Tent camping in San Diego County runs from coastal bluffs to desert and mountain campgrounds. This guide covers State Parks, County Parks, Cleveland National Forest, BLM wilderness and lake campgrounds, with fees and booking from agency pages read October 23, 2026. Read the rules page first: fire orders are in force.Checked October 23, 2026.
Places in Tent Camping
Tent Camping Rules, Fire and Permits
Fire orders, the 14-day cap, booking systems and closures as read on October 23, 2026.
State CampgroundPaso Picacho Campground
85 sites at 5,000 feet in Cuyamaca Rancho, $40 a night, trailhead for Stonewall and Cuyamaca peaks.
State CampgroundGreen Valley Campground
81 creekside sites at 4,000 feet in Cuyamaca Rancho, $40 a night, plus two first-come walk-in camps.
State CampgroundDoane Valley Campground
31 sites among pines and cedars on Palomar Mountain, $40 a night, trout pond nearby.
State CampgroundBorrego Palm Canyon Campground
The main developed desert campground, tent sites $35, at the Borrego Palm Canyon trailhead.
State CampgroundTamarisk Grove Campground
Shady desert grove with tent sites at $35 and cabins at $70, open October to May.
State CampgroundBow Willow, Mountain Palm Springs and Fish Creek
Three basic Anza-Borrego camps at $20 a night; details beyond the fee are thin on the park page.
State CampgroundSheep Canyon Campground
Remote Coyote Canyon camp at $20 a night; the road was posted closed on October 23, 2026.
RulesAnza-Borrego Backcountry Camping
Primitive camps, roadside camping and walk-in camping rules, with the 30-day limit and fire notice.
State CampgroundSouth Carlsbad State Beach Campground
Bluff-top ocean campground, tent sites $50 inland and $70 oceanfront, 7-night peak limit.
County CampgroundLake Morena County Park Camping
86 camp and group sites plus 10 cabins beside a stocked lake at 3,000 feet.
County CampgroundPotrero County Park Camping
Quiet oak valley with 37 campsites and two wilderness cabins near Campo and Tecate.
County CampgroundDos Picos County Park Camping
Oak-shaded Ramona campground with tent spots, partial-hookup sites and six accessible cabins.
County CampgroundAgua Caliente County Park Camping
Winter-season desert campground with geothermal pools, tent and hookup sites and seven cabins.
County CampgroundVallecito County Park Camping
44 primitive campsites and eight horse sites around a rebuilt Butterfield stage station.
County CampgroundWilliam Heise County Park Camping
Pine and oak forest camping at 4,200 feet above Julian, with cabins, tent sites and snow most winters.
County CampgroundSweetwater Summit Regional Park Camping
112 camp sites for tents, trailers and RVs on a South Bay hilltop with trails and an amphitheater.
County CampgroundGuajome Regional Park Camping
33 tent and RV sites near Oceanside with ponds for fishing and about 4.5 miles of trails.
County CampgroundTijuana River Valley Campground
Partly reopened County campground with 10 yurts and sites 1-13; read the health notice first.
Forest CampgroundBurnt Rancheria Campground
Large forest campground at 6,000 feet in the Laguna Mountains, $35 a night, Pacific Crest Trail access.
Forest CampgroundLaguna Campground
Five-loop year-round forest campground at 6,000 feet, $35 a night, with a fenced butterfly area.
Forest CampgroundCibbets Flat Campground
24 first-come sites in the Descanso district at $20 a night, with vault toilets and water.
Forest CampgroundBoulder Oaks Campground
Descanso district equestrian camp with 24 sites, 17 horse stables and $5 walk-in tent sites.
Forest CampgroundObservatory Campground
42 sites on Palomar Mountain; fee wording conflicts, and a Boil Water Advisory was posted October 23, 2026.
Forest CampgroundFry Creek Campground
Small Palomar Mountain camp with 20 sites at $15, no trailers, no potable water, Boil Water Advisory posted.
Forest CampgroundOak Grove Campground
64 sites including 11 doubles at $15 a night, with flush toilets and potable water.
Forest CampgroundAtaxam Mamta’ash Campground
17 low-cost sites at $12 a night on the Pacific Crest Trail near Warner Springs, no water on site.
Forest CampgroundCleveland National Forest Group Campgrounds
Group sites at Crestline, El Prado, Horse Heaven and Wooded Hill, from $60 to $110 a night.
RulesCleveland National Forest Backcountry Camping
Permit rules for remote camping in all three ranger districts, the 14-day cap and the fire order.
BLM WildernessOtay Mountain Wilderness Camping
16,885-acre BLM wilderness near the border, camping allowed for 14 days under Stage II fire rules.
BLM WildernessJacumba Wilderness Camping
31,357-acre BLM wilderness off I-8 where camping is listed but no limit is stated.
Lake CampgroundLake Cuyamaca Tent Camping
Three tent areas at 4,600 feet from $35 a night; no wood fires, no swimming.
Lake CampgroundDixon Lake Camping
City of Escondido lake campground: $30 regular sites, $50 deluxe, charcoal fires only.
Lake CampgroundSantee Lakes Tent Sites
Fifteen tent sites inside a mostly-RV campground, one tent and six people per site.
Map of Tent Camping
Not pinned (no confirmed location yet): Tent Camping Rules, Fire and Permits, Paso Picacho Campground, Green Valley Campground, Doane Valley Campground, Borrego Palm Canyon Campground, Tamarisk Grove Campground, Bow Willow, Mountain Palm Springs and Fish Creek, Sheep Canyon Campground, Anza-Borrego Backcountry Camping, South Carlsbad State Beach Campground, Lake Morena County Park Camping, Potrero County Park Camping, Dos Picos County Park Camping, Agua Caliente County Park Camping, Vallecito County Park Camping, William Heise County Park Camping, Sweetwater Summit Regional Park Camping, Guajome Regional Park Camping, Tijuana River Valley Campground, Cleveland National Forest Group Campgrounds, Cleveland National Forest Backcountry Camping, Otay Mountain Wilderness Camping, Jacumba Wilderness Camping, Lake Cuyamaca Tent Camping, Dixon Lake Camping, Santee Lakes Tent Sites.
Start With The Rules
Tent Camping Rules, Fire and Permits covers the fire orders, stay limits and booking systems for each agency, as read on October 23, 2026.
Camping Pages Elsewhere on This Site
These places have their own pages covering more than camping. See also Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, Lake Cuyamaca, Anza-Borrego Visitor Center, San Elijo State Beach, Carlsbad State Beach, Lake Jennings, Silver Strand, Pioneer Mail Picnic Site and Desert View Picnic Site.
Who These Campgrounds Suit
Most developed campgrounds here suit all ages. State park campgrounds require minors under 18 to be with a parent or guardian or carry a permission letter. Primitive and backcountry camps suit experienced campers.
Events in Tent Camping
0 confirmed dates are on the Tent Camping events page, from the organizers’ own pages.
What We Could Not Verify
- Several agency pages do not state rates, site counts or booking windows; each campground page lists what is missing. County nightly rates appear only on the County reservation system.
- Lake Jennings: the Helix Water District page (read by hand 2026-10-23) lists 39 no-hookup tent sites, 17 sites with electricity and water, 35 with electricity, water and sewer, and a Super Site for up to 12, with reservations at lakejennings.org. Fees, hours and rules are not on that page and are not confirmed; Lake Jennings can confirm. See the Lake Jennings page in the East County guide.
- Silver Strand, San Onofre Bluffs and Dripping Springs campgrounds are not given pages here because their details were not confirmed (see the notes below).
- A campground called “Corte Madera” could not be matched to any San Diego County camp. Not confirmed.
FAQ
Where can I book a campsite in San Diego County?
State parks use ReserveCalifornia, County parks use the County reservation system, and Cleveland National Forest campgrounds use recreation.gov. BLM wilderness has no booking.
Are campfires allowed?
Only in some places. The forest bans fires outside listed campgrounds through December 31, 2026, and BLM land is under Stage II. Read the rules page.
Sources
- California State Parks: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
- California State Parks: Cuyamaca Rancho State Park
- County of San Diego Parks: Lake Morena
- Cleveland National Forest: camping and cabins
- BLM California: fire restrictions
Checked October 23, 2026 by It’s San Diego. Cite this page: It’s San Diego (itssandiego.com), checked October 23, 2026. Free to quote with a link to this page; tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.