Part of Tent Camping, our guide to tent camping in San Diego County.
Santee Lakes is mostly an RV park, but it has 15 sites for tent campers. Each tent site allows one tent and six people, and up to three leashed dogs. Tell staff you are a tent camper when you book. A separate tent rate is not listed online.Checked October 23, 2026.

Campfire Rules
Campfires need a fire receptacle, must be contained and off the ground, and be out by 10 p.m. Campfires are not allowed in the Mulberry Loop.
More About This Preserve
See Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve for the lakes and playgrounds.
What We Could Not Verify
- The tent site rate. Santee Lakes (619-596-3141) can confirm.
- The booking window. Santee Lakes can confirm.
- Coordinates were not retrieved, so no map point is shown.
More in Tent Camping
FAQ
Does Santee Lakes allow tents?
Yes. The campground FAQ says it has 15 sites for tent campers.
How many people fit on a tent site?
Six people and one tent per campsite, per the FAQ.
Sources
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.