EPIC RAV4 Off Road Camping & Paddle Boarding at Bowman Lake, California

It's great to be back! This weekend, we head to Bowman Lake, California, to explore the offroad trails & paddle board at the lake. We test out the new iKamper Disco cooking system, and cook an incredible meal.

[@jamesgreen4770]

Great to see you guys again! Looking forward to a new series documenting your cabin renovation ;)

[@LunarLanderXplor]

Thanks!! Great to be back. We have been thinking about showing more cabin content, but haven't done any videos yet1

[@LexusGX460-OFF-ROAD]

beautiful RAV4... love the color

[@LunarLanderXplor]

Thanks! We love the Lunar Rock color too 😁

[@Yehbonics]

You guys are inspirational. Love the content, thanks for sharing your wisdom and adventures.

[@LunarLanderXplor]

Thanks for the kind words! & Thank you for watching. We'll keep coming out with more videos this year so be sure to follow along!

[@Anthonyxaykosy]

Awesome video I have same Bote brand board and Kayak can't wait to go camp at this place

[@LunarLanderXplor]

Thanks! Love the Bote boards! So many great lakes in Tahoe National Forest

[@wadelewis6992]

Thanks for sharing another great video

[@LunarLanderXplor]

Thanks for watching!

[@robbergstrom943]

Sweet outing. We like both you mustaches.

[@LunarLanderXplor]

😂

[@zyzzuschrist3410]

Finally! After so long! Please upload more often!

[@LunarLanderXplor]

We'll try!

[@brodiwheeler7583]

Couple paddleboarding pointers for ya… electric pumps are very good now, they can take the psi up to 15lbs pretty easily… save the manual pumps for topping off. Also, the Mrs was holding the paddle backwards in the drone shots… the spoon side is designed to face towards the stroke direction… it works much better this way. Cool RAV setup & Cool lake… nice vid 🤙🏼

[@LunarLanderXplor]

Good tips! We are definitely going to get a powered pump. Sometimes we forget which way to hold the paddle haha

[@SV-ih1rs]

Awesssomeeeee great video and I love the set up you got there! What size tire & wheels are those ! They look amazing

[@LunarLanderXplor]

Thank you!!! The tires are 245/70/17, and we have them mounted on spacers to pop out just a little bit. About the biggest you can fit on the RAV4 without major modifications (we did have to trim back inside the wheel well to fit). The tires are Falken Wildpeak AT3Ws. So far they have been amazing off road.

[@user-xk5ud3be6f]

잘 보고 있어요. 즐거운 여행되세요.

[@LunarLanderXplor]

👍

[@gabriellemarella9127]

Awesome video. Love paddleboarding and the inflatable boards are great for camping and bringing out on trips 👍🏻 Wish there were more places to disperse camp at on the east coast. Any east coasters know of any good spots?! Specifically in the jersey, PA, Delaware area. Thanks! Always love your video content 😊

[@LunarLanderXplor]

Thank you! Yes we love our inflatable paddle boards! So convenient & easy to transport. Not sure of any East Coast dispersed camping, but hopefully you can find some channels with people that live there & have some locations to share!

[@jackieh2434]

Do some research on PA State Forests. No permit needed but if car camping you have to be a certain distance from established campgrounds 👍

[@gabriellemarella9127]

Thank you for the info!

[@randalltopacio9035]

Great video! Also, have a rav4 and interested in doing some overlanding/soft roading type of trips but unsure of where to go, how to start or even finding a community like that local in NorCal (we’re based in Sacramento). Like you both, my wife and I like to camp and backpack so getting into overlanding seems like the next best thing. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Again, great content! Keep it up!

[@LunarLanderXplor]

Thanks for watching! Sacramento is a great place to be since you are close to the mountains & there are several National Forests you can explore from there easily. Up highway 80 you will reach Tahoe National Forest, or if you head East on Hwy 50 you will be in El Dorado National Forest. There are forest service roads & dispersed camping allowed in both National Forests. Generally, we use Gaia GPS and Google Maps to search for possible campsite locations, and then we just head out there & explore until we find a good campsite. You definitely need to be prepared when dispersed camping, since there is no bathroom, no water, no trash service, so you have to bring everything & pack out all your trash. You will want to have emergency gear as well, such as an air compressor, spare tire, and ideally a satellite communicator in case you get stuck somewhere with no cell service. Ideally, go with a friend & start simple, stay on easy roads. Hit us up on IG and I can send you a few campsite locations we have been to: instagram.com/lunar_lander_xplor/

[@randalltopacio9035]

@@LunarLanderXplor Thanks so much. I’ll definitely reach out on ig. Appreciate the recs!

[@idkwhtimduin]

I missed watching you guy camp because it seems like a close dedtination for my wofe and I. Do you have a video of all the gears you have/use for all these camping trips? Thanks again for an aamzing video!

[@LunarLanderXplor]

Ah thanks for watching! We don't really have a full gear list video, but we show & use various gear in each video usually. Perhaps one day we'll make a video just about what we bring with us on trips.

[@joemysterio]

Maybe silly question but I've never done off roading in any way... How do you handle the single lane/narrow road if you're leaving the area and someone else is entering?

[@LunarLanderXplor]

Not a silly question at all! Basically there are parts of the road / trail that fit 2 vehicles next to each other. One of the vehicles would have to back up or wait at one of the wider parts of the trail so you can pass each other. Usually people out on the trails are very mindful & follow this etiquette.

[@abdjetta99]

Love your guys’ videos! I have a RAV4 overlanding/softroading build as well. How do you guys find the dispersed camping areas? I’m new to camping but want to start doing dispersed camping and would love some tips.

[@LunarLanderXplor]

Thank you!! We use Gaia GPS to confirm which areas are private vs public land. In the Western US, you can generally camp in National Forest Land and BLM (Bureau of Land Management) as long as you follow the rules (can't camp directly on a road, can't camp within a certain distance of structures, must pack out all trash & deal with human waste properly). Once we have confirmed the area to explore, we use Google Maps satellite view to search around for potential spots. We are actually going to put out a video later this week showing how we find dispersed campsites, so stay tuned!

[@abdjetta99]

@@LunarLanderXplor thank you, I truly appreciate it! Looking forward to your video!

[@LunarLanderXplor]

Just posted the video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q2WpaX1noLxrjbs

[@abdjetta99]

@@LunarLanderXplor thank you so much!!

[@alexismendame7806]

I always love watching your videos. I have a rav4 trd 2022 with stock roofrails. Hows the roofrail holding the roofrack and rtt? Brand of your roofrack please? And how much the total dynamic weight of it?

[@LunarLanderXplor]

Thanks for watching! We have a FrontRunner Slimline rack mounted to our roof rails. The iKamper RTT is mounted using a FrontRunner rooftop tent mount kit.

[@alexismendame7806]

@@LunarLanderXplor thats dope!! Do you know whats the total weight of the frontrunner roofrack and the rtt? Roughly how many lbs? Thanks again and keep making more awesome videos!

[@LunarLanderXplor]

The rack is about 50 and the RTT is 125 I believe. We've had it mounted full-time for over 2 years with no issues.

[@stereode1uxe]

havent been to bowman in 15 years. how rough/tough is the road. i have a suv but i don't have offroad tires. 8.5 inches of clearance. glad you had a nice time.

[@LunarLanderXplor]

It's really not too bad. We made it there before we had our lift & upgraded tires. Did see some Subarus on street tires. A few sections where you may need to be careful, but most of the road is easy. Would recommend bringing a spare tire for sure though, last time we saw a subaru that popped a tire and luckily had a spare to drive back down.

[@MrLugansd]

Nice Video. Thanks for sharing. Do you think this is doable in a 4x4 sprinter van w/ high clearance? TIA

[@LunarLanderXplor]

I would think so! The road is not bad at all, some rocky sections, and really just one turn that is somewhat sharp & rutted out. Note there is likely still snow up there right now, so probably best to wait until all the snow has melted. Also, this is a popular spot, so I recommend going mid week if possible to get a good spot.

[@KalbiKing]

When you're not on trips, do you take down the rooftop camper? If so, how long does it take to put on the rack and take down? Thank you!

[@LunarLanderXplor]

We have actually never removed our rooftop tent since we had it installed almost 3 years ago! We use the tent a lot, so we like to just keep it available all the time. The tent is pretty heavy (125lbs), and our RAV is lifted, so it would be pretty difficult to remove the tent without the help of a few people, or a small electric hoist inside the garage.

[@Thesuppcabinet]

Not a Toyota guy, but that RAV4 looks awesome! What year is it and how heavily modded is it to fit those larger tires?

[@LunarLanderXplor]

Thanks! It's a 2020 RAV4. We did add a lift kit and had to trim inside the wheel well a bit to fit the tires. Has been worth it for the extra ground clearance and more confidence on trails 👍

[@Thesuppcabinet]

Is that one the TRD model?

[@LunarLanderXplor]

Yup!

[@jamesclimaco5219]

Nice video. I've been wanting to go to Bowman Lake for some time but haven't done so yet. Are there any sections of the road that are overgrown where the car will get pinstripes across the sides due to vegetation? I'm too OCD to handle scratching up my vehicle like that.

[@LunarLanderXplor]

Its pretty clear driving up there, just some rocky sections but nothing our RAV4 could not make it up. Have not been this season, so things may have changed after the massive storms last winter.

[@jett2211]

What was the route you guys took? Starting point?@@LunarLanderXplor

[@LunarLanderXplor]

@@jett2211 We drove up from Highway 20 on Bowman Lake Road. If you follow that road eventually you hit the lake! The road along the lake has a different name, but if you check out Google Maps it should be pretty obvious which way to drive through from the entrance I mentioned. Its an easy trail, no 4x4 needed. Some ground clearance is definitely helpful. Just keep in mind its a very popular spot, gets crowded on weekends. No cell service, so be sure to bring safety & recovery gear.

[@skj468]

Awesome video! Does your car fit in your garage

[@LunarLanderXplor]

It does not fit in most garages haha... with the lift & rooftop tent, the car is very tall.

[@gavinreece1051]

How tall is your set up? I've got 8foot 6 inch clearance.@@LunarLanderXplor

[@MandyMakesThat]

I too have a rav4 (after selling my Jeep) and totally miss overlanding! How do you find the spots to camp and roads that will be ok for your Rav? Do you go source them out first?

[@LunarLanderXplor]

We actually have a video about finding camp sites: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q2WpaX1noLxrjbs Normally we plan everything online, then scope out the area while we are out camping. We always have a plan B in case a road is blocked, too sketchy, or if we decide to change plans.

[@sparky0288]

What knife was you using? Looks interesting.

[@LunarLanderXplor]

almazankitchen.com/product/serbian-chef-knife/ It is awesome.

[@-JMF916-]

Been wanting to head that was from Sac. I have a 22 XLE AWD and was hesitant. Is the lift necessary to make it?

[@LunarLanderXplor]

Its pretty easy. We did do this trail before having a lift, but we did have a skid plate installed, which was good for extra protection. Its 99% a very easy dirt road, with just a few sections that take some careful maneuvering if you don't have a lift or offroad experience. Would not attempt this during winter.

[@johnnycromwel5263]

I’ve been to bowman lake 1 time and I just want to know if you took a different route to get to the other side?

[@LunarLanderXplor]

We get there by taking Bowman Lake Road from Highway 20

[@johnnycromwel5263]

@@LunarLanderXplor thank you!

[@bghvid]

Spare tire? I don't see one so just wondering ..runflats?

[@LunarLanderXplor]

We have a spare in the back under the floor of the trunk. Its not a match to the same size as the rest of our tires, but should be enough in an emergency situation. We do carry an air compressor, and a tire repair kit.

[@ralphmag3072]

Is your rav lifted?

[@LunarLanderXplor]

Yes it is! 2.5" lift, stiffer rear coils, and bigger tires all contribute to better ground clearance

[@rouxlong9027]

are those pupusas?

[@LunarLanderXplor]

These were little naan breads. Pupusas would have been good though 👍

[@unknown-cf9rd]

What size are those tires?

[@LunarLanderXplor]

Walken Wildpeak AT3W in 245/70/17 :)

[@lgstylo3124]

Would I be ok getting to Bowman Lake with my 2wd TACOMA PRERUNNDER?

[@LunarLanderXplor]

Yup you should be all good! Its mostly just an easy fire road without any major obstacles. There is one turn heading up that has a rutted out area, we had to get some speed to get through it since we don't have low range. Did see plenty of stock subarus and other non FWD vehicles there. All terrain tires would be recommended as its pretty rocky heading up. No cell signal there, so definitely carry a spare tire and other safety gear. Also not sure if the heavy storms impacted the road at all. Its likely still buried in snow right now.

[@prestoconner4251]

hot wife or girlfriend! 😁😁😍😍👍👍

[@LunarLanderXplor]

wife! Married 9 years