I did an internet search on places to picnic & fish and found Lake Moreno. We finally decided to go…read moresee what was there. I was surprised to find that Lake Moreno was 3,000 feet and would be 68 degrees for its high today. Lake Morena is the highest in elevation and the most remote of the San Diego's reservoirs. You go through the guard gate and stop at the Ranger Station to pay for day use parking, fishing and boat rentals. If you bring your own boat or float tube, they do a check for, the invasive, zebra mussels. You can also get a card for entrance to all county parks. There are restrooms and a really nice little museum at the ranger station that is worth stopping to see. You drive into the park and pass a cute little children's playground and a youth area. It would be a fun place to let kids play at the lake. You see the lake as you drive farther in. You can see the darkened area on the dam where the water level was so much higher in the past. The dam dates to the late 19th century and, when it was full, the lake had a depth of 157 feet. San Diego (and all CA are in a huge drought causing serious water shortages) withdrew 2.1 billion gallons water from the reservoir causing the lake to drop to its current 83 feet. As you drive, you pass an lower boat launch where the water level is now and a upper launch where it prior, you can see how different the lake is today. There are cabins to rent and many other camping areas nearby the entrance to the Lake. The cabins are really barebones-you need to even bring a air bed or topper for the wooden frames to both the double bed and the bunk bed in each cabin. They are cute and would be fun to stay. Lake Morena is one of San Diego's reservoirs holding water for the city. Not sure if it's true but-they reduced the lake water level to half to fill a lake for the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, I was told by someone who's camped here for years. The lake is below 50% level and this caused it to get warm and cause an algae bloom. Fishing is not great except for carp and maybe catfish. Boating was fun although since the lake is down, it's much smaller leaving less places to go. The boat launch has many row & motorboats to rent. The lake was extremely green. Maybe a spring turnover or algae bloom. You can't swim-and I wouldn't if I could! I still recommend Lake Morena- Reservoir very much for a day to be on the water or just relax or spend a few nights where it's cooler than being in the desert!

A little further off the beaten path lies a great place to spend a day or longer. The playground is…read morea good size without being too much for the kids. For camping, trailers or tenting is awesome. There are water and electrical for trailers, as well as single and group sites. All of it is on a relatively level elevation, making the kids' bikes a breeze. Tons of fun to be had, a great place to spend the weekend.

I love it when I can bring my dogs camping! Potrero County Park Campground is located on the East…read moreSide of San Diego. The surrounding areas are mountains and small towns. We went at the beginning of October. The weather in the daytime was cool, it rained for one day at night, and it got chilly. At night you can hear frogs and crickets. Dogs are welcome, but they must be leased at all times. There are hot showers available in the park bathrooms. Make sure to bring quarters to feed the machine. There are unruly campers at night. They blast the music up during quiet hours and drink. The best time to camp here is during the weekdays, and it's tranquil. The nature trail is easy to hike. It was a nice getaway! You can find more information about Potrero at - https://reservations.sdparks.org/reservation/camping/

Very awesome park with lots of grills and tables. Great multi use turf field open to the public…read morewhen not in use by AYSO or little league. The rangers are decent people and always look out for the patrons of the park. Could use a bit more gopher control on the heavily used parts of the park that aren't turf, have twisted my ankle several times, so I avoid going too far from the tables or grills.

Ooh! This is a beautiful park!…read more We were there for a "family" picnic, with friends who have become family. We were in area with a pavillion and lots of seating around the perimeter with picnic tables. There were a few big trees we could use to spread out for shade. And right nearby was a volleyball/"beach" ball court. It was a beautiful day for wonderful time with friends. The one issue I had was the parking situation. If anyone goes on a weekend, bring your patience because there was no parking available nearby, especially not for the disabled. For the size of the park, multiple pavillions, and other grassy areas for picincs, etc., there should be more disabled parking available with ramps to the pavilions.

Great little park. Almost always clean and light traffic. The other families I have run into have…read moreall been friendly and the kids always played together well. There are play structures, swings and lots of room to play small games on the grass like catch, etc. Also a great little path for learning to ride a bike or scooter. However, the park is literally crawling with ants. I'm talking massive trails of ants in every single sidewalk crack and ants climbing your legs in the grass. We take a huge park blanket and spread it out and then just run constant ant patrol on the perimeter and it works out pretty well. Not a place to bring food as its swarmed within minutes. My kids and I lovingly call it the Ant Park. But all in all, we still totally enjoy our time there.

This is a nice small neighborhood park. It is pretty clean and not usually very busy. There are 18…read morepicnic tables, a few benches, but NO shade. Bring a pop up if you plan to be there very long. There is a grassy area for playing and a perimeter sidewalk. The play structures are good for little kids. There isn't a bathroom, just a port-a-potty. There is plenty of on street parking.

Perfect from start to finish! This was the best experience we have ever had camping in our…read moreteardrop trailer. We arrived after dark but were quickly assisted by Josh and Allie, who expertly maneuvered us into our spot. (They saved the day!) We were also greeted by manager Jacob, who stopped by to check in as we were setting up. The next morning, we had the pleasure of meeting the owner, Jai, who was very welcoming and friendly. We were able to use amenities (just to name a few) like full hookups, very clean bathrooms and showers, and the pool and hot tub. We bought some supplies from the store, and also got to chat with Jacob and his wife Christine, who allowed us to take a peek at the pigs and ostrich "babies" out back. That afternoon, we participated in a pumpkin carving activity that was so thoughtfully prepared we were just blown away. The campground staff had provided tables, cutting instruments, music, food, and crafts for the kids- they even had battery operated tealights for us to light our pumpkins! The following morning, Dolly and Rich took us on a tour to the adjacent ranch to feed donkeys, horses, adult ostriches, llamas, and goats. They were so friendly and sweet to take the time to do this! We really appreciated the late check out that was available, as packing up can be a mission. I would have loved to stay longer, but alas we had to get back to work. I cannot say enough about this campground and how amazing it is- it is SO quiet, clean, and safe-feeling. The decor is adorable, and the staff and ownership are really top-notch. It is very family oriented- no loud music and parties to keep you up all night. I am afraid we have been a little spoiled by this experience- not sure anyplace else will live up to this one! Thank you thank you thank you Boulevard KOA!

Friendly staff, peaceful and quiet . Many things to do and…read moresee. For kids and adults. Restrooms clean and stocked. We will for sure be back.

Jess Martin Park is on highway 79 in Julian California. This is a really nice county park has base…read moreball fields skate park some exercise equipment. Has shade in some spots. Has bathrooms. Had wash station. BBQ gril. Perfect for picnics gathering. Birthday parties. Take a dog for a walk. Has handicap parking and accessibility. Would I recommend this county park yes highly would. I go every chance I can since I live in Julian and it's our local park. Thank you

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.

I love Mount Laguna!!! I've been hiking and mountain biking out here for years. It's got such a…read morevaried landscape, ranging from huge desert overlooks to green meadows and trees. There is adequate parking along sunrise Highway pretty much anywhere you go. You are supposed to have an adventure pass to park here and they have a kiosk to pay for it but it never works. Fortunately if you have the America, the beautiful pass, you can put that on your dashboard and that will cover it. Today, my man and I went out and did a hike on the PCT portion to Foster point. Absolutely stunning, one of my favorite overlooks in the area. On this portion of the trail, there is very little tree cover and you've got to be careful not to get dehydrated. It was only 74° and it got toasty in the sun. We were out there for three hours, and I had 3 L of water. I drank pretty much all of it and a Gatorade bottle that I brought. If you come out here for biking, be sure to hit Los Gatos Trail. It's so flowy and fun and has a bunch of little features you can play on. Noble Canyon is a legendary trail but if you are going to ride it, make sure you've got strong bike skills because it is quite technical.

Some of my favorite hikes in the winter are here. Previous years when I came here in February there…read morewas snow but no snow when we went today. We could tell that the snow recently melted because parts of the trail was muddy. There are at least 4 trails here. The trails range from easy to moderate depending which one you go on. The views are stunning!

IF YOU ARE NOT PREPARED I DO NOT RECOMMEND HIKING THIS 16 MILE TRAIL. Goat Canyon Trestle is very…read moredeep in the Anza Borrego desert and far from any outside help with a strenuous walk (or bike) trail being bordered by either cliffs, cholla cacti, broken wood and caved in tunnels. No shade on top of a possible TRESPASSING FINE either from parking incorrectly or getting caught walking on the rails, I do not recommend it. This is not an easy hike, but oh man it was BEAUTIFUL AND AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE. Mountain bikes can go through fairly quickly, just don't fall off the cliffs (Especially around tunnel 8). Goat Canyon Trestle is the WORLD'S LARGEST wooden trestle (basically a bridge but held up by toothpicks) and its hike in Carrizo Gorge makes it a seldom visited spot. You'll see abandoned train cars, rattlesnake nests, cholla cactus along the way, and it's a wonderful trip for the brave and adventurous. Apart from 2 bypasses, getting to Goat Canyon is pretty flat. Parking is possible before the sign, or you can enter the gated Jacumba nudist colony office for $5 (they open at 9) You'll want the following to travel to Goat Canyon: -3L of water -Alltrails offline map (you can seriously get lost before the first tunnel) -Sunscreen (apart from the tunnels and cars there's literally no shade the whole way) - pliers to remove the cholla cactus sticking in you -Start early in the day and in the spring/fall as temps aren't too bad -Steel balls and no fear of heights -walk 6/8 hours on fairly flat terrain There are some mini trestles along the way that look like the wood is severely decayed. Tunnels 5 and 8 are blocked, so follow the well worn trail with a lot of man made debris. The hikingguy.com dude probably has the best picture step by step on how to navigate the tunnel bypasses. Overall, the payoff is great. It's more of an endurance test with how long the trail runs.

Goat Canyon Trestle is near Jacumba California. It is the world's largest all-wooden train trestle…read more It is probably one of the most adrenaline pumping difficult hikes I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing! IMPORTANT: there are two trails to the trestle. The shorter route, Mortero Palms, is a 6 mile hike that includes strenuous rock climbing, steep descents and route finding. Do not take this shorter route as it brings you to a cliff that requires rope rappelling. The longer route about 16 miles is the easier of the two, with abandoned train cars and tunnels. However it is on private property that is trespassing. In summer temperatures can exceed 100 degrees with little to no shade. I recommend bringing 3-4 gallons of water and electrolyte replacement. You also need to be aware of hidden rattlesnakes in the rocks and brush. It is suggested to have an offline gps for navigation. The shorter route requires a high profile vehicle to the trailhead and the longer route you can pay to park at the nearby nudist camp (no joke lol). The nudists charge a nominal fee to park there. It is important to research this trail and be prepared.

If you find yourself in the quaint mountain town of Julian, CA looking to stretch your legs, I…read morehighly recommend the scenic 5 mile out-and-back hike up Vulcan Mountain. Despite being a moderate trail with over 5353 feet of elevation gain, the well-marked route makes the hike accessible and enjoyable. We found ample parking right off the road at the trailhead. There were even clean porta-potties here for one last pitstop before starting on our way. The trail was extremely dog-friendly for our pup, though we did see signs warning of mountain lions in the area. While we thankfully didn't spot any big cats, we did catch a glimpse of some large paw prints in the dirt! As we switchbacked under a lush forest canopy, we were treated to spectacular views of the Volcan Mountain Wilderness through breaks in the trees. The vista from the top of Vulcan Mountain was an incredible payoff for our efforts. We took triumphant photos in front of the commemorative summit sign to celebrate our achievement. After admiring the sights, we retraced our steps back to the car. The descent went quickly with the help of the thought of lunch waiting for us. With beautiful wooded scenery, capped off by a panoramic summit viewpoint overlooking Julian and beyond, this was a quintessential SoCal day hike that I'd take visitors on to showcase the natural beauty surrounding this charming mountain escape. Whether you stop for a slice of apple pie before or after, no trip to Julian is complete without conquering Vulcan Mountain!

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.