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Otay Mountain Wilderness Camping

Part of Tent Camping, our guide to tent camping in San Diego County.

Otay Mountain Wilderness is 16,885 acres of BLM land near the U.S.-Mexico border. Camping is permitted for up to 14 days; after that campers must relocate at least 25 miles. All San Diego County BLM lands were in Stage II on October 23, 2026: no open fires of any kind.Checked October 23, 2026.

16,885acres
14 dayscamping limit
25 mirelocate after 14 days
Stage IIno open fires, read 2026-10-23
A steep brushy hillside with dry chaparral and green shrubs in the folds of the slope
Chaparral hillsides in the Otay Mountain Wilderness. blmcalifornia, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
Managed byBLM Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office; contact 760-833-7100
LocationEastern San Diego County near the U.S.-Mexico border
Fees and permitsNone stated on the page
AllowedHikers and backpackers; dogs under control; horses. No bikes or motor vehicles.
Camping rulesCamp in previously disturbed sites; dead-and-down wood only when permitted
Who it suitsExperienced backpackers. The page sets no age limit that was read.

Fire Rules Read 2026-10-23

The BLM California fire restrictions page lists all San Diego County BLM lands in Stage II: no open fires of any kind; portable stoves and lanterns with shut-off valves allowed with a valid California Campfire Permit; smoking only inside an enclosed vehicle or camp trailer. See the BLM fire page.

What We Could Not Verify

  • Trailhead access and safety near the border. The BLM Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office (760-833-7100) can confirm.
  • Coordinates were not retrieved, so no map point is shown.

More in Tent Camping

FAQ

How long can I camp in Otay Mountain Wilderness?

The BLM page says 14 days, then relocate at least 25 miles from the previous site.

Can I have a campfire?

Not under Stage II as read 2026-10-23. Check the BLM page for changes.

Sources

  1. BLM: Otay Mountain Wilderness
  2. 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.