Brew In Review: Activity Review: Camping at Hendy Woods – Philo, CA

Hendy Woods should be everything that is wrong with camping in California. Tons of campsites, closed in winter, only one tiny hiking trail, can get crowded, everything is paved. However, drinking and camping go hand in hand and Hendy Woods is right in the middle of prime drinking territory. Its right down the road from Anderson Valley Brewing and to get to it from the bay area you pass by several other quality microbreweries. If that wasn’t enough, the valley boasts quality vineyards with FREE wine tasting-a wonderful respite from a hard day’s beer drinking.

Don’t forget cups!

I’m not the only one who has discovered the hidden gem of drinking at Hendy Woods. Even the campground hosts get in on the drinking action here. However, one must be careful to not out do themselves. I myself learned that you should always remember to bring drinking cups when camping. Otherwise, you will find yourself drinking Anderson Valley Boont ESB unregulated straight from the growler. Thankfully, check out time is at noon at Hendy Woods.

Buddy guarding the cooler

Stoves in the cabins

Ever faithful drinking buddy, Buddy, has also had his share of finding the horrors of (assumed) extreme drinking at Hendy Woods. Hendy Woods boasts four cute cabins. Due to the park fee hikes across the state, the cabins are now a bit spendy at $50 a night. In the winter months they may be worth the cost as each contains a stove. Buddy managed to crawl under one of said cabins to pull out what I thought at first was a dead animal. If I didn’t have morning post-drinking nausea before, I certainly did after realizing that it was not a dead animal he was licking but rather a feces encrusted pair of men’s tightie whities. What this poor man probably failed to realize is that Hendy Woods does have showers.

Buddy near the Navarro River