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Paso Picacho Picnic and Campgrounds
Category: Campgrounds [Edit]
Cuyamaca Rancho State Park12551 Hwy 79
Descanso, CA 91916
(760) 765-0755
4 reviews for Paso Picacho Picnic and Campgrounds
I have been staying in this campground for 30+ years. I grew up camping in this area with Boy Scouts as well as family camping trips.
Paso has always delivered. Campsites are just secluded enough to ensure quiet privacy. Water, toilets, and showers are all close.
There is a great little hike directly across the street from the entrance to the campground. "Stonewall Peak" is an awesome way to get the whole family to hike. The gradual switch-back trail weaves through Oak canopies till you reach the rock summit. My kids have done this hike as young as 4 years old.
If you get tired of your camp food, drive 4-5 miles north to the lake and eat great Austrian food.
So, to explain my pictures... my boyfriend and i went camping here yesterday, it was nice.. we got there, set up, went for a little hike..
it's really pretty there for wide open scenery didn't make it all the way up and no water, falls, streams, nothin. but it was pretty.
but be aware.
it was about 10-11pm when we were done making dinner and i wanted to have a cigarette that i took from out of my left pocket and put next to my camera that was in my right pocket. they went missing and i looked everywhere under and in everything and even traced my steps back.
i remember putting them on the table.
the next morning, our trash was opened from the bottom by who other than my favorite little squirrels!! they pooped on the table. and broke into our spice shaker thing, i didn't know they knew how to cook. one looked like it was about to bite my ass when i was sewing the tent.
sooo we see all these, perfectly formed cigarette boxes in random bushes, i am pretttttty sure i know who did it. ....seriously.
so, that's pretty much it.
oh yeah and go talk to the cherry lady on the way there.
i asked her how much her cherries were and she said 3.75 you can try one. so three seconds later i'm taking a picture of her bird and she asked me if i want to buy her cherries, i kinda ignored her. she asked me again 3 seconds later. i was like, i dunno, i don't think so, i'm not really in the mood, thank you tho! so shes like, what, you don't like my cherries??? i'm like, no they're really good. she's like, ok then why don't you buy them?? i was like umm, i guess i can buy your fucking cherries if it means that much to you? so i picked out a tiny little basket and i only had 2 bux in cash.. and i looked through the rest of m huge purse, didn't find anything else.. so, i don't have enough money anyways i can't buy your cherries, i'm sorry.
Really? I SAW THAT 2 DOLLAR BILL IN YOUR PURSE?
Ok, that's my lucky 2 dollar bill, sorry, no.
OH OK. FINE THEN. THANKS DON'T COME BACK!!!
Yea... That really happened... Did I do something wrong, besides, not tell her to fuck off?????
Paso Picacho campground is a great place to get away from it all. I couldn't believe how close it is to San Diego until I went there. Still being fairly new to the great outdoors, my girlfriend I decided to check out Paso Picacho at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. This place is great! Everything we wanted in a campground, they had. Super clean bathrooms and coin operated showers. The park grounds staff does a great job at keeping the whole campground clean. Each campsite has a picnic table and fire pit. Around the campground was a nicely paved road. You won't find a dusty dirt road in this place. That helped in keeping the area very clean.
The noise factor here is quite minimal. The campsites aren't very cramped so you have a bit of breathing room. I really liked how they mixed in the cabins with some of the tent sites. We took a look at some of the cabins here; quite impressive. They were pretty new and had 2 pairs of bunk beds.
I'm not sure if it was just the time I visited there but they had plenty of free firewood throughout the campground in designated areas. My girlfriend and I walked around these designated areas collected precut dry wood with ease.
Another two great things about Paso Picacho was that Stonewall Peak hiking trail starts just across the street from the campground. This beginner/intermediate hike is probably one of the best trails in the whole park. A very rewarding view of the park awaits those who make it to the top. Also, Lake Cuyamaca is about 2 miles north of the campground. There is some really great fishing there; so easy to catch fish. We always catch our trout limit everyday.
So if you wanna get away from it all, check out Paso Picacho campground. Very affordable rates too. Be sure to call or make reservations online if you can. Their campsites and cabins go quick.
Paso Picacho Picnic and Campgrounds;
A great place to get away yet so close to home.
camping is not exactly my favorite thing to do. i don't see the point of using a tent and sleeping bag (which i didn't even know you needed one for camping...duh!!!) when you can be comfortable in your own springy bed and blankets. i don't get those who say hiking mountains makes them feel good...somewhat accomplished. i can achieve that feeling by buying a cashmere sweater at an additional discount on top of the sales price.
nonetheless, i decided to join some friends on their camping trip (i saw the food they prepared and couldn't miss out on an opportunity of gorging myself). the drive to paso picacho campground offered beautiful scenery which could be missed if you suffer from motion sickness since the roads were quite windy. each campsite had a picnic table and fire pit (woods can be purchased at the site for $5). the restrooms and shower facility (25 cents for 2-3 minutes) were cleaner than some of my guy friends' bathrooms.
cuyacama lake is about 5 miles from the campground where you can fish and enjoy the beautiful nature. another 10 miles up the road is a small town called julian. you should not miss their apple pies and milk shakes. apparently, people do come to this small town for these because parking was very sparse and lines were out the door for some well know pie/bakery stores.
hiking...this is another thing i try to avoid for various reasons. there are 2 hiking trails at paso picacho, and the friends who did both said that the longer one is not for a novice although the view was breathtaking. the shorter and easier trail is actually across the street from the campsite.
one thing i think the campground can improve is putting signs up for bathrooms. at night, it was pitch black dark, and walking the dirk road to find one was a dangerous task. i understand why people opt to use bushes while camping...
after 2 days of camping, i am not convinced that roughing in wilderness is better than bargain shopping. for my next camping trip (a BIG IF), i'll make sure to bring an air mattress.
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