Looking for the perfect glamping experience near Borrego Springs? Camping has always been a favorite form of travel for many, but Borrego Springs, CA glamping is a new and unique way to do it. The Dyrt's camping photos, reviews, and tips are an easy way to find the right California glamping spot for you.
Anza- Borrego Desert State Park’s rugged landscape formed largely by the forces of erosion attacking the uplifted mountains. The higher the mountains rise, the more vigorously they are attacked by rain, snow, ice, and wind, as they yield to the constant pull of gravity. Borrego Palm Canyon Campground visitors will be able to reserve campsites six months in advance from the current date. Bookings may extend from the arrival date to the desired departure date – based on availability and the park’s maximum stay rules. Reservation are available October 1st through April 30th.
$35 - $125 / night
Agua Caliente is located in the desert of central Southern California. Pitch your tent or park your RV on the white sand between cacti and Mt. San Jacinto. Close to Palm Springs, and the Mexican border. Amenities include 3 pools, hot springs, restrooms, and games.
$29 - $75 / night
Laguna Campground is a great mountain getaway just one hour east of San Diego, California in the Laguna Mountain Recreation Area. Campers can enjoy cooler temperatures, unique natural areas and an extensive trail system at this mountain facility from summer through early fall.
The Laguna Mountain Recreation Area is known for great horseback riding, mountain biking and hiking trails. Visitors can get their boots dusty on the Laguna Meadow Trail system or access a segment of the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail, which runs from California to the State of Washington. Wildflowers are usually abundant in April and May on the Big Laguna Trail, which takes visitors past Big Laguna Lake. In wet years there is water in Big Laguna Lake by December or January and ducks and other birds can be found. The trail presents a number of options to the user. A return to the trailhead parking can be made by cutting through the Laguna Campground or by taking the Pacific Crest Trail north. Families can learn about the area's flora and fauna by attending educational programs at the facility's amphitheater. Or for history buffs, the El Prado Cabin located at nearby El Prado Campground, is the first ranger cabin built in the Cleveland National Forest in 1911. The San Diego State University Observatory also sponsors "Star Parties" for campers most Saturday evenings during the summer (schedule can be obtained at the nearby visitor center or by calling 619-473-8547).
The campground sits at an elevation of 6,000 ft. in the Laguna Mountains. It is forested with pines and oaks that provide plenty of shade, in addition to a meadow. The area is home to many species of birds, as well as the endangered Laguna Skipper butterfly. Little Laguna lake is located just a short distance from the campground and is an excellent hiking destination for photographers and visitors looking to explore the area.
$35 / night
Lake Hemet is surrounded by the majestic beauty of the San Jacinto Mountains, in Mountain Center, near the charming town of Idyllwild. The scenery is splendid no matter which direction you look. Tall pines, manzanitas, sage, and giant oaks abound!
Lake Hemet is one of the most popular spots in Southern California for camping and fishing. The recent additions of the Soaring Pines Cafe serving delicious food and Splashing Eagle Swim Zone have made Lake Hemet the vacation spot to be during the spring and summer months.
Remember to pack a camera and binoculars, and keep a watchful eye as majestic eagles, hawks, and other wildlife are often seen soaring throughout the forest and campground. Come and enjoy camping, fishing, boating and the breathtaking scenery all year round.
DAY USE: In addition to camping, Lake Hemet offers public access to the campground for day use guests daily (hours vary by season). Day use is $25 per vehicle and affords guests with the opportunity to picnic, shoreline fish, launch personal boats or kayaks (additional fees apply) and rent boats or kayaks from our marina. If you are visiting other guests who are overnight camping with us, the $25 fee still applies. NOTE: DAY USE WILL BE CLOSED FOR ALL SUMMER HOLIDAY WEEKENDS FROM FRIDAY TO SUNDAY for Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day weekends. Only guests with previously purchased annual day use or launch passes will be allowed as our campground will be fully booked and activities are planned for our guests.
$45 / night
Burnt Rancheria Campground is located 50 miles east of San Diego at the Laguna Mountain Recreation Area in Southern California, right off the Sunrise Scenic Byway. Campers can enjoy hiking, viewing unique birds and wildlife and enjoying cooler temperatures at this mountain facility in Cleveland National Forest, open from mid-April through October.
Day hiking and picnicking are most popular at Burnt Rancheria. The facility provides easy access to a segment of the Pacific Crest Trail, a 2,650-mile national scenic trail that runs from Mexico to Canada. Hiking and horseback riding are allowed on the trail. Biking is not allowed on any portion of the Pacific Crest Trail. A short hike to the nearby Desert View Picnic Site provides visitors with a bird's-eye view of the desert 6,000 feet below. On most days, the Salton Sea is clearly visible to the southeast. Restrooms and potable water are available. Families with children will enjoy activities, campfire programs and guided hikes available during summer. In addition to the guided hikes, a visitor might take the self-guided interpretive trail hike; brochures are available from the camp host. Campers can also get a glimpse of the amazing night sky at "star parties" organized by the San Diego State University Observatory. These gatherings are conducted on most Saturday evenings during the summer months (schedule can be obtained at the Visitor Information Center on Laguna Mountain or by calling 619-473-8547).
Pines and oaks abound throughout the campground, which sits at an elevation of 6,000 ft. The site is heavily wooded and surrounded by an open oak grove with spectacular desert views.
$32 - $35 / night
We are San Diego County's ONLY campsite with river and tubing access!
$40 - $120 / night
$24 - $100 / night
Lake Jennings is known for being one of the most scenic parks in all of San Diego County. It is a welcoming recreation destination located in Lakeside, California offering fishing, camping, hiking, and picnicking activities. The lake is a drinking water reservoir owned and operated by Helix Water District. The scenic views of the lake and the wooded surroundings make it feel as if you are in the middle of the wilderness, right outside of town.
Lake Jennings hosts a 97-space campground that is open seven days a week year-round. It’s located on the north side of Lake Jennings, with a variety of spaces available for RVs, Trailers, Campers and Tents. Come on out, take a paddleboat, rowboat or motorboat for the day, and enjoy the beautiful weather! Cozy coves make great picnic spots, so don’t forget your picnic basket.
Lake Jennings offers a great escape for novice or avid fishermen, and is open for shore fishing from the shoreline below the campground. Boat rentals, private boat launching, and fishing from our floating fishing dock is available Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. For your convenience, we have an on-site Bait and Tackle Shop open Friday through Sunday, offering a wide selection of bait, tackle, camping supplies, snacks, and non-alcoholic beverages.
Lake Jennings is a great destination for the serious and casual wildlife viewer and photographer. The rolling hills, the endless lake, the coastal sage, and the riparian areas provide a diverse habitat in a small area. Common sightings include deer, fox, and osprey. Bird watchers are equally drawn to Lake Jennings for its rich variety of bird species.
$35 - $140 / night
Scout
Growing up my family went on a few camping trips; mostly to Arizona to visit the ghost towns but when we wanted to go take a weekend trip and didn't want to leave state we would stay at the Catalina Spa Rv Resort in town. I remember my brother and I having so much fun running around or riding our bikes through the many turnaround streets at this park. They have an awesome pool and jacuzzis to use and a very large pond that all year round has ducks, birds, frogs, fish and turtles to look at. They have a friendly staff and the travelers were always very sweet and kind. The only town fall was that usually there isn't very many kids there, mostly older people come here to stay. They have. Gym and a game room. Lots of shade in rv parking areas and small bbq and tables to enjoy. Definitely worth checking it out !
Traveler
We stayed here multiple times to car camp and have stayed in sites 3, 6, and 28. We really enjoyed site 28 due to the spectacular views of Escondido. The reason I gave it 4 stars is because their can be some creepy people occasionally like some old guy was following my son in his car. But other than that we had a good stay. If you are in a camper I would recommend Escondido RV resort instead due to the more inviting feel (we stayed there in our Coleman travel trailer). But if you car camp a lot like myself I would recommend staying here at Dixon lake. Great stay overall👍😊
Traveler
The place felt very tired, and lacking in any atmosphere. There is a pool, which was nice. There just wasn't anything else there to justify the steep price of $100 a night. Though I'd award 5 stars to the lovely German lady who checked us in and was very friendly.
Scout
I have never had a bad experience at a camp ground with any ranger. They have all been wonderful. Not at this park. My registration tags went to my home so I did not have current tags. I had to have a family member collect my mail and forward to me on my travels so it was delayed. I did have a receipt which I was required to provide. However, the ranger barged into my campsite in a huff, treated me as if I were vomiting a crime and demanded my receipt on the spot in front of all. It was quite over the top. Later the same man barged back into my campsite throwing accusations at me that I hadn’t paid my measly $4.00 parking fee and breaking the rules of the park. He had the nerve to argue with me after I explained that in fact I had paid. He backed down after realizing I had. He then returned to harass us for the kids using chalk. There were kids from several campsites using chalk. We apologized and made them clean it up, no big deal. But the ranger was didn’t simply ask for it to be cleaned. He was threatening and confrontational. I dealt with one other ranger here who was quite nice and helpful but this other was awful. I discovered I was not the only one to have this experience here. I would recommend Sweetwater or Lake Jennings in San Diego area or Aqua Caliente where they are quite friendly. Yikes this was horrible
Traveler
This is a very nice and quiet campground and everyone there was very respectful of quite hours. The place was very clean and very beautiful. The only con was that there are way too many insects everywhere, My base camp got bombarded with a swarm of wasps, And I was forced to leave a day early, and had to leave my cooking pot behind because of the swarm of wasps... I wish there were some kind of rangers or someone there that I could have asked for help about this, or I wish someone would do something about this issue but I guess it is what it is at this location lol 😆 Other than not being able to cook and eat without wasps in your face and In your food, it was really nice
Scout
Let's start off with the fact that this"resort" has REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS living there and TWEAKERS SELLING DRUGS. When I mentioned it to the management they could care less, didn't say a word and walked away laughing. They DO NOT perform ANY BACKGROUND CHECKS and especially with children in the park I find that very disturbing. They nickel and dime you for every little thing and the rent has gone up 3x in one year. The water supply smells like sewage when you take a shower. Because they do pump outs the resort smells like human excrement most of the time. The lakes are polluted as well and completely full of cyanobacteria AKA green algae which is a respiratory hazard. POTENTIAL BEWARE.
Scout
My fiancé and I were last minute camping and this campground was beautiful, quiet, and very aesthetic! There is a lot to do near by, a very convenient store about 5-10 minutes away called valley center foods! Employees were sooo sweet and friendly! DID NOT DISAPPOINT!! Ps isn’t that expensive when tent camping ⛺️ 🙌🏻
Scout
I don't think this map pin is correct for Yaqui Wells Primitive Camp, the location according to Google Maps is a little further south just off Yaqui Pass Road off Highway 78. There are two different camps similarly named, Yaqui Wells and Yaqui Pass, fairly close to each other. Anyway, we stayed here at Yaqui Wells for one night after attempting to camp at Blair Valley but getting swarmed by bees. Only saw 2 other vehicles, and while the sites are pretty small and close to the dirt road, they are nice enough. BE AWARE THOUGH: pull your vehicle well into the sites, we had 6 lifted off road trucks come flying through around midnight at a ridiculously high speed without slowing down at all and it could have been catastrophic if we were closer to the road or if we had been walking our dog at that time.
ScoutI grew up right down the road in the early 60's. Great Campground with a lot of trails, awesome views, and some opportunities for fishing. Taught my very young nephew how to trout fish at Dohnes Pond, right below the Observatory.
Traveler
Super cute area, and much cooler since it’s a little higher altitude. Nice big sites and an entire loop with equestrian sites.
Pit toilets. One dumpster. Water.
I was there May 5, 2024 and the fee was $14.
Traveler
My friend and I went together for one night and we loved it! It was her very first time camping and she enjoyed it very much. Here is our review:
-NO T-Mobile: There was no signal at the campground at all. We drove about 7 minutes to the Palomar State Park Parking Area (based off Apple Maps) to find spotty signal. Just good enough to make a phone call if needed.
-Privacy: Many of these sites such great privacy, even though we were neighboring #19, there are a quite a bit of trees. Also, you walk down a few stone steps to pitch your tent, so your car parked a level about you on the street provides nice privacy.
-Convenience: The bathrooms were pretty close to us and were kept fairly clean. Also the firepit and grill were a plus.
- CRITTERS: I mean who doesn't know this but the squirrels and crows were greedy! They had no issues flying/ skittering to your food if you were 6 feet away lol.
-BEAUTIFUL!!!: You can hear the Doane Creek flowing and the stars are just an absolute sight, we took the rain-fly off our tent so we could see the stars
I'd imagine spots 21 and 26 would be great because of the privacy and creek location.
I'd avoid spots 28-30 just because of the steeper hill to walk UP to your campsite. It's already a pain to lug all your gear.
Scout
Let me first off say that the property is beautiful and that my hosts Carolyn and Bernie were very accommodating and had great energy. Plenty of room for beautiful hikes on their many acres of land packed with some great views a few decks scattered around the property. I found out they have a full size professional disc golf course here! I don’t bring my discs, but Carolyn and Bernie happily lent me some discs so I could try it out.
Now to the Glamping- now I been camping a bunch, the reason I say that this is glamping is that they have actual running water flushable toilets and outdoor hot showers! I can’t tell you how excited I was lol, it really upleveled the whole camping experience. They also have an industrial kitchen as well as an outdoor bar where they have very fairly priced beer and wine. Did I mention they have a full size professional pool table? Turns out Bernie and Carolyn are professional pool players too! This place is awesome! I will definitely be coming back again again to relax. I live in sd so it’s only about 35-40min drive from my place. Thank you so much Carolyn and Bernie for such a great experience!!
ScoutBeautiful nature getaway! Only 30 mins East of San Diego. 150 acres of beautiful pristine land. Gorgeous oaks shading our camp site. Loved the kitties & the ranch doggies. Went for a hike. Saw lots of flowers, a seasonal creek, sage, views of the valley & nearby mountain. Played some pool. The disk golf course is on the awesome hike I took. They have live music on the weekends. And 3 huge custom stone showers with natural spring water & full bathrooms with sinks & flushing toilets.
GuideUsing the marker on the map in the app, I was brought to a small dirt parking lot off the main road. Further exploration showed that a dirt road continued into the vegetation. I followed it, but it turned and went parallel with a road. I am nowhere near see the marker on the map. However, I am a 100 feet off the trail overlooking the town of Borrego Springs and the mountains behind it. I am here in this section by myself.
I did explore the Yaqui Pass and the Yaqui Wash spots, which are both further west over the mountain. The Pass was great and within a valley. The pass was a carpark as someone else noted. I wanted my back to the sunset (and the wind) so chose this location. Next time I hope to get to the spot the other reviews seem to be at.
Scout
This was our first camping trip in our travel trailer. The amenities available are great. Very clean and friendly staff
ScoutSpectacular night lights
Traveler
Had a wonderful time with the kids and our two doggos here! Great dog park, family friendly and the hot springs was just perfect for all of us. Even have 3 temperatures so the kids can enjoy hot springs too! Thanks for a wonderful stay! We’re here last week of March 2024.
GuideShouldn't have a problem finding a site here.
Ranger
Camped here for three nights in March of 2019, in one of the partial hookup sites close to the pool. According to the map of the CG, there are 104 sites and 7 cabins. Partial hookups are closest to the pool/shower area, with full hookups and cabins farther back and tent sites in the middle.
it seemed to be a well run facility. It was cool, cloudy and wet from recent rains when we were there and our site had a tiny stream running through it. Some sites, including ours, were not too level. The pool was not what I'd call "hot", probably in the mid to high 90s.
There's a couple short trails in the park, we hiked Moonlight Canyon. We really enjoyed it!! A bit like a lunar landscape with wild desert plants and flowers. The highlight was seeing some desert bighorn sheep!
A small store sits just outside the park entrance and though it was small, it seemed to have at least one of everything you could possibly need, including my favorite Colorado beer, Fat Tire!!
This park has a lot of rules, some quite unusual. Probably a good idea to familiarize yourself with them before you head out.
Traveler
We stayed 2/17/24-2/22/24 at spot 77. Great, huge shade tree!!! Level.
Clean bathrooms!! Flush toilets & 2 shower stalls.
The Rangers were kind & helpful!
Fire wood is $6/bundle that is purchased from the ranger station. Cash only.
Showers are pay showers. .50/4mins.
There must have been 100 wild turkeys that cruised thru the camp ground a few times. Pretty epic sight!!
During this time of year, chilly nights but beautiful days. We did get rained on for a day but nothing horrible.
Oh, fires out by 11. They’re pretty strict about that time if the camp ground is busy but if it’s not, they leave you alone. I sat out after my kids went to bed til around midnight with my fire & it was heaven. Poured water on my fire & went to bed. Perfect evening!!
ScoutSecond time here, booked to be close to the San Diego zoo safari park. This is a very well run county park.
Scout
Clean, pet friendly and good for kids.
Guide
Very clean, well-maintained, and nice location. Very strict check-in time. However, you can tell they are cleaning the sites and making sure the sites are in order. They rake around the fire ring, so you know they checked it. Park rangers are driving around. Staff are really nice and helpful. Flush toilets, bathrooms, well lit, and warm showers. I recommend checking out the visitor’s center for free maps and information. There’s a lot to do in the area. Bring your bikes. There’s also a trailhead to the oasis right in the campground. Not too difficult. The main trail is not as difficult as the alternate trail. Theres cool metal art throughout the area. A tiny town with a couple markets and places to eat. I was able to hike The Slot canyon, which was awesome. Just take note, when you enter the canyon from the trailhead, there is a large boulder/outcrop you have crawl over/under. THAT IS YOUR POINT OF ENTRY/EXIT. don’t pass it like I did and and nearly get lost. All the trails start to look the same after a while. All in all, it’s a good hike, maybe not for smaller children or larger people, because some of it I had to remove my backpack in order to fit through. Can’t go wrong with Anza-Borrego.
LegendGeneral: A mix of partial hook-up and tent sites plus six cabins about an hour from San Diego.
Site Quality: All the sites have paved pads except 64-68 and 70-75; these have gravel pads. These sites also have a curb which can be a bit challenging when backing in an RV. A fire ring and picnic table complete the site. Some have better separation/privacy than others. This area had a lot of recent rain so the creek that meanders through the park was very high. Sites 74 and 75 were flooded and unoccupied when we were there.
Bathhouse: The one closest to site 73 was very basic (no hooks, shelves, or mirror); there was also one handicap-accessible separate bathroom. Although there were showers in other parts of the campground, there were not any in the bathhouse closest to our site.
Activities/Amenities: Campfire program, horseshoe pit, short nature trail, dump station. There is also a large, enclosed picnic pavilion. This park seemed to attract family groups (at least on a Friday) and it was great to see so many kids around the campground not on their devices! Appreciate the dishwashing sink and the propane canister recycling.
We had to change our plans at the last minute so we were fortunate to secure a site at this park on a Friday night in late March and it was fine for an overnight.
ScoutI thought this campground was pretty nice and I enjoyed the views, the peace and quiet, we slept in our Cargo Van set up as a camper. We paid $30 for the spot and restroom was pretty close about a 2 min walk. I recommend this location!
GuideThis is a well-maintained campground. It really is a beautiful area. There’s blue jays, wild turkeys, woodpeckers, and at night there’s the sound of frogs, and lots of stars. We stayed 9/22-9/24 but the weather was mild during the day, mid to high 60s. The nights were getting chilly. (We stayed nearby at Bailey’s a couple years ago in late October and it was freezing.) So, one word of caution. MOSQUITOS. Tons of mosquitos and little flies. I used mosquito incense sticks that I happened to have in my camping supplies, which helped a lot but we needed bug spray. The general store nearby has some but holy moly. I highly suggest the incense. I kept them lit around our site and when they burned off, the swarm returned. We also had the unfortunate experience of a large group that took over the four sites across from us that had in total ten kids. They were so loud and mean. No supervision. It really ruined what was supposed to be a relaxing family trip. Just a reminder to be mindful of other campers. Also, a lot of the sites have a small incline, some did not. There’s stone steps up to or down into most of the sites. Each site comes with a fire ring, bbq, and its own water spigot. Site 15 is steps of the rest rooms, both a blessing and a curse. There’s token-operated showers, with a token machine that takes dollar bills. No cell service (T-Mobile.) Don’t forget to visit the observatory, but go early. It closes at 3:30. (Bummer).
Guide
We booked a few days here on our 2 month trip to be able to relax in a nice campground, but we were a bit disappointed.
Toilets and shower were not very nice, you do not get much privacy as the sites are quite close to each other, and it is super busy, a lot of people around. Even during the day it is quite noisy.
Location is good though, and it is nice to be up here in summer as the temperature is a bit better.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Borrego Springs, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Borrego Springs, CA is Borrego Palm Canyon Campground — Anza-Borrego Desert State Park with a 4.5-star rating from 30 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Borrego Springs, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 44 glamping camping locations near Borrego Springs, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
