Paso Picacho Campground — Cuyamaca Rancho State Park

Returning experience in a beautiful place

My family and I take a yearly camping trip and this is one of the sites that we regularly come to. We are a big group of 19 and find this place very comfortable and enjoy the trails. However, we will not be returning! A squatter had hijacked one of our reserved spots and the rangers have done nothing but give is the run around. They just allowed her to stay in our reserved spot the entire stay. The rangers just kept making excuses for the squatter. What was supposed to be a carefree week turned to a stressful and cramped week. They do not care about the campers and it clearly shows.

My wife and I stayed here in early May 2021. This was our second time at Paso Picacho after visiting here a few years ago. We were even more impressed this time around. I can't say enough about this place. The grounds are serene and well kept, the atmosphere is relaxed and most of the campers were very respectful. The campsites are huge, if you know which ones to nab with an early reservation, and the staff there are just the most delightful people on earth.

On our first night there, a couple of huge pickups showed up to the spot right above ours at midnight, and they blasted music, partied, and screamed at the top of their lungs often (for whatever reason), and we couldn't sleep. We were super bummed and had thought it was pretty much going to be an awful trip. However, we talked to the campground host and the staff at the entrance, and they were super understanding and helpful. They said that they know people come here for peace and quiet, and that they take it seriously when any campers violate their quiet hours rules.

The camp host hopped on a cart right away and sped away to the offending sites to give them a talking to and made sure to mention that if they violated the noise rules again, they would send in rangers and have them booted out of the campground. It worked like gangbusters! The rest of our trip was amazing, and we didn't hear so much as a peep from the neighboring sites (it was a big group) all weekend. The camp host followed up with us afterward and said that we could come by his site anytime and tell him if the other campers were loud again, even if it was 3am in the morning. He said, "It's no trouble. That's what I'm here for."

Awesome, awesome, awesome. The fire pit worked out great, and we were able to cook all of our meals on the grill that comes with it using the cast iron skillets we bought. They had plenty of wood for sale at the front, as well as ice. The wood price is a little steep ($8 per bundle), but all that money goes back into the park. Knowing that, it actually felt good paying them for the wood rather than buying it elsewhere.

The trails were well kept, and the views were fantastic even with the fire damage. We got to do everything that we wanted to do and then some. We even had time to go to Julian and do some shopping - check out the Cider Mill for some delicious treats!

As far as campsites go, our site (#30) was so, so great. We researched a lot online beforehand (campsitephotos.com was helpful along with this site, Google reviews, and Yelp), so we had a pretty good idea of what the site was going to look like.  But it was even better than the pictures. It was a huge site with plenty of room for 2 tent pads. The picnic table and fire pit were positioned just under a huge, climbable tree that gave us plenty of shade while we were there. The only downside to this site is that it was very close to the bathrooms. That actually bummed me out a bit when we first arrived, but it ended up not being much of an issue at all. The traffic to and from the bathrooms was very light, and the section of the bathroom building facing our site was all showers, which barely anybody used. There is also a lot of bushes and tree cover in between the site and the bathrooms, so we barely saw anybody the whole time we were there.

Reading reviews online is what helped us find such a great spot, so I promised myself  I would walk the grounds and post all of the good site numbers online when we got back. So here they are, at least in my opinion:

Top Three

30: our site- the best!

70: easily the 2nd best site on the grounds- very private, secluded, lots of bush cover, fire pit and table are far from the road- the only downside to this site it that it has very little shade, so bring a canopy or tarp to setup your own shade situation. Other than that, this site was incredible. We will probably check this one out when we go back here in the fall.

85: My pick for the 3rd best site on the grounds, although my wife disagreed. This site is surrounded by forest, trees, and bushes on 3 sides. If you don't count the front facing view, it is one of the most secluded sites in the campground. It is on the outside of a bend in the road, and there are no other sites to the left and right of it. I personally prefer a"bathroom bush" close by to save myself from having to walk to the bathrooms in the dark, and this place has tons of'em. The downside here is that the front of the campsite faces 2-3 other sites that are right across the road. If the site were a house, basically the"front door" is wide open to the campers across the way. If you had a bad group camping across from you, it might be not so fun. However, you can park your car in such a way that it would block out some of that wide open space in the front, making it more private.

Honorable Mention

44: my wife's pick for 3rd- big site, lots of shade, secluded, a little too close to the neighboring site on the left side(facing the site from the road) but nothing but road on the right side

8: Nice, big site that is not close to other campsites. Private, secluded. Lots of trees and shade. The downside to this one is that it is right across from a cabin. Depending on the campers using the cabin during your visit, that proximity to the cabin might be a bummer. However, there were no big parties at the cabins while we were there.

51: Good site, lots of trees and shade. Semi-private.

54: Good site, lots of trees and shade. Not all that private- kind of open and on a little bit of a slope.

20: Just kinda okay. Trees and shade but not very private or secluded. Good if all of the above are booked.

Lots of sounds and sites to explore!! The spaces all had water and fire rings with tables. Bathrooms and showers were decent and relatively clean...showers do cost 25 cents for 2 minutes!

We spent 5 days here in mid November M-F. We brought our tiny travel trailer (13 ft) and dog. The campground was nice and relatively empty during the week, and started to fill up on the Friday when we left. We were on site 68 which was convenient to the restrooms, trails, and had very pretty views to the rear of the campsite.   

The site was relatively easy to back into for a newbie like me, and did need about 4-5 inches of leveling blocks on one side. On the side of the driveway is about 3 ft x 3 ft grating for drainage that dips about 6-8 inches below grade that we dubbed "the tank trap". I was worried about it because of my low clearance on the trailer, but we were able to avoid it on the way in and out.  

Because of the way this site is organized, there was not a great deal of room by the trailers front door. I could see that being a bummer for people who would want to use their awning on the right hand side of the trailer. However we use a pop-up shade, so we just set it up to the left side of the trailer.  

Julian is about 25 min away and is a fun place to visit and have lunch or dinner, and the Wolf rescue nearby would be a neat place to visit if we were not traveling with a dog. We also drove the nearby Sunrise Highway for a ways for some beautiful views down into Anza-Borrego.  

Other sites that looked nice and level for a small trailer, easy to back into,  and had pretty views where sites #52 & #35  

It should be noted that there are no water, sewer nor electrical hookups at this campsite (as stated on their website). There is a pumpout station near the entrance that can be used for $10. My freshwater tank is a 7 gallon jug that I filled at the nearby water faucet (water is very sweet here).

I stayed at the Pasa Picacho part of the park. It started out great, as 2 deer ran in front of me pulling in. When I first booked it, I planned on having working solar, but I’m still having issues. No hookups at all, and I didn’t want to cancel, but in hind site I should have, since I forgot to fill my fresh water tank. The space they gave me is only a couple feet wider then rig, and it’s on a corner. I tried to park it, and tried again, before I rode around and tried again. This time I got it. Then I take a walk around with my dog and see these huge sites sitting there empty! Plus there was no Ranger when I arrived, and haven’t seen one riding around. My stay is being cut short anyway, because the solar guy gets it this weekend. I’m sure it’s beautiful here, but I didn’t come in the right frame of mind. Would definitely be back at a larger site. They have restroom/showers around, and water on spigots around the campground.

Stayed here in mid August, and it was warm during the day but surprisingly not too hot. Nights were comfortable. The hosts were great, bathrooms were clean, and the site had a fire pit & picnic table. Lots of hikes nearby too. We did find a scorpion under one tent, so keep an eye out for visitors!

Lovely campground, lots of shaded spots. We came during the week and essentially had the place to ourselves. Short walk to Stonewall Peak trailhead. 15 minute drive to Green Valley Falls. Nice amenities: coin showers, individual bathrooms. Tons of cool birds to watch.

This place is a good campground but the sites are to close together. A few hiking trails in the area but the best option is a 30 minute drive to a 3 pool gorge that you can swim and frolick in.

This camping site is great, clean, beautiful and spacious. Only complaint is quiet hours were not enforced. Me and my buddies took a trip here to relax on our first day off work in weeks. Couldn’t sleep or hear each other with the amount of noise and music the neighbors created. Other than that the trails were beautiful and there are spots to swim within the water falls.

Love it... I’ve been camping there since the 1990’s... the camp sites are great... lots of room on your sites, trees, hiking, beautiful. I have camped other places but this is my favorite.

Didn’t know that this type of camping (actual woods) existed this close to San Diego. Located under stonewall peak south of Julian; this campground is close to Lake Cuyamaca, hiking and plenty of mountain biking. Flushable toilets and showers were clean. Our site had a running water spigot. There are reservations on recreation.gov but we just showed up and paid via the iron ranger (envelope drop box). Any site on on the board at the entrance station was fair game when we arrived. The rangers update the board daily depending on the online reservations. Will definitely stay again in the future! Our site was #41.

This review is very late but I just found this app. We went here in april 2017 to find a very eirie and secluded campground. There was nobody around and it just felt creepy. Later that night we heard screaming in the forest. Blood curdling screams from a woman off in the distance. We packed up and left in under a few minutes and found that somebody had closed the entry gate from vehicle traffic where the unmanned ranger booth was. Very bad experience and I am somebody who has been camping my whole life. Wouldn’t recommend. Super creepy area.

We've stayed at the sister campground, Green Valley, a few times and always enjoyed it. This one was similar and equally nice. Decently maintained, good sites, and a nice remote location.

Some of the sites are not level though, so be careful choosing.

We also liked that we could do the Stonewall Peak hike from the campground without having to drive anywhere.

Nearby to San Diego, quick drive and you are there. Nice shady areas, plenty of hiking / biking trails around. Bathrooms are a plus.

This Is a really fun family friendly campsite that is a short drive from San Diego. There are convenient market within a 10 minute drive of the site for extra supplies. The state park visitor center is just up the road, and that is a fun visit for people curious about the area, or for kids to be involved in junior ranger activities.

On our last visit to this side, we did a very fun day hike with our floor-year-old and six-year-old. We also participated in a junior ranger event that was put on at the campsite. The campsite some cells are very well-maintained. The majority of the other people staying at this site word families, and everybody was veryrespectful Of each other’s campsites, and the bathroom facilities are very well-maintained. :-)

All and All, one of our favorite sites for a quick get out of town, and get into nature sites in the San Diego area.

This is a great campground all year long. You feel like you are in the middle of nowhere even though there is a small mountain town 20 minutes away and east county San Diego is only 40 away. Great for campers who like to hike. Lots of sites to choose from. Plenty of animal and bird watching. Star gazing is amazing as well. I have camped here in fall, spring and summer. I have never been disappointed.

There's about 90 campsites here, with a few on the outer loop that provide alot of space. There's some hiking trails that aren't dog friendly. Cuyamaca lake, Anza Borrego, and Julian are nearby to explore.

We had a hard time finding the exact location for the campground but once we did we fell in love. the spots arent too close together and there are a lot of trees. the hiking trails are easily accessible and facilities are clean. there is a lot of room for kids to explore safely even if it snows. the campground is walk up only in the winter and is beautiful in the snow. it's a nice escape from the warm city when it snows.

have only tent camped so not sure about hook ups. hike across the road is great but do it early before it gets hot. bathrooms get a little trashed by Sunday morning. crew doesn’t keep up. spots nice size for three tents, group of 8. bring ant spray. hard to get reservations. stop for breakfast at the lake while you’re in the area.

We had a quick little 1 night trip here for Mother's Day weekend. The campground is gorgeous with views of Stonewall Peak. We stayed in campsite #19 which had plenty of room with lots of shade. Best part was that there is a clearing with a meadow right behind the campsite which was perfect little area to have the kiddos explore with out wandering to far from camp. The site provided a picnic table, fire ring and there was also a water spout. The trash cans were just a few feet from the site and the bathrooms were a short walk just a couple spots away. Bathrooms were clean; would suggest bringing a headlight for night time bathroom visits. Best sites we thought were #83-85 as provided the most privacy.

We spent the day at Lake Cuyamaca which is just a five min drive from the campground. There is a little general store there and a restaurant. Great place to fish even though we didnt have any luck this time. Spotted a pair of bald eagles while at the lake. The campground is dog friendly but the surrounding area is not. Dogs are not allowed on the trails; however, they are allowed on the fire road and picnic area. Next time we come back we will leave the dogs at home so can hike the trails from the campground that lead up to Stonewall Peak.

Lots of spaces and there are usually spots open for first come first serve. Arrived late but the ranger and host were nice and welcoming. Not the most amazing stargazing, but quite solid

Paso Picacho is one of those places you go to and then instantly wish you had gone to a long time ago. It's a lovely, clean campground just across the street from Stonewall Peak. It's in the forest and has actual seasons so you can enjoy pine trees in the fall and a bit of snow in the winter. Pop up to Julian in the morning for some pie.

Amazing place to stay. If you're coming to the area, give it a go!

I took my 4-H club hiking and here in April 2017. We will definitely be back. We had a ton of fun and I've stayed at one of the other local campsites before.

Pros:

• The campsites were well laid out
• The scenery was beautiful
• The staff was great and friendly.
• The trails are easily accessible and fun. There's something for everyone.
• Water & full bathrooms are always available. Restrooms are recently remodeled.

Cons:

• Dont bring your dogs unless you plan on staying in camp. They aren't allowed on trails.
• Campsites are close together and people aren't very respectful.
• Finding your spot can be confusing. Signs can easily be missed and there aren't signs to every campground.

40 mins from downtown and feels like you're in a different world. Cute little sites with fire pits and ample room for hammocking, as well as clean restrooms dotted throughout the campground. Short drive to the lake for fishing and short walk to multiple hiking trails. We'll definitely be back!