SOME CAMPSITES STILL AVAILABLE FOR 3-DAY WEEKEND.

Byline: Christopher Noxon Daily News Staff Writer

Though Ventura County area campgrounds will be packed over the Labor Day weekend, local campers can still find a piece of earth to pitch a tent at some inland parks and, with luck, might still score a seaside site.

``This is probably the biggest weekend of the year for us,'' said Richard Rojas, chief ranger for the Channel Coast District of California State Parks. ``People are squeezing in the last days of sun and fun before the end of summer. It's the last hurrah.''

Of 865 campsites in state parks along the area coastline, the only unreserved spots are at Gaviota State Park north of Santa Barbara. Campers hoping to pitch tents in one of the prized spots should be ready to commune with more than just nature this weekend.

``You need to be ready for long lines and crowded beaches,'' said Rojas. ``Take a few dollars and a lot of patience and you'll probably have a good time.''

While all reservations for most Ventura County campsites filled up months ago as well, some of the 112 unreserved spots on the Rincon Parkway north of Ventura are up for grabs.

The campsites are equipped with a minimum of amenities - portable toilets and trash barrels - but the close proximity to the beach is enough to attract campers every year, says Ventura County parks reservationist Sandra Sanders.

``We've been fully booked since May first,'' Sanders said of the county's other campgrounds. ``My best advice to people now is that they should have planned ahead.''

Campers determined to get away for the long weekend will have a better chance finding a spot at an inland park in the Los Padres National Forest. There are 31 drive-in campsites available in the high-altitude, tall-pine park of Mount Pinos, according to Ranger Ken Jordan. Those spots will likely be grabbed by Saturday morning, he says.

``It's kind of a gamble on a big holiday weekend finding a spot,'' Jordan said. ``But it's not as crowded here as in other places.''

More campsites will be available near Ojai along Wheeler Gorge and Blue Point. While dry conditions may keep some campers away this year, rangers say they expect all unreserved spots to fill up early.

Campers might take advantage of an overlooked campsite in the Santa Monica Mountains called Happy Hollow Campground. The campsite, about five miles east of the coast up Yerba Buena Road, offers extensive hiking trails and 18 walk-up campsites in a pristine canyon, says National Park Service spokesperson Jean Bray.

As a last resort to those determined to spend the weekend by the sea, campers might consider the comfort of a hotel in Goleta or Lompoc or day trips to seaside parks. Scouring campsites for a shot at an unreserved space can be a frustrating way to spend the holiday, says Dan Preece, district superintendent for the Angeles District of the California State Parks.

``If you don't have a campsite reserved along the coast, it's best not to come down because you probably won't find anything,'' he said. ``It can be a wonderful or very traumatic experience depending on how they plan.''

CAMPING INFORMATION

Here are numbers for information about camping and other facilities at area parklands:

California State Parks: Channel Coast District, [phone]; Angeles District, [phone].

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area: [phone].

Ventura County: [phone].

Los Padres National Forest: [phone].

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