By far, this is our favorite local mountain getaway from San Diego. The campground is always well kept up, the vault toilets are relatively clean with toilet paper always stocked. There is firewood available for purchase from the campground host ($10 a bundle). Great location, wonderful hiking opportunities right from the campground. Short drive to the local store and restaurants. The campsites are pretty spacious, and usually a pretty quiet campground. Not a lot of loud late night campers. If get a site in the meadow loop you can hear the frogs in the distance. It is usually windy so be prepared, but always have a wonderful time. read more

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We stayed in the Meadow Loop which was beautiful! We had sites 5 and 9. 5 only allows two occupants but that was perfect for me. The toilets are vault toilets and that was NOT great. The smell inside was awful and I did occasionally smell it from the campground as well. I ended up using my emergency camping toilet all weekend as I almost threw up from the smell inside. No cell service, which wasn't horrible. It was kind of nice to unplug as we should when we camp. My friend had a difficult time backing into his spot with his trailer, as did several others around us. The roads and parking pads are outlined with an overkill of wood posts. My friend actually dented his truck on one, as did the new Airstream across from us. They were both under the allowed vehicle length. Other than those "issues", the campground was great. The views were spectacular and the short walk through the meadow to Big Laguna Lake was a great little excursion. I highly recommend. read more

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Beautiful campground with spacious flat campsites. Pit toilets. Open year-round. $35 a night. On-site hosts. read more

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We were looking for 2 camping sites to accommodate our RV and a trailer. We know there are some "first come, first serve" sites, but the sites were pretty full. The Camp Host Robert and Lynn came out and introduced themselves to us and went out of their way to help us find 2 sites. We were celebrating our daughters Birthday and again, Robert stepped up and really made it happen. I have camped in a couple of the campgrounds off of Sunrise Highway, but never have I been greeted and assisted by the camp host until this trip! The campground was very clean, and we had a great time!!! read more

First time camping at mount laguna campgrounds. Prior to our reservation- we receive notice that there will be no running water during our stay. I was trying to get ahold of someone to clarify if they had bathrooms. Needless to say, I never got a hold of anyone. I left two voicemails. The first one they returned my call but because I didn't leave my concerns on my vmail- it was just a return call. The second time I left vmail. I left my concerns on vmail but it was day prior to our reservation. Please not I called the actual campground and not the reservation line. I did try asking reservations my questions but they were unable to help. In fact, their screen didn't even show there was no running water at that time. Anyway, the campground for about 8inches snow. I wasn't completely prepared for that. We had to shovel our own driveway and tent area. They had shovels to borrow but they were all loaned out. Thankfully our friend bought one in advance. The campground also has first comes first serve sites. U drive around and look for sites that say "open". Some kids had turned the signs around and a lady was in our space shoveling snow. The workers came by and confirmed that it was our spot. They were very nice and helpful, especially Beth. She helps us back into our spots and recommended places to eat nearby. They have bathrooms. Our spots were 67 & 68z then bathroom was in between us. Two single stalls toilets, non flushable. Shocked with toilet paper, toilet seat. Bars inside so u don't fall in I guess because there's a deep hole in the ground. I dare not to look but it didn't smell thankfully. We had picnic table, wood fire pit. Stores and restaurants within a mile or 2. Just check their open hours cos I feel like they close early. I would try camping again when it's warmer. Also, we thought the sites covered 2 vehicles but they had us pay extra $10/night for second vehicle. The workers there cannot change reservation sites booked online I believe. Also there's no check in area. We drove up to our site. There's a Dropbox payment that we saw at the entry for the first come, first serve I think. During the day- the workers were driving around in golf cart/truck. We ended up leaving after one night cos it was too cold. Next time, we'll explore the campgrounds. read more

Mount Laguna Campground - April 1, 2023 - Campgrounds Near Me - Mount Laguna, California

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I loved my local getaway at the Laguna Campground. I booked a Thursday-Sunday, at site 01 in the Meadow loop. It had a nice place for my tent and no one on one side of me. Next time, I will try and book a site on the opposite side of the road that sits adjacent to the meadow, as that view in the early morning would be gorgeous. The camp hosts were amazing! They checked on me every day and I loved they offered firewood for sale and delivered it. The restrooms were clean. I did end up leaving on Saturday afternoon earlier than I planned, as some of the other campers started playing music-even though it wasn't blasting loud, it was annoying as not my type of music and I don't like being forced to listen to music when I camp for nature. In the future I'll book Sunday-Thursday to avoid the weekend crowds that go to let off steam and party. I did not inform the camp hosts of my "issue" before departing. I enjoyed an easy 5 mile round trip hike on the Laguna Meadow trail, it is a 4 mile loop with about a 1/2 mile each way to get to it from camp. Part of it joins the PCT which was nice as bikers are not allowed on those sections. There are a lot of mountain bikers on the trail, but they were respectful. The hike has lots of varied meadows, trees, lots of cows and water features. All in all I will definitely be back. It got down to the low 50's while I was there, I have a tent heater but be prepared if you come in the early fall that the nights get cool. I also made a trip into Julian it's about a 1/2 hour away. read more

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We stayed at Mt Laguna campground for the first time this week and had a wonderful time. It is a beautiful, wooded, well maintained campground with helpful and very friendly hosts. We will absolutely be returning. read more

I stayed at site 42, a handicapped site. Therefore it was paved and there a sidewalk to the toilet. The toilets are vault toilets but they were clean and didn't smell and the campground provided toilet paper. But still bring your own cuz they did run out once. The they also have a self serve area for fire wood. $10 per bundle and it's on the honor system. There's enough trees to hang a hammock and it's paves from one camp site to another so bring a bikes, skates, scooters for the kids. There was a water spigot by the bathroom that is only supposed to be used to fill a bucket to put out your fire. Every camp site comes with a fire pit that has a removable grill on it and a picnic table. The handicapped site has a table that's twice the size. Now for the cons: there's no convenience store on site if you've forgotten anything. The closest convenience store is 5 miles away. There is no water/steam to play in or fish. In the wet months the meadow fills but the water is brown (likely from poop) as it's also an area for cattle to graze during other months. There were a lot of tadpoles there and rocks to climb on but that's about all there is to do there. No hiking trails either. So hammock all day it is, which is fine too. read more

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Just stayed at a campsite in Meadow Loop. The site was absolutely beautiful and so clean. The rangers, Lyn and Robert, were so nice and kind. They made our trip amazing! We are definitely coming back read more

Very well kept with helpful host. Seniors get 50% discount. (not adertised.) Very spoty cell service. Only had service for about two hrs in late afternoon; else zippo! read more

Nice campground with friendly camp hosts dog friendly lake was pretty cool well maintained trails read more

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I have come here twice and both times it has been amazing! Once I came with my gift friend and the second time I came with REI an group for an overnight camp. They have beautiful grounds! Seriously amazing hikes. And it's a lovely place for camping out with the family or with friends. Depending on the fire hazard, you may not be able to have a camp fire. Something to be aware of. We weren't allowed to burn wood this most recent time I camped out. However, we were with REI and they did let us do propane fire so we were able to roast smores which was lovely! The stars a beautiful out here and a night hike we did was amazing. They have pit toilets. I'd definitely recommend this place for a nice get away. They do have cell service--which was actually unfortunate! But I was still able to disconnect! read more

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My two stars is due to the fact that the US Parks/US Forest "America the Beautiful" pass is NOT ACCEPTED at this US Forest Service Campground (at the time of this writing) because it is apparently managed by a concessionaire. It would be nice to have some sort of list before purchasing the pass, as there is no notice of such concessionaire when entering this US Forest Service Campground. No vendor sign, nothing to indicate outside management. The campground is otherwise nice and clean, at least in the off season. read more

This is a great campground and only about an hour outside of San Diego. The campground hosts were friendly and helpful, and they sell bundles of firewood for $10 so make sure to bring cash for that. The sites were clean and beautiful, with a nice fire pit and picnic table. The area is beautiful and this was the perfect place to go tent camping with my nephew. It was family friendly and they also allow RV camping. You can make reservations which we did and our spot was clearly marked when we arrived and the nightly rate was fair. They do have spots that are first come first serve which you need to bring cash for if you don't want to make a reservation. I would definitely recommend this campground! read more

I have been coming here for years. You only drive about an hour and it feels like you are in another world.The drive up the mountain is absolutely beautiful. You will find there are many hiking trails and cool things to see. Out of nowhere you will find a stream or a beautiful place to sit and take in the scenery. It's better to reserve a spot so you are farther away from others in case they are loud and tend to stay up all night. As the campground loops around, the cabins appear to be farther apart. Highlights Bird watching Pet Friendly Hiking trails Great place for mountain bikes Over 3 mile lake trail Open 24 hours read more

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More like a 3.5. Don't get me wrong I like this campsite but it was just not for us. And around that area, there are better ones to choose from. Self service: good but can also be bad. Like what if you don't have exact change for parking or such? But don't bother with self service and make reservations online! Easier that way. Bathrooms- pretty gross. You have 2- the flushable one and the out house. The outhouse initially stank so bad when we got there but I guess they pumped it the next day. That wind blowing the smell by you is not pleasant. Regular flushable bathroom- decent, not the cleanest. Ran out of toilet paper and everyone is there to take a dump. Didn't use showers bc there was only one and a line out the door for it. Don't get any campsite close to bathroom! Campsite #38: pretty good, partially shaded. Far away enough from the out house bathroom to not smell it. Good flat land for tents. Can fit 3 cars for parking. Big ring for fire pit. The host came by and told us our fire was too large, which was true because we just started the fire and it needed to die out. A little strict about that but wasn't strict when one of the campsite stayed up to 2am partying! No one came to tell them that it's quiet time. Also, lots of kids in campground, very kid and dog friendly. Camp host drove around with firewood- make sure you have cash for it. Some sites were pretty close to each other. We thought #40 was the best. The worst thing: it was so cold at night time. Like we went in mid-June and at night it got to like down in the 40s with wind but pretty hot in the day time. So be prepare with clothing/gear! The high elevation makes the night cold. Also POLLEN and WIND was blowing so much the next day. Super windy and since it was next to the meadow, all the pollen dusted our things. By the time we left our white car was no longer white. So if you're allergic to pollen bring some allergy medicine. It was everywhere! read more

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2 of my friends, my dog and I just stayed here tent camping for 4 nights 2/12-2/16. Our camp host was very nice, always made sure we were okay and brought us fire wood bundles to our campsite. The bathrooms were always up kept and clean. She also kept us updated on the weather reports for each day especially on one of our days there was a winter storm (it was crazy with the tents lol). I will be coming back in the summer! read more

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Love coming up here whenever any bit of snow falls! Living in Southern California, we don't see snow unless we drive about 1.5 hours away. However, in the past year I've gone up here twice and it's a much needed afternoon getaway with my husband! It's about an easy hour drive from where we live and it's absolutely beautiful. We play in the snow like we're kids and enjoy a much needed retreat. I like that it's never too busy or crowded either. Be careful coming up here - if your SUV or truck is not a 4x4, or if you don't have chains for your tires you may be turned away. My husband and his friends have had to tow several people out of tough spots. read more

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Location is awesome, an hour from San Diego. Third time camping here and no complaints. Easy access off the 8 and a market just 2 - 3 miles down the road. Sites are fairly big, your not up on your neighbor. We had campsites 10 & 12, Meadow Loop, near rest rooms and entrance to the Big Laguna Trail. Weather was really cold and super windy (Friday night). We were not allowed to build campfires (due to dry season). Understandable. However, we were allowed to use our propane fire pit which helped during the night. All in all, it's a great night or weekend getaway, if you need to getaway from it all. read more

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Camped in early November on the Sunny Loop. Reservations were easy to make online and very clear. It's a beautiful drive out to the campsite. When we got to the campground we checked in with the host, and they let us know to go ahead, but grab an envelope to pay extra if we had more than 2 cars. They also let us know due to fire restrictions no fires or firepits were allowed (other than our cook stoves). This was a shame since it dropped into the low 40's it was a little cold at night, but lanterns and blankets got us through. The camp has fairly clean pit toilets - we didn't use the shower facilities. The hosts were very friends and came around a few times a day. I look forward to coming back, when it's warmer and we can have a campfire! read more

I love the whole area to do camping , hiking or just to enjoy a peaceful afternoon enjoying the nature I'm in love without Mount Laguna read more

Mount Laguna Campground - Campgrounds Near Me - Mount Laguna, California

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Camped: August 14, 2015 Decided to camp last minute around this area, and settled on Mt Laguna Campground (we had a back up of Burnt Rancheria, just in case we couldn't get a spot at Laguna because we didn't have reservations). We only camped for one night on Friday. We drove out to the area and got there around 6-6:30 pm. Driving/directions: We drove out from Carlsbad around 3:30 pm on a Friday. We wanted to avoid traffic, so instead of taking the 5 S to the 805 and sit in traffic, we decided on the scenic route, going from the 78 E to the 15 S, and back on the 78 to the 79, going through Julian. Which I would recommend because we only hit a little bit of traffic on the 78 and it was smooth sailing after that! Plus it's a pretty drive. We needed a few last minute groceries, so we stopped in Julian for them. Which I am glad we did! Once you past Julian, we didn't pass anymore stores, and its like 20 minutes and you get to the campground. I wanted to stop by a veggie stand for local produce but we kept passing the stands and forgetting to stop! Next time though. Campground: it's $22/night. They've got a self service spot where you drop the envelope in with your cash (I think they also take checks). Don't forget to write your site # on the envelope! The poor camp host was driving around looking for the groups that didn't write their camp site # on the envelope, there's over a 100 sites! Poor lady! When we went, there was water, they didn't have it turned off. We stayed at site #83, right next to the amphitheater. It was decently close to some vault toilets, but if you went a lil further there were nicer flush toilets and showers! (The vault toilets were so stinky I refused to use them lol). All this was a luxury since I've camped at free sites the past few times which the one in Idyllwild had no toilets and you had to relieve yourself in nature haha. I enjoyed this campground. With over 100 camp sites, there were lots of options for walk ups. You can also reserve spots online. You can also buy wood from the camp host for $6.00 a bundle! Which I thought was a great deal since I feel it's more expensive at grocery stores. We also tried scavenging for wood, but weren't very successful. I would definitely come back to this spot! read more

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This is a really fun place to take a hike and let your doggie run. You are suppose to have our dog on a leash but since you are respectful to the bikers & you are able to recall your doggie we have never had a problem letting our doggie run free. He loves to run up here since it's a huge field and mountains and it's alot of fun. During the winter you can let your doggie run the snow! Parking for the day is $5 and it's about an hour drive from SD on Sunrise Highway. Once you get to Mount Laguna Campground you pay the $5 parking charge and park in the lot located in the back past all the spots for camping. Then you would head out to the trail up by the meadow and just let them run. read more

Mount Laguna Campground - The Meadows. - Campgrounds Near Me - Mount Laguna, California

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I can't say enough great things about this campground. It's location is perfect as far as close to hiking and biking trails. It is right on the edge of this beautiful meadow that has a seasonal lake. There are no electric hook-ups or water/sewer for RVs which is something to keep in mind however if you are used to camping this just comes with the territory and you get creative. I have started to like the campgrounds without hookups more to be honest because the sites seem to be spaced out more when a campground is more primitive. I love the hosts! They are super helpful and even helped jump my battery when I accidentally left a door open on my Jeep and drained it overnight. They are communicative and informative when it comes to booking sites and over just awesome! I cannot say enough great things about this place and would give it 10 stars if I could. read more

Personally, I rarely ever camp, so this was one experience to remember. Upon getting here, we got lost a few times because there aren't many signs to direct you where to go, and it's even more difficult in the dark since there aren't many lights either. Once you see the visitor center, continue to drive past it and up the mountain. Until you see signs for Laguna/El Prado Campground, and there will be a trail leading in, with more signs on how to pay for parking. It's $24 per campsite per night. We had a campsite area that was huge in space, and right next to the bathrooms that doesn't flush, and also next to the showers and more bathrooms that do flush. The showers cost money. They are 4mins per $1. YOU MUST HAVE QUARTERS to use the showers, and they DO NOT have quarter machines to change your bills. You CAN ask the campsite hosts for change. I usually take 30min showers at home, but I was able to have enough time to do my routine quickly with $2 or 8 minutes. I love the greenness of the whole area, tons of grass, trees, and logs. I wish they showed a map of things to do in the area, maybe a lake to go swimming, or of all the hiking trails. We basically all stayed at our campsite all weekend and just hung out. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Although we do have a few complaints. 1. Mary and another old man had came up to us in their golf carts while one of my friend had backed up his truck onto the campsite to load things onto it, and instead of politely asking him to move his truck, they were completely rude about the whole situation and acted like they had supremacy and extreme attitude which was highly uncalled for. And even went as far as taking pictures. 2. The main manager, Ed, had come to apologize to us, he's extremely cool. But he did say we could have music during non-quiet time. 3. But Mary came back to us and said there was complaints about the music and that we were not allowed to have ANY music at all. And to be honest, our music wasn't even that loud to begin with. Not to mention her house or whatever just happened to be next to our campsite so I think she just has personal problems with us. ------------------------------------------------------------------- read more

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I recently spent 3 nights tent camping at Laguna/El Prado Campground. It was total bliss. I met so many wonderful people, enjoyed solitude, and did lots of hiking on the many trails near the campground. The camp hosts were exceptional, especially Meredith who was very friendly and helpful, stopping by to check on me since I was a woman camping alone, offering suggestions on the trails, and displaying a happy, positive attitude. I will definitely return there again. read more

We love Mt. Laguna, biking, hiking..it's all good. Until this time. We always camp with another couple, but couldn't get our usual sites so we opted for #2 and #3 in the Meadow Loop, which are 2-person max campsites. Understandable, as they are small and close to each other. Perfect for friends! After we set up our 5th wheel, relaxing with our friends, we were told by the camp hosts that we're not allowed to have visitors in our site, and one of the couples would have to move to another site or possibly get a $750 fine by the Forestry Dept.! The website says NOTHING about this--only states "This is a 2-person maximum campsite", which logically implies that no more than 2 people can actually sleep there. But you can't talk to each other?? We tried to figure out the logic of how 2 people in one campsite, and 2 people in the next, are not supposed to associate with each other. After the hassle and inconvenience of moving everything again, we got 2 sites in the RV loop, which were OK, but not as nice as the Meadow Loop. We are NOT happy with the Forestry Dep. or the camp hosts. The details need to be more explicit, so people understand this before making their reservations 6 months in advance! read more

What a great a beautiful area to visit or to even just take a day trip to if you live in the San Diego area. I came up here because recently there have been reports of snow. Living in San Diego, you don't really get snow but this is the only spot where you can because of the beautiful mountains. Driving up Sunrise Highway will be very slow if there is snow due to the fact everyone is trying to stop and find the perfect stop to get out and go sledding. Don't break the law! There are signs posted saying private property with barbed wire fences!! To get amazing views, drive all the way to the top of the mountain and head into the campground! Beautiful views all around and some areas still had fresh powder that was untouched. read more

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Great all around camp ground. Came during mid October on a Tuesday. Only a handful of people in the entire place. Lots of cool camp sites to choose from. They are doing a massive overhaul this winter. read more

Mount Laguna Campground - Campgrounds Near Me - Mount Laguna, California

This campground is a BLAST!! I strongly recommend going to that campground. The camp host (Jesse and Carlie) are soo nice and friendly!!

Stayed here on a Wednesday and was able to find a quiet location with no other campers next door. Otherwise, the spots are pretty close together, and I imagine it can get noisy on the weekends. I didn't make a reservation but could check in on site. Be sure to have cash and exact change to put in the envelope, as there was no one there to take the money/give change. Somewhat pricey for a campground, but I suppose the area allows for it. read more

We stayed on the Shady Loop side of Mt. Laguna Campground (site 37) from Friday - Monday to celebrate New Years and get away from the city with our daughter and dog. It was a quiet and peaceful campsite and it was a nice walk to the meadow. We got sun, rain, wind, and snow and it was a beautiful trip! Our hostess Beth was the definition of a great, friendly and caring hostess. Came around several times in a day and even brought my dog some treats! Since there was a storm she came around to make sure we knew all the info, offered any assistance we needed, and we felt truly taken care of. We can't wait to return! read more

Loved this campground. We went mid June. We were not able to get reservations. I arrived a little after 7 in the morning to get one of the first come first served spots and got the last spot: I think 55. It is not very clear how the process works. So here goes... When driving in grab an envelope at the sign in the front. Drive around until you find a spot without something on the post where the site number is. Full out the envelope and put part of it on the post. The other part and the money or check go in the drop at the box at the front. I did unpack and set up before I walked down to make it clear it was taken. (I went alone in the morning to secure a spot)... if you don't get a spot here it sounds like there are no other ff spots on the mountain. I don't really understand why they want to keep a whole bunch ff vs allowing reservations... I was rightfully worried the whole drive up. I can't b imagine driving almost two hours and not getting one. Unfortunately our spot was close to neighbors and they were all blasting music. Also I felt like we were the only ones without a dog. Would love to come back and stay in one of the reserved spots which seem farther away from one another. If you own a rv, that loop look great. From our spot it was a little bit of a walk to get to water and go to the bathroom. Bathrooms: The vault bathrooms seemed cleaner than the flush bathrooms... there was however soap at the flush bathroom and a water pump at the vault. They also provided hand sanitizer at the vault but not the flush ones. I did go to take a shower but people said they were gross and didn't recommend so no I skipped it. The camp hosts drive around in golf carts selling firewood throughout the day, which is really nice. Also always available with an honor box for money at the host sites. We did a long beautiful hike to the lake. There were tons of beautiful wildflowers. The trails are well maintained, but not as well marked as I would like. Take a photo of the trail map at the entry to the campground before you go. Lots of good bird watching. We did cross the road to the look out point as my kids wanted to see the view of the desert. read more

We stayed in camp site #15 in meadow loop. This was an ideal spot. It was large and set off the beaten path. The site was close to the bathrooms and close to the hiking. We brought both our dogs who enjoyed the hiking trails. There were a lot of people with their dogs so you will need your leash for your pups. We were allowed to have a fire the first night but the second night was to windy. The campgrounds carried a people's voices pretty well so at night it seemed loud and not so peaceful. The neighbors next to us played terrible music until about 11:00 pm. I could have done with out that. The temp was pretty darn cold...it dropped to 28-32 degrees at night. We used a space heater...highly recommend this! read more

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I camped here for two nights on a weekend during summer. I had site number 7 in the "Meadow Loop." I really liked this loop because the campsites are fairly spread out, spacious, and the ground is flat. There is a trail head that leaves directly from the campground and connects to most of the trails Laguna Mountain has to offer. It is also right next to a meadow (hence the name) which is beautiful, and probably even more beautiful in the spring. The meadow is perfect for star gazing at night, my friends and I just put a blanket over the grass, laid down, and it felt like we were on a comfy bed IN space because the sky was so clear and stars were endless. We saw about 5 shooting stars that night. Downsides of this area, be careful when parking your cars in the sites! Most of the sites have an angled and slim dirt drive way sectioned off by small wooden stumps which are really hard to see when you are in the drivers seat. There is only one bathroom in this loop, and it is not flushable and there is no sink. It is basically just two porta potties that stank. The flushable toilets and showers are a few camp site loops away, so you have to drive to them. Overall, this is a great campsite for a quick cheap get away. Research the site map before deciding which one you want to reserve, if you are more high maintenance. I would suggest finding a site close to the flushable toilets. It is only a 45-60 min drive from the main parts of SD but feels like you're in a far off forest. It is nice that the hiking trails go through trees, so it doesn't always feel like you are in a desert. I would suggest camping here during Spring, it is probably a lot more beautiful and the lakes a lot more filled (when I went they were basically just giant mud puddles). read more

Last time I camped, I was 12 and went with a church- had some not too great memories that left me with deep seated insecurities about ever camping again. Well, along come the kiddos, and I was forced to revisit the idea for an end of the year trip with the entire Kindergarden class. insanity? Well, thanks to modern easy pop up tents and sleeping gear from Costco, we had a great time! The reservation was ridiculously cheap when we split it among all the families- under $10 each! Lots of room to pitch tents and still have a bit of privacy. Plenty of parking and two wash spigots for each site. One conveniently by the latrines, and the other by the campfire. There were flushing toilets and showers nearby but we didnt use them since we only stayed 2 days each visit. Lots of hiking trails and great meadow with giant rock formations for the kids to explore. Never did find the "lake" although on our second trip we got very lost trying. Apparently its not really clear enough to want to swim in at all. We were however able to catch and release frogs almost everywhere! Gorgeous baby electric blue dragonflies buzzing in the tall grasses and along the trails. Surprisingly not a lot of irritating insects! Loved staying up late by the campfire long after kids were asleep. Wonderfully shady under the trees and not hot or muggy, even in late July! Even coming here alone as a single parent with 2 active and demanding kids was very manageable and fun. We were NEVER bored and had NO ELECTRONICS! Woohoo! read more

my first camping trip of my adult life! ...thats right, i hadnt been camping since i was a kid. i applied specifically to be in the "wilderness house" dorms in college, i love nature, i go hiking...but nope, never did the ol' sleep in a tent, pee in a pot, campfire, bug bites, stars delightfulness till last weekend. october is a lovely camping time in mt. laguna btw (not as crowded and still pleasant weather). its seriously a GREAT option for camping to san diegans. super easy drive down the 8E and north up sunrise hwy...less than an hour total to beautiful nature full of pine trees! FYI, mt laguna site will come after burnt rancheria and the picnic site, entrance on left side of road. SO, heres a breakdown... $20/day to camp, $7 daypass. they have the envelopes to pay in (can pay all at once or daily) SO BRING CASH. bring lots-o-quarters if you wanna shower ($1 for 4 mins... $1.75 for 6). There are 50 first-come spots. We came around 3pm on friday and had a plethora of options. the first-come spots are in the more foresty area and provide more private options. the reserved spots (there were three 2-person sites still available to us) are along the laguna meadow and way more out in the open. we werent fans. by sat afternoon the grounds were nearly sold out. and speaking of filled up - the place sure echoes. you will definitely hear your neighbors. a group with a bunch of kids sounded like school recess every morning and evening...and pretty sure someone was building a log cabin a couple doors down from us O_o port-o-potties throughout...not as scary as i thought but def smelled like a horse corral. well stocked with toiletpaper but we brought our own and hand sanitizer. also has flushing toilets in the shower buildings. FYI, the left shower didnt have hot water at all! you can buy bundles of wood for $6 at the entrance but it does burn fast and better to bring your own. the camp manager was chill and friendly. only came by to tell us to put our lil tag out the first nite. we only did one mini hike entering through the meadow off the campsite, which was well-populated and full of kids, bikers, groups, etc. Once we passed the lake and went upward we were all on our own. the area is beautiful and picturesque....gives options to everyone seeking a bit of nature and i imagine offers a variety of seasonal beautiful year-round. i saw pics of the snow...will definitely be checking that out! overall, i had a great time. the campsite is open year-round...people will camp in the snow (were told they pave the roads around the site 'pretty well'). i obviously cant speak of the other options in the area but this site had everything we needed and desired for car camping. read more

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Pros: *Great people who run the place. Very sweet and helpful. *great hiking trails close by *beautiful views *camp neighbors were polite and courteous (mostly) *clean flush bathrooms and showers within the campground * allows dogs! *quiet area *has a fire pit + grill ontop of it *very safe Cons: *most spots were reserved *some camping spots were fairly close to each other *some roads were not even and had deep pot holes (not that great for small or low cars) read more

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We stayed at this campground a few weeks back. We camped by the meadow, beautiful views! The Camp Manager, Beth, went above and beyond for us when the starter in our Jeep went out. She arranged for Gordon, one of the camp hosts, to tow the Jeep so we could pop the clutch (thank goodness we have a manual transmission) so we could get it started and get home. Gordon was so nice, he even pulled out our trailer from the campsite to level ground so we could just hook up and be on our way. Thank you both!! We made it home safe and greatly appreciate your help. read more

We stayed at site 42 in August 2015. Our party of four had a great time, yet we don't think we are camping here again. This should not be your first choice. We had running water and the flushable restrooms/showers were open and clean all weekend. We had stopped by the weekend before to check the area out and the water was shut off and the flushable restrooms and showers were closed, so this is something to look out for. There was not much to do in the campground we went on a hike at the adjacent campground (El Prado) but then head back to our site and spend most of our time there. Site 42: Is at a corner so that there is a lot of car traffic and pedestrian traffic of people cutting the corner to head to the restrooms/showers. This was on going day and night. There was no privacy on this site, since the restrooms/showers are so close and there are not enough trees to block the view of the site from the restrooms. The parking was ok we fit a Silverado and small Kia. The site is mostly on in a slop so there is only a few good spots for tents, we had two and that was all there was good for. The fire ring and the grill were good, we did not have any problems with our campfire or cooking. Overall site 42 was decent enough for a weekend getaway :) read more

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