$20 / night

Camper submitted image from Blue Jay Campground - 1

Camper submitted image from Blue Jay Campground - 2

Nature

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People

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Roads

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Signs & Maps

Established Camping

Blue Jay Campground

19 Reviews

About

National Forest

Cleveland National Forest

Cal Trans continues to perform highway-widening work on SR-74 Ortega Highway with periodic nightly closures.

Located approximately 4 miles off Hwy 74 (Ortega) on the North Main Divide Road, this campsite has 50 available sites with a varying distance apart for a true "wilderness" feel. Amenities include trash cans, fire pits, grills, vaulted toilets, and plenty of local trails for hiking, biking and equestrian. For information regarding local and connecting trails, please see our Trail Guide under the Trabuco District.

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Location

Blue Jay Campground is located in California

Directions

Located approximately 3 miles north of the Ortega Highway (Highway 74) and on the North Main Divide Road.

Coordinates

33.65188003 N
117.45301018 W

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Access

Drive-In
Park next to your site
Hike-In
Backcountry sites.

Stay Connected

WiFi
Fair
Verizon
Unknown
AT&T
Available
T-Mobile
Available

Site Types

Tent Sites
RV Sites
Standard (Tent/RV)
Group

Features

For Campers

ADA Access
Trash
Picnic Table
Phone Service
Drinking Water
Toilets
Alcohol
Pets
Fires

For Vehicles

Pull-Through Sites

$20

/ night

For information regarding reservations, contact this campground directly.

First Come - First Served

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Contact

General Info

Frank M.

Traveler

Reviewed Oct. 25, 2022

Nice, secluded, quiet.

Site #7 is good for a large group. I needed to hike about 400 yards along a nearby trail to find a small spot with a weak T-Mobile signal. Two roads in from hwy 74. One is good, the other is dangerous. Use the one from El Cariso. High speed drivers on 74 also make getting there dangerous.

Site#8

Month of VisitOctober

RYAN B.

Traveler

Reviewed Jun. 8, 2022

Nice little getaway

Blue jay is a pay to stay campground. You pay at the gate and get what spot you can find. There is fresh water in camp and there are bathrooms. The locations are pretty good and pretty private from each other. If you like to hike bike or trail run, there’s tons of trail. Lots of hills though so don’t under estimate them. We love it here

Site25

Month of VisitMay

Daniel A.

Guide

Reviewed Mar. 1, 2022

Quiet little campground

Just needed a spot to pull into for the night. A nice little campground just a few minutes off the 74 just before Lake Elsinore. There weren't many people there, and the campsites were spread apart far enough that you couldnt hear the next campsite snoring. It was a little windy out, but besides that the campsite was just beautiful, and hard to believe it was only minutes away from town.

Month of VisitMarch

Chad M.

Ranger

Reviewed Feb. 25, 2021

WILL GO AGAIN!

My family joined our extended family for a weekend away at Blue Jay campground. It is only an hour drive from our home in Newport Beach, but felt like we were a million miles away.

Getting to the campground is fun and gorgeous. Ortega Highway is a pretty drive and the final two miles up the mountain was steep and felt like I was driving in another country.

Campground has 50 sites that are first-come-first-serve. We got there on Saturday morning around 11:00am and there were roughly 3 sites open. We stayed at site 3 - the first site we saw - and loved.

Went on two great hikes, both to the nearby waterfalls. Each hike was beautiful.

Stopped off at a small Candy Store & Deli on Ortega Highway on the way that we loved!!

It was a fun trip we’ll do again.

(20) View All

Avery M.

Guide

Reviewed Jul. 24, 2020

Comfortable & Convenient

We’re in the orange county area and wanted to spend a quick night in nature with friends under the stars. As someone who prefers dispersed camping, it did feel like a bit of a ‘luxe’ experience. There are on site bathrooms, dumpsters, and water spouts. Each individual campsite has a pre built fire pit, table, and designated area for tent. The site is first come first serve. We came on a Thursday and had no problem finding a nice, secluded spot — as we suspected we might be talking late into the night and did not want to disturb the peace. I’ve seen a lot of reviews mentioning the flies. While annoying, we found the best ways to combat them were bug spray and citronella candles. They do go away once the sun sets. Overall we had a great experience and I can’t get over how the area is so close, yet feels and looks so far.

Tabitha H.

Traveler

Reviewed Jul. 16, 2020

Close to Orange County but feels far

Blue Jay is very close to most of Orange County so it’s a great easy camp if you just want to be away but don’t want the big drive. Sites were nice but we were very lucky to be there when it was pretty empty. I read some yelp reviews that said it can get a bit loud with parties but I guess that’s the flip side to being easily reachable. We enjoyed the hiking in the area and the bathrooms were clean. The area can get pretty hot so check the temps beforehand. I don’t believe there are hookups in any spots.

Morgan F.

Guide

Reviewed Oct. 15, 2019

Secluded but easily accessible

When I lived in San Clemente, this was a great campground just to get away! This campground can get rowdy because it is so easily accessible but nothing too crazy! Great views especially at sunset!

Dominique L.

Scout

Reviewed Oct. 1, 2019

Perfect for a quick trip!

Feels like you’re in the middle of nowhere but so close to home! Perfect for a quick night trip. My friend and I decided at 8 pm that we wanted to go camping. It’s a first come first serve but there was only one other camper there. The fee is $20 self pay per night. Clean sites, with bathrooms, dumpsters and water.

Stephen S.

Guide

Reviewed Sep. 30, 2019

Good Overnight Spot

This is a nice quiet spot that lets you enjoy an outdoor experience. All sites have fire pits. Dumpsters are available as well. A few nice trails near. I don’t think they take reservations so it might be a first come first serve. We stayed overnight and didn’t pay for it.

Fletcher G.

Traveler

Reviewed Jun. 30, 2019

Flies!

This is generally a great spot. Beautiful country and always seems to be plenty of availability.

This time (late June) the flies were so bad we had to pack up and leave. Even hiking the San Juan trail we had hundreds of flies around us. Back at camp they were so thick that we figured we’d rather go home than be swarmed with flies or stuck in the tent all day. Must just be a seasonal thing because I’ve never seen them this bad in years of camping.

Logan C.

Traveler

Reviewed Jun. 22, 2019

Blue Jay

We have stayed at Blue Jay a few different times and the weather is mild, but it can get fairly hot. This is a really fun getaway for anyone about an hour or two away, it’s not too far off of the Ortega highway. But far enough away to make you feel like your in the wilderness. Campgrounds are a little small. Being a non-reservable campground the sites fill up pretty fast on Weekends. Depending on the months we have had issues with the bugs that wouldn’t leave us alone. But our most recent experience in May was bug free except for a few ticks from the nearby trails. Overall, Blue Jay is a clean, semi-quiet, fun campground with toilets and running water. We would probably give it a three and a half stars if possible.

(4) View All

Caelan M.

Traveler

Reviewed Jun. 20, 2019

Good stay

A blue Jay was an awesome experience. We were able to find a spot tucked away off one of the loops to the left after a small hill. Neighbors played loud music but we didn’t mind at all. Our site had firewood left behind which was a lucky plus! We couldn’t even see our neighbors spot so 👍🏼 on the privacy. Great stay with lots of hiking trails and views of the area. If you are coming off of South Ortega, apple maps will take you up a steep and narrow road, once you get to the top there is a dirt trail on your right, that will take you to the radio tower... Amazing view in all directions!

(5) View All

Justin B.

Ranger

Reviewed Jun. 18, 2019

Perfect Campground for quick Getaway

If you live in the Temecula, Murrieta, Lake Elsinore area this is the perfect campground for a quick and easy getaway. They have some beautiful sites and some good hikes. Great place for mountain biking and just an overall fun place. If you are looking for a quick trip into the nature look no further.

Month of VisitJanuary

(13) View All

Johnny G.

Scout

Reviewed Jun. 3, 2019

Almost perfect campground

This is one of the nicest places in that local area. It is well maintained by very nice people. There is a slitely steep portion of road as you enter, but its only for about 25 yards or so. There is a waterfall and creek, you just have to hike to them. Not too much wildlife other than birds. But a real nice place to get away from the rat race.

Month of VisitMay

Lindsey B.

Guide

Reviewed May. 19, 2019

Decent Campground

This campground is ok. Everything about it is just mediocre. It’s easy to find, and close to Orange County. We enjoyed Ortega Falls which is about a 10 minute drive from the campground, and there are a few other hikes nearby. I didn’t like that the campsites are close to each other. And I think it cost $20 per night.

Nick B.

Traveler

Reviewed May. 14, 2019

Great campsite

Great quiet campsite in the winter time

(5) View All

Kittie B.

Traveler

Reviewed Aug. 8, 2018

nice elevated /leveled lots

clean restrooms and sites. large campground with paved roads was nice for strolling through. pretty far off the beaten path above lake elsinore. the views near by were fantastic. the staff was fairly friendly and very strict about fires and check out time. the campsites were not too close together but they were smallish. the fire pit was burried in ground so it was practically level, made me nervous about the kids.

Michelle C.

Traveler

Reviewed Jun. 1, 2018

Too Buggy

Stayed here in late August, it’s easy to get to and close enough for a short trip out of town. The trees were nice, needed some maintenance though because a large tree fell very close to our camp and the area was covered with Poison Oak. The bugs were not enjoyable at all, there were meat bees/wasps swarming all the water faucets and the gnats were so bad we spent most our time hiding in the tent. Had intended to stay longer but the bugs drove us out. The bathroom facilities were pit and not flush so the meat bees/wasps also swarmed there.

Month of VisitSeptember

Krista R.

Guide

Reviewed Aug. 25, 2016

Decent campground

My family stayed here when we went to Disneyland, staying out of the city was worth the commute! This campground is nice, with lots of trees for shade. It does get hot though, and there were lots of wasps while we were there. We had to cook very quickly and keep everything covered. This added some frustration to the trip. I didn't pull my camera out while we were there, it was just the one night, and it wasn't worth the wasps. Otherwise nice spot!

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to camp at Blue Jay Campground?

Camping at Blue Jay Campground can starts at $20.00.

What is the max vehicle length at Blue Jay Campground?

Blue Jay Campground allows vehicles up to 20 feet.

Are fires allowed at Blue Jay Campground?

Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, fires are allowed at Blue Jay Campground, although make sure to check current fire restrictions in the area.

Does Blue Jay Campground have wifi?

No, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, Blue Jay Campground does not have wifi.

Is there cell phone reception at Blue Jay Campground?

According to campers on TheDyrt.com, Verizon signal is unknown, AT&T is available, and T-Mobile is available.