If you want to explore the beauty of Pine Valley, glamping is an excellent option. Glamping near Pine Valley, CA is a great way to go camping with the tastes of home. You're sure to find glamping for your California camping excursion.
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
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.
$35 / 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
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
$24 - $100 / night
$24 - $34 / night
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
Wake up to the smell of the ocean air and go to bed beneath a clear sky full of bright stars at one of the best campgrounds in San Diego, California. San Diego Metro KOA Resort is the ideal destination if you're looking for a relaxing vacation with ample opportunities for excitement. We operate year-round and want to help you have the time of your life, whether you're visiting us for a couple of days in the summer or staying with us for a month in the winter.
$24 / night
Guide
We visit this place once a year in the summer, sometimes twice. This place is glamping for sure. They have full service hookups for rv’s and trailers, bungalows and cabins. Lots of amenities for the kiddos when COVID isn’t around. The new pool is great.
Guide
This campground felt more like I was glamping. Everything was easily accessible and by that I mean; a toilet, running water, and showers. We slept in our tent which felt pretty amazing being that the weather was perfect. I’d highly recommend visiting this camp site in the cooler months.
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!!
Traveler
Went here with friends and it was nice but there are way too many RV'S and ATV'S. there's no place to have a fire because there might be a wild fire outbreak. Bathrooms are clean and the showers are free. There are even halls where you can play BINGO and a game room with Wii games. Camping spots are big enough for 2 8 person tents or 1 small rv and a 4 person tent. If you want to glamping this is a good place but if you want to tent camp I would look somewhere else.
ScoutThis is hands down the best campground around. The facility is spotless, extremely clean, environment is awesome where everyone is friendly and they put so much effort into making it fun for the kids with activities at the kids club, bike and trike rentals, a super modern pool and awesome gift shop on top of huge jumping pillows, playgrounds and a giant backyard. It’s our favorite camping spot and everywhere we go is unmatched to here. The kids usually ride around the site and you’re in the middle of San Diego so you can go to the beach, Legoland, Sea World go out to eat or door dash some food! Definitely convenient to everything and the best way to glamp!
Legend
Nice basic county campground, everything is nice and new and clean. I think once the trees and bushes and things start to grow in, there will be a little bit of separation between the sites, but for now most sites are wide open.
The playground area is really cool, all the structures are made of wood and are all natural. Decent showers, you buy tokens from the ranger. There are nice trails and walking paths right from the campground. We didn’t walk to the beach because the area was flooded when we were there, but it appears that you can easily walk to the beach from the campground, it’s about 1.5 miles away.
Sites are all dry camping, no power or water at sites, and no dump station at campground. There are water spigots throughout the campground though to fill your jugs. There are yurts to rent, and some equestrian sites as well. The little loop off to the side is tents only.
You can see the border wall from the campground, and Verizon thought I was in Mexico when we arrived, haha. Good cell service with ATT and Verizon (not sure if Verizon switched me to the international plan during our stay there).
Traveler
Fun beachside campground in Cardiff by the Sea, California. Not quiet or remote at all. Nice local market and lots of restaurants nearby. Great surf spot. I’ve dry camped here many times and have always enjoyed it. Dog friendly beach! *on leash
Guide
This park is great for all Southern California natives to get away for the weekend. Has clean facilities and the campgrounds have ample space between them. This area has a ton of beautiful landscape, during the fall/winter wonderful foliage appears. Leave no trace & enjoy our lands!
RangerIt's classic California beach camping. Spots are fairly close together, and it's more like a parking lot than a campground. That said, the beach is great, and the river mouth is great for surfing. Walk across the street for groceries, food, etc. The worst part is trying to get a spot secured.
Traveler
This campground is well designed for tent and small rv camping. The particularly site I stayed at did not have a lot of level ground for tents. The sites are generally spaced far enough apart to give you a bit of privacy. The host was very attentive and regularly made rounds to sell firewood. The facilities are mainly pit toilets but during peak season there is a shower available somewhere though I didn’t use it. Loads of hiking right off the campgrounds. You can walk right out of the forest to a great view of anza borrego desert. This is one of the few campgrounds in California where you don’t really need to worry about bears, though you should be wary of mountain lions.
Ranger
we stayed here because we wanted to do the zipline and they offered a discount to campers. we walked up and got a spot, the campground was very loud and crowded. california is in a drought so the water was very shallow and we couldn't tube in it as planned. we were warned about thefts prior to going so we didnt bring anything of value other than our tents and I'm glad we didnt. we ended up leaving after the zipline adventure because it was just too loud to stay. if you are looking for a party, this is the place but if you want a peaceful adventure in nature, go somewhere else.
Guide
68-year old, still tenderfoot tent camper. This was my first experience in California after three prior stays in Texas and Arizona. The San Diego County system centrally handles reservations of its campgrounds, which was fortunate for me. I mistakenly reserved one campground thinking it was another (my preferred, Potrero), but it was 30 miles away. Even though I paid for two nights in advance, their phone reservations help was superb and got me transferred without any hiccups. Big shout-out to the ranger at Potrero for suggesting. I interacted with several and they were all professional, friendly and helpful.
There's one central plumbed restroom and shower facility. Further out along the tent sites there was a hand portapotty. When you first drive in you'll go past a very large day-use area with its own facilities before you get to the overnight camping sites. Alcohol is permitted if alcohol content < 20%.
My site #7 was the last in the row of tent-only sites and appeared to be the largest with plenty of shade and flat pad site. Without seeing other tents it's a little hard to gauge size, but I'd guess walking by the other sites that there's probably at least 80-100 feet between tent pads, or even more. Lots of open spaces. The seven tent sites shared a couple (maybe more) of water spigots.
The primary annoyance was with the park's neighbors who seemingly had a whole pound of dogs who barked loudly through the nights. Given how otherwise silent it was, it was the barking was noticeable and to be distinguished from the coyotes, birds and owls. I think I also heard roosters crowing each morning as early as 3am.
The major event of my stay was the arrival of, as Steely Dan sang, "Here come those Santa Ana winds again …" At 5 a.m. the first morning, it was still and quiet as can be (sans the neighborhood dogs). A few minutes later, the winds hit. For the next 11 hours, surviving the wind 30-40 mph sustained winds, gusts over 50 was the only concern – both for my little tent and my car and myself due to the wind effects on the large trees surrounding us. In the end, there was no noticeable damage but seldom have I spent a full day out in the weather like that.
All in all, I'm not sure you could ask for more at about $25/night. Although I would've paid double if there were a no-wind option. I also had two great tent parties my second night, a couple about my age who were returning to California after summering in Baja, and a young woman from Germany traveling by herself around the world. Interesting neighbors to say the least.
At site #7 I had zero T-Mobile signal. Outside the Ranger Station I could get at most, 2 bars LTE.
LegendGeneral: The Borrego Palm Canyon campground has three sections: one with full hookups and two without.
Site Quality: It is often windy here, so it was recommended we pull in at an angle. The driveways are paved and on the short side, but our campervan fit with no problem (I would assume if you have a larger RV, you might be in the section with the full hookups.)
Bathhouse: Individual units with flush toilet, sink, garbage receptacle, and hooks but NO soap dispenser. Showers take tokens and while they were not the worst campground showers, they weren’t the best (but a hot shower after a hot hike was welcome nonetheless). Tokens were 50 cents each for two minutes.
Activities: numerous hiking trails, accessible from the campground. The most popular one is the Borrego Palm Canyon Trail which leads to the oasis of California Fan Palms. Sadly, the oasis was damaged by a human-caused fire and while you can see the palms, you can no longer walk among them. Galleta Meadows with metal sculptures in the nearby town of Borrego Springs is well worth exploring.
We were there at the very end of March when it was just beginning to get (too) warm. We only did an overnight here and the Borrego Palm Canyon hike, but it was beautiful and we would definitely return.
GuideIf you wanna go on a surfside southern california adventure and keep it fun and cheap then this place is great. People do yoga on the beach, buy tacos after surfing all morning and you can walk along the beach for miles and see so much for so little of those treasured SOCAL beach scenes. You are near a little bit of beach town so you can buy anything you crave from a nearby gourmet market and meander along a beautiful garden walk behind the campground across the highway. Bums and beach hobos sneak through the fences a lot so watch yourself after hours by the restrooms or toward the far corners of the place. Bathrooms are minimal, showers need tokens and seemed to be cleaned industrial prison-style by a large butchy crew with a big hose, scrubby instruments at the end of poles and a bottle of bleach. The sites aren't private but at the beach everyone is on display so you get used to it. Bring a cruiser and your dogs and kick back at this great albeit crowded and maybe even a little too loosely run joint-- I mean, campground. The taco shack adds to the paradise resort vibe here, except unlike a resort, the tacos are actually GOOD!
Scout
You get what you pay for and this park is adequate at best for the price. It is old and clearly in decline. Beware, the pictures and term resort are misleading. They cater to full time RV-ers and have very few rules for keeping sites clean and orderly. Many of the full timers have excessive junk, garbage, toys, vehicles, etc. Cluttering their sites. The residents and staff are pleasant, quiet, and respectful of your privacy and space. It is gated but you will need to pay a $20 CASH (no credit/debit) deposit for a key card. Well behaved dogs are allowed off leash but there are not many dogs in residence. There is a large dog run but it was VERY overgrown and we felt not usable due to insect and flea/tick concerns. Most important to note the water (sourced from a well) is NOT SAFE to drink or cook with due to excessive arsenic and fluoride. There are however 3 locations in the park with reverse osmosis filters to fill water jugs. The water is safe for bathing and dishes but does have a large amount of sediment and discoloration. It is severe enough that our onboard filter was not sufficient, it left rust colored residue in our porcelain toilet, and for the first time ever we had to add an inline filter as well. Laundry facilities are available but due to poor water quality we chose to do laundry in town. In addition California is in a severe water crisis yet leaking faucets are prevalent here and some full time residents run sprinklers at their sites. Two of these sprinklers near us ran around the clock for at least 48 hours straight. This park was sufficient for our needs for the week we were here, but I can not recommend it nor would I return. We camped at Oasis Palms RV Park in a Motorhome.
Ranger
The creek was dry when we were there, I’m assuming it only flows after January and rain comes in. It was still absolutely beautiful and had lots of trails for us to off-road.
ScoutThis is a bible study campground. I’m not sure if it is open to the public.
ScoutThis place is actually not bad to camp. If you look well you can find nice spots. Went there for a night only just to check out the place. Will definitely go back when the river has water!!!
Scout
The is a great place and Ive been coming here since I was a kid. Great staff and friendly campers
GuideI at Oakzanita a little after noon, got my space, and was all set up in an hour. The drive getting here is wicked, if you’ve never been here before. In my scooter club, the San Diego Pharaohs, we’ve ridden up here in the mountains plenty, so I knew what I was in for. Lots of windy roads in. If you want seclusion, and quiet, then this is the place. The best thing about being here in the Cuyamacas, is it’s beauty! I love it up in the mountains. Some amenities were closed, but at least the pool was open for 2 hours 4 times a day, you can play mini golf, but bring your own putter and balls. Before I came up, my friend was bringing me something, and for the 5th time I said don’t forget a couple golf balls. Well, he forgot. The showers are working in the men’s and women’s rooms, the honey wagon will come around and empty your tanks, plus they have a dump station, since it’s just water and electric hookups. Two bad things, no internet, and no laundry. Before I left my last stop, I didn’t do laundry, and figured I can do it here. The guy at the gate even said there was a laundry. He neglected to say it was out of order. So I hopped on my Vespa, and off to Alpine I went. It only goes 55, so I said, what the hell, let’s hop on the freeway. Got to the laundry, and right next store to it was a pizza place, so I got a sausage sub. Delicioso! Now the laundry was done, and I didn’t want to climb the 2,000 feet up the highway on the scooter with a load of laundry, so I took the long way back. After about 20 minutes I come upon a sign, ‘Unpaved Road Next 6 Miles’. And that was a very long, very bumpy, and very dusty, 6 miles. It took me almost an hour to get back. Hey, it’s all part of the adventure. Another good thing, my cell service, Consumer Cellular, was exceptional!!! Full bars, so I could Netflix, and YouTube! Unfortunately, I used up all my data with 12 days until next months plan kicks in. I would venture up this way again.
TravelerLimited 30/50 amp full-hookups. Large rigs, beware. access roads are narrow, hilly, AND curvy. But, it CAN be done. Coming in from the south on Hwy 79 (the only road in) warns that 40' vehicles and longer, are prohibited. But, you can make it to the camp. The entrance is a hair-pin turn (from the south) and you'll need to go a little further north to turn around.
ScoutOakzanita is 4000 ft elevation up in the San Diego Mountains. Sites are mainly off roads that are narrow and may be hard to maneuver. Many sites are without sewer however on certain days a honey wagon may be available for $25.00. Park is about 40 minutes from Jillian. Park is okay but nothing to write home about.
TravelerA beautiful RV resort, stayed pretty dispersed by staying in couple tent sites.
Wouldn’t come again this time of year without a heater, as it got uncomfortably cold at night. But the bathrooms are kept warm and very clean. The lodge is also warm and clean, worked out of there a couple of mornings, and the Wi-Fi was actually decent.
GuideSuch a nice quiet place! Nice pool… excellent showers and bathrooms! Very nice people as well!
Traveler
We weren't initially planning on staying in an actual camp ground but the forest service said it was a high fire danger time and bonfires were allowed outside of their campground so we decided to stay there instead. It was a pretty busy weekend and by the end of Friday night they had put a sign out to say that the campground was full. It is well wooded and each camp spot where we stayed was somewhat secluded from the other spots. Didn't feel like a normal campground so much. Restroom facilities were cleaned frequently and there were running water outlets every few spots. Very nice facilities and a beautiful area. Only a few hours drive from where we were in Arizona and was about 20 degrees cooler.
LegendMount Laguna Campground is 60 minutes east of San Diego and 5500+ feet of elevation. It is a big, big campground that is wooded and adjacent a large meadow, recreational area and lake (when not dried out, drought sucks). Despite it's size, the campground is split up into several loops that make it feel much more intimate in size.
I strongly recommend the sites inside the campground to the East (#005, 006, 008, 010, 012). This loop is a little smaller and quieter than the other loops and the campsites face back to the corner of the meadow where endangered butterflies sometimes float around and the sites are huge. These sites have more tree covering than the ones immediately next to them, are close to the bathroom (but not too close) and you can easily access the meadow trailhead.
There are vault toilets that can be hit or miss depending on heat. We bring wet wipes and antibacterial soap. There is a ton of hiking, mountain bike and even horseback riding in the recreational area. The size of the lake is somewhat dependent on rain and drought. We've seen it full and completely dry.
At the local rec store you can buy a hiking trail map for about $2. You can download it for free from the internet too, but theirs is printed on a waterproof paper and really nice quality print.
Tips:
There is often downed wood piled up in the meadow loop near the bathroom for use in campfires. It's first come first serve, and bringing a hatchet or handsaw makes a world of difference on your pocket book.
Whatever the temperature is listed at on the weather sites subtract 10-15 degrees at night. The temperatures are based on the minor town at a lower elevation.
In the morning if you walk out of camp to Sunrise HWY, turn left a 1/4 mile you find an overlook with a great view of the sunset and views out to the Salton Sea.
Walk 1/2 mile and get on the trail to Garnett Peak.
In the town of Mount Laguna is one convenience store with just about everything you'll need last minute, but expect to pay a convenience surcharge.
There is a gear & rec store in town too that is a must visit. Fair prices and just an overwhelming experience. They are very hiker friendly if passing through on the nearby PCT.
There are a lot of nearby peaks and day hikes.
Julian has great pie.
The fire pits are brand new in 2016. Jury is still out. Kind of liked the old ones.
GuideWe stayed here last week during our thru hike of the PCT. The campground is less than a mile from the trail and away from the ridge where there tends to be a lot of wind.
We had a group of 12, so we got two campsites (8 per site for $24 total). The campsite was walking distance to pit toilets and a lot of water spigots. There were picnic tables and fire pits too, but you're not able to have fires right now. The campsite overlooked a big open field with a big Boulder and a small lake. Really pretty spot to sit and watch the sunset.
We were able to get a site just fine but we did notice that all the sites were reserved for the weekend. If you're planning on going here, you might want to shoot for a weekday when it's less crowded or make a reservation well in advance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Pine Valley, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Pine Valley, CA is El Prado Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 22 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 38 glamping camping locations near Pine Valley, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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