Agua Caliente Campground offers a relaxing oasis in the desert for day trips or overnight camping. Campers can choose from tent sites, various RV hookups, or small cabins depending on their setup. There are three mineral pools: two outdoor pools (including one kid-sized) and an indoor heated pool. There's also a shared locker room for men and women with individual changing rooms, restrooms, and showers for guests. Larger restroom facilities are available on site, along with horseshoe pits, shuffleboard, and a playground (which was under construction when we visited). There's little to no cell service in the area, but some Wi-Fi is available near the pool. When you arrive, you'll stop at the ranger station near the entrance to pay the day-use or camping fee and receive your pass. The posted signage clearly lists the different rates for using the grounds. Overall a nice, simple getaway if you're looking to soak in the mineral pools and enjoy some quiet desert scenery. read more

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Love coming here every year! Group camp is awesome, private gazebo with electric plugs. Walking distance to clean restrooms. Cabin was clean, two queen size bed frames, bathroom and sink, table with 4 wobbly chairs, AC/heat was a perk! Bench on the deck and space for a fire pit. Usually require reservations a year in advance. read more

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We went to a YMCA daddy daughter camp here in February. We had an incredible experience. Its in the dessert so don't expect a lot of tree coverage. Sites aer small and close together. We were able to have 2 tents per site. Its an oasis with a natural spring which fills 3 pools. One is for small kids. A big outdoor pool for everyone. It's a bit surreal swimming in the middle of the dessert. There's an indoor hot pool at 91 F. They list the mineral composition. You can feel the minerals. I would come to spend a couple of hours a day in the hot pool. It's very cheap to visit for a day trip. Only $3 per car and $3 per person for the pools. It's all fairly clean. You do smell Sulphur. I wouldn't go in the summer but its great in the winter. There is no cell service, but they do have Wi-Fi at the pool. Beautiful views. read more

There 0 cell reception. If you need cell reception for a quick call or something drive to Vallecito County Park. It's close and has a free "lot" where you can park to use your phone. read more

Agua Caliente Park - View from the hiking trail off the campsite. - Campgrounds Near Me - Julian, California

This place gets five stars for location, beautiful views and adventurous hiking. It is well kept and I like the fact that there is no cell service. That's one reason I go there. My problem with this place is the Rangers do not do a good job of enforcing campground rules. There are frequently children (under 14) in the spa after 10AM. I would not mind but the "children" are not always well behaved. Vaping in the spa. There is a frequent camper that vapes while in the spa. I have complained to the Rangers twice about him but he continues to use his glass vaping pipe while soaking in the spa. There are frequent LOUD parties that go well after quiet hours-again I have brought it to the Rangers attention. I get that people want to have a good time while away from home but, this is not your home. It is a place shared with many other campers. It would be more enjoyable if campers would respect the posted basic rules and the Rangers would enforce them. read more

The pros and con of Agua Caliente. We stayed mid-November in a full campground. Temperatures were mild in the mid 70's with lows in the 50's at night. I'll put the one negative about this place up front.. Be very cautious of wind conditions during your stay. Our first night was a catastrophe with winds gusting to 40mph crushing our test and blowing our tent's front door completely open, busting the zipper completely off.. It was like we were on a wooden sailing ship in the middle of a hurricane. No fun patching doors and ripped walls with duct tape at 1am.. Other campers also experienced high winds on their previous visits with disastrous results. So I have to warn you NOT to bring a tall tent to this campground. I swore we wouldn't stay a second night but we did anyway.. There was zero wind on the second night... besides the risk of high winds that's really the only negative here. The campsites were clean but most are located on sandy road cul-de-sacs... Hiking trails - There are two main trails in this park. The Moonlight Canyon (best hiked in the morning), and the overlook trail (perfect for sunsets). Both are family-friendly. I'd recommend hiking moonlight from the East (just past the caravan park) to the West..It slowly progresses up the mountain rather than a brutal straight up climb expecialy on a hot day. - No internet here. - This is a favorite park for boy scout camping trips. - The spa is closed and the pools have limited occupancy. - No annoying squirrels and no yellow jackets. Only scorpions and snakes. read more

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I don't understand all the negative comments. This is 5 stars for a desert primitive campground. This is not Yosemite! This is out in the middle of the desert. No cell service. It is irritating but don't go if u need to be connected. Campgrounds have kids. Especially on weekends. All campgrounds have some irritating people who like to play music. There are rangers around. We find Aqua Calliente to be a nice quick escape for a few days. Love to go out there for some sunshine as it's a quick trip from Orange County. The sites are very large. They have tent to full hook up sites. Yes it can get windy but in an RV no problem. I'm not a fan of wind. But we have never been effected by it. Check the weather reports! Great hikes. If u have an ATV that is a bonus. We found the pools to be wonderful! Not too crowded and yes, the MINERAL water is not crystal clear. But we found it very clean. While we were there, they were disinfecting the pool handrails. Very well maintained. No fuel out that way so fill up before u get into the desert. If you are in an RV or towing, don't go through Jillian. That road is a tough drive. Go the Lake Henshaw route. We visited Jan 2023. read more

Agua Caliente Park - Campgrounds Near Me - Julian, California

This was the a great escape from the covid era life has thrown. With a mixture of camping sites to RV full hook up sites the park has clean restrooms and a hot spring that runs into a beautiful man made indoor pool for all its visitors to enjoy and relax in the outdoors. If the warmth of the hot spring has your steaming then you can jump into the outdoor pool. Please as a curtesy and in order to keep the hot spring as clean and pure please rinse your body before entering. The park boosts with short and long hikes for anyone, however although pets are allowed at the park they are not allowed on any of the trails. As a friendly park they have an area for picnics, on gorgeous days they have an area for outdoor movies. If you forgot something the local shop on the outskirts of the park has small store filled with extra toiletries, fire wood (which they close early so don't wait until dark) and small pieces of history. Beyond the park are some cool caves and hikes where life escapes you with no cell reception. Take in the stars at night as you cuddle up for campers s'more's. On a gorgeous night uncover your tent or forget it all together as you dream under the stars as the shooting stars can grant your wishes. Nothing says escape like nights under the stars. From the few times we have stayed at this park we have loved it but have somehow been a magnetic to the party animals who have blasted their music, yelling and partying all night. With no cell service the park rangers never came by and our camp sites have all been on the opposite side of the park. We have been very flexible allowing both parties each visit to enjoy the night, but as the clock continues to tick at 2-3am and we still only hear the sounds of people drinking and music we had to ask them to shut it down. We all know covid has us all crazy but just like you we are all escaping the sounds the hustle and bustle life throws for the stars and a night in nature listening to the sounds and quiet nights. That was our only complaint. We still love the park and will continue to hope for better neighbors! If you haven't been it's totally worth checking out. If you have a telescope pack it up with your sleeping bag. This is a great escape for those who want the outdoors with the comforts of plumbing and a hot spring you don't have to hike to. read more

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A friend of a friend reserved about 2 months ago, a couple of sites for a girls camping trip (2 with tear drop trailers and 1, 8 person tent). It was a great drive from Hwy 76 to the Hwy 79, not having to go through beautiful, but busy Julian. I was one of 2 people, pulling a tear drop (only my second time doing so) so it was a relief that there was little traffic. My friend and I pulled into the park on a Thursday around 4:30, Cinco De Mayo weekend. It was a bit nice to find the park practically empty, but also knowing that would change once Friday came. It gave us time to check out most of the sites, pools and bathrooms. -SITES- We were a bit concerned with our sites #12 and #13, somewhat small, (both located up against the main pool) because we had two tear drop trailers and a total of 5 vehicles that would be arriving a later. I parked the trailer and had to horizontal in front of the trailer. We headed to the Ranger Station to find out what other spots might be available. After speaking with a couple friendly rangers, we went ahead and booked another site, #16, to park the other cars. It is a max of 2 cars, if they could fit, for the sites we had. We were told that as long as no one was camping on the site that we could park all of the cars there if needed. It all worked out. These two sites had electrical hook ups and water post with spigots. - 3 POOLS- *Kiddie* I didn't visit this pool, but it is just above the main pool and has it's own entrance. I could see from a distance that there are some chairs available and unfortunately no shade provided. *Main pool* It has two, medium size, shaded area, one at each end of the pool. The deepest part of the pool is only 5 or 5 1/2 feet. There is plenty of chairs and lounge chairs, but not enough to sit everyone once the pool is packed. Ground is extremely hot (we went in May) bring flip flops! This is a family friendly pool, so expect a little noise. By the way, at sunset you will be surprised to find bats occasionally fly over this pool. I don't know if it's the light in the pool, the sound of the people or the water that is attracting them to the area. I witnessed someone having to remove a bat with the pool net. *Therapeutic* This spa pool is indoor, but with 3 sides with window panels. One side, you have a close up view of the mountainside. You may just want to scan the mountains while you're relaxing in the warm water (102 degrees) you may spot a Bighorn Ram and baby ones too! One ran through our campsite as we were setting up! It looks like this pool has a device to lower anyone with handicap restrictions into the spa. *Hikes* We did only 4 short hikes. All of the trails run into each other. -Nature Trail (.025 mile) - This is a pleasant trail to meander no matter the age. Just take heed to the many cactus that are scattered throughout the trails, especially if you have little ones that like to take off on their own. -Marsh Trail (0.7mile on one side and the other 0.45) This hike has more sandy areas, but still an easy level that any age can walk. Only did I see lizards here. They are pale in color and their tail at the end somewhat curls up when you walk by. -Desert Overlook Trail (0.25 mile) This has a slight incline but still easy for all ages, as long as you don't have physical limitations. It does overlook the campground and the desert. Quite beautiful during our morning stroll -Ocotillo Ridge Trail (0.5 mile loop) Easy walk for all ages... again, a lot of cactus large and small so keep yours eyes open. Don't forget to bring your camera for some nature pics. *Amphitheater* - I found this while on our stroll on the trail. There are picnic benches towards the back and metal seating for viewing the screen. Something you may want to check with the ranger if they will have a show during your stay. *Bathrooms/Showers* - I was apprehensive with the shared men and women bath rooms, but it was convenient for me so that is the one I used. I was told there was another area that had women only showers and toilets, but only two shower rooms. I would definitely return here. It's great to hear the echo of everyones laughter/enjoyment and fun bounce off the mountain side. The star gazing at night is magical~ P.S. Agua Caliente General Store located off site. Also, there are sites that have trees with a lot of blooms that attract bees, not a concern for me but may be for others. Site #14 is one of those sites. read more

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I'm not the biggest fan of camping but this place is beautiful. It's definitely a family place and they have a lot of rules to keep that environment. Rules include being quiet after ten and putting out your campfire etc. It's not unreasonable, it's a nice atmosphere. They have clean bathrooms and shower facilities. You have to shower before using the hot springs for sanitary reasons. They have indoor and outdoor pools which is really nice considering it's cold out right now. This place is clean and a really nice place to spend time in nature. I'd highly recommend it! read more

Agua Caliente Park - Gorgeous view no matter where you are in the park - Campgrounds Near Me - Julian, California

Absolutely love this place! I like to go during the week when hardly anyone's there. I almost gave it 4 stars just because people like to come blare their music out here sometimes. Like they expect everyone to enjoy the same music as they do, or like we came all the way out here for a bad concert.. The nature here is amazing! If you come near the end of the season in May, you might catch the big horned sheep duking it out on the cliffs read more

I'm writing this review based off of the potential that I think Agua Caliente could have under different circumstances. Our actual experience was under extreme conditions and I imagine that the rest of the year would provide a more relaxing visit. My group visited Agua Caliente over Memorial Day weekend. I do not recommend trying this. There is definitely a reason why this campground closes during the summer. It gets ridiculously hot in the desert! Of course, camping offers very little opportunities to cool off so it makes for a rather unpleasant weekend. The temperatures reached the mid-90s during the day and cooled off only into the 70s at night, which made sleeping difficult. We slept on top of our sleeping bags and woke up as soon as the sun hit our tent as it immediately turned into a sweat lodge. I was amazed that even sitting around the campfire at night that I didn't need anything more than my shorts and tank top. The heat just never subsided! During the day, we attempted to cool off in the outdoor pool. The water felt great and made the temperature bearable but the pool isn't big enough to hold the entire campground, which is what it felt like when we were there. There were way too many unsupervised children jumping into the pool over our heads repeatedly to enjoy the water. At one point, we counted close to 20 kids and about five other adults in the pool. Where did all these kids come from!?! I appreciated the fact that the indoor hot springs had adult only time but who wants to sit in hot water on a hot day? It would be nice if there was an adults only cold outdoor pool too. I did get to enjoy the quiet indoor hot springs on Saturday night though once the sun went down and it was very relaxing. I could see myself spending a lot more time in there during cooler weather. We were disappointed that the indoor hot springs is only open on Fridays and Saturdays at night, even on a holiday weekend. The campgrounds offers other activities, like shuffleboard and horseshoes. We played a few games of each early Saturday morning before it got too hot. Being able to "rent" these for free is a nice touch. My favorite part has to be the 1.4 mile Moonlight Canyon Trail. The head of the trail was right next to our campsite and we kept seeing people walk by to hike all day. We knew better than to attempt to hike in the heat though and we waited until the sun sank below the hillside to begin our journey. Without the sun beating down on us, the hike was actually quite pleasant. The beginning is a relatively easy hike up the rocky hillside with lovely views of the campground and desert below. Then the hike levels off a bit as you work your way around the "mountain" and check out the cool rock formations. There's even a short bit that makes you feel like you're walking through the jungle. There are no markers on the hike to let you know how far you've walked and we questioned a few times if we were going in the right direction. Basically, just stay to the left and you'll find your way. It took us just over an hour or so to finish, which put us back at the campsite at sundown. The only downside is that dogs aren't allowed on the hike. We camped in sites 139 and 140 and loved that they were removed from the other sites. We felt like we had our own private corner of the campgrounds, which allowed us to not have to worry about noise as much. It was also a nice spot for having our dogs as we were able to keep them away from the crowds and cut down on barking. A lot of the other campsites looked like you were camping right up next to the next site, which doesn't look appealing to me. I prefer to have more privacy. As for the bathrooms, I was quite impressed. We had two choices within about equal distance from our campsite and both bathrooms remained fairly clean and well-stocked while we were there. There was only one time (Sunday morning) that the bathroom ran out of toilet paper but I was able to use the family restroom around the corner instead. By that afternoon, the main bathroom had been restocked. There were a couple options for showers too. The bathrooms had coin-operated showers or there were free natural hot springs showers across the street from the pool. I decided to give those a try before paying for them and was pleasantly surprised at the temperature of the water. Considering how warm it was outside, the lukewarm water ended up being the perfect temperature to cool me off while rinsing away the dirt. There is a sulfur smell to the natural hot springs water that is a little off-putting but honestly I was so hot and dirty by the start of day two that I didn't even care. I just wanted to feel comfortable and the water did the trick. I know I can't knock the park for the obscenely hot temperature so I'm going to rate them on the quality of the other amenities. Aside from the crowded pool, I was largely impressed with everything else this park has to offer. I'd return again but only in cooler weather. read more

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We found this place a while ago when we were exploring the deserts, and put it on our list to come back and visit. We planned a desert adventure with ATV'ing out in octillo wells, then camping here at Agua Caliente County Park(ACCP). Everything worked out wonderfully. We spent the morning riding around the HOV grounds in octillo wells on ATV's then came back to our spot in the Agua Caliente County Park. ACCP is a nice oasis out in the desert. It's away from highway traffic and has a hot springs fed pool. Its a perfect get away from the sun after a long day in the desert. If you're visiting during the winter season, you can hang out in the pools and look at the stars. There are 3 pools. A shallow outdoor pool for those that just want to sit in some water or have small kids. There's a regular one outside, and there's an indoor pool with large sky light above. When we visited, the parents were respectful enough to have the kids play in the outside pool while the adults hung out in the indoor pool. Everything turned out great. The actual camping area was decent. Everything was walkable distance to the pool. It was quiet. However, there's very little shade cover, so be aware and ready for that before coming out. We had a good time and would definitely come out again. read more

I've been going here for about 40 years. The park shuts down for three months every year--June, July & August for maintenance, improvements, etc. I went before the park closed this year & just went back since it opened this year. The park is quiet & has nice scenery but I was disappointed on how dirty it's been getting. 1. The windows are always dirty 2. There are a lot of bees that come & die & are left poolside. Bees can sting even after they die. So there are bees--clean up. 3. The inside of the spa is very dirty. It looks like the dust/dirt settles on large areas of the walls & floor of the tile inside the spa pool. You'd think that during the times the park is closed that workers could get brushes & scrub the tile walls & floor. I've been here when it's clean but the cleanliness is really failing. read more

I truly enjoyed our overnight stay here because of the following: 1) We had a cabin with its own small kitchen sink and toilet. The porch was huge and I can monitor my two small boys in an enclosed space. 2) The showers are decent. It's quarter-operated so bring a roll! It's $1.50 for 6 minutes, I believe. 3) I love the hiking trails they set up. My 3 year old was able to handle the 1.5 mile Moonlight Trail Hike. The trail has A LOT less cacti than the others. 4) The campsite is spacious. I felt safe with the kids wondering off 20 feet from the fire pit and not bother other campers or campsites. 5) The outdoor pool was small but warm and can get crowded with playful kids. I didn't get a chance to check out the indoor pool for adults only. I would spend a weekend here again, in a cabin of course! read more

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We camped here for the weekend; got a decent spot not far from the pool. The campsite itself was fine, though there were loud kids nearby. The best campsites in the place were "under construction" - apparently they're building cabins, or something. If you're expecting a rustic outdoor hot spring, this isn't it - it's more of a warm pool; but it's still nice after a day of off-roading. We watched the evening presentation about Marshall South, which was very entertaining; drove around Canyon Sin Nombre, walked to the petroglyphs. Walked to the nearby store. Very relaxing, good place for a base camp. I've landed at the airport before - takeoff can be a little tense, since the wind from the west has a lot of downdrafts. read more

We car camped at Agua Caliente Reg. Pk from Sat 3/20-Tues 3/23, 2010. V. picked campground #111 which I thought was a bit far for the bathrooms, but it was still ok. The site is suppose to have drinking water, but when we went it was all closed because of some bacteria in the water. That was bad for us because we then had to find drinking water to cook with. Garbage can next to the site. Lots of frogs making noises at night so didn't sleep all that much. We didn't use the indoor spa or 2 outdoor pools. They have showers there that are FREE but the hrs are 9:30am-5pm, Fri & Sat open later. Sometimes they lock it after 5pm, othertimes not. They do have showers that you can pay money 2min for .25c, but V. found out those weren't working when he wanted to use it so went to the FREE shower instead. Still, I'll recommend it if going to Anza Borrego SP or you live in San Diego County. Website: http://www.co.san-diego.ca.us/parks/Camping/agua_caliente.html read more

Go here if you want a well managed campground with good amenities, located near the middle of the southern end of the 906 square miles of wilderness desert environment called Anza Borrego Desert State Park. This campground is a San Diego County facility located inside the largest State Park. Reservations are done via a dated looking interface but don't let that hold you back, it works. This CG has hot and cold running water at buildings for showers, toilets, and a heated indoor pool. The larger RV spots are fairly level. Tent sites have water nearby, some sites near the main pool loop are unlevel and have overhanging branches that go below 10' height even though you can book them for shorter RVs, you may not fit without scratches. Part of that pool loop is a smallish gravel road that can be tight to maneuver through, especially if a neighbor overparks equipment thinking- ehh, there's no lines so I'm okay...don't, realize that others can't back safely into their site. Ask the staff where to park your oversized extra truck, etc. Btw, the attentive employees that I talked with were Park Manager Katrina, Marcus and volunteer Monty as I recall. I had to move sites once and always curious about operations, all were very friendly, utmost professionals, stopping their current task to help me. They know what you need and will get it done without red tape holding up the timing, if feasible. This campground is in demand, booking full many months in advance, as it is that great to have these features way out there. People do cancel last minute but no best way to revise availability via software or staff for the last night you left early. On peak months don't be surprised to see the self-checkin after hours map at the entrance, showing CAMGROUND FULL on Friday and Saturday eves. The other nearby CGs are semi or primitive, and they won't have drinkable water, no mater what Campendium or others incorrectly say like Bow Willow having water-it does not). As a result there are visitors coming in daily to enjoy the pools and showers for a fee. Those Day Passer's leave at 5pm and you will have a quieter pool with your neighbors at 6pm. This CG has tent sites and a Caravan Area also that allows desert outfitter and other groups to stay here. Nearly everyone staying here is polite to each other. This is not the place to overdrink, be loud, or to be rude in any way, as you will be out of place and unwelcome here. People come to the desert mostly for the beauty, the peaceful solitude, sound carries easily, so expect to behave as if neighbors don't have your taste in music, language, subjects, parenting skills, etc. Be careful, your off leash pet or any left alone on a leash for even a few minutes will become a victim to the local wildlife who are just waiting for you to make that mistake. Humans are not in danger but your pets are in wilderness.The coyotes/foxes will hunt at all the campgrounds in the desert, I will spare you the details. Also remember that good customer service, is harder to find these days and the fact that you get it here as a result of long term planning by the County of SD, in the middle of this beautiful desert with this many amenities....it is a treasure. The people mentioned execute on that plan and make it all delightful. I'll gladly come back... when I can reserve a site ! read more

Love this place! Little hidden gem. Anyone claiming that this place isn't clean is just trying to deter people from the amazing little camp site. They clean the pools 3-5 times per day. Showers and bathrooms are cleaned about 5-7 times a day. I didn't experience any shortage of toilet paper. We will be back! read more

My family used to go here to camp in the late 70's and early 80's. I returned with my gf a few weekends ago, and it was a blast. We hiked the Moonlight trail, the Marsh trail, and the Desert Overlook trail, much fun. Also soaked in the hot baths. We built a nice fire and made smores, mmmmm. Good times. One cool thing was the grills attached to the fire rings. You should bring some wood and something to clean the grill with, and of course some meat to grill. I grilled some hot dogs that I brought, but if I would've known about the grills I would've brought a steak or two. Our campsite was near the stream and we heard tons of frogs at night. When I was a kid there were raccoons, but we did not see any. I did hear some coyotes barking at sunrise and that was pretty cool. Can't wait to go back. We stayed at site # 25. read more

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My family and I went here a couple of weeks ago for a weekend. It was my first time here but my husband and kids have been camping here before with the YMCA. I am not a huge fan of camping so this time my husband decided to reserve a cabin. It was very simple but absolutely wonderful. The cabin was clean and well taken care of. It was nice sitting on the patio and just enjoying the scenery. We will definitely be coming back. Of course, there are people there who don't follow the rules and ruin it for the other people. I wish the rangers would be a little more present to deal with these people. This was one of the reasons I didn't go to the pools. read more

One of my favorite places to get away and relax from the everyday hustle. With nothing around you but desert and blue skies, a soak in the pools is a vacation in itself. Yes, they are swimming pools, but they are filled with naturally heated mineral water. The three pools (one enclosed and two outdoor pools) are a great treat during the spring months, with the enclosed heated pool a relaxing soak in the morning or evening. This is a campground, and have both hook-ups and non hook up camp spots available. With the hiking trails all around, this is the perfect weekend get-a-way. A note...the park is closed during the hot summer months of June-Sept. and re-opens labor day weekend. read more

Agua Caliente Park - Beautiful View of the valley from the natually heated spring fed pool - Campgrounds Near Me - Julian, California

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We've been coming to this heavenly desert campground over Presidents Day weekend for the last nine years. There is something so special about the colors of the hills, plants and sky and seeing all the happy families and scout troops that makes me feel good inside. It's beyond relaxing. The choices of pools (kids, all ages and adult) and mineral pool or chlorine are amazing as there's something for everyone. The Moonlight Trail is a fun hike although when we were here there was a big windstorm that prevented us from going on it. The nearby mud caves and pictographs are incredible. Animal life is wonderful: we've seen bighorn rams on the hills, coyotes, rabbits, a chipmunk, roadrunners, quails, bats, lizards and frogs. Bring your hand lotion and chapstick as its dry here. Make your reservations early as it fills up fast on weekends (it's quieter during the week). You will love it here. read more

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Came out looking for wild flowers blooming but it looks like im a few weeks too early. Already booked to come back in a few weeks. Wind is blowing 30 MPH out here right now. Doesnt look like fun for tent campers. read more

Agua Caliente Park - Campgrounds Near Me - Julian, California

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We really enjoy this park. We have visited twice in the last month, and both visits were great. The weather was our X Factor, as the wind in the desert blew very hard (45 mph gusts/25mph sustained) and we did depart a day early. But the rangers and staff here are fantastic, and keep the campground and pools in tip top shape. Clean and well maintained. We camped in space 127 this trip and really enjoyed it. No one on one side, and plenty of room for us and our two dogs. As others have reviewed, the noise from the pools was loud on the weekend...so loud we could hear clear shouts and cries of children in our faraway campsite. So, if that's an issue, find another campground or visit on a weekday. The cabins look beautiful and we will be checking one of those sites out in the future. If you have an rv, the outside loop has amazing views of the surrounding desert/sunrises/sunsets. Check this campground out, you won't be disappointed. read more

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Way too many people and dirty water. I used to love coming here for a peaceful retreat in the desert. In the past 10 years and more recently it seems like this campground has begun allowing too many large groups to book at the same time and too many kids (think ymca and cub scouts). So many kids that this campground has lost its quiet peaceful feeling away from the city. I thought there were rules about how many people could book a campsite but instead I see people and cars packed into them like sardines with no thought for the other campers and with no other parking for day visitors. The pool rules seem to have gone out the window as well and on nearly every occasion that I visit there are above capacity people in all the pools and so much noise that I need to use ear plugs, proving to me that there is no care for the amount of people being allowed to use this sacred spot or the safety of the water quality. These conditions make me want to leave the moment I get here. Allowing children that are under the age limit into the indoor pool has also been a bummer. I can appreciate that lots of other people would like to enjoy this place as much as I have, but a natural resource like this was never intended to be overloaded beyond capacity. I hope others will share the distaste for a campground that seems more interested in making money and becoming Disneyland of the desert rather than a beautiful oasis for quiet, peaceful rejuvenation and maybe the campground will revisit their actual rules and limit the numbers of people allowed to camp at one time. read more

One of the best maintained camping ground I've ever been to! Nice and clean restroom and shower area. Swimming pool and a hiking trail is a huge plus since it provides activity choices. Only reason I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5 is because while I was there it was extremely windy(I heard this place is often very windy). I would definitely check the wind conditions before planning a trip there, or prepare yourself with a high quality camping gears that can stand against the extreme wind. Also you won't get any cellphone signals and they don't have wifi. Be ready to be cut off from the world for a few days! read more

Great stay. Tent sites are right on top of each other. I recommend going on off season. Great hiking. Star

Nice desert campground with clean bathrooms and coin operated showers. Campground has 3 pools. One indoor pool for age 14 and older, and two outdoor pools for everyone. Site #124 has some shade from the sun and in a good proximity to the facilities. Kids really enjoyed the afternoon hikes when the temperature was cooler and the pools during the day. Don't forget the sun screen and aloe Vera gel. Some nights while we were there the winds got upto 30 mph and tested the limitations of our tent. Really cool general store near the entrance of the park. Great for cold snacks and firewood. The cold snacks really helped during the hot days. Would definitely come again if it's not windy and maybe in the winter when it's cooler to enjoy the warm hot spring water. read more

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shhh! don't tell anyone... this is the best campground/hot springs in san diego county. read more

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Been there two years in a row now and LOVE Agua Caliente. I have to laugh at the people who proclaim with disgust that the pools are CONCRETE and children, children were PLAYING at this campground! And other people were making NOISE! First, have you ever been to a natural hot spring? There is no way to clean or maintain it, they typically have muddy bottoms with sharp objects, high bacterial counts, etc. If you were seriously expecting a county park to be hosting a muddy, bacteria-infested, algae-crusted hot spring for hundreds of visitors, you are kind of an idiot and obviously have no experience with hot springs. If you want the natural kind, be prepared to buy a guidebook and hike into one. And don't be upset when it's muddy and full of broken glass. To the people who complain about kids playing and making noise at the campground...sorry. There are a ton of adult-only hot springs and spas, if what you want is unbroken silence and meditation. I only know of a handful of hot springs that my kids are even allowed to visit. They have the right to run around, ride bikes and enjoy their vacations too. They had a complete blast at Agua Caliente. I won't pretend that they were silent during the day, but at night they were, and that's the only reasonable expectation. We stayed for five days straight and we did not experience any rude neighbors (on the contrary, everyone was as nice and friendly and polite as could be), any loud music after hours, any uncleanliness.....we had no problems whatsoever. The pools were clean and well-maintained. The bathrooms too. The grounds are gorgeous, the scenery is spectacular. There are two fabulous hiking trails right there in the campground that rival anything else in the surrounding vicinity. You can hike and explore your heart out without ever leaving the park, if you so desire. Campsites have plenty of space for privacy if you pick the right one. We actually enjoyed our neighbors, and had them and their kids over to our campfire for marshmallows and wine. The rangers are helpful and friendly. Partial hookup sites are a total steal at $25 a night. You get water and electricity right there. At other places I have paid $35 for a weedy site with a rusted out fire ring, no nearby water, no electricity, and bathrooms a mile away. Yes, you will hear birds in the morning, and maybe frogs at night. I love that! I didn't come to the desert to be in a sterile environment with no contact with living things. I came to see the flowers and birds and mountains, to soak in hot water, to let my kids free-range and play a bit, to get out of my ho-hum routine and clear my head, play board games with my husband, etc. Agua Caliente totally did the trick. We love it and we'll be back next year too. read more

I forgot the website for this park so I googled it and noticed there was a Yelp listing with reviews. I noticed that there were a fair amount of negative ones and wanted to make sure those reading this that the complainers and whiners are not valid here. Yes, there are times when we come and there are a few too many kids screaming and running around, but I consider that I was a kid awhile back and loved to do just what they were doing. In fact, going to campgrounds and running around are some of my best childhood memories. So my advice is to either run around with them, bring earplugs or, better yet, get off your lazy butt and go for a hike. You will find the peace and the desert vistas you are craving away from the campground - and you don't have to go far. Take the Moonlight trail which is flat and easy if you are lazy, but keep going and ready yourself for a great circular hike that brings you back to the campground. And wear sensible shoes or you'll be whining about having to climb some rocks. Yes the pools are sterilized and echoey due to the enclosure, but I'm sure the whiners would complain that they were smelly and full of leaves and sticks if they were natural pools. I do miss the old quonset hut they had before the glassed in greenhouse was put in, but alas, it does have a fresh air sunroof. In the past, dogs were not allowed, but that changed a few years ago, so we come alot more than before. This is the only campground where you come home cleaner than when you left because of the soaking, swimming and showering. I have been to this campground about 50 times since moving to San Diego. I consider it a jewel in the crown of our county and would weep if it were to close due to budget cuts. read more

I just came back from camping here and had to give a review. I had camped in Julian the night previous, and was feeling like I wanted to go home when we got here, tired, grumpy and not feeling it. After my boyfriend really wanted to stay I decided hey why not. I am glad we did. I love this campsite! I dont know why there are so many negative reviews! The ranger lady is super nice, and helpful. When we asked if she knew any good rock hounding sites nearby she let us inside and showed us a map. We had used up most of our wood the night before, so there is a small store about half a mile down the road. They have wood, ice, beer (7.99 for coors, 10.99 for newcastle, corona....), and lots of organic brand snacks! There is also a nice little book section with a decent selection as well as some gemstones and minerals! The campsite is along a long road the S2 which has several other campsites as well, but none as amazing as this one. There was a decent amount of people camping, but not overcrowded or too noisy. There were a decent mix of older folks, young people and families. The only downside was one screaming child near our campsite but we drowned them out with our music. Our campsite was ( I think) the best one. Secluded, surrounded by trees and had a clear view of the sky for stargazing. There are 3 pools, one outdoor which is not heated. I thought they were all hot springs so I was suprised when the water was ice cold. It would be nice to have the hot springs outside so you can look at the stars! The indoor pool is a donut shape with seats on the outside and the small inner circle in the middle. This is quite crowded. Not exactlty a great spot to share an intimate moment or get away from it all. There is also a small 2.5 foot deep pool for the kids on the upper level. Overall we had a great experience and I will definately be comming back soon! p.s. try the short .25 (all uphill) overlook hike for a beautiful view of the desert and the campsite below! read more

A great campground in a beautiful part of the desert. The sites are not enormous or private by any means, but this is car camping so who cares? The bathrooms are clean and the heated pool is WONDERFUL; so relaxing. Even the little kiddie pool was great-shallow enough that the water was warm enough for the babies to play in the water-even in February! Though there are some goofy rules (no fires after 11pm?), we had no issues (we had a fire after 11pm). Our fellow campers all seemed like regulars, which also says alot. We heard LOTS of coyotes and even saw one saunter right through our site (late at night). The start gazing is amazing-absolutely no light pollution (though I wanted to turn off that pesky moon! HAHA). I highly recommend this campsite for families. If you are looking for a solitary wilderness experience, you shouldn't be car camping anyway. read more

Ok, some of you have written some reviews, that are extremely useful...thanks! We've been coming here since 2009, and have made 5 trips, and have reservations for a 6th. I guess you could say we like it! This is a great camping destination for families; the kids get the pools and climbing and mom gets hot showers and nice newer, clean bathrooms. This is the CLEANEST you will ever be at any CAMP outing. Between the natural spring showers, hot tub, swimming pool and the restroom showers, things stay pretty well maintained. The sites are somewhat close together, considering they are surrounded by NOTHING but desert, and I'm not undertanding why Dogs can't walk with you on trails. But these are small digs. The bottom line, is this is a really great family get a way. I love the road trip, hiking through the desert, getting ice cream at the general store, having a few beers while doin' nothing and seeing an amazing show of stars. You should make and advanced reservation to ensure a spot, especially if it's busy or you want a special campsite (April is very busy because kids are out of school). The fall season is great too. Note that the natural hot springs in the out door pools are rather cool in the winter. There are few campgrounds that beat this for family fun in San Diego county; and I have great PIX & memories to prove it. But if you don't want to try it, that's O.K., it will remain one of my secret places. :) read more

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Love this place but a couple of things you should know. This place attracts big families who want to play in the pools so expect a lot of loud kids, dogs and screaming. Basically its crowded but very cool. Much better than average tent pads, good hiking and rangers who enforce the "quite time" rules. Evening hours on the hot tub for adult only which is nice. Kid friendly ranger led activities at night which are actually pretty fun, clean bathrooms & hot coin op showers if you are so inclined. This place books up during kids on vacation so plan ahead but its worth it, a fun place to go. Fair warning though, bring plenty of your own food...nothing to eat for miles and miles. Have fun. read more

We loved our spot at this campground. It was a good hookup with trees between us and the other camper. The location is surrounded by huge rocks and the tent site area has some GREAT rocks for big and small kids to climb, just keep an eye out all the time. The "hot spring" pool isn't anything very natural at all. It's for 13 and older and it's an enclosed circular pool with a seat in the middle and around the outside rim. It feels great no doubt. Try and go when it's "quiet" because the echo of people talking is NOT relaxing at all. It would be great perhaps if they offered up a quiet hour. The last thing this tired mom of two under 4 needed was a LOUD experience. That aside it was nice to take turns with my hubby and soak the tired feet for a bit. Showers, bathrooms, old school playground, fire rings. This is nature, go for a hike and enjoy time with family and friends. Bring the bikes too if you like the campground is bike friendly for big and small. Note to those with tents at the tent sites, you are in a LOT of wind. I do not recommend arriving at night and trying to put up a big tent. Tall tents are not advised due to the high winds, in my opinion. Several of our friends moved their tents or slept in their cars because the wind didn't allow them to sleep. That said, go and have fun and get dirty, the shower when you get home is SO worth it all. read more

I hate to give 2 stars to a park when our federal, state and county parks are all hurting so bad from terrible budget cut-backs. But I would definitely not recommend you camp here if you loathe: - Packs of screaming, screeching, happy little monster-kids - The sight of rows of huge RVs blocking your view of the desert horizon - Being surrounded by 3-4 other bustling campgrounds Very little privacy. Too many RVs. We bought a day pass on our first two days of camping so we could soak in the geothermal hot springs and take a decent shower (our much quieter & nicer campground at Vallecito Stage Coach campground is shower-less) and I am really glad we did not camp here. Beware this place if you love **the solitude** of the desert! read more

Arrived on a Thursday for a four day stint in late April. Went for the wildflowers. Still abundant but earlier would have been better. Did not go for the mineral springs which were nice after a long hike. Seems there was a misunderstanding from another reviewer about the pools. They are fed from a natural spring into the various pools, the strong sulpher smell should be your first clue. But this is not a place to sit in a "Nature made" hot spring and soak, I have done that before and trust me you need canoes and permits, so not on a path this well beaten. We enjoyed the campground that was pretty empty mid week but by Friday and Saturday it was noisy and packed, the tent sites are close. We did day trips to go explore and saw some great surrounding areas in both Julian and Borrego Springs which looked like Palm Springs might have been 60 years ago before the rainbow bars and Spring breakers. The sulpher smell to the pools and all the running water would be off-putting to many city dwellers who dont expect that but it is to be expected in a true mineral spring water. Also I guess I didn't read the fine print but no doggies are allowed ANY where on the trails. We woud definitely go back, but NOT on a weekend. read more

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The pools, are overused, and full of some nasty floating materials (not cleaned enough). The campsites are too close together and not ideal for someone looking for a relaxing weekend. The ranger will come around at 11 to let you know of the fire curfew, but does not follow up on the noise coming from other campers. Quiet time is 10PM to 8AM, but not enforced. I had a party in the 5 campsites next to me up till 2AM, talking and shouting across sites, and up at 6AM. Then during the day, people are allowed to use music amplifying devices... needless to say you can here music from other sites across the campgrounds. Overall the scenery is beautiful, but the experience is lacking in the fact that the park ranger and camp hosts are so lax on rules. I had reservations for Friday and Sunday night, and ended up leaving Saturday afternoon, due to complete irritation from the other campers. read more