Burnt Rancheria

Show on map 619-473-0120 joy@westrecllc.com

Mile 23, Sunrise Hwy
Mt. Laguna, CA 91948

Overview

Burnt Rancheria Campground is located 50 miles east of San Diego at the Laguna Mountain Recreation Area in Southern California, right off the Sunrise Scenic Byway.

Campers can enjoy hiking, viewing unique birds and wildlife and enjoying cooler temperatures at this mountain facility in Cleveland National Forest, open from mid-April through October.

Recreation

Day hiking and picnicking are most popular at Burnt Rancheria. The facility provides easy access to a segment of the Pacific Crest Trail, a 2,650-mile national scenic trail that runs from Mexico to Canada. Hiking and horseback riding are allowed on the trail. Biking is not allowed on any portion of the Pacific Crest Trail.

A short hike to the nearby Desert View Picnic Site provides visitors with a bird's-eye view of the desert 6,000 feet below. On most days, the Salton Sea is clearly visible to the southeast. Restrooms and potable water are available.

Families with children will enjoy activities, campfire programs and guided hikes available during summer. In addition to the guided hikes, a visitor might take the self-guided interpretive trail hike; brochures are available from the camp host.

Campers can also get a glimpse of the amazing night sky at "star parties" organized by the San Diego State University Observatory. These gatherings are conducted on most Saturday evenings during the summer months (schedule can be obtained at the Visitor Information Center on Laguna Mountain or by calling 619-473-8547).

Facilities

Burnt Rancheria is a large campground with several loops of campsites. Each site has a table and campfire ring. There are no hookups or dump station for RVs; the nearest is located at the Buckman Springs Rest Area, 4 miles east of Pine Valley on I-8.

The campground is equipped with restrooms and coin-operated showers (showers open only during reservation season). Firewood is available for purchase from the campground host.

Natural Features

Pines and oaks abound throughout the campground, which sits at an elevation of 6,000 ft. The site is heavily wooded and surrounded by an open oak grove with spectacular desert views.

Contact Info

For facility specific information, please call (619) 354-8776.

Camp site features

Across 56 camp sites:

Fire pit: all 56 sites
Picnic table: all 56 sites
Pets allowed: all 56 sites
ADA accessible: 2 of 56 sites
Longest RV: 50 ft
Largest party: 8 people
Equipment: RV, Tent, Trailer

Services within 25 miles · OpenStreetMap

Nearest dump station: 9.1 mi

Directions

Located 50 miles east of San Diego, California. From I-8 take the Sunrise exit. Go approximately 11 miles to Milepost 23. Stop at entrance for campground information and site location.

Stay Limit

Check in from 2 PM, check out by 11 AM.

Reviews

348 reviews

5 stars

251

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 stars

Judy B

Loop:Amphitheater

Site:

Reviewed 17 days ago

Beautiful serene campground with showers and flushing toilets at one of the restrooms! Never too busy and always pleasant and calm…

Jacqueline L

Loop:Pinyon

Site:

Reviewed 17 days ago

Our family had a wonderful weekend at Burnt Rancheria. There was plenty of open space for the kids to run and explore. The site and the bathroom were clean. And the campsite hosts made the rounds and made sure we had wood for our fire. We plan to return!

Monica V

Loop:Pinyon

Site:

Reviewed 24 days ago

It was good. We were near of a vault toilet and it was clean and well stocked. We passed by some of the flush toilets and there were out of order sinks and stalls. The shower was good. It had hot water. The water did not drain well after a 7 minute shower but overall just grateful for hot water and a working shower.

Benjamin F

Loop:Lilac

Site:

Reviewed 24 days ago

Beautiful environment. Easy access to trails. The caretakers were friendly and did a great job.

John L

Loop:Pinyon

Site:

Reviewed a month ago

This is a wonderful campground! When it was so blazing hot last a couple of weeks ago in San Diego, it was over 30° cooler when we arrived at camp. Can’t meet that, along with the fall colors!

Joshua L

Loop:Pinyon

Site:

Reviewed a month ago

We were so pleasantly surprised with how amazing this campsite was. The oak trees with the leaves falling really added to our experience. We will be back.

Availability

See the Camp Sites section below to find detailed booking availability.

Reserve