Fry Creek Campground

$15.00/night

S6
Palomar Mountain, CA

Overview

Fry Creek Campground is situated in the heart of Cleveland National Forest, uniquely located down the road from the world-famous Palomar Observatory. The fresh, clean air of the campground provides a refreshing getaway for visitors from San Diego and Los Angeles.

The observatory, atop Palomar Mountain, boasts five high-tech telescopes, among them, the massive 200-inch Hale Telescope, was the world's largest effective telescope for about 45 years. The observatory is owned by the California Institute of Technology and astronomical research includes near-Earth asteroids and the study of distant galaxies.

Recreation

At Observatory Campground, the site across from Fry Creek, there's a popular astronomy event called Explore the Stars.

Amateur astronomers gather here with their telescopes and share views of planets and constellations with visitors. The event takes place one weekend each month, April through October.

Facilities

A loop hike, great for exploring local flora and fauna, surrounds Fry Creek.

The campground sits beneath a dense pine canopy, which is not ideal for stargazing, but Observatory Campground across the road has level cement platforms for telescopes and an amphitheater that's open to campers.

Natural Features

Fry Creek is at a 4,900 ft. elevation on Palomar Mountain. The area is dense with evergreen and oak, and is usually cooler than the surrounding area.

Nearby Attractions

The visitor center at Palomar Observatory is 2.2 miles away and can be accessed by road or by hiking trail. A restaurant and gift shop are onsite.

Camp site features

Across 12 camp sites:

Fire pit: all 12 sites
Picnic table: all 12 sites
Pets allowed: all 12 sites
Longest RV: 12 ft
Largest party: 8 people

Services within 25 miles · OpenStreetMap

Nearest dump station: 12.3 mi · Pala RV Resort

Directions

From Los Angeles, CA: head south on I-15 Fwy, go east on Hwy 76 for approximatley 20 miles, turn left onto South Grade Rd. (S6), follow South Grade up to the top of Palomar Mountain. Once at the top, turn left to continue on South Grade Rd/ Canfield Rd. Continue for approximately 2.5 miles and turn left into Fry Creek Campground, approximatley 0.25 miles past Observatory Campground. From San Diego, CA: Head north on I-15 Fwy, go east on Hwy 76 for approximatley 20 miles, turn left onto South Grade Rd. (S6), follow South Grade up to the top of Palomar Mountain. Once at the top, turn left to continue on South Grade Rd/ Canfield Rd. Continue for approximately 2.5 miles and turn left into Fry Creek Campground, approximatley 0.25 miles past Observatory Campground.

Stay Limit

Check in from 2 PM, check out by 12 PM.

Reviews

78 reviews

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 stars

Daniel F

Loop:Fry Creek Campground

Site:

Reviewed a month ago

Great location on the mountain. Camp sites are clustered, but provide some privacy, depending on the site you choose. The toilets available were not well kept but it's camping. What do you expect would come again and recommend.

Lisa Y

Loop:Fry Creek Campground

Site:

Reviewed a month ago

Quiet and beautiful in a grove of tall trees with plenty of shade.

brian l

Loop:Fry Creek Campground

Site:

Reviewed a month ago

My favorite campground for SD County. Please note that the campground trail wraps around campsite 1 rather than cutting through the campsite like all trails is showing.

Sacha v

Loop:Fry Creek Campground

Site:

Reviewed 2 months ago

Lots of bugs but a good time.

Christopher W

Loop:Fry Creek Campground

Site:

Reviewed 2 months ago

Site 2, 3, and 4 are on an extreme incline with barely any space to stick a tent. Kids hurt themselves falling many times

Hector P

Loop:Fry Creek Campground

Site:

Reviewed 2 months ago

Finding a campsite is very confusing without clearly marked spaces. Please, grab a spray can and mark the spots. I would do it myself if I had known it was needed so bad. The bathrooms were clean and I appreciate that.

Availability

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

Reserve

Popularity: Very quiet

Busiest in November, when about 4% of guest capacity is reserved. Based on 5 years of reservations.