WISH YOU WERE HERE CALIFORNIA FEATURES SEVERAL CAMPING AREAS TO SAVOR.

Byline: Kim Armendariz Staff Writer

With Labor Day being the unofficial end of summer, the most sought-after camping spots are crawling with people and few reservations are to be had. Fortunately, there are plenty of spots to be found if one is willing to do some driving.

Although many parks are listed as booked, Reserve America - [phone] or www.parks.ca.gov - the company that takes reservations for State Parks, suggests calling two or three days before a trip because this is when most cancellations are made. Also, all State Parks will welcome walk-ins if there are spaces available.

In case your favorite destination is full or too crowded for your taste, here are some parks to consider:

Prairie Creek Redwoods S.P.

At Fern Canyon, you can hike though steep-sided canyons that will lead you to 50-foot-tall, fern-blanketed cliffs.

``There is no place like it in the world,'' said John Kolb, district superintendent of the North Coast Redwood District.

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, 50 miles north of Eureka, is home to these green-draped walls as well as the easily viewable Roosevelt Elk. They can be watched carrying their ``magnificent, huge antlers'' through meadows, Kolb said. But remember to keep a safe viewing distance.

--Reservations: Available for all weekends through September.

--Ammenities: One hundred developed campsites, picnic sites, visitor center, restrooms and showers, trailer sanitation station, fishing, guided tour. Call [phone] for more information.

Humboldt Redwoods S.P.

A trip north also can offer escape from Southern California heat, crowds and refuge under a different type of skyscraper. Kolb recommends taking shade under some of the world's tallest trees. Redwoods measuring more than 300 feet can be found at Humboldt Redwoods State Park, 30 miles south of Eureka.

You can enjoy the splendor of these majestic beauties on the way to your campsite without leaving your car. A drive down Avenue of the Giants unravels along the Eel River and is lined by ancient redwoods.

--Reservations: Available for all weekends through October.

--Ammenities: More than 200 developed campsites, five equestrian campsites, picnic areas, visitor center, mountain-bike trails, restrooms, showers, fishing, horse trails, swimming.

--Information: [phone] or www.humboldtredwoods.org.

Russian Gulch S.P.

If you're looking to combine the best of mountain and sea, Russian Gulch State Park is situated off Highway 1 bringing together the Mendocino coastline and the beauty of a conifer- redwood forest.

A ``beautiful three-mile hike takes you along a creek, among the redwoods until you reach a 40-foot waterfall,'' said Greg Pickard, district superintendent of the Mendocino District. Although the park is open year-round, its 30 developed campsites are closed in winter.

--Reservations: Available for the weekend of Sept. 27, and Oct. 4 and 11.

--Ammenities: Thirty developed forest-riparian campsites, picnic areas, hiking and horse trails, restrooms and outdoor showers.

--Information: [phone].

Lassen Volcanic N.P.

Planning on bringing the family along? The kids might enjoy exploring bubbling pots of sulfur and hissing steam vents at Lassen Volcanic National Park, home to one of two active volcanoes in the continental United States. The park is 50 miles east of Redding and is host to several spectacular lakes and 150 miles of hiking, including 17 miles of Pacific Crest Trails.

The park remains relatively cool even when the rest of the state is enduring temperatures in triple digits, lending to snow-covered months from September through May.

--Reservations: Campsites are first-come, first-served.

Ammenities: Seven campgrounds, pets allowed, fishing.

--Information: [phone].

Calaveras Big Trees S.P.

If the trees could talk at Calaveras Big Trees State Park, they'd talk about 1852 when Augutus T. Dowd first noted the Sierra redwood.

The park houses two ancient sequoia groves including the Discovery Tree, the first Sierra redwood noted by Dowd. A 5-mile hiking trip will lead you through a spectacular grove of giant sequoias.

The park's other attractions include the Stanislaus River and Beaver Creek, where kids and adults can swim or canoe.

--Reservations: Available for the weekend of Sept. 6.

--Ammenities: More than 100 campsites, picnic areas, hundreds of miles of established hiking and biking trails, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, guided tours, historic sites, horse trails and swimming.

--Information: [phone].

Columbia State Historic Park 

Columbia State Historic Park, 2.3 miles north of Sonora, is the best preserved gold-rush town.

``It's really a gorgeous town,'' park superintendent Craig Mattson said.

Once known as the ``gem of the southern mines'' this park is home to one of the largest collections of historic buildings, which date to the gold rush era and include two Victorian-style hotels.

--Reservations: There is no camping allowed.

--Ammenities: Museum, guided tours, hiking, historic sites, closed major holidays, picnic sites, nature trails and restrooms.

--Information: [phone].

Patrick's Point S.P.

For the seashell fan, Kolb recommends Patrick's Point State Park, where you can stroll along sandy, two-mile-long Agate Beach, collecting semi-precious stones.

Seasonally, visitors can arm themselves with binoculars and perch on Wedding Rock located in the park and watch the spouts from gray whales.

--Reservations: Difficult to get, so check availability.

--Ammenities: More than 100 developed forested campsites, picnic areas, visitor-center historic sites, restrooms, fishing and guided tours.

--Information: [phone].

Anza-Borrego Desert S.P.

Sun-worshippers might enjoy Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, eight miles north of I-8, east of San Diego. One of the largest state parks in the contiguous United States.

Anza Borrego offers ``great scenery, geology and paleontology,'' said Dave Van Cleve, district superintendent of the the Colorado Desert District. One of the park's biggest attractions is Palm Canyon Trail. Kids will enjoy a trek on a moderately easy 1 1/2-mile hike along a creek that leads to a palm oasis. When the creek is full, a series of cascades greets hikers.

--Reservations: Cannot be made until October.

--Ammenities: Nearly 150 developed campsites, 52 with hook-ups, primitive campsites, horse campsites, visitor center, historical sites and markers, off-road trails, restrooms, non-flush toilets, showers, dump stations and water at developed areas.

--Information: [phone].

Cuyamaca Rancho S.P.

For the more adventurous, this park welcomes four-wheel-driving and has more than 500 miles of off-road trails to explore.

Cuyamaca Rancho State Park also is one of the few places to offer seasonal change without traveling a great distance.

Located east of San Diego on State Hwy. 79, nine miles north of I-8, the park boasts spring blooms, summer thunderstorms, autumn color and winter white. It convinces you that ``you're not in Southern California,'' Van Cleve said. ``(You can) hike to some of its peaks for excellent views.''

--Reservations: Not required.

--Ammenities: More than 180 developed semi-forested campsites, nature center, historic sites, restrooms, showers, dump station, bike trails, fishing, horse trials, museum.

--Information: [phone].

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo: (1) Visiting Anza-Borrego Desert Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, San Diego County, CA (2) Come to Cuyamaca! Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, San Diego County, CA (3) Patrick's Point Patrick's Point State Park, Marin County, CA