US
California
Palomar Mountain

90 votes

Palomar Mountain State Park

19952 State Park Dr., Palomar Mountain, California 92060 USA

Open Now

Fri 5a-10p

Independent
Pet Friendly
Not Wheelchair
Accessible
Public
Restrooms
No Wifi

“A wonderful place to visit in our fast times”

The beautiful forest and mountain meadows of Palomar Mountain State Park are in northern San Diego County on the west side of Palomar Mountain. Large pine, fir and cedar trees make the park one of the few areas in southern California with a Sierra Nevada-like atmosphere. The park features camping, picnicking, hiking, and fishing (trout) in Doane Pond. Coniferous forests cover much of the 1,862 acres, in contrast to the dry lowlands surrounding the mountain. Elevation within the park averages 5,000 feet above sea level, making evenings cool even during the summer. A number of vista points offer spectacular panoramic views both westerly toward the ocean and inland toward the desert, particularly from Boucher Hill Summit. There, you'll also find the historic Boucher Hill Fire Lookout. The park is open from dawn 'til dusk daily. However, call or check the banner at the top of this page for possible changes due to budget cuts. From Highway 76, either of two roads can be used to reach the park. The one from Rincon Springs (County Road S6) is scenic but rather steep and winding. County Road S7 from Lake Henshaw is longer, but its gentle grade makes it more suitable for heavily loaded vehicles and those pulling trailers. To the east, beyond the limits of the park, is the world-famous Palomar Observatory and the highest point of the 6,100-foot mountain. Many park visitors make the eight-mile trip up the road to the Palomar Observatory, which is operated by the California Institute of Technology and open to the public.

Reviews of Palomar Mountain State Park

3 people have reviewed this location

Ratings Summary

4.0 Access

5.0 Location

4.3 Cleanliness

4.0 Site Quality

5.0 Noise

Cell Coverage

Verizon 5G

Confirmed by 1 users | Last reported on November 22, 2021

T-Mobile 5G

Confirmed by 1 users | Last reported on July 06, 2023

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Reviewed by
Campendium

March 18, 2016

Nice campground, quietest I've ever been in, most of the campers were in bed by 10PM. The problem with this campground is two fold, one, most of the tent sites are very small, we have a large tent and had to put it on the Asphalt driveway, which was fine since we only had one car. The second problem was a lot of the sites (most) did not have a level place to put any tent, most of the tents I saw were on a slight incline and not level, The camping spots are shaded really nice and the restrooms have showers and were very clean. No AT&T Cell coverage, had to drive about 2-3 miles to get service.

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This reviewer would stay here again

Nightly Rate: -

Days Stayed: 4

Site Number: 1

4 Access

5 Location

5 Cleanliness

4 Site Quality

5 Noise

Reviewed by
roadtripper611641

6 Reviews
0 Helpful

November 22, 2021

This park is best for tent camping, though there are a few spaces for trailers. We’re car campers so we were able to use a trailer site. The reservation system here is a bit haphazard so be sure to ask if there are spaces available. The “campsite full” sign is not accurate. This is a beautiful but hilly site so might not be good for anyone with mobility issues. We loved all the trees and birds. Restrooms were clean. Showers are coin-op and I didn’t try them.

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roadtripper611641 would stay here again

Nightly Rate: $30.00

Days Stayed: 1

Site Number: 12

3 Access

5 Location

4 Cleanliness

4 Site Quality

5 Noise

Cell Coverage Rating

Verizon

Reviewed by
roadtripper5458995

3 Reviews
0 Helpful

July 06, 2023

$40 a night for a state park is (extremely) pricey. We were tent camping. Site 30 is excellent, roomy, and close the the bathrooms. We went to the mountains to escape the 4th of July noise at our home in Orange County.

4th of July week in 2023 and the place was only half full!! Proof that it costs too much--although quite nice. But we could have gone to Fry (National Forest campground just up the road) for a similar site for $15. Only $7.50/night with our senior card discount.

Let's lower the price.

$40 and we need tokens for the shower? Really?

My wife and I have enough money so it's not a problem. But for many Californians, especially young families who pay taxes to support the State Parks, this is way, way too much.

Add to that the ridiculous registration fee if you reserve online (it's actually cheaper for the State [because it is automatic with no staffing] if we reserve online than if we pay for the spot at the kiosk on the way in [where they have to pay an attendant/accountant], but the price structure is the opposite).

Beautiful park. Lower the prices and make our parks (which belong to everyone) accessible to everyone.

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roadtripper5458995 would stay here again

Nightly Rate: $40.00

Days Stayed: 2

Site Number: 30

5 Access

5 Location

4 Cleanliness

4 Site Quality

5 Noise

Cell Coverage Rating

T-Mobile

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