Tecate, CA is a great camping destination for adventurers of all types. Discover secluded campsites where you can reconnect with nature. Or maybe you like to bring your family and friends along. Either way, there are Tecate campgrounds just for you. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in Tecate, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.
$24 - $34 / night
"Lake Morena is an awesome place to stay. This was our first campsite during our PCT thru hike, approximately 20 miles from the Mexico border via the trail."
"The campground at Lake Morena has around 80+ spots that range from hookups for RV to basic tent camping. There's a indoor entertainment room and multiple bathrooms."
$30 / night
"My advice is to make a day trip into Tecate also, it’s only 6 miles away. These camp sites are great. I was surprised with how much shade there is; lots of great oak trees. Good hiking trails."
"Nice drive just outside the city, great trail and all the necessary amenities. We will definitely be back!"
$24 / night
" The Lake Morena campground is well-kept and relaxing. It has a variety of sites including full-hookup, partial hookup, and tent only."
"The views of the lakes and mountains are breathtaking. Lots of wildlife to see. Bobcats, deer, quail, rabbits and wild turkeys. Good internet if on Verizon network"
"Locations near Jamul Casino. Staff is kind and professional. Full hookups sites. Fill propano available. Spot are very big. The pool and kid playground are great."
"Showers were nice and warm, and not coin operated - a rarity given the water droughts around CA."
$34 - $38 / night
"I’m not sure you’ll find a campground like this anywhere else in California for $29/night with partial hookups. It was quiet and peaceful. Bathrooms could have used some attention."
"The campground also has some nice amenities: good trail system, a splash pad (open in spring and summer months), a playground, some areas to have a group picnic, even a large event room."
"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."
"Nice spacious sites at this county run campground near the border. Lots of shade trees. Trails, playground, cabins for rent and pavilion that can be rented for large group meetings/dinners."
$35 - $140 / night
"This location is a hidden gem in the outskirts of the city."
"We had scoped this out as a wintering location for my snowbird dad, and I always remembered how powerfully silence of that hillside had impacted me... finally camped there- it was lovely!"
$35 / night
"I love this campground because it's woodsy and close to home. You get that far away feel without being too far away. "
"We had hosts that were helpful, friendly, the restrooms were stocked/clean, they brought firewood around, and were just good people."
"There's enough space to spread out when it's not busy, but if all the spots are taken it would feel too close to other campers for us."
"Right next to one of the main trails and surrounded by 50+ miles of them."
$35 / night
"This is the closest campground to the lakes. Just a couple steps away from the beautiful meadow it overlooks. Lots of trees for hammocking!!"
"It is a big, big campground that is wooded and adjacent a large meadow, recreational area and lake (when not dried out, drought sucks)."
TravelerGreat pull thru sites on level concrete pads. Full hookups. Many hiking trails and bicycle trails.
GuideThe good things about this place is, relatively cheap compared to most RV places in the area around San Diego; decent bath/shower rooms + no coins; pool/hottub/gym/gameroom/laundry available; you can walk to some restaurants and a dollar tree Cons on this place would be terrible “dog park” there’s a bit of space but nowhere will you find actual grass for any of the many dogs that are here with their campers; every site is covered in gravel (just not my favorite); a lot of sites are fully exposed to sun throughout the hole day; very little to no privacy here
TravelerPaved. Crowded. Polluted ocean, no swimming allowed at this time. Expensive. But you are on an uncrowded beach.
ScoutGreat area--it's just close enough to some expensive campgrounds and a few connecting trails, so it's awesome to camp here for FREE. Pine Creek Road itself is paved, and the camping spots are packed dirt so it's easy to get around even in a FWD. Warning though: if you're nervous about driving on single lane mountain roads, this is not the place for you! Pine Creek Road is several miles long, with some sections that are on sheer cliff edges with very few turn-off spots to allow for passing.
Additional word of warning: the camping spots are not close together and there seemed to be very few of them. Even driving slowly, I counted only 6 or 7 sites total, separated by up to a mile. I saw only 1 other spot with campers, at least 2.5 miles from my site. Some of the sites are fairly large--could easily fit 2 cars and a couple tents--but others seemed to be just large enough to pull off the road and sleep in the car (no tent space). Some spots were tucked back from the road with lots of trees (I barely saw or heard any cars, even though I was probably only ~15ft from the road); but some were barely more than a shoulder with no trees for coverage. I stayed in the same spot two nights in a row, though I packed up during the day because I assumed I'd find another spot down the road. At least in the site I picked, there was very little trash from previous campers.
Suggestion for the permit: make sure you apply for the free permit a few days in advance especially if you plan to go on the weekend. List the place you're going as "Pine Creek dispersed camping," and keep a printed copy in your car. I didn't have trouble with any rangers, but it's better to be safe than fined. Very spotty service (Verizon), which makes navigation and planning difficult if you don't pre-download trail maps.
ScoutHad a great time here and the staff were amazing. Highly recommend. Has a pool, park for the kids, and a little shop to get any of your necessities.
TravelerGreat spot for camping , if you have a big rig it’s a little tight to move around on the roads but definitely nice for sprinters / trucks / suvs or even cars ! Roads are PAVED , I think thats new because I don’t remember that last year when i went !
ScoutLots of things to do! Right next to the beach, large campgrounds! Fire pits and dog friendly!
ScoutOverall the campground / park is very nice and has all of the amenities (toilets, showers, water, etc.). The view overlooking the water is nice!
It is a very populated area, the campsites are close to one and other. That said, we had a nice space. There is a highway (the 101) and active railroad adjacent to the park.
ScoutI've camped at Burnt Rancheria for about 15 years. The hosts that were there in 2024 were ATROCIOUS, unfriendly, intrusive and homophobic. I'm thrilled to say that a new company was hired to run the campground for 2025 called WesTrek- and what a difference! Our camping trip was WONDERFUL last weekend.
We had hosts that were helpful, friendly, the restrooms were stocked/clean, they brought firewood around, and were just good people. Big shout-out to the hosts Dax, Lane, Nick,& Sara-- we will happily start camping here regularly again! So relieved that we can actually*relax* in nature and not have camp hosts driving by every five minutes glaring at us!
One other thing to note- the campground is divided into two parts. The south half(more chapparal) can be reserved online. It has the showers and flush toilets. The north side(more pines!) is first-come/ first-serve only and close by the overflow parking, vault toilets only. Potable water available throughout whole campground. 10/10 one of my fave spots in southern california!
Camping near Tecate, California, offers a mix of beautiful landscapes and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventure-filled weekend, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
Camping near Tecate, California, has something for everyone. Whether you're with family or exploring solo, you'll find plenty of options to enjoy the great outdoors.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, Tecate, CA offers a wide range of camping options, with 126 campgrounds and RV parks near Tecate, CA and 15 free dispersed camping spots.
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Tecate, CA is Lake Morena County Park with a 4.7-star rating from 15 reviews.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 15 free dispersed camping spots near Tecate, CA.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 4 parks near Tecate, CA that allow camping, notably Bankhead National Forest and Chugach National Forest.
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