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    KQ Ranch

    3.3 (290 reviews)
    Open Open 24 hours

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    Cabin bedroom heater! This worked very well!
    Bridgette S.

    We stayed as guests of members/friends. We had a nice time. All of the kids had fun. There is miniature golf, 2 playgrounds, plenty of rocks to be thrown into the dry creek beds. Beautiful views from the higher lookout spots. The clubhouse had great live music, free coffee, hot chocolate/tea. Many tables and chairs. Families playing board games/card games. The pool table was busy. The tv lounge area was full and comfortable. The little store has many essentials one would need while camping. Our cabin is newly remodeled and very nice. It provided 2 electric fireplace heaters.

    Bunks
    Joan M.

    Pretty nice facility inside lots of room. Basically has everything you need for a kitchen Did not have salt and pepper so do bring that coffee pot filters. Utensils pans.

    Pool

    We stayed at K.Q. RANCH this weekend, the campground is located in a remote area of Julian, Ca. About 30 minutes from Julian Pie company. The amenities were excellent, clean restrooms, great sized pool, and toys to borrow while you're there. Like golf clubs for mini-golf, wiffle ball bat and balls to use at the baseball field, and much more. We even went to their candy bingo where everyone is a winner of full-sized candy bars. Their activities were so fun! The staff were as friendly, helpful and their customer service was excellent! Lori at the store was the sweetest! And Nate was a cool guy. We look forward to visiting again.

    Yep, they have propane.
    Andrea M.

    My husband and I visited this past weekend. To start, our GPS misled us to the wrong turn, not a nice thing in the dark, with a very long trailer and on a steep windy road where traffic drives fast. Pay attention, you want to turn on KQ Ranch rd, NOT Cuyamaca Meadows (private rd). I love this resort! Reminds me of camping with my parents when I was young. There is so much to do for everyone. This is a big kids paradise and my heart was full seeing all of the families having quality time together. Fall is a lovely time to visit this park. Cool crisp air while sitting around the campfire (propane). The clubhouse serves meals and always has coffee, tea and cocoa available from a dispenser. We did not know that Julian is a tourist attraction during the fall due to the apple orchards and famous apple pie (available in almost every store and at KQ on Fridays). We visited Julian Friday morning and were able to see everything we wanted with no lines or having to navigate through 5k people-I RECOMMEND VISITING JULIAN DURING THE WEEK, at least during the fall. Resteraunts are expectedly pricey. Things to keep in mind about the resort: there is a very nice tree canopy, some of the trees have giant pine cones, if you do not want pine cones dropping on your roof then do not park under trees. There are tack/puncture weeds, if anyone plans on riding a bike, it is best to put tire slime in the tube, and regularly check your pets feet.

    TLC in progress
    Eric K.

    Well we are owners and this place has some good bones. March is a great time to go if you want to be alone. It breaks my heart to see how a few nails, wood replacement, little paint would make this more attractive. It's not that much work and just paint will give this place a positive review. I do love it for what it is and how you can find a spot away. I'll update you when I see improvements. Hopefully, management reads this. I would give it a 4.5 with a little TLC.

    Pnut can't wait until we explore!!
    Lilia C.

    What a Great little hideaway!! Almost Everyone we came into contact with was Friendly. So much goes into making guest comfortable and happy and safe I give them A+.

    Wild turkey?
    Andrea G.

    As always, the employees are friendly and helpful. We lucked out with the location of our cabin. Cabin 173 has a great view from the front porch. We loved staying in the cabin and also loved staying in a trailer. KQ Ranch is also great for tent camping, which is where we started over 15 years ago. The bathrooms and showers are very well maintained and there's also a laundry room, if you need it. The food prepared at the clubhouse is delicious and very reasonably priced. The country store has everything you may need for a fun camping experience. Since the town of Julian is only 4 miles away, we made three trips to shop and eat. I highly recommend this camp resort. It's been a great experience every single time.

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    Page 1 of 8

    Ask the Community - KQ Ranch

    How often is the pond stocked?

    Is it safe to sleep in tents ? We r just renting every do u have all hook ups? Do we need to bring everything or do u have benches or pits near rv parking/hook ups???…

    Hi Rachel, yes completely safe to sleep in tents. We do have full hook up sites as well in our park. We have kids club that does arts and crafts as well as weekend events like movie in the park. We do have rentals however they are for members only.… Read more

    What's the pricing like for the cabins?

    Historically speaking, the general public does not have access to these cabins. The cabins are rented to CRA members only. Pricing is based on membership level.

    Do you have to bring your own fire pit?

    As long as it's propane, that fine. Due to California drought, no wood burning fires at KQ!

    Will the kids enjoy themselves?

    Not if the kind of people that have been there lately come back. My kid got yelled at and swore at for asking a couple to stop smoking at the hot tub so she could come in. So-called security did nothing because they "didn't see it" there's cameras… Read more

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    Review Highlights - KQ Ranch

    Joshua was a great contact and knowledgeable on KQ and no pressure to buy, but very informative and helpful.

    Mentioned in 26 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    William Heise County Park - Picnic table at site 19.

    William Heise County Park

    4.1(178 reviews)
    1.7 mi

    This place fills up fast but we booked several months out and were able to choose our campsites…read morebased on proximity to the dumpsters, bathrooms, and even based on whether the sites had shade. We reserved campsites 89 and 90. Campsites were about $37 per night, after the reservation fee, and could fit a maximum of eight people in two tents. Several of us had car set-ups and when we called the reservation office, they confirmed that sleeping in the car wouldn't count towards the two tent limit. Each site also has two dedicated parking spots. If you have additional cars, it'll be $6 per car/night and there's overflow parking scattered around the campground. Quiet hours start at 10PM and all campfires must be out (no embers) by 11PM. The bathrooms were fine, considering this was a campground. Showers are coin-operated and you can get 4 minutes for 50 cents. Make sure to exchange your cash at the ranger station before the sun sets! From my friend group, I heard mixed reviews on the showers. It seemed like the girl's side had poor water pressure and usually was cold. But both times I showered, I had decent pressure and the water eventually turned warm. There's also potable water throughout the campground, with a specific spout with filtered water (for taste). Our campsites were pretty great especially site 90. It's flat and right under a huge tree so it was the perfect spot to hang out and escape the sun. For tents, the ground was kind of rocky so make sure to bring a pad or air mattress if you can. Each site comes with a table and a fire pit. For firewood, you have to purchase from the campground because they don't want you to accidentally introduce any invasive species. Overall, great campsite with decent bathrooms! We didn't get a chance to explore the campground and the trails around it so I would love to come back one day. Oh and dogs are allowed as long as they're on a leash!

    First time at this campground! It's been a while since I've been camping, but this campground seems…read moreto be much nicer compared to what I remember from campgrounds I've been to in the past. The bathrooms were clean and fully stocked with toilet paper and free tampons on the women's side. There were 2 men's and 2 women's showers at the bathroom closest to our site. One of the women's showers didn't have the best water pressure and sprayed more of a mist...but the other was fine. Neither appeared to have warm water, but it wasn't freezing either, so it was bearable. We heard the men's showers did have warm water though. Showers were 50 cents for 4 minutes, and then you could add additional quarters to add on 2 minutes each. There were spigots and bottle refill stations too near the campsites. I'd probably avoid the sites right next to the restrooms unless you want to hear toilets flushing, the loud hand dryer, and foot traffic throughout the night.  There were plenty of trees so most of the campsites around us at least had at least some shade during the daytime. The only issue I really noticed was that some campgrounds were pretty close together so you will probably hear noise from neighboring sites. There was plenty of parking too, but these were also close to the sites, so one night we heard the sound of cars constantly locking throughout the night. Not the biggest issue though and you should probably bring earplugs while camping if you're a light sleeper. Overall, these campgrounds are nicer than a lot of other ones I've been there where you have to drive into town to shower. The tradeoff though is that with the nicer facilities and proximity to neighboring sites, it doesn't feel as remote and sort of feels like you're one step away from civilization. So maybe not the best place to camp if you're looking for a more true camping experience.

    Photos
    William Heise County Park - Valentine's gift from one teardrop gal to another.

    Valentine's gift from one teardrop gal to another.

    William Heise County Park - Loved the snow!

    Loved the snow!

    William Heise County Park - Snow fun, thanks to my friend Anne's gadget find!

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    Snow fun, thanks to my friend Anne's gadget find!

    Pinecrest

    Pinecrest

    4.1(10 reviews)
    1.0 mi

    We rented their Spartan Mansion vintage trailer for 2 nights in July. The trailer was really cute…read moreand decorated in a Hawaiian theme. Very clean. Full size fridge with freezer though lacking ice cube trays. They provided charcoal and fire wood which I did not expect and was a nice surprise. Very quite and peaceful while we were there (Wednesday-Thursday). The community room was retro decorated and the bathrooms were very clean. My only complaint about the pool was the temp of the water. It did not seem heated even though they advertised as a heated pool.

    This review is in regards to the vintage trailers. Pinecrest is a beautiful location, and the…read morevintage trailers have a lot of potential. We stayed in September and it definitely was very hot. I wish that all of the trailers had AC. I was disappointed to learn that the trailers don't lock from the outside. They tell you to keep your valuables in your car. A. This is inconvenient, B. I am not sure if the spartan locked from the inside either. I feel like the locks are something that they should definitely invest in fixing. The spartan also has a very small water heater. I think that they told us 2 gallons when we called. I couldn't even get through a shower without it running out. We called because we thought maybe it could be fixed but they let us know the water heater is small but they have public showers available. Since it was hot I toughed it out. My brother stayed in the mansion and it had a bad smell in it. It bothered his girlfriend a lot. They did have AC and their hot water was fine. Their trailer also did not lock from the outside. The trailers are cute, and we liked the vintage decor but they need some work done. I feel like their trailers have a lot of potential if they would just invest in them a bit. My husband and I stayed at another location that had vintage trailers. They were definitely nicer. AC, hot water, new linoleum, locks and keys, and did not have a bad smell. I hope that pinecrest can improve their vintage trailers. I think that if they improved them they would have a lot more return business.

    Photos
    Pinecrest
    Pinecrest
    Pinecrest - This is a shot of some of the Vintage Rental trailers.

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    This is a shot of some of the Vintage Rental trailers.

    Volcan Mountain Preserve - Mountain Lion tracks

    Volcan Mountain Preserve

    4.6(87 reviews)
    5.6 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.

    Photos
    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)
    3.3 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

    He fast af boy

    Jess Martin County Park

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    Integrity Stables

    Integrity Stables

    5.0(61 reviews)
    4.0 mi

    Whenever we travel, we try to do a trail ride. As more experienced horse people, we've found that…read moreit can be hard to find tourist trail rides that are for fun for people who already know how to ride. After a lot of research I picked Integrity Stables and I'm so glad I did! Horses are well loved and cared for, the ride was very private (just us and our guide), the scenes were beautiful, and our trail guide (I'm blanking on his name he was young--maybe it was Luke?) was super knowledgeable and easy to talk to. Would recommend to anyone (experienced horse person or not) and definitely plan on going back next time I'm in San Diego! While it is a little drive from San Diego (45 min - 1hr), the little town of Julian was the perfect place for us to stop afterwards for lunch before we made the drive back!

    The experience was great from the scheduling of a ride to the end with pictures taken and feeding…read moreof the horses. The guide Colt was the nicest person with a great sense of humor and customer service. He explained everything about the horses, taught the basics of riding, gave the history of the gold mines on the property and the mountain toll roads taken by the horses. All around it was great. Tess the horse was so gentle and gave a ride never to forget. Thank you all at Integrity Stables we look forward to coming back soon. Blessings to you, your family and all your beautiful horses that you care for so much.

    Photos
    Integrity Stables - Beautiful views

    Beautiful views

    Integrity Stables
    Integrity Stables - Getting to know Tess

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    Getting to know Tess

    Fort Cross Old Timey Adventures - We made this candle and painted these at Fort Cross!!

    Fort Cross Old Timey Adventures

    4.5(139 reviews)
    6.7 mi

    Absolutely amazing experience for adults and kids alike! Went with my little one and husband for a…read morest. Patrick day event! It was above and beyond what I expected and we enjoyed every minute of it! St. Patrick was a highlight for my son and husband who enjoyed his spot on Irish accent very much! The scavenger hunt was sweet and well thought out with very fun prizes at the end! Everyone made new friends, the petting zoo was great too! I made friends with one of the brand new goat babies they're very sweet and tiny! My husband held a couple snakes and my little guy had fun watching the tortoises eat! If your family want to have a great time I highly recommend visiting fort cross! Incredible Photo ops everywhere! Did I mention paint ball slingshot , tomahawk throwing and archery ? Well done and family fun great for bonding! We loved the very welcoming and compassionate owners! We are already planning our next visit back!

    If you are looking around Julian for an activity outside of shopping, eating and apple picking; I…read morewould recommend Fort Cross Adventures. This family owned and built setup gives an old timey backyard feel with games ranging from treasure hunt, archery, ax throwing to a large garden/nursery. Like a large backyard it is all dirt paths with over grown trees & bushes so i would not come in high heels or nice shoes. The garden area is an "instagram" worthy spot for influencer photos as it is decorated with vintage photo frames, art, pottery giving it a rustic yet artsy feel. Pictures on yelp do the venue more justice than the companies website or TripAdvisor. Dates and hours are limited, as the family runs all aspects of Fort Cross. Highly recommend confirming they are open before just heading out. My one reservation or word of caution is with the archery. There are no forearm guards or finger protection offered. The bowstring with repetitive can possibly hurt your skin and cause of injuries.

    Photos
    Fort Cross Old Timey Adventures - Beautifully decorated

    Beautifully decorated

    Fort Cross Old Timey Adventures - Beautifully decorated pumpkin patch

    Beautifully decorated pumpkin patch

    Fort Cross Old Timey Adventures - Sling shot fun

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    Sling shot fun

    KQ Ranch - campgrounds - Updated May 2026

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