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    Vallecito County Park

    4.5 (28 reviews)
    Open Open 24 hours

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    Our Jeep ride on the nearby Oriflamme trail.
    Bonnie S.

    We've been coming out here annually over Presidents Day weekend for about five years now. We used to go to Agua Caliente but it got too loud and crowded for us. The first time we drove through here to take a look, we weren't impressed but we quickly changed our minds. It's peaceful, beautiful and quiet. The views of the surrounding mountains are breathtaking. Rabbits, lizards and birds are all around and if you're lucky, you might spy a bighorn sheep or a rosy boa while you're out on a hike. The coyotes woke us up with their yipping and calling to each other. There are several hikes you can go on from the campground. One is a short loop across the street and two start from the horse corrals. We did the hike to Baileys cabin on our trip and the history of the place was amazing. What is even more interesting is the rebuilt adobe that is standing on the site of the Butterfield stage coach stop and the nearby graveyard. All this history is so interesting, I love it. There is drinkable water and clean flushing toilets snd a shower. Bring firewood and sunscreen and a sense of adventure. Enjoy!

    Yuli T.

    I love this place. It has a great view of the desert and mountains and the sunsets are amazing. We will definitely be back

    Christopher H.

    This stage station was built in 1852 at a location known as the "Great Colorado" basin. We know it today at the Anza-Borrego Desert. The Landmark is located on Highway 78 and the Great Southern Overland stage route AKA S2. The other really close intersection is San Felipe Road. The Landmark is nestled between the Anza-Borrego and Cleveland Forest. The monument was reconstructed in 1934 during the Great Depression and other things used to be there but not too many remnants are visible. This route was important back during the Reconstruction Era (post-civil War) because it was the main artery connecting San Diego to Southern Arizona and El Paso and San Antonio Texas. Remember Interstate 8 did not exist yet and there was border and sovereignty issues with Mexico that climaxed 16 years prior known as the Alamo back in 1836. History lesson aside, at this present moment, Google labels this intersection as "Scissors Crossing." There is nothing here except a bus stop and landscape however if checking out historical sites across the land is your thing you can add this to the list. Notable points of interest are: 1. Directly east is the southern portions to the Anza-Borrego Desert 2. Lake Henshaw to the north 3. Pala Casino to the Northwest Beyond Lake Henshaw 4. Cleveland National Forest to the West 5. Los Coyotes Indian Reservation to the north 6. San Diego 7. Western portion of the Salton Sea to the east Pass the Anza-Borrego 8. Directly south about 2 hours is Tecate, Mexico. Safe travels

    Campsite/Hiking

    Our Girl Scout troop and I recently stayed at Vallecito County Park and had an amazing time. It's the perfect location showing an amazing landmark of Stage Coach history, experience of real rustic camping with bright stars and quiet nights, and the convinces of cellular service. BUT the BEST part of it was our Park Host (Diane/Diana) who was not only friendly, had a wealth of shared knowledge of where to hike, bonded with the kids, BUT was a huge support when my car wouldn't start to leave the park (my car loved it too and didn't want to leave) For a real tent/camping experience, this is the place!

    The historic Vallecito Stage Coach stop
    Sherrie G.

    We did not have the same experience as the previous and first Yelper for this campground. Vallecito was relatively quiet and offered more privacy than Agua Caliente campground up the road. We camped at site #7, which was near the end of a little curve, so only one of our neighbors was truly close to us. Behind our site was a bit of marshland, so at night, you fall asleep to the sound of frogs and owls and wake up to peeping desert birds and cooing doves. It is also a historic site, as it also has the Vallecito Stage Coach stop on its grounds, along with a small pioneer cemetary. Is the campground haunted? My boyfriend did not even tell me the rumors about that until after we left - I would have been freaked out the entire time! But I saw nothing, no ghost riders or women in white. There is a portion of the campground that has a playground. If you don't like kids, simply don't choose sites near that area! Another bonus of this place: the RVs and tent-camping are separate, so you don't have to SEE the giant RVs or hear their engines, generators, etc. Camping isn't supposed to be like staying in a hotel - you DO have to share the space with others. Just look at the campsite map before you choose a space and you'll be just fine, watching the stars come out at night in a clear desert sky.

    Campsite 38
    Jeff W.

    Great quiet campground. Very clean restrooms. Showers. Don't go to nearby Agua Caliente Campgound. Unless you love crowds while camping.

    Entrance of the park

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    Ask the Community - Vallecito County Park

    Is dog allowed at the campsite/trail?

    Dogs are allowed at the campground, but need to be on a leash. No dogs on the trails.

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    Review Highlights - Vallecito County Park

    I would never stay in Agua Caliente, crazy busy and too loud, so this is a very nice option if you want quiet.

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    Volcan Mountain Preserve - Mountain Lion tracks

    Volcan Mountain Preserve

    4.6(87 reviews)
    16.5 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)
    15.5 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.

    Photos
    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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    Inaja Memorial Park

    Inaja Memorial Park

    4.3(9 reviews)
    20.1 mi

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

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

    Photos
    Inaja Memorial Park
    Inaja Memorial Park
    Inaja Memorial Park

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    Lake Cuyamaca

    Lake Cuyamaca

    3.7(152 reviews)
    13.5 mi

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

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

    Photos
    Lake Cuyamaca
    Lake Cuyamaca
    Lake Cuyamaca

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    Julian Town Hall

    Julian Town Hall

    4.3(7 reviews)
    16.2 mi

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

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

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

    Opposite view of the street from town hall

    Julian Town Hall - Free reusable bag

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    Free reusable bag

    Vallecito County Park - parks - Updated May 2026

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