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Agua Caliente Park

3.9 (85 reviews)
Open Open 24 hours

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View from the hiking trail off the campsite.
Miguel M.

There 0 cell reception. If you need cell reception for a quick call or something drive to Vallecito County Park. It's close and has a free "lot" where you can park to use your phone.

Marcus F.

The pros and con of Agua Caliente. We stayed mid-November in a full campground. Temperatures were mild in the mid 70's with lows in the 50's at night. I'll put the one negative about this place up front.. Be very cautious of wind conditions during your stay. Our first night was a catastrophe with winds gusting to 40mph crushing our test and blowing our tent's front door completely open, busting the zipper completely off.. It was like we were on a wooden sailing ship in the middle of a hurricane. No fun patching doors and ripped walls with duct tape at 1am.. Other campers also experienced high winds on their previous visits with disastrous results. So I have to warn you NOT to bring a tall tent to this campground. I swore we wouldn't stay a second night but we did anyway.. There was zero wind on the second night... besides the risk of high winds that's really the only negative here. The campsites were clean but most are located on sandy road cul-de-sacs... Hiking trails - There are two main trails in this park. The Moonlight Canyon (best hiked in the morning), and the overlook trail (perfect for sunsets). Both are family-friendly. I'd recommend hiking moonlight from the East (just past the caravan park) to the West..It slowly progresses up the mountain rather than a brutal straight up climb expecialy on a hot day. - No internet here. - This is a favorite park for boy scout camping trips. - The spa is closed and the pools have limited occupancy. - No annoying squirrels and no yellow jackets. Only scorpions and snakes.

Sherry W.

I don't understand all the negative comments. This is 5 stars for a desert primitive campground. This is not Yosemite! This is out in the middle of the desert. No cell service. It is irritating but don't go if u need to be connected. Campgrounds have kids. Especially on weekends. All campgrounds have some irritating people who like to play music. There are rangers around. We find Aqua Calliente to be a nice quick escape for a few days. Love to go out there for some sunshine as it's a quick trip from Orange County. The sites are very large. They have tent to full hook up sites. Yes it can get windy but in an RV no problem. I'm not a fan of wind. But we have never been effected by it. Check the weather reports! Great hikes. If u have an ATV that is a bonus. We found the pools to be wonderful! Not too crowded and yes, the MINERAL water is not crystal clear. But we found it very clean. While we were there, they were disinfecting the pool handrails. Very well maintained. No fuel out that way so fill up before u get into the desert. If you are in an RV or towing, don't go through Jillian. That road is a tough drive. Go the Lake Henshaw route. We visited Jan 2023.

Sleeping under the stars
Valerie T.

This was the a great escape from the covid era life has thrown. With a mixture of camping sites to RV full hook up sites the park has clean restrooms and a hot spring that runs into a beautiful man made indoor pool for all its visitors to enjoy and relax in the outdoors. If the warmth of the hot spring has your steaming then you can jump into the outdoor pool. Please as a curtesy and in order to keep the hot spring as clean and pure please rinse your body before entering. The park boosts with short and long hikes for anyone, however although pets are allowed at the park they are not allowed on any of the trails. As a friendly park they have an area for picnics, on gorgeous days they have an area for outdoor movies. If you forgot something the local shop on the outskirts of the park has small store filled with extra toiletries, fire wood (which they close early so don't wait until dark) and small pieces of history. Beyond the park are some cool caves and hikes where life escapes you with no cell reception. Take in the stars at night as you cuddle up for campers s'more's. On a gorgeous night uncover your tent or forget it all together as you dream under the stars as the shooting stars can grant your wishes. Nothing says escape like nights under the stars. From the few times we have stayed at this park we have loved it but have somehow been a magnetic to the party animals who have blasted their music, yelling and partying all night. With no cell service the park rangers never came by and our camp sites have all been on the opposite side of the park. We have been very flexible allowing both parties each visit to enjoy the night, but as the clock continues to tick at 2-3am and we still only hear the sounds of people drinking and music we had to ask them to shut it down. We all know covid has us all crazy but just like you we are all escaping the sounds the hustle and bustle life throws for the stars and a night in nature listening to the sounds and quiet nights. That was our only complaint. We still love the park and will continue to hope for better neighbors! If you haven't been it's totally worth checking out. If you have a telescope pack it up with your sleeping bag. This is a great escape for those who want the outdoors with the comforts of plumbing and a hot spring you don't have to hike to.

Camping with friends.
Caroleann B.

A friend of a friend reserved about 2 months ago, a couple of sites for a girls camping trip (2 with tear drop trailers and 1, 8 person tent). It was a great drive from Hwy 76 to the Hwy 79, not having to go through beautiful, but busy Julian. I was one of 2 people, pulling a tear drop (only my second time doing so) so it was a relief that there was little traffic. My friend and I pulled into the park on a Thursday around 4:30, Cinco De Mayo weekend. It was a bit nice to find the park practically empty, but also knowing that would change once Friday came. It gave us time to check out most of the sites, pools and bathrooms. -SITES- We were a bit concerned with our sites #12 and #13, somewhat small, (both located up against the main pool) because we had two tear drop trailers and a total of 5 vehicles that would be arriving a later. I parked the trailer and had to horizontal in front of the trailer. We headed to the Ranger Station to find out what other spots might be available. After speaking with a couple friendly rangers, we went ahead and booked another site, #16, to park the other cars. It is a max of 2 cars, if they could fit, for the sites we had. We were told that as long as no one was camping on the site that we could park all of the cars there if needed. It all worked out. These two sites had electrical hook ups and water post with spigots. - 3 POOLS- *Kiddie* I didn't visit this pool, but it is just above the main pool and has it's own entrance. I could see from a distance that there are some chairs available and unfortunately no shade provided. *Main pool* It has two, medium size, shaded area, one at each end of the pool. The deepest part of the pool is only 5 or 5 1/2 feet. There is plenty of chairs and lounge chairs, but not enough to sit everyone once the pool is packed. Ground is extremely hot (we went in May) bring flip flops! This is a family friendly pool, so expect a little noise. By the way, at sunset you will be surprised to find bats occasionally fly over this pool. I don't know if it's the light in the pool, the sound of the people or the water that is attracting them to the area. I witnessed someone having to remove a bat with the pool net. *Therapeutic* This spa pool is indoor, but with 3 sides with window panels. One side, you have a close up view of the mountainside. You may just want to scan the mountains while you're relaxing in the warm water (102 degrees) you may spot a Bighorn Ram and baby ones too! One ran through our campsite as we were setting up! It looks like this pool has a device to lower anyone with handicap restrictions into the spa. *Hikes* We did only 4 short hikes. All of the trails run into each other. -Nature Trail (.025 mile) - This is a pleasant trail to meander no matter the age. Just take heed to the many cactus that are scattered throughout the trails, especially if you have little ones that like to take off on their own. -Marsh Trail (0.7mile on one side and the other 0.45) This hike has more sandy areas, but still an easy level that any age can walk. Only did I see lizards here. They are pale in color and their tail at the end somewhat curls up when you walk by. -Desert Overlook Trail (0.25 mile) This has a slight incline but still easy for all ages, as long as you don't have physical limitations. It does overlook the campground and the desert. Quite beautiful during our morning stroll -Ocotillo Ridge Trail (0.5 mile loop) Easy walk for all ages... again, a lot of cactus large and small so keep yours eyes open. Don't forget to bring your camera for some nature pics. *Amphitheater* - I found this while on our stroll on the trail. There are picnic benches towards the back and metal seating for viewing the screen. Something you may want to check with the ranger if they will have a show during your stay. *Bathrooms/Showers* - I was apprehensive with the shared men and women bath rooms, but it was convenient for me so that is the one I used. I was told there was another area that had women only showers and toilets, but only two shower rooms. I would definitely return here. It's great to hear the echo of everyones laughter/enjoyment and fun bounce off the mountain side. The star gazing at night is magical~ P.S. Agua Caliente General Store located off site. Also, there are sites that have trees with a lot of blooms that attract bees, not a concern for me but may be for others. Site #14 is one of those sites.

Gorgeous view no matter where you are in the park
Meagan I.

I'm not the biggest fan of camping but this place is beautiful. It's definitely a family place and they have a lot of rules to keep that environment. Rules include being quiet after ten and putting out your campfire etc. It's not unreasonable, it's a nice atmosphere. They have clean bathrooms and shower facilities. You have to shower before using the hot springs for sanitary reasons. They have indoor and outdoor pools which is really nice considering it's cold out right now. This place is clean and a really nice place to spend time in nature. I'd highly recommend it!

Our campsite, #140
Abby W.

I'm writing this review based off of the potential that I think Agua Caliente could have under different circumstances. Our actual experience was under extreme conditions and I imagine that the rest of the year would provide a more relaxing visit. My group visited Agua Caliente over Memorial Day weekend. I do not recommend trying this. There is definitely a reason why this campground closes during the summer. It gets ridiculously hot in the desert! Of course, camping offers very little opportunities to cool off so it makes for a rather unpleasant weekend. The temperatures reached the mid-90s during the day and cooled off only into the 70s at night, which made sleeping difficult. We slept on top of our sleeping bags and woke up as soon as the sun hit our tent as it immediately turned into a sweat lodge. I was amazed that even sitting around the campfire at night that I didn't need anything more than my shorts and tank top. The heat just never subsided! During the day, we attempted to cool off in the outdoor pool. The water felt great and made the temperature bearable but the pool isn't big enough to hold the entire campground, which is what it felt like when we were there. There were way too many unsupervised children jumping into the pool over our heads repeatedly to enjoy the water. At one point, we counted close to 20 kids and about five other adults in the pool. Where did all these kids come from!?! I appreciated the fact that the indoor hot springs had adult only time but who wants to sit in hot water on a hot day? It would be nice if there was an adults only cold outdoor pool too. I did get to enjoy the quiet indoor hot springs on Saturday night though once the sun went down and it was very relaxing. I could see myself spending a lot more time in there during cooler weather. We were disappointed that the indoor hot springs is only open on Fridays and Saturdays at night, even on a holiday weekend. The campgrounds offers other activities, like shuffleboard and horseshoes. We played a few games of each early Saturday morning before it got too hot. Being able to "rent" these for free is a nice touch. My favorite part has to be the 1.4 mile Moonlight Canyon Trail. The head of the trail was right next to our campsite and we kept seeing people walk by to hike all day. We knew better than to attempt to hike in the heat though and we waited until the sun sank below the hillside to begin our journey. Without the sun beating down on us, the hike was actually quite pleasant. The beginning is a relatively easy hike up the rocky hillside with lovely views of the campground and desert below. Then the hike levels off a bit as you work your way around the "mountain" and check out the cool rock formations. There's even a short bit that makes you feel like you're walking through the jungle. There are no markers on the hike to let you know how far you've walked and we questioned a few times if we were going in the right direction. Basically, just stay to the left and you'll find your way. It took us just over an hour or so to finish, which put us back at the campsite at sundown. The only downside is that dogs aren't allowed on the hike. We camped in sites 139 and 140 and loved that they were removed from the other sites. We felt like we had our own private corner of the campgrounds, which allowed us to not have to worry about noise as much. It was also a nice spot for having our dogs as we were able to keep them away from the crowds and cut down on barking. A lot of the other campsites looked like you were camping right up next to the next site, which doesn't look appealing to me. I prefer to have more privacy. As for the bathrooms, I was quite impressed. We had two choices within about equal distance from our campsite and both bathrooms remained fairly clean and well-stocked while we were there. There was only one time (Sunday morning) that the bathroom ran out of toilet paper but I was able to use the family restroom around the corner instead. By that afternoon, the main bathroom had been restocked. There were a couple options for showers too. The bathrooms had coin-operated showers or there were free natural hot springs showers across the street from the pool. I decided to give those a try before paying for them and was pleasantly surprised at the temperature of the water. Considering how warm it was outside, the lukewarm water ended up being the perfect temperature to cool me off while rinsing away the dirt. There is a sulfur smell to the natural hot springs water that is a little off-putting but honestly I was so hot and dirty by the start of day two that I didn't even care. I just wanted to feel comfortable and the water did the trick. I know I can't knock the park for the obscenely hot temperature so I'm going to rate them on the quality of the other amenities. Aside from the crowded pool, I was largely impressed with everything else this park has to offer. I'd return again but only in cooler weather.

Moonlight Trail Hike with my 3 y.o.-about 1.5 miles.
L B.

I truly enjoyed our overnight stay here because of the following: 1) We had a cabin with its own small kitchen sink and toilet. The porch was huge and I can monitor my two small boys in an enclosed space. 2) The showers are decent. It's quarter-operated so bring a roll! It's $1.50 for 6 minutes, I believe. 3) I love the hiking trails they set up. My 3 year old was able to handle the 1.5 mile Moonlight Trail Hike. The trail has A LOT less cacti than the others. 4) The campsite is spacious. I felt safe with the kids wondering off 20 feet from the fire pit and not bother other campers or campsites. 5) The outdoor pool was small but warm and can get crowded with playful kids. I didn't get a chance to check out the indoor pool for adults only. I would spend a weekend here again, in a cabin of course!

Ric B.

My family used to go here to camp in the late 70's and early 80's. I returned with my gf a few weekends ago, and it was a blast. We hiked the Moonlight trail, the Marsh trail, and the Desert Overlook trail, much fun. Also soaked in the hot baths. We built a nice fire and made smores, mmmmm. Good times. One cool thing was the grills attached to the fire rings. You should bring some wood and something to clean the grill with, and of course some meat to grill. I grilled some hot dogs that I brought, but if I would've known about the grills I would've brought a steak or two. Our campsite was near the stream and we heard tons of frogs at night. When I was a kid there were raccoons, but we did not see any. I did hear some coyotes barking at sunrise and that was pretty cool. Can't wait to go back. We stayed at site # 25.

Beautiful View of the valley from the natually heated spring fed pool
Chris W.

One of my favorite places to get away and relax from the everyday hustle. With nothing around you but desert and blue skies, a soak in the pools is a vacation in itself. Yes, they are swimming pools, but they are filled with naturally heated mineral water. The three pools (one enclosed and two outdoor pools) are a great treat during the spring months, with the enclosed heated pool a relaxing soak in the morning or evening. This is a campground, and have both hook-ups and non hook up camp spots available. With the hiking trails all around, this is the perfect weekend get-a-way. A note...the park is closed during the hot summer months of June-Sept. and re-opens labor day weekend.

Our campsite was huge. There are water spigots nearby and restrooms.

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Great stay. Tent sites are right on top of each other. I recommend going on off season. Great hiking. Star

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Ask the Community - Agua Caliente Park

How big are the tent campsites?

Pretty large depending on the site.

Is the baby pool chlorinated my toddlers allergic to chlorine so just wondering?

The baby pool and the enclosed pool for adults are filled with naturally occurring mineral waters from the nearby mountains. I know that the larger pool across the street for the older kids is chlorinated. I'm not 100% sure that they don't use… Read more

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Review Highlights - Agua Caliente Park

The Moonlight Trail is a fun hike although when we were here there was a big windstorm that prevented us from going on it.

Mentioned in 6 reviews

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Volcan Mountain Preserve - Mountain Lion tracks

Volcan Mountain Preserve

4.6(87 reviews)
19.8 mi

We tackled Volcan Mountain Trail with an eight-year-old, so we didn't make it the full way but it…read morewas such a nice experience. We also brought along our dog as it is a dog friendly trail as long as your dog is on a leash. The trail starts out pretty steep, but it's well-marked with clear paths throughout. One thing I really loved was all the signage explaining local plant life and animal tracks so it made the hike feel educational and engaging. My kiddo was really into looking at the different animal paw prints. This trail is great for hiking enthusiasts and beginners alike but just know your limits and pace yourself if you're newer to hiking. I would definitely say if it's sunny to make sure you bring plenty of water with you, but there are a lot of shady spots on this trail so that is a nice change from the hikes that are closer to coastal San Diego.

It's a good hike to pair with a trip to Julian. My husband and I picked up sandwiches in town for a…read morepicnic on the trail. Parked next to the road and knew we were in the right place because of all the other cars. We made our hike a loop as we went up the mountain, taking the 5 Oaks Trail, and then came down using the Vulcan Mountain preserve trail. The 5 Oaks Trail has more of a view. There are a few seats to stop, sit (catch your breath) and enjoy the view. Sadly, we haven't had rain so it wasn't as green as I'm sure it would be on a normal January. Nevertheless, a great hike to work off all the apple pie you eat in Julian.

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Volcan Mountain Preserve - Sign at the trailhead

Sign at the trailhead

Volcan Mountain Preserve
Volcan Mountain Preserve

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Jess Martin County Park - Go pumba go

Jess Martin County Park

4.0(4 reviews)
18.8 mi

My family and I drove up to Julian for a day trip but we knew we needed to let the kids get their…read moreenergy out and we stopped here to explore the playground. The playground equipment seemed newer and the kids loved it. What I loved was that it is completely fenced so I didn't have to be on top of my toddlers and they could explore a bit more on their own. We had a ton of fun climbing up everything and sliding down and using the swings. No one else was there for the majority of the time we were. One other family came for a short period of time and it seemed they were killing time before a photoshoot. Outside of the playground there is some picnicking areas and some sports areas as well. It seems like there can be a good use of space to do many different activities. There is a bathroom there however it is like a camping bathroom with a sink on the outside and nothing more than an outhouse on the inside. I opted to skip it and wait until we got to Julian to use a more modern bathroom. Overall, it was a great stop on the way to Julian for the kids and we will likely stop there again on future trips.

Yes, there actually is a playground! First of all it has…read morewood (pine?) chips and not sand and the play structures are all fairly new and in excellent condition! There is a swing set suitable for babies and a regular one for older kids and two other structures to climb up with a total of six slides.

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Jess Martin County Park - Pumba chasing papa bear

Pumba chasing papa bear

Jess Martin County Park - He fast af boy

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Inaja Memorial Park

Inaja Memorial Park

4.3(9 reviews)
23.4 mi

I was curious to see this trail-park, but didn't know the history till I read the board, (which I…read moreterribly forgot to take a full photo of). It memorializes 11 men that died while digging a fire line on steep canyon - three Forest Service firefighters, seven inmates firefighters & their correctional officer (from the Viejas Honor Camp (prison camp), died at approximately 8:00 PM (part of the blaze looped below their position and overran the crew) The fire, (which was started by arson on November 24, 1956), burned 43,611 acres before containment on the evening of November 28. This is from the National Forest Service Library website. It's has quite a few picnic tables, a couple grills by them but I personally wouldn't want to bbq out there. There are restrooms that are like porta pottys and a short trail (trails) but I didn't walk too far because of my knee. It's a beautiful, peaceful & scenic spot to go to if you live in the area or if you want to add to a pit stop while venturing out here. Main Street in Julian is down from here where you can grab a bite to eat at anyone of the restaurants/cafes.

A small picnic stop on the way up to Julian. We stopped by…read moreto check out the nature trail and its viewpoint of the Santa Ysabel valley. The small loop trail is only .5 miles and about 15 minutes of hiking. This is a great place to stop and stretch your legs, go to the restroom, and maybe have a picnic before heading up to Julian.. - Restrooms - Views - Parking lot

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Inaja Memorial Park
Inaja Memorial Park
Inaja Memorial Park

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Lake Cuyamaca

Lake Cuyamaca

3.7(152 reviews)
16.5 mi

It's a challenge to find serenity in San Diego county. And even harder within driving distance of…read moredowntown. But then there's Lake Cuyamaca, a hidden gem. I went on a 6 mile hike with my wife around the lake and also through a couple of spurs off the main trail. There's one spot where you can look down into a valley and see where all the water collects. In those moments I try to use my mind's eye to see all sorts of animals running around thousands of years ago.

I didn't realize how much you could do at Lake Cuyamaca. Look no further if you want a great…read morecampsite with fishing spots and trails scattered around the area! If you're just visiting for the day like us, you'll need to pay for day use which is $10 per car. This fee is waived for campers or if you purchase a fishing permit (which is separate from the California fishing license). We started off at the Tackle Shop where we figured out our day passes and fishing logistics. The worker gave some great recommendations for fishing spots and this is where our group split, with several people fishing and the rest hiking. The Lake Cuyamaca Loop Trail is fairly easy and straightforward. It's about 3 miles total with little to no elevation gain. The trail mostly wraps around the edge of the lake but there was a section through an open field...the lake probably at one point stretched all the way out there but has dried up now. There's only a small section that had shade so for the most part, you'll be exposed to the sun (I got extremely sunburnt). You can use AllTrails if you're worried about getting lost but I thought the trail was pretty clear. We finished the hike in about an hour and just hung out with the rest of our friends fishing. We got lucky and it was such a beautiful day, with clear blue skies. Will definitely be back because I heard you could rent boats to fish off of! Oh and dogs are allowed as long as they're on a leash!

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Lake Cuyamaca
Lake Cuyamaca
Lake Cuyamaca

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Julian Town Hall

Julian Town Hall

4.3(7 reviews)
19.5 mi

My family and I decided to come to Julian for a couple of days and stayed at an Airbnb about 5…read moreminutes out of town.. We had not been anywhere for quite a while together or separately so this was a easy get away as it is about an hour away from where we live. There are only two ways to get here so check your map before you leave as one way is a very curvy ;() road around Cuyamaca or you can spend an extra 10 or 15 minutes to come to Ramona which I prefer. Although, it is more Scenic going around the Cuyamaca area and seeing the the lake. We spent a couple of hours Friday walking around Julian and there are lots of tourist shops with some interesting items, several breweries and a handful of restaurants and lots of pie shops. If you like pie you'll get a real variety here. For instance, boysenberry Apple Dutch crumb. Yum! We did stop at a barbecue place that was just okay and were able to sit outside. Saturday we came back into town and made a our way up to Menghini Winery which I had not been to in the many years. I was very happy to see it still open and spoke with one of the owners briefly as she told me there were only three people working there and they were only bottling three types of wine. My son's wife and I bought a nice Chardonnay for $27. I tried a little of the Merlot which I liked but was really looking for a Malbec or Meritage which is my favorite. There are a few wineries up here one close to the one we visited called Vulcan and there's a lake there small and one in town. I am posting a little information on the history of the town of Julian so if you're interested you can follow through. It was settled in 1869 and the Julian Hotel was run and owned by the first Afro-American. There used to be a carriage with horses that would take you around town didn't see that this time. There's also a fun mine, a lovely gem shop, a pistol and knife shop. The fresh air was great and the sunrises and sunsets were spectacular. I look forward to coming back here with another adult leave the three teenagers behind. LOL

This was our first stop during our little trip to Julian, we came to Town Hall. They had several…read morepamphlets and maps for around town. Once we stepped inside they had alot of plenty nice looking quilts for sale and for auction. They also had other several little things for sale. We ended up leaving with a homemade lavender candle that actually came in handy at the hotel we ended up staying at lol.

Photos
Julian Town Hall
Julian Town Hall - Opposite view of the street from town hall

Opposite view of the street from town hall

Julian Town Hall - Free reusable bag

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Agua Caliente Park - campgrounds - Updated May 2026

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