My daughter and I camped here for a weekend with a YMCA father daughter camp in November. We had a…read moreblast. The soave is huge. Girls used bikes to get around although not necessary. The group campgrounds are decent with electric and water. Also rocks to play on. Bathrooms are ok although many ran out of soap. They have a row of private bathrooms and buildings with stalls. They also have private showers. And shower stalls. We didn't use them so can't review. Here are some of the activities BMX and Jr BMX tracks-girls loved this Zip lines for kids loved this too Laser tag-some guns didn't work so we only did this once Archery- bows made for older kids. Our 6 year olds could not use BB gun range-very fun. Too hard for kids to cock guns so dads had to Animal farm donkeys goats etc Gaga ball Large playground Pools were closed for the winter We'll return next year

We stayed here for the weekend in the miner's shack. 7 bunk beds with mats and yay for…read moreelectricity, right at the entrance, across from bathroom and showers (free with hot water!) Very convenient for families with littles. Does get cold at night since it's not insulated. If you come in a large group, I would recommend booking the stagecoaches which is across the road from the miners shack because they have their own shaded picnic tables and access to the outdoor stage. Stagecoach are also equipped with 7 bunk beds, does rock when someone gets on/off the beds. Lots of activities for additional charge.. during the day, zip lining, bmx course archery, laser tag, paintball and pool. There's also free activities like the huge playground, hiking trails and petting zoo (we dropped by the nearby groceries store and brought up a 10lb bag of carrots to feed the animals) Meals were served 3x a day, with a nice variety of options, no one complained about being hungry. The general store does have additional snacks like ice cream and icy for a minimal charge.

Booked a camping trip on July 4th weekend. They only allow weekend camping. The campgrounds is very…read morewell kept up. Bathrooms clean, the showers do take several minutes to warm up if you want to take a warm shower. My son & I were really looking forward to fishing in the lake as their website mentions there is a lake there to fish out of. There is a LOT of reeds/marsh grass all along the lake. There are a few open spots where you are able to cast out your line, although you have to be very very careful when doing so or else you will get stuck in the trees/marsh grass and it is A PAIN to get your line out. We felt pretty defeated that we weren't able to fish. The staff that works here are so pleasant. This campground is great if you are looking to hike or bike. For fishing I would give it a 2/10. Also, you are able to cook here with a propane stove or on top of the firepit as the pits have a grill that you can place your pots & pans on top of. Or you can drive just 5 minutes away to get food if you don't want to cook. The campsites are small with very little shade. If you plan to camp out here, bring a canopy. Definitely worth a visit, don't think we will be back though. And that is only because we went to fish out of the lake.

Conveniently close to the city yet feels isolated. The $22+ campground reservation fee was perfect…read morefor what you get. No water hookups, no electricity. They do provide a firepit, concrete table and "cooking square" as well. Parking spots can fit up to 2 vehicles. There is NO shade at any of the rental spots so make sure to provide your own as it gets very, very hot in the sun and in your tent. The bathrooms were very clean and well stocked and had warm water. We were able to fit 2 (4-6 person) tents very comfortably with lots of room to spare in one spot and 2 (8-10 person) tents in the other very tightly next to each other. We had a group of 4 adults and 12 children and were very comfortable in our 3 spots right next to each together.

So much fun. Found this place by accident. What a hidden Gem. Only a handful of spots so your not…read morecrowded in. Kids round their bikes with no worries of traffic. We all fished the big pond , caught 8 bluegill and gold fish. There is the cutest little gnome garden. The couple who own this tend the gardens and meadow themselves. They are so friendly too. * one caveat, no Wi-Fi or phone signal. Kinda nice.

a campground with a beautiful atmosphere full of nature beautiful trail with view and the pond was…read morefun & exciting for the kids to enjoy fishing in & walking around visiting the gnome village a clean it was so close to our fishing trip to lake barrett we loved our camping trip with friendly & respectful managers thank you tami & tami husband and kris for our enjoyable stay will be back

We stayed for a week at Pio Pico in C41 cabin and we had the best time. There was seven of us and…read morewe had a two bedroom one with bunk beds beds are only big enough for one kid. We had a/nd bdrm with a queen bed and the twins & I slept in this bed and then the couch pulled out for a bed and two slept there but it's big enough for 3 kids. We brought sleeping bags, didn't need them. 2 TVs living area and queen rm. The fridge could be bigger but it did its job. Overall, it was perfect for us, and I would highly recommend. Also 2 A/Cs, we left the bdrm one on during the day while we were gone to keep the cabin cool, so we weren't overwhelmed when we returned after a day out. You're 30 mins away from everything in SD.

IS THIS A CAMPGROUND OR CAMP RESIDENCY Interesting indeed…read more My stay at Pio Pico Thousand Trails campground offered a versatile accommodation experience, catering to a broad range of preferences and lifestyles. It's like blending in all options in one community. It features permanent housing for  RV, mobile homes, and tiny homes. While also offering 2-7 day stay for homes on wheels rentals, tenting and cabins. And at the same time adding the membership cabin pass option. All surrounded by tall mountains and the rhythmic calming hum of the flowing creek through the campground. WHAT WHERE YOUR ACCOMMODATIONS? I rented a 6 person cabin for a party of four. TBH, six could sleep comfortably but not hang out in the cabin all day comfortably. I was particularly impressed with the cabin; it was fantastic with a well-stocked kitchen full of dishes, pots, and pans, toaster,  blender, toiletries, linens, etc.  The highlight, surprisingly, was the abundance of electrical outlets - a rare find in such settings. All electronic appliances and ceiling fans worked without a hitch ensuring comfort throughout the cabin. The layout of the cabin was thought-out. Many windows for cross ventilation that actually worked.  Essentially, utilizing and maximizing a small space with warmth comfort.  WHAT WERE SOME OF THE CAMPGROUND FEATURES? It rained my time here so I understood how I could get stuck with flooding and not able to move my low clearance car. But I prevailed. And experienced the rare opportunity of the flowing creek from the mountains. The campground features two pools and two jacuzzis, a garden, billiards & horse game adding a touch of activities to the agenda. The facilities were clean and well-maintained.  Also noted the individual tent spaces were spacious. The cabins have adequate space for two cars, outdoor canopy and tent. DESCRIBE THE CUSTOMER SERVICE The staff was friendly.  However, a word of caution: the campground ranger is quite hyper-vigilant, bordering on intrusive. While it's clear she means well, her approach can feel more hovering than helpful at times. I would have preferred the same vigilance with pet owners eliminating in non-designated areas. Like near the restrooms that are people populated and unleashed pets. WHAT'S YOUR OVERALL IMPRESSION? Overall, Thousand Trails is an acceptable choice for those looking for solo or families to have a comfortable and equipped place to stay. All cabins are not disability accessible. Although the aesthetic aspect may not be its strong suit, withnumerous mobile homes and permanent RV distractions, I also used my time for indoor writing, sleeping, and woo-sahing.  I would add that guests respected the noise levels and each other's spaces.  Given the plethora of choices in southern California, Pio Pico may not necessarily be an automatic  choice. HIGHLIGHTS THAT TRAVELERS WOULD APPRECIATE  *At&T cell service worked throughout the campgrounds, I did not pay for Wi-Fi. *Parking is free but guess parking is limited and may require a walk if you're at the back of the campground. *Pool, jacuzzi and trash areas were clean and maintained. *Eateries, grocery, Target etc. are 15 minutes drive. *Have trek poles and headlamps when walking at night. *The mountains are majestic *No fire campground - please respect this  "Camping is a chance to live with nature and learn valuable life lessons from her wisdom."    - Paul Kortepete #juken123  #thousandtrails #sandiegocampgrounds #piopico #cabinpass #hikehealth #camphealth #campjamulca #campca

We booked space #1 for our baby shower and it was the best choice. It allowed up to 100 people with…read morevery minimal restrictions and it cost less than $250 for the whole day! The space overlooks the water and is the first space you'll see driving up. It's a bit secluded from the rest of the park allowing you to have a more private event with your guests. We ended up having just 40 people attend our baby shower, but with the ample space, it allowed us to fully decorate the space and bring separate tables for desserts and welcome table. The stage space was perfect for the photo backdrop and everything came out so beautifully. Highly recommend this space for any events, even a small outdoor wedding. Check-in was super easy and we were allowed music, decors, and even alcohol on site. Some of us came an hour early to start the decorations and stayed an hour later to clean up, but you can access your space anytime between 9-5:30pm. Everything was perfect. Our event was only 4 hours so it was more than enough time to come early to set up and fully clean up after. Restrooms are super clean, park is well maintained with rangers on-site. Parking is $5 all day and plenty of our things for guests to do such as playground for the kids or the open grass area to run around in or nice hiking trails all around for a quick exploring.

My niece has here bridal shower here and it was beautiful out there. The grounds are well kept, it…read moreis about a mile off the main road. You do have to pay $5 to park.

Check-in for the campground is 2:00 PM. The workers do a great job maintaining all the…read morefacilities--and they were all cordial. The bathrooms and hot showers were clean and well-maintained. The fish cleaning area and sink were spotless. Trash on the ground or in the water was a rare sight to see. For $58 a night, it was a great value. I had a nice view of the lake, too. After I checked-in and set up the campsite, with my tent, and a small camping table, I rented a rowboat for $25, good for five hours, so that I could go fishing. The walk between the campground and boat rental dock is about 25 minutes each way if you're using the shorter route. The lake itself is very clean. Though I would not drink the water from Lake Jennings without a water filter, out of curiosity, I did put some of Lake Jennings' water into an empty water bottle to see how clear the water is. To my surprise, the water is completely clear! While I was sitting in the rowboat, I noticed lots of different birds--bluebirds, coots, ducks, geese, grebes, hawks, herons, hummingbirds, osprey, sparrows, vultures, woodpeckers, a few others I wasn't sure what they were. Anyway, after the first hour of having my rod cast, I didn't think I would catch anything and began to lose hope. However, as the afternoon started to cool, under the mature trees, off the shoreline, just opposite west of the rental dock, my fishing line started to pull. I quickly reeled the line in and realized that this was a pretty big fish. I dipped my net into the water, to get the fish into the boat. I used my handheld fish scale and the catfish weighed just over eight pounds!! (I used homemade bait made up of oatmeal and fresh garlic, rolled up in a peanut butter ball, that I prepared the night before. Also, the line was about 15 feet under water.) After I caught the one fish, I returned the boat, and went back to the campsite to clean and cook it. I cooked the fish using a portable camping grill grate--with a bit of olive oil, a liberal amount of fresh herbs (oregano, parsley, thyme, diced garlic, and Hungarian sweet paprika), and lemon--over an open fire, in the fire ring, that they have in each campsite. I used Lucela mesquite charcoal to fuel the campfire. The catfish was high quality and delicious--easily the best catfish that I have tasted, in my life, to date. At night, the campground was completely quiet, even on a weekend night. The night sky was nice, too. However, the lake's management is strict about having all campfires extinguished by 11:00 PM. The next morning, I had planned to cook breakfast, but decided to sleep in. At about 11:30 AM, I checked out. Checkout time is before 12:00 PM (noon). Overall, this was a perfect little one-night trip. Hopefully, I will return in the future. If I ever do come back, I'll probably make it a two-night trip, so that I can explore more of the lake, and maybe aim to catch a crappie, sunfish, or trout.

Me and my family have never had to leave before we stayed all our reserved days while camping, but…read morethis campsite set us over. Most of the sites are completely barren with dead grass and bushes, and the view is primarily dead-brush-covered hills with the occasional view of the city below. The campsites are raised on a hill so the lake is barely visible. Even if it is, you are not allowed to interact with it except for fishing, so there is hardly a point. The sun relentlessly beats down on the ground, with the only shade being from sparse trees. The only reason this is not a zero star review (besides the app not allowing it) is for the staff, who were polite and very helpful. Never again.

Coming to this location for a family hike was a great decision. We have had a very trial ridden…read morepast three weeks and we needed some time to get away for a special hike. When you approach this area, you can easily be misdirected to the county regional park. To avoid this before you go up the hill to the entrance of the county regional park make a right into the driveway that shows the Sweetwater Reservoir. Once you get in there, you will go along a long dirt road to a parking lot that is eventually located next to the Reservoir fishing area. It is a beautiful trail and it's wonderful to be able to walk around the water and see ducks and birds and other wildlife as well as beautiful plants like Manzanita and chaparral. It is a wonderful trail hike, with beautiful and refreshing wind and sunshine. They have Porta potties that are super clean and well-maintained. I would say the porta potties are about a half a mile apart. They also have a bench with an overlook platform along the trail, and everything that we encountered seem to be very clean and well maintained. We will definitely visit this place again and it is definitely a wonderful place to hike. We were able to get out and started to explore the trail and after about 15 minutes, we realized that there was a Ranger honking at us with his siren coming around the bend. He made his way up to us in his truck and indicated that he would be closing the gate to the park in the next five minutes. We told him that we were told by the Park Ranger at the SD County Park check in booth that this trail closes at 8 PM tonight. He then said that we were not the only family to tell him that but that the Sweetwater Reservoir Trail Park actually closes at 5 PM because it's not a part of the SD County Regional Parks; they close at 8p. We rushed back to our vehicle, which was about a mile and a half away and we were able to get in and leave. We were very lucky that this Park Ranger decided to wait for us because we would've been locked into four or five gates and not able to actually get out of the park, even to get an Uber. This was great to understand and know so that when we go next time, we'll go a lot earlier before 5 PM.

I was in the Bonita community earlier this summer and wanted to do a medium length hike, A search…read moreresult came back with this trail at the Sweetwater Summit Regional Park. The staff member at the guard station indicated that I could use the day lot to park my vehicle since I was only hiking and not camping on the grounds. The path was pretty well maintained, but it also doubled as a horseback riding trail so occasionally one would have to dodge the mounds of dung left behind. Sweetwater Reservoir was off to the north of the trail. That body of water gave a nice scenic backdrop. The trek was up and down the foothills before looping back towards the start for a total of just over five miles. I expected to see more mountain bikers because the contours and breaks were conducive for that type of cycling without being too strenuous. There was no shade except for a hut at the peak of the hike. Sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat, and plenty of water were a must during the daytime. I would rate this hike as moderate because there were a couple of spots where the ascent did make one breathe much harder than usual. My overall rating for this trek was between three and four stars.

We usually come here in the morning to walk. They have a full size basketball court, a few picnic…read moreareas, great views and several trails. They also have rattlesnakes, rabbits and some big coyotes so watch your step.

Always love this beautiful park where the breeze always feels good on a hot day. They have a splash…read morepad for the kids . Playground. Great place for any event. Or a nice relaxing walk. Always a great day and very spacious. Popular as one trash can was full. But staff on top of it right away. A must especially if you have any small ones. Or visiting guests. Wish I lived closer to enjoy this beautiful park.

Just in advance, I haven't stayed yet, I just drove through and talked with staff (Debbie). She was…read morethe kindest and most professional person I've met in a while. I have some work in El Cajon that's going to take a few months and I live in North County so don't want to be driving down everyday. I stopped at the gate and was greeted by Debbie who gave me all the information I needed and answered all my questions. She was extremely knowledgeable and very kind. If they have other people like her on staff everyone staying there I'm sure is happy and taken care of. When I drove around I was stunned at how clean and well kept eveything was. It was also beautiful. All the ponds for fishing and areas to relax. Looking forward to a stay here. Will update review later.

Fun place for families and especially for fishing…read more... There are eight(?) lakes in a row, all of them numbered and stocked with fish, I think....I saw a restaurant and paddle boats but no one was paddle boating while we were there. There's a large campground at the end of the park, and a nice dog walk also near the back of the park.... Not welcoming at the front, though, considering we paid $4 half an hour before the park gate closed (at 7 pm) on a weekday and then paid $7 on a weekend....there is parking outside of the park along the road which I don't think costs anything....

We had an amazing time on our trip this year to KOA San Diego. We have been staying there multiple…read moretimes. We have stayed and everything from an RV site to the cabins that have no bathrooms or showers all the way up to the deluxe cabin. This year we stayed in a deluxe cabin and it was absolutely perfect. plenty of bedding, air conditioning worked fantastic. The bedding in the bedroom downstairs was super comfortable. If we needed something immediately was brought to us. I love that they have an adult only Jacuzzi.. staff was incredibly nice and kind. I would definitely stay here again and recommend it. I do wish the café was open later 1:30 PM on some of the days during the week. I also love that it's very pet friendly. My dog is 15 and has terminal cancer, this cabin was the perfect way for her to enjoy our camping trip. Yes, there are mosquitoes but everywhere has mosquitoes. We used mosquito spray and we were fine. Looking forward to coming back.

Our stay at the San Diego KOA exceeded every expectation we had. From the moment we arrived, it was…read moreclear the property is exceptionally well maintained--clean, clearly marked, and beautifully landscaped with mature trees, manicured bushes, and vibrant flowers throughout. We especially loved the fire pits, and the firewood delivery service was impressively fast and convenient. Our cabin was another highlight--spotless, thoughtfully appointed, and incredibly comfortable. The air conditioning worked perfectly, which made our stay even more enjoyable. Getting around the campground was easy, and it was simple to connect with other family members staying nearby. Despite seeing some reviews mentioning noise, we experienced none at all--just a peaceful, relaxing atmosphere. Check-in was quick and seamless, and every staff member we encountered was warm, welcoming, and genuinely helpful. Their friendliness really added to the overall experience. We wouldn't hesitate to stay here again and will absolutely recommend it to friends and family. Whether you're traveling as a couple or with family, this is a fantastic place to stay. Room - We rented the Deluxe Cabin (Full Bath with Shower), KOA Patio ® Sleeping Loft. One room had a queen-sized bed, another very small room had a bunkbed (2 beds total), there was a couch in the main area that folded out and there was a large loft space with what looked to be a queen-sized mattress. Note, you couldn't stand up in the loft (perhaps small kids could - I'm 5'2" and could not). Kitchen had decent sized fridge, stove, microwave, toaster, pots, pans, and utensils. Outside was a propane grill (worked great), a fire pit with 4 Adirondack chairs and tables and an umbrella covered picnic table with I believe 6 chairs. There was also a stand up bar height table by the fire pit. And I almost forgot the best part - one bathroom with sink, toilet and shower. Linens provided (bed and bath). Nearby activities: Very easy to travel to all the sites from this location (beaches, parks, zoo, etc.) SafetyI felt very safe staying here as a female. Food & drinks: They have a cafe of sorts on site but we did not check it out. Of note: Some of the outer perimeter tent campsites were right off the freeway. My cousin who stayed there said it was a little bit noisy. Where we were DC203 was very quiet and peaceful.