My brief remarks are for the latter. I will stay. At some distance. Take your truck or car and make your camp in the part of the state you like most. Most parks require that you move in two weeks.
Some places require moving every two days.
This is only fair. The idea is, no one has the right to hog one campsite for the summer. Choose unfamous forests. Work, honestly, with the forest ranger. Write the state of california for their booklet.