Searching for a tent campsite near Palomar Mountain? The Dyrt is an easy way to find tent camping spots near Palomar Mountain. You're sure to find the perfect campsite for your California tent camping excursion.
The Kumeyaay Lake Campground is open for Friday and Saturday night camping. The 46 campsites are available for reservation on a first-come, first-serve basis and the is $22.66 per night. On the reservation website page, go to the "Location" drop-down menu at the top of the page and select Kumeyaay Lake Campground. All cancellations must be made 14 days in advance.
$24 - $25 / night
We're an organic farm homestead. Springtime sees the field lush and green from the rains. Summer is hot and dry, but the cool evening breeze is nice. We have Red-tailed Hawks at their nest, hummingbirds, songbirds, and our own quail, chickens, turkeys and ducks to mingle with.
Campsites are in our open back pasture, "Oat Prairie at Eyrie Farm." You'll probably hear coyotes at night.
It's your responsibility as campers to be aware of our policies, including all rules, cancellation policy and check in/out times (which are local PST). These policies are FIRM.
Be advised at this time there is no toilet, it is Pack-It-Out. We will be adding a bathroom shed shortly.
Every person-- adults and kids of ALL ages-- count toward party size. Children are not free.
No RVs, trailers, or campers. No exceptions. Truck pop-up tents are fine. Additional cars after the first 2 are charged $10 each, cash on site. Carpool when possible!
NO PETS. Guests with assistance animals must sign our assistance animal contract to stay. Be advised that assistance animal fraud is a crime, and we must protect ourselves and our animals.
We are strictly unavailable after 9pm. It's best to arrive before nightfall as it's easier to fine. Once you get on our road you must LOOK for our number and signage on the LEFT side of the road (you'll receive address in your booking confirmation). Make sure you go to "Eyrie Farm" and no other place!
Follow us on FaceBook! Search for "The Eyrie Farm":)
We also sometimes host on Hipcamp, at the listing here:
$30 / night
$5 / night
Scout
This place is a jewel, and if you live in San Diego, right in your backyard! Rangers are super helpful and friendly, the campground is clean and quiet, and the setting is beautiful. There’s a tranquil pond, nice hiking trails, places for kids to play…. Just a fantastic option close to home for locals and well worth consideration for visitors to the area.
Ranger
Sam’s Family Spa offers a mixed experience with steep daily rates, decent weekly rates, and an unbeatable deal for monthly stays. The mineral-fed hot springs and heated pool area are highlights, though access requires wristbands and a bathroom code. Mail delivery is convenient, but the lack of security at the campground entrance feels like a gap. The west side of the park boasts stunning views, and the grounds feature a variety of interesting desert plants. However, the overall experience didn’t quite match the polished image portrayed on the website. Still, its proximity to Palm Springs and relaxing hot springs make it a worthwhile option for longer stays
Scout
I followed the coordinates provided and it took us right to the trailhead. We saw a few other campers but overall, the campground was ours for the weekend. We did some light hiking and exploring but otherwise took advantage of the peace and quiet that was available to us. Gorgeous sunsets and sunrises and epic star gazing! Being a dark sky community, we were able to see so many stars and constellations. We saw shooting stars nearly every minute and we were also able to find Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune all with the naked eye! Next time we will pack a small telescope and I'm sure we will see more!
Watch out for cactus and needles that are buried in the sand. It is not recommended to bring dogs or walk barefoot for this reason. Our sandals and boots both had many needles stuck in the rubber soles after the trip. Being in the valley, the winds were very light but there is a possibility of strong winds and sand storms so be prepared. Temps averaged 70-75 during the day and dropped to 38-42 at night but with a small fire and proper gear, we were plenty comfortable. Fire rings are provided at some locations however the ranger informed us we could build a rock ring and line it with tin foil which worked great.
The road in was a bit rough in some areas. Wash out and silty sand could pose problems for smaller vehicles or campers so use your best judgement. Single track roads in/out so you will need to yield off the main road when encountering larger oncoming vehicles, which could also be difficult for inexperienced offroad drivers.
Guide
Campsites are right on top of each other. Highway is breathing down your neck. Beach is nice though.
Guide
Be mindful of their shower token system. Otherwise, a nice spot. Not too close to the highway. We saw a coyote, so watch your dogs.
Traveler
We went in October with our AHG group. It was great and super dog friendly but WOW so much dirt created so much dust in the air and it got on everyone and everything. With that being said… TONS to do! Such beautiful sights to see! The drive up was amazing. They had plenty of water to wash and drink with a lot of bathrooms as well.
You can walk trails, stargaze, take your bikes around and so much more!
Traveler
I brought my family with our 2 dogs for Thanksgiving and unfortunately we left early because it was a major danger for our dogs with the very bold and brave coyotes.
We tent camped but I feel like if we had an RV it would have been safer for the dogs.. for us alone with out the dogs, tent camping would have been fine!
Other than that. BEAUTIFUL!!! We loved every single moment from the colorful drive up to the stars and checking out the observatory which was also pet friendly. It’s SO FUN to see all the different color leaves and the sunsets, the sunrises, the crisp air, the views on the way up….all of it was so beautiful.
Traveler
Roads were bumpy but made it in a super low clearance rv (21ft). Had the place all to ourselves. A bit close to the other sites. Not bad
Guide
Sweet campsite at Dana point surf break. Had a big crew along for spring break. Super nice but book early!
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👍😊
Scout
I can’t say that it was awesome but it wasn’t jaw dropping. Nothing to write home about but not uninviting.
Scout
Staff all friendly and facilities while dated are kept very clean. Campers are respectful and quit at night but it’s a very noisy location right next to the freeway which took some getting used to the first few days.
Traveler
Very nice to find a campsite this private on a weekend in southern California elevation is high enough that temperatures were very enjoyable (mid 80's)
Scout
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ScoutI 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
Scout
Wow, Highland Valley is beautiful! This is a great place to camp your RV - especially if you love the farm vibe. We stayed in the front spot, up against the property line, which felt private.
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
Guide
There’s a few designated camp areas up this way. Went out in early Sept 2024 and the road was fine. I drive a lifted AWD overloaded Honda Element and I had no issue. There were two sections on the final ascent loop to the top of Thomas Mountain that were a little scratchy. You do not need to complete the final ascent to the top to enjoy the camping areas. Although if your car is capable there’s an excellent spot at the very end of the loop.
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
Quite easy to get to. I drive an Acura RDX and had no problems (I actually had a lot of fun driving the road).
There were way more flies than we were expecting. Prepare to get swarmed. Luckily just gnats and no mosquitoes from what we experienced.
We applied for a permit on Friday and did not get it by Saturday when we departed. Luckily, no rangers patrolled during our stay.
Some spots with good shade.
Traveler
Overpriced for a dirt spot, no ocean view at all. Ocean view sites full of expensive RVs that can afford the price. No market or cantina, for those you have to walk to Campland, not a short walk. Should've just stayed at Campland
Scout
Well secluded sites each with an incredible view!
GuideLabor Day weekend. We occupied the only spot out of five. Lots of wildlife. Raccoons in the night, gray squirrel, other squirrels, many birds. So much
Guide
The campsites are fine. Well used. There are pit toilets. Fresh water (you can fill water without camping). Had spaces on Labor Day weekend. It’s cooler than Palm Springs. (It feels like summer, not hell). Fire pits. I guess that works when fire risk is low. Note: I can faintly hear dogs and chickens from nearby houses. Oh, and the road traffic.
Traveler
Clean, quiet campground located in one of the OC Parks, with plenty of trails for hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian use. I stayed here on a weekday, and there were a few couple of vacant campsites in my area, so it was an extremely quiet visit. Bathrooms were clean and well stocked for my stay. I didn’t use the showers since I was only staying one night, but I heard they were free!
Rangers were very friendly and firewood was only $5 for a decent bundle that lasted me over 2 hours.
The city of Rancho Santa Margarita is right up the hill, so you can grab food and any necessities if needed.
My site backed to the creek, so I never had people walking through my campsite.
My dog & I slept in my van, but there was room for multiple tents, and a decent amount of shade in my spot.
My spot didn’t have its own water spigot, but there was one at a site across from me.
I was fortunate that all of the campers around me were quiet and considerate. I know that it doesn’t always work out that way, and having obnoxious neighbors can really ruin your experience.
TravelerA great spot if you want to get away and enjoy some alone time. It’s a little warm in the day in august this time of year so you can’t hike around or explore too much. My girlfriend and I stopped in Julian on our way out to get a late lunch and then head to the campsite. The road is paved until you turn off Lone Creek Road and then it is a dirt road. I have a stock Rav4 and it was able to drive on it although there are a few spots you need to be careful at so you don’t scrape the bottom of your car. We only spent one night but we never saw another person during our stay
Traveler
The scenery is incredible and varied from deeply forested to open meadow. There are miles of hiking trails. The campground layout is nice and for many of the loops it is possible to find a site that feels separated from your fellow campers. This place fills up during the weekends in the spring through fall seasons, so book sites early on recreation.gov. As implied by my title, there are no hookups here so any RV camping is dry camping. For RVs with a good solar array, it is possible to find open spots that keep the energy flowing throughout the day. There is one loop dedicated to longer RVs. As a personal note, I don't recommend Site 62 for RV camping - it is angled and has some erosion issues coming off of the asphalt pad. I have been to this campground several times as both a tent camper and an RV camper and have not had any problems with cleanliness of the facilities or excessively noisy neighbors.
Nestled in the scenic beauty of California, Palomar Mountain offers a variety of tent camping options that cater to outdoor enthusiasts looking for adventure and tranquility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Palomar Mountain, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Palomar Mountain, CA is Kumeyaay Lake Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 20 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 26 tent camping locations near Palomar Mountain, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
