Californians love their RVs, trailers and boats, so it isn't always easy to find tent-only camping around San Diego County. State and county parks generally include all types of camping vehicles in their campgrounds. But if you're intent on getting away from the campers who think roughing it means no microwave and no TiVo, you can find plenty of tent-only areas in popular campgrounds as well as some that you can get to only by hiking in.
Desert Paradise
Anza Borrego Desert State Park is nowhere close to downtown San Diego, but it is still in San Diego County, which is vast. About 110 miles east of the city, Anza Borrego is California's largest state park, and it is often called one of the most beautiful desert landscapes in North America.
The park encompasses 500 miles of dirt roads and 12 wilderness areas. It's easy to feel you've left civilization far behind. You'll see fiery red Ocotillo buds, barrel cactus and the occasional roadrunner. Borrego means bighorn sheep in Spanish, but don't expect to see many. They are wary of humans. The park has many developed campsites, all of which include tent-only areas. Primitive camping, with no toilet or shower facilities, is also available in certain areas.
Higher Ground
If Anza Borrego strikes you as just too intimidating because of its size, Cuyamaca Rancho State Park in San Diego County is a good alternative. This gorgeous park offers camping and hiking in an oak woodland forest, with 100 miles of trails. Two family campgrounds, Paso Picacho and Green Valley, accept reservations from spring through fall. Green Valley, with 81 sites, sits at an elevation of 4,000 feet, and a creek runs through the middle of the campground. Paso Picacho has 85 sites. There are no hookups at either campground.
Lake Camping
San Diego is known for ocean, not lakes, but Lake Morena Regional Park, 46 miles east of the city, is spectacular, and a magnet for anglers. Campers, hikers and picknickers also enjoy this 3,250-acre park. There are two boat launches at the south end of the lake on Morena Reservoir. A campground with 86 sites, more than half of which have hookups, is also hear the south shore of the lake. Primitive tent-only camping is available on the north shore, on a spit of land that juts out into the lake.
The Heights
Sweetwater Summit State Park is a gem for equestrians, but because this park is close to golf courses, the San Diego Zoo and Tijuana, campers love it too. The park is only about a few miles south of the city, in Bonita, and it is close to beaches on Coronado Island. There are about 50 campsites at Sweetwater, and you may have to overnight next to a horse or two; it's one of the California parks that allow equestrian camping. But an expansion project will approximately double the number of spaces.
Reservations
Reservations are always a good idea for tent camping unless the campground specifically states that it doesn't allow them. San Diego County's Camping Park Information website has phone numbers and websites for all of its parks.
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