Campsite inquiry...

[wayne1]

I may be talking about the wrong area; the areas I have heard mentioned I have not backpacked into; mostly I have been up north. Kirkcreek campground is right off of highway one and I have heard is a great campground. Some problems with the computer site; but I called and received some information. The person I talked to said you can then go a little south and enter the wilderness. Bottchers Gap certainly was a great campground. I hope the fire did not destroy that area.

[Steve]

Spruce and Estrella camps are close but get a lot of visitors, Dutra Flats and Turkey Springs are ok but it’s very hot and buggy this time of year. San Carpoforo Camp is a bit of a hike (around nine or ten miles) but the weather isn’t so hot and the flies aren’t as bad. The trail is in pretty good shape except for one slide area just above the Spruce Trail junction. The trail below Turkey Springs has been damaged but I cleared it and marked it with flagging and rock cairns. All the camps except Dutra Flats camp have flowing water, Dutra Flats has water but it’s in a water trough with a pipe that flows about a liter every five minutes (except the hottest time of day when it stops flowing.) Villa Creek is very nice and I haven’t seen many people there in the last two weeks, it’s a fairly easy walk and it has a nice creek. Buckeye Camp is nice but there may be a lot of flies and the trail needs some work.
I hope this helps, have a great trip.

[Linux User]

I haven't done any camping in the Silver Creek area and would like to gather some information before I make a decision as to where to go this weekend. First some background.

I am a disabled vet and occasionally will use a pack dog to help when I am on difficult trails. So dog friendly would be nice.
Also due to my disability I need to be close to a river or body of fresh water as I cannot carry sufficient quantities in.
I prefer primitive sites with very low population density so I can enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of nature.

I was directed here by a Ranger named Vanessa.

So I really want to camp this weekend. Normally when I have a weekend free I go to Botchers Gap since it's close and I can have the dog and solitude. Larry the ranger at Botchers Gap knows me quite well. And if I have a 4 day weekend I will go to Sykes. But I have been notified that they are closed and that Silver Peak / Salmon Creek are open, so I have looked about this site and found several areas:

BUCKEYE TRAIL
CRUIKSHANK TRAIL
ELK CAMP TRAIL
PREWITT CREEK TRAIL
SALMON CREEK TRAIL
SAN CARPÓFORO TRAIL
SODA SPRINGS TRAIL
SPRUCE CREEK
THREE PEAKS TRAIL
WILLOW CREEK TRAIL

that look promising but I don't know anything about how to access them nor what the rules are for each. Nor do I have any idea as to what their environment is like. Now armed with the information I have provided I am asking for some guidance to assist with selecting a suitable site for this weekend.

Thank you for your time.