A beautiful state park and such amazing campgrounds. There are a few campground options, but during my recent visit, we stayed at the Doane Valley Campground. It was very easy to book ahead online and pay for our daily parking pass once we checked-in. The campsite itself is tucked into the forest, very high up on Palomar Mountain. We found it easy to park our one SUV at our campsite and pitch our tents. The sites do have water, tables, and food boxes. The bathrooms were kept quite nice and tidy. We were all very impressed with the simple but clean and well maintained facilities. We did do a dog friendly hike that starts in the Doane Valley Campground and it's about 4 miles round trip. We had a lovely hike with a decent amount of incline along with beautiful weather. They also have a lovely stop/view area at the beginning of the campgrounds with picnic tables. Palomar mountain is great for camping, hiking, a nice Sunday cruise up the mountain for the beauty, etc. Cell phone service is spotty up there so make sure to either download your map ahead of time or use satellite service. read more

WARNING Do not attempt to drive on Nate Harrison Road unless your vehicle can handle off-road conditions. It is not paved and has many dangerous sections for cars not equipped for them. Take 76 and S Grade Road instead. Phone reception is limited on the mountain. I strongly suggest downloading maps before you visit. The park headquarters is quite small and it doesn't seem like it is continually staffed. Make sure you have plenty of fuel. Bring lots of water. Keep in mind that it may be hotter on the mountain than the temperature at sea level. We didn't see any potable water during a recent visit. As long as you're well-prepared, you will enjoy this beautiful park. Have fun and stay safe. read more

Getting there: Depends on where you're coming from, but you'll want to find your way to the 76 highway. Make sure to set the directions on your maps app before you lose service because you will not have service at the campsite. Experience: This was one of the best campsites I've been too. It was clean, but also tucked away so you didn't hear cars on the highway or anything. We didn't arrive to our site until later at night on a Friday, but when we woke up in the morning we saw that we were literally above the clouds. It was amazing. The site has showers towards the entrance as well as flushable toilets and spouts at the sites. These campsites are booked months in advanced so if you plan on checking out this hidden oasis, I would recommend booking sooner than later. read more

Palomar Mountain State Park - At our campsite - Parks Near Me - Palomar Mountain, California

I had an opportunity to visit Palomar Mountain State Park last weekend as the Coved-19 crisis begins to unwind? Well, I hope it is unwinding now and we will be getting our lives back again soon. The state park is absolutely beautiful! There are so many places to hike and so much beautiful scenery that it's hard to describe in words. There was an explosion of wildflowers in a lot of the open areas, water was flowing in the creeks, and I hiked for several miles into lower French Valley - what a treat! The campgrounds were definitely not full, Even with only half the spaces being available. This is a bit unusual as this state park received lots of traffic from LA and San Diego. I hadn't been here for many years, and was glad to be able to spend the day hiking about. I'm a huge fan and recommend this place to anybody who has never been! read more

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The Boucher trail (and the other trails that can make up a loop hike from the parking lot) is a good exploration around Palomar Mountain. Unfortunately, many trees here are burnt out in this area. Still, this is a fun family-friendly trail system. The Smaller Loop, Boucher to Scott's trail (4-5 miles). From the parking lot, walk up along the paved road to the Boucher trailhead. From there it's a mile hike uphill to the fire tower. Then you'll continue along the Boucher trail until it turns to the Adam's trail, then it turns into the Scott's trail. NOTE - An optional hike to Doane's Pond can be taken from here, the trail is called the Cedar Trail. But it you're looking to get back to the parking lot just continue down Scott's trail to Scott's Cabin, then look for the Scott's Trail Spur as a shortcut back to the parking lot... It was about 5 miles to do the Loop with the side hike to Doane's Pond. - The kids will love all the obstacles along these trails (fallen trees). - Like most mountain trails, there will be long periods of down and uphill hiking. - You paid $10 to park here. At least try and do a short loop hike.. - You'll need a GPS ( Google Maps on your phone) and maybe the free map at the ranger station to easily navigate the trails for a loop from the parking lot. - No wildflowers. - Lots of deer. - Restrooms. read more

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I LOVED the truly exceptional vistas on the drive up!! So inspiring and often clear skies. We went several times and it certainly was a high point and highlight of our time living in So Cal. T-Mobile Wi-fi is poor but has some spots of "sort of" reception. Keep your devices charged up. Take a comfy chair and a book if your inclined. There are several pull outs you can put up your feet and have loads of varying green through out primarily the south eastern horizon to look out onto, fresh air and expansive near 240 degrees, while enjoying a read or perhaps meditating and or listening to a podcast. The ground is all dirt with no grass or places for a blanket. However there are a few spots with some shade under a tree if you watch for them. Some traffic but not excessive dust and noise. Worth the drive and any minor inconveniences. read more

Palomar Mountain State Park - Spotted a bobcat. At first I thought he was an oversized house cat staying at the fire station. haha. - Parks Near Me - Palomar Mountain, California

Beautiful park with benches so you can sit and enjoy, or move around and see lots of trees. I actually went for a hike and found a pack of dogs roaming out here that had no owner...be careful in the woods alone and only go during the daytime. read more

Palomar Mountain State Park - Dog - Parks Near Me - Palomar Mountain, California

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Doane valley campground: This is a very nice campground. Not what we are used to, we usually stay near water and swim or go tubing down the river. That is not the case here. There are alot of trails, hiking, fishing and the observatory is not too far. We did go fishing, there were lots of fish in the pond. The restrooms are very clean, the outhouse is also very clean. We booked 2 nights online but only stayed here one night. It is still too cold and unfortunately I forgot two cold weather sleeping bags at home, with that being said my boys slept very comfy and warm... but my husband and I were freezing. Awesome place, just make sure you pack correctly! read more

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This is a very beautiful place. Camp sites are separated from one another with in a forest setting. Each site has a fire ring, grill and picnic table. There were RV sites but I don't know if there is electricity. There are flush toilets and a coin shower in the shower house and single toilet house within the park. Water is available between campsites. Be aware that some campsites are situated on a slight rise and may require walking up stone steps. Very quiet and peaceful. The night sky was wonderful. Doane Pond is within walking distance and there is a nice trail around it. We fished but didn't catch anything, not even a nibble. The pond is surrounded by cat tails, which are very beautiful but limit access to the water. There are plenty of hiking trails but no dogs are allowed on the trails. You can walk your dog on the road. There is one forest road that you can take your dog on also. They have fire pits and there were no fire restrictions when we were there 10/14-15/2020. The only negative was the incredible preponderance of flies and bees that swarmed us during the day. They seem to be worse when it was hot. The bees were attracted to the water faucet and I got stung on the finger while running the tap. The flies did not bite or sting but they were very annoying. We drove up to the fire lookout tower and watch the sunset. They actually have an observation deck there. On clear days you can see to Tijuana, the ocean and San Diego. read more

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Such a pretty place to camp. Palomar Mountain is in San Diego county. To get to the camp site, you have to go up a windy road. It's a little tricky so if you go when it's dark, make sure to pay attention. We had campsite 4, which was close to the restroom and made it convenient. Unfortunately, the morning after we arrived, the toilets back flowed and we were unable to use it until Saturday night. The campsite was a good sized. The ground was quite uneven at some parts. Each site had its own water source, table and lockers for food storage. Only thing I didn't like was that there were so many insects flying around during the daytime. Luckily, insects were gone at night. read more

This is a great place to go hiking or camping. There are several hiking trails which vary from very easy to medium difficulty. Campsites include concrete picnic tables and benches, fire pits, lockable boxes for food, and water spouts. The campsites are pretty close to each other, so you won't get a lot of privacy or quiet if you have neighbors. The restrooms are relatively clean, but you'll need to bring your own soap. Showers are semi-private and cost 25 cents for two minutes, so make sure to bring your quarters. Dogs (on leash) are allowed, but are not allowed on some trails. Day use $8 read more

My family and I were pleasantly surprised to learn of the evergreen forest within Palomar Mountain State Park. This state park is partially situated amongst the Cleveland National Forest. It's relatively close to both San Diego and Los Angeles. Reservations for the Doane Valley Campground (which I cannot comment on since we didn't stay there) can be made at: https://www.reservecalifornia.com/CaliforniaWebHome/ Aside from camping, fishing and hiking seem to be good here. The Boucher Hill Fire Lookout Tower might be worth a visit especially if you can get a guided tour from a volunteer. Thank you firefighters! The history of the natives and colonization in this area may pique your interest. Well, that kind of stuff interests me anyway. Of course, I have to promote responsible adventuring: Pack it in, pack it out. LNT - Leave No Trace. Only footprints. 2018 Challenge #77 read more

Love the hiking trails here. Perfect place for summer hikes as there is ample shade as compared to most other hiking trails in San Diego County. Fun winding road to get up and down there read more

Absolutely BEAUTIFUL. I am in love with this state park! I wish I could live here. The trails are nice, everything is kept up, and nothing is better than fresh air! read more

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There was no one at the gate. Confused I pulled into the parking space and walked over to the gate. Got an envelope wrote my plate no. placed my $10 and I had to fold & stuff it into the box. It was packed with people paying money for entrance fee. That part was little annoying. What a great place for early spring foraging-young ferns. There were ferns everywhere. Inside & outside of the park Be careful. You have to soak them or boil them in water to remove natural toxins from the plant. You would need to go probably in March. Anyway we walked small trail up the mountain. About half way we were able to see the valley below. Since covid-19 pandemic the air is clear and we were able to see mountain ranges far as eyes can see. Still green from winters rain. Some of us wore masks and we kept our distance. We continued with the trail and final destination was out to the road outside of the park. What??? We walked along the shoulder back into the park. without the rangers. Drive carefully, have good tires, windy road can cause loss of control of the wheel. read more

Palomar Mountain State Park - Dead trees were silver. - Parks Near Me - Palomar Mountain, California

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Decided to go visit Palomar State Park. I wasn't able to find the park entrance when I got up the mountain from taking S Grade Rd. ****(Make a left when you get to the top, then another quick left turning into Mother's kitchen which is State Park Rd. Go all the down until you get to the state park entrance) We paid our fee of $10 per vehicle (there is a box to insert your deposit or pay inside the office). If you stop in the ranger's office, you are able to get a map of the park, info about camping, and chat with the ranger. We walked the Doane Trail, then headed to Weir Lookout Trail where there is a old structure located next to the stream. The view is really nice. Walking back to the parking lot, we went to check out the pond. Then walked to up to Scott's Cabin, this a somewhat intense trail due to the altitude. I wish someone would have told us there is NO cabin to Scott's Cabin. Only scattered logs remain at the site. read more

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This is a really awesome campground. We stayed at Campsite 21 which we loved because it was backed up to the forest. The other campsites are more on top of one another. Flies were a big issue but that comes with the seasons. The bathrooms were very clean and the rangers were very kind. We went on a few hikes but avoided the tall grass as we heard many rattlesnakes trying to pass through. Overall it was a really great and fun experience and we will be back! read more

Palomar Mountain State Park - Pond - Parks Near Me - Palomar Mountain, California

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Very nice campground. A handful of spots for RV's. No hookups or dump station. Easy walk from Doan Valley campground to the pond next to the Baptist Camp. (I remember when this site was the 6th grade City Schools camp) Lot's of trails to walk, not so many allow dogs to come along. Bring your bug spray! No cell service in the valley, You have to go up to Lookout Point close to the park entrance for cell needs. Restrooms in the camp, pay showers. Fresh water spigots are scattered in the camping area. Bring your own firewood. read more

I just love this place. Been coming here since i was a young lad. The views are breathtaking. Make sure you make the big view stop on the south grade. Its really big so you wont miss it. The picnic opportunities are amazing here as well. There is a nice table up at the peak by the fire watch tower. Pit Bathrooms close by too. If you see someone by the tower you can ask for a tour and theu will. Last time we went it was freezing cold butnot cold enough to snow (well the next morning it was covered in a blanket of snow) so it was so close that we actually pulled over and made some hot chocolate lol. Yeah we roll like that! Camping spots are open year around even in snow. Fire restrictions apply. If you come up through the east grade (lake henshaw side) you also get a very nice view point of the lake. So come up on the south grade and down on the east grade. Make sure you have good brakes because they might smoke going down hill. Come down on lower gear but dont drag your transmission. Google it! Well ill keep adding to this review im sure. read more

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We parked at the ranger station about 3 miles from the lake. We took the chimney flats trail to the lake and then hiked the weir loop and went the same way back. The total we did was a little over 9 miles. The campground around the lake is beautiful and well kept, good for kids and family activities. PS if you are using Alltrails map the starting point to the trail is wrong! read more

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Location would get a 4 star. Grandiose wooded forests all around and a great drive up to Mount Palomar with several viewpoints worth stopping for. Campsite would get a 3 to 4 star. Beautiful trails and hikes all around. Bathrooms very clean and well maintained. Hot shower only 50 cents (token machine works great). Most of the campsites are on sloping ground. Sleeping in our SUV needed a hefty lift of the rear wheels to level it. Parking a little ways from the actual tent sites with steps to go up and down. What brings this place down to a 2 star is the invasion of yellowjacket hornets (sometimes called meat bees). You had to literally keep moving while you ate a sandwich or anything else. Preparation of any meal was a duel between you and the yellowjackets. Luckily only 1 out of 4 people at our site was stung. The bees did not seem to be overly aggressive despite the internet saying they are one of the most aggressive species of wasps/bees. Take a look at his video for a sample of what we had to put up with: https://vimeo.com/user114228463/review/470805973/0efa486fd1 We're told that winter would be a better bet for less bees but then it would be cold for us too!! read more

Follow the Baptist, Fry Creek, Lower Doane and French Valley trails to be led through forests and flat-lands, and the chance to climb on stumps, jump through creeks, see deer run, inhale the fresh smell of mountain air, and free your soul. For real. Ah. If faeries and talking lions dwelled on this mountain, I wouldn't be surprised. This place is like magic. read more

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This is a great place to camp and so close to San Diego. Under an hour from home base (Poway), past two major Indian casinos, we were up high in the mountains enjoying gorgeous mountain scenery and fresh air. The weather was gorgeous; bright and sunny but not too hot (although it was freezing in the morning). Besides the great campsite replete with water spigot (at each site), full service restrooms including soap!! coin operated showers (to promote water conservation), Palomar State Park has some beautiful trails running besides burbling creeks. The vegetation and animal life here is so different from San Diego scrub land, it is a refreshing change and makes you feel like you've truly driven out of your way for vacation. The Doane campsite is adjacent to a pond that is stocked with fish for those interested. All in all a great place to camp out. There are some big negatives for those afraid of experiencing the outdoor life: 1) high enough elevation to get pretty darn cold 2) poison oak is all over and even all over some of the campsites -beware of this or you will spend a miserable few weeks after your trip. 3) mosquitoes, mosquitoes, mosquitoes -but I did not get one single bite due to liberal use of Off. My little boy on the other hand... He had so many bites, it looked like a rash. He was doused too, but I guess he tasted sweeter? It was a fun trip. read more

It's nice to head up to the snow without having to go all the way to Julien or Big Bear! I had never been up to Palomar mountain before, despite my lifetime residence in North County San Diego. Windy drive expected :) Parking before the entrance of the park is fairly limited, though my family and I were fortunate to trek up here on a non-holiday, run-of-the-mill Monday afternoon, so parking-a-plenty. Breathtaking even with patches of snow on the ground (about 5 days after our big El Niño showdown), though I bet it's even more gorgeous when blanketed in the stuff! Plenty of places to hike and picnic! But be mindful, there are some slippery declines that make for an angry tail bone by nightfall. read more

Palomar Mountain State Park - Parks Near Me - Palomar Mountain, California

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At the mountain it's called power wire and it's extremely happy for as high as you can get around here and you'll like it if you like trees and stuff like that awesome awesome read more

When you're tired of the noise & crowd of the city, this is the place to go. It's so peaceful & the views are gorgeous. We'll be back again & again. read more

Palomar Mountain State Park - Parks Near Me - Palomar Mountain, California

Doane Valley Campground is a great place to camp. We stayed at #8 which was fairly level and close to the bathrooms. The campsites were clean and are equipped with water spigot, picnic tables, food storage box, and fire pit with small grill. The bathrooms were clean and coin operated hot showers are available. Cost per night is reasonable, $30 per night. State Park troopers are friendly and helpful. Lots of good trails for hiking and you can fish at Doane pond. I would definetly camp here again. read more

Palomar Mountain State Park - Doane Valley campground. Campsite #8, great location! - Parks Near Me - Palomar Mountain, California

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Drove up Sunday morning for some hiking. The trails were easy to locate and follow. It ranged from easy to moderate. The best part about this hike besides the panoramic view of north county, was the solitude of the mountains. I felt as if I had the whole park to myself. Great way to start the work week! I would definitely come back and go camping for a few days. read more

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I've been camping at this spot three times previously. It is always a really fun time but some things have changed that recently make it not a great thing anymore. The fun things are the campsites there's usually a big thing of trees or rocks. The hiking is crazy fun and beautiful. What's up this time was that there are a million flies and meat bees everywhere. We literally lost our minds and had to leave early. Five of us out of 10 got stung and we could not continue on with important things that we wanted to do like hiking. The fishing was horrendous as there's only two spots to fish from the lake because the lake has been invaded by a tall species of Blade grass. I mean like the blade grasses 15 ft tall and it goes practically all around the lake preventing you from fishing and one of the spots that you can fish from there is a giant amount of some type of pondweed. This beautiful lake is now unaccessible. Will not go back camping until they fix the fly issue and clean up the lake read more

Palomar Mountain State Park - It took us days and hours to pack for this trip only to leave early because of flies and bees - Parks Near Me - Palomar Mountain, California

Such a beautiful place! The Palomar observatory is exceptional. There are so many beautiful things to see, you want to have your camera ready. If you live nearby, it's a wonderful day trip. I would highly recommend it. read more

A quick hour or two drive from most any part of San Diego County leads you to the summit of Palomar Mountain. Too warm for you down at sea level? Take this drive and it could be snowing or slushy at the top. The air is so clean up here its refreshing, especially on cooler days. The Palomar Mountain Observatory is also here along with a general store/restaurant and a post office. Palomar Mountain State Park is nearby. Summer weekends the access road (County S-6) can be full of motorcycles trying to race up to the mountain summit. Go slow and careful. A nice place to get away from it all and yet be close to home, all within an easy day's drive. S6 is a fun route if you have a sports car and like to see how it handles. Highly recommended. read more

Palomar Mountain State Park - from medicine.ucsd.edu - Parks Near Me - Palomar Mountain, California

Camped here this July and loved it. There was a lot of bugs and mosquitos at camp but that's expected when you're camping! Just make sure to bring bug spray. I think we were at campsite 8 at the Doane Campground. read more

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We hiked this trail with our 6 year old daughter and it was an excellent adventure! We took the Weir Trail off of Doane Trail and it took us to the most beautiful waterfall/creek with large boulders and an old rock water mill that still stands. This trail was only 1.2 miles to the waterfall, we ate our packed lunch and then headed back. We followed the loop back and took the French Trail through the meadow which was about 1.5 miles back. We came across two deer for a few seconds which made the trail so fun! Parts of the trail entail crossing over the flowing creek by large logs! I loved that in San Diego there is a gorgeous mountainous hike that is different from many trails and so unique! read more

I'm writing this review as a total camping amateur for other amateurs who had the questions I had before I tried camping at Palomar Mountain State Park. We reserved a spot through ReserveAmerica's website for this area and stayed at what is called the Doane Valley campground. Its confusing because you are on Palomar Mountain but the area is called Doane Valley, same thing essentially. Every area you can reserve comes with a fire pit, a BBQ grill area, tent setup area (sizes vary), table and Food locker. For some reason I couldn't find this information anywhere. I went last weekend and it was pitch black by 6 pm. Bring plenty of wood and lanterns. I found that a 5 pack of wood from Walmart provided about 45 minutes of light. We went through firewood fast. Bring warm clothes as it can get cold at night. Also bring bug spray. Lots of flies. There were bathroom nearby and there were honestly better than most bathrooms at the parks by my house so that was a nice surprise. Overall great experience. ZERO cell phone coverage with any of the providers. No wifi available, you are cut off from the world. I'm always connected so it was nice to let go for a day and night. Let me know if you have any newbie questions as I would be happy to try and answer. read more

My roommate took me here for the 1st time yesterday. Beautiful park with plenty of scenic hikes to explore. We went past the one that wraps around the huge pond. We saw plenty of wildlife along the way, include a large herd of deer (which also included a baby deer that was still learning to walk!). We also checked out the old fire watch station. The volunteer on duty even let us go up to the top of the watch station for the view! We will definitely be back to visit soon! read more

My husband and I came here for my birthday and although we didn't camp overnight, we had an amazing day playing with the snow. Palomar is a great place to come to if you want to play with some snow and don't want to drive all the way to Big Bear. We went in January and there were tons of snow and snow chains weren't required when we went. Also, we took our dogs and they had an amazing time running in the snow. read more

Easy hiking. Family friendly+++. I went alone mid-week, June 7-9; relatively quiet for day 1. Friday night invasion of the Dad/daughter weekend camping trip. Cute and carefree and happy noise. Only problem, I'm past that stage in my life. And how they got approval for 16 people on one campsite is beyond me! Very friendly Dads, and how great to get your kids outside, away from electronics! On the other side a family who put their tent almost on top of my site. Rude. Down the road, campers playing their music on their devices. Ugh. Left a night early . Go after school starts up...bet it will be lovely! The nature trail reminded me of hiking the Sierra. Don't miss the fire lookout! read more

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Doane Valley is an awesome hike. Your at about 5000 ft and the hike only has a climb of about 450 ft max. Well established trails that hold up after rains with plenty of wildlife to see read more

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My husband and I have hicked many different trails to Tahquitz Peak. We decided last weekend we would take the tram up to the top and hike around and see if it is a place we would like to do an overnight hike. The tram is really neat, but be warned if you are susceptible to being motion sick be prepared to counter that feeling. The entire floor rotates in a continuous circular motion throughout the tram ride. The handrails and windows do not move; you move with the floor. When you go over the towers, you will swing which gives you a very dizzy, swaying feeling as the floor is still moving, albeit slowly, but still moving. When you check in at the ranger station, you are provided a map, that map has park rules, one of which is to "respect the solitude." There were many groups of people hiking, and a few of them were loud and rowdy. If you are looking for tranquility and peace in a mountain hike - this is not the hike for you. You could hear people talking, laughing, and yelling from a mile away. With the noise level, we didn't see any wildlife other than squirrels. Having to go back up the steep ramp after hiking was a bit of a drag and exhausting. I did find a little extra happiness in my cold, tall beer from the restaurant once we made our way up the ramp :) read more

My boyfriend & I just went camping at Barker Valley on Palomar Mountain and it was incredible. You need a "remote camping permit" from the US Forest Service, but it's free and can get to you within minutes via email. No campfires are allowed, and I was very disappointed to see multiple fire pits...don't these campers know that place would be up in flames in a minute? That aside, we did not see a single other person until we were almost out of the valley. We didn't run into any animals either, besides an enormous amount of bugs (kind of irritating, bring bug spray for sure), and what appeared to be a wild turkey. It's certainly challenging - have to hike your crap 3.1 miles in and out, and the out hike is more difficult, being uphill - but absolutely worth it. As I said, it was completely secluded, super quiet except for classic nature sounds, and the swimming pools along the river (after an equally challenging hike through the brush) were really beautiful. -Tips - Entrance on to Palomar Divide Truck Trail is only from the 79. On a map, it appears that you can access this road from the S6/Observatory side, but you cannot, and the drive back around to the 79 is an hour and a half (we learned this the hard way). BRING WATER! I can't stress that enough in the summertime. We brought about 12 bottles or so, and went through all of them by the time our one-night/less than 24 hour trip was over. And please don't start a fire...would hate to see such a beautiful place ruined by someone's carelessness and rule-breaking :( read more