Looking for tent camping near San Jacinto? Find the best information on tent camping near San Jacinto, including sites, reviews, and tips for getting the most out of your camping experience. From remote to easy-to-reach, these San Jacinto campsites are perfect for tent campers.
These five remote camping sites offer locations for tent and car camping. There are some mature shade trees near the sites, but other than a metal fire ring for campfires, these sites do NOT contain the amenities found at developed campgrounds. There is no water, no picnic tables, no restrooms nearby, and no trash containers. Please pack it in - pack it out! All sites are first-come, first-served. Campfire permits are required for any type of fire use - campfires, charcoal BBQ's, or stoves. Campfires may not be allowed certain times of the year. Contact the Mill Creek Ranger Station for current fire restriction information and road conditions. (909) 382-2882 (closed Tues/Wed) These yellow post sites are reached via forest road 1N12 (unpaved, trailers and large RVs not suitable). Please refer to the yellow-post site map available for free at the Mill Creek Ranger Station. High-clearance vehicles are recommended and four-wheel drive vehicles may also be required to reach these sites, depending on current road conditions.
San Clemente State Beach camping is located at the south end of the city of San Clemente, California. The area around San Clemente is known for its ocean, hill, and mountain views, a pleasant climate and its Spanish Colonial style architecture. The city slogan is "Spanish Village by the Sea." Visitors are attracted to the San Clemente area for its intense winds and dramatic location. San Clemente has been a California state beach since 1937 and is popular among water sport enthusiasts, and anyone who wishes to escape from inland heat and nearby metropolitan areas for the day. The beautiful mile long beach stretches between the curling ocean surf and the foot of a steep bluff.
$45 - $300 / night
Silverwood Lake camping includes a table, BBQ and fire ring. These sites hold up to 8 persons including children and 3 vehicles. There are boat ramps and boat rentals on-site. You can fish Striped Bass, Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Trout, Catfish, Bluegill, and Carp at the lake.
$45 - $350 / night
These 9 Yellow Post sites are individual camping sites. Each campsite will be available on a first-come-first-serve basis. No reservations. Each site is limited to a maximum of 8 people at any one time. There is limited parking at these Yellow Post Sites for 2 vehicles. Amenities include 1 picnic table and 1 fire ring per site. There are no restroom facilities or drinking water. Please pack it in - pack it out! During winter, Keller Peak Road closes due to snow accumulation, but it is still possible to hike, snowshoe, or cross-country ski to these sites. These sites are near the Children's Forest Visitor Center, the Children's Forest Exploration Trail, and the Keller Peak Fire Lookout. Campfire permits are required for any type of fire use - campfires, charcoal BBQ`s, or gas stoves. Campfires and charcoal BBQ's may not be allowed certain times of the year. Click here for current fire restriction information. Keller Peak Yellow Post Site Map
Water available seasonally. Group size limited to 12 people and 8 pack/riding animals per group. No campfires allowed. Portable gas stoves are allowed with a valid California Campfire Permit. Limited, but free wilderness permits for day hiking and overnight camping are required for the San Gorgonio Wilderness and the Cucamonga Wilderness Permits – they are issued by the San Gorgonio Wilderness Association, a Forest Service partner. Parts of the San Gorgonio Wilderness, including the San Bernardino Peak Trail, are still closed due to the El Dorado fire. Upon completion of your reservation request. you will receive a download. Please retain this download as your permit reservation. You may keep a copy on your phone and show it to a ranger as verification of your permit or you can print it out. If you do not receive a permit use the contact link here: https://sgwa.org/contact/ The Vivian Creek Trail is the shortest and the steepest route to the summit of Mt. San Gorgonio, located in the San Gorgonio Wilderness on the Sand to Snow National Monument. One and two-tenths miles from the trailhead is Vivian Creek Camp (7,100'). Campsites are located upslope to the right of the trail after reaching the stream: one is halfway up the slope, and the other is at the top of the slope (no camping within 200 feet of the trail or creek). One and three-tenths miles from Vivian Creek Camp is Halfway Camp (8,100'). Water is obtained from the creek 200 yards before camp. Two and three-tenths miles further is High Creek Camp (water available - 9,200'). The summit of San Gorgonio (11,499') is 3 miles beyond High Creek. The upper end of this trail offers outstanding views of Yucaipa Ridge and Galena Peak, as well as sweeping panoramic views from the top of Mt. San Gorgonio. General info: No water available. No campfires allowed. Portable gas stoves are allowed with a valid California Campfire Permit. No camping within 200 feet of the trail or creek Wilderness Permit Required - this is a very popular trail, especially on summer weekends. It is suggested you request your permit in advance. Wilderness Permit applications are accepted up to 90 days in advance of your trip. Permits can be obtained from sgwa.org. Fee: Adventure Pass Required $5/day or $30/year. Interagency Passes also accepted.
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
We stayed two nights here in a campervan. It's a really great location to explore the park. The rocks give some good shade. Space #9 was shady in the mornings. The toilets were fine. It was really quiet, they're were a few other campers mostly in tents. No sign of any rattlesnakes or other critters either. Except loads of cute squirrels, and some mice and lizards.
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
Just had the best weekend even with the 3 bears that decided to come by. Group of 30 . Definitely a good time. Be careful with the bears! 😮💨🥰🏕️
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.
Legend
This place is reservation only, through recreation.gov. The rangers at the visitor center do not handle anything with reservations whatsoever. We managed to get two nights fairly last minute, only to arrive and find the campground mostly empty. That’s pretty aggravating, probably due to people making reservations and not showing up.
Sites are $25/night, and rec.gov does not charge a processing fee, which is so nice.
The roads throughout the campground are in terrible shape, but we managed in our 26ft class C. The roads and many of the sites are washed out and crumbling. Most sites are not level. Our site,#90, was ok with leveling blocks.
There’s recycling here (no glass accepted), trash dumpsters, flush toilets, and a free dump station with potable water fill. No showers here. There are many hiking trails directly from the campground, which is nice, but dogs are not allowed on the trails.
ATT had good service and Verizon was usable but very weak.
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.
Scout
Just got back from a 2 night stay with a group of 6 at this camp. Enjoyed the ample space between camps because it allows for extra privacy and less noise from other campers. However, we stayed on a night where a wedding reception was taking place and the DJ sound system was blasting until about 10:15 pm— this is unacceptable for a campground. They should’ve closed the sites all around the wedding area down, we were about a 3 minute walk away and this really tarnished the experience for Saturday afternoon thru evening. Pros- clean accessible bathrooms and showers, gorgeous horse meadow with about 40 horses roaming free. The road into the camp is totally unpaved, so truck & suv recommended. Camp manager Ed was very kind and helpful.
Legend
We traveled as a group of 17 campers and were able to disperse evenly between 4 close together campsites. We were in 19, 20, 21 and 23. Even though the website says it allowed 2 cars per site we were charged for the 2nd vehicle. In each site. I had also checked online prior to make sure we would have cell service with that many people meeting us. Only those of us that had Verizon had only a single bar. The campsites in the inner ring (ours was #21) are VERY close together. Not at all private, your camp is literally up against a couple others. We had children from the other sites running all through ours and it was so close you could hear everyone else’s private conversations. #19 and #20 were on the outer circle but just enough space to park and then walk through very sticky manzanita trees into the campsite and picnic table area. None of them had much or any shade. Our saving grace was our 4th spot - which gave us enough room to have all of us sit out of the way of the sticky trees and one tree in the middle to give us a touch of shade throughout the day. It had 2 picnic tables and was much more private so we didn’t disturb anyone and we didn’t have everyone else disturbing us. The vault toilets (yes, I know what they entail, and yes, it’s summer) were horrendous and barely useable, but we had 2 within very quick walking distance of us. They do allow dogs (we had 5 dogs and 3 cats with us) and it’s a short drive into the little town of Idyllwild. It’s a campground that served its purpose in getting all of us together and of course we had a blast, but it’s not on my “must camp here again” list.
ScoutAlthough we booked a campsite, it felt more like we were invited to Mazen's home. He was communicative and responsive, happily answered all of our questions, and was beyond generous. I can't say enough about the beautiful views of Lake Elsinore! We can't wait to visit this campground again!
Traveler
It was overall a nice campsite. Our site seemed to be pretty large it came with a picnic table & fire pit. The walk to the beach was close seemed maybe about 10 minute till we reached the beach from our site. It is on a hill you need to walk down & back up. The only down side was the bathrooms on the same road as our site were pretty dirty did not seem to have any maintenance during our stay.
ScoutWe couldn't find any campgrounds, after calling multiple places we came across "The Secret Place". They have the best views I have ever experienced! Especially during sunset and as the city lights start to twinkle. Very nice and quiet place. No full hookups, but good bathrooms and showers available. The camp host was knowledgeable about the area and recommended great things to do. Very helpful, very respectful and very friendly. Will definitely stay here again, made our honeymoon trip very memorable! A+ recommend.
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 ⛺️ 🙌🏻
Traveler
There are lots of sites on this road. The closer you are to the road the more dust will get in your site from the vehicles passing. The road here. I went a to the second fork after the Bluff lake fork. There’s a private campground near the Bluff Lake entrance which made noises i can hear from my site which was before Bluffs lake fork. There are over a dozen sites along the main road. If you can pull in, it’s a site. Some better than others and spaced out so you may not see your neighbors from your site. 2x4 accessible as long as it’s not muddy or after snow. I saw a Prius on the trail.
Guide
Nice little site that is right in the middle of everything.
It's crowded and you don't have much space, but if your using this instead of a hotel room it works great.
It had a game room and pool so kids had something to do. There were families all over with kids riding bikes. We had a quick stay over while we were seeing family in the area and it worked great .
Only issue we had is both entrances have a hell of a dip, we scraped the ass end real good going in and out with our 24ft class c.
Traveler
Awesome spot, lots of sights and some even have overlooks of the entire park. Can get crowded but no one was there on a Friday night in July. Bathrooms, trash, water and even buckets to fill to put out your fire. Fire pits, benches and grills nothing more you could want.
GuideOverall great campground, there are definitely some permanent residents but there is more than enough spots to have some privacy.
Scout
Great rv resort. Close proximity to casino.
Scout
Great campground for families. Lots of activities for the kids to do, like smores by the fire, art, splash pad, and play ground. Facility was clean
Scout
We really enjoyed our time at San Gorgonio. The campgrounds were really quiet, the camp host was nice, and the bathrooms were clean.
We were there for the Fourth of July, and while the campgrounds were packed, it was really quiet and not crazy busy.
We stayed at the Group Campsite. There was plenty of space and lots of shade.
There’s beautiful short trails around the campgrounds.
One reminder is that the bathrooms don’t supply soap or towels, so bring your own when you use the bathrooms.
Camping near San Jacinto, California, offers a mix of stunning landscapes and unique experiences. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventurous getaway, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
Camping around San Jacinto offers a variety of experiences, from serene nature to family-friendly activities. Whether you're in a tent or an RV, there's something for everyone to enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near San Jacinto, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near San Jacinto, CA is Thomas Hunting Grounds Yellow Post Campites with a 4.7-star rating from 13 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near San Jacinto, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 46 tent camping locations near San Jacinto, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
