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Doane Valley Campground

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32 sites · RV, Tent

<p>With 31 sites, Doane Valley Campground is a great escape in the Palomar Mountain area.

Located in northern San Diego County, it's one of the few areas in SoCal with a Sierra Nevada-like vibe. One thing: some of the sites are known to be on a slight incline, so if you want to avoid that then look for the 1-8 loop.

Cedar Grove Group Campground, is close by, so you won’t have to worry about massive parties right next to your site. However, Doane Valley sites are somewhat close together, so you might have to get to know some of your neighbors.

32 sitesRV, Tent
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Top-rated for location, privacy, and amenities near Palomar Mountain State Park

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35 ratings · 8 reviews
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Stephanie M.
2 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· August 2022
Great campground. We had site 26 in Aug. There was plenty of flat space. We fit our 8 person tent with a porch and a 2 person tent easily. The area for the larger tent was in the shade all day. The rest of the site is in full sun in the early AM only. There’s a good amount of shade the rest of the day. Bathrooms and showers are clean but there is limited privacy between the two shower stalls. Bring dollar bills for converting to tokens. Almost every site has stairs. The stairs for 26 are not bad but the adjacent site 25 had tons of stairs and doesn’t have a lot of flat space. There are lots of flying bugs. It’s worse in the AM and late afternoon. A small fan worked like a charm.
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Ms D.
3 years on Hipcamp
June 2021
Stayed here for the first time this weekend. Pros: really nice campground, cleanest restrooms I've ever seen at a campground, showers available, shaded sites, some decently private. Cons: the slope, looked like almost every site was on a slope too. You have to consider it when sleeping and cooking. Gets very cold at night, it was in the 80s in the day and mid 40s overnight. The flies were terrible. We used bug spray and candles and they were still swarming us. But the worst is that that there's not much to do unless you like to hike a ton. Would have been amazing if there was a swimming hole nearby, but with little kids it's not possible to hike miles in deep to swim. But overall a very nice campground!
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Cecilia T.
4 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· August 2020
Due to Covid I have been dragging my husband to every campsite I can get us into all to avoid crowds and to practice social distancing while enjoying a bit of nature this was our 4th site we visited, By far my favorite over all , the trees alone made it my favorit nice shade far far far away deep in the mountain. nice size campsite oh & the stars wow breathtaking
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Domanique A.
7 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· April 2019
Did a group camping trip here at the end of March: - Drove past Lake Elsinore and saw the super bloom which was really cool - Sites 1-3 are on the side of a steep hill. Fine for adults, we were super nervous with toddlers who weren't very stable. - Site 1 fit a shiftpod + 2 smaller tents, very slanty ground - Site 2 fit a shiftpod + 1 small tent, very slanty ground - Site 3 only had room for 1 10x10' tent, had gnarly steps getting into the site, and the slanty ground wasn't too bad - Site 31 was optimal - flat ground, space for multiple tents, and two long picnic tables for group meals - each site had potable water, and the bathrooms were close and clean - sites 4, 7, and 8 were in the middle, and ontop of each other
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Michael C.
8 years on Hipcamp
May 2017
Super rad campground, surrounded by trees and some awesome incline campsites. Felt like we had the wilderness as our backyard at our campsite. Great nature trail stemming from the campground as well. Will definitely be back!
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Garrett B.
7 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· April 2017
Excellent facilities. Restrooms, showers, and very clean and well maintained.
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John P.
7 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· April 2017
Get directions beforehand, you may lose service as you get close.
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Lia G.
8 years on Hipcamp
March 2016
Nice clean campground- some sites are really small for a large tent and the parking of a large truck could be tricky. Also, some sites you need to carry your things up a few steps. It was quite and perfect

Your guide to camping in Doane Valley Campground

Overview

Fishing

When’s the last time you tried your hand at some good ol fashioned trout fishing? If it was a while ago or even yesterday, the Department of Fish and Game consistently stocks Palomar Mountain State Park’s Doane Pond with trout year round, so you can go and get to anglin’. You can find the most recent planting schedule here, while the best fishing can be done during the winter, spring, and early summer (thankfully not during those peak months). Remember that fishing is not permitted at night and that classic CA Fishing License is required per California norm. While you’re there, enjoy some of the informal picnicking areas right by the pond, they call for a beautiful day out on Palomar Mountain. We also ask that, in accordance with State Park requests, you do not fish in the creeks below the pond, as they are home to some native fish species that are on the verge of complete extinction. Hate to put a downer on it all, but just stick to the pond and those trout and everyone will be happy!

Hiking

Let’s get down to the real business of Palomar Mountain SP, and that’s the gorgeous multitude of hiking trails available for every trip of trekker. Enjoy the wide variety of jaunts that take visitors through magical Sierra-like terrain covered with lush coniferous and densely wooded oak forests up to some of the highest elevations in the San Diego area. You can choose something not too strenuous, such as the Doane Valley Nature Trail, or try your hand at some of the other treks available. On pretty much any of the paths you take you’ll find yourself at spectacular vista points with panoramic views both westerly toward the ocean and inland toward the desert. One example is the Boucher Hill Summit which has been listed in the Sierra Club's "Hundred Peaks Section" since first published in 1946.

Swimming

If you have the guts to venture out into the remote Barker Valley in the corner of Palomar Mountain, you’ll be rewarded with hidden swimming holes. Granted, you’d have to have the skills of a mountain goat to get through the steep terrain, but what’s a reward without some challenge, right? You can find some directions here.

Wildlife watching

OK, what’s a dense forest without some great wildlife accompaniment? It’s like a musical without music. Thankfully the musical that is Palomar Mountain State Park is chock full of great “songs” of all types (aka species). Keeping in line with this song theme, let’s start with the avian community that inhabits the mountain. Avid bird-watchers can observe spotted owls, bald and golden eagles, western bluebirds, and many others. Our next quartet features some of the land mammals that are common: mule deer, gray foxes, coyotes, and the ever elusive mountain lion. Not bad eh? Well, let’s close it off with a finale of insects and plant life. Visitors usually come across flowering trees including western dogwood, azalea and wild lilac, and buttercups and penstemons in the meadow area. The park also is home to the gorgeous Pale Swallowtail and Skipper butterfly.

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