
publicize the July 4th and Labor Day campouts to all your friends
who are interested in folk music. It is not necessary to be a
member of the SFFMC to attend the campout (although we encourage
new members.)
Membership blanks with
the new rates (they
have gone up) are on page 11 of the November/December, 2012 and
succeeding issues of the folknik,
online at sffmc.org and at the registration table at the camps.
We are sending publicity to several California folk clubs, music stores and other organizations. If you have more ideas for where to send flyers and cards, or if you want a PDF of an 8½ x 11 inch black and white flyer to send out, contact Phyllis Jardine at
The flyer is
in color, but can be printed as black and white.
For further details about the campouts, see the May/June and July/August print or online folkniks.
From the north: Follow Highway 9 past Big Basin turn-off and past Camp Campbell. Just before entering Boulder Creek, turn left onto Bear Creek Road.
From the south: Take either Highway 9 from Highway 1 or Highway 17 and Mt. Hermon Road to Felton. At Felton, continue north on Highway 9, go through Ben Lomond and Boulder Creek to Bear Creek Road. Turn right onto Bear Creek Road.
Both: Follow Bear Creek Road about 1 mile to Scout Ranch Road and the Scout Reservation sign on the right. Turn right at the sign and follow the road 0.2 mile to the camp parking lot.
Click on the map to print it.
