Kampilo

Campground

Burnt Rancheria

Cleveland National Forest, California

Official reservation page

About this campground

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.

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.

The site is heavily wooded and surrounded by an open oak grove with spectacular desert views.

Map

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Latitude
32.861389° N
Longitude
116.416111° W
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Know before you arrive

Access, sites & campground features

Official facility and campsite inventory, supplemented by clearly marked community reports when the official listing does not publish the detail.

Connectivity

  • T-Mobile5GExcellent coverageVerified by 10 campers · Oct 18, 2026
  • VerizonLTESome coverageVerified by 1 camper · Oct 18, 2026
  • AT&T5GExcellent coverageVerified by 4 campers · Jul 10, 2026

Community-reported service can change with terrain, weather, congestion, and carrier coverage.

Access

  • Drive-in
  • Hike-inCommunity report
  • Walk-inCommunity report

Site types

  • Tent sites
  • RV / trailer sites
  • Standard campsites
  • Group sitesCommunity report

Features

For campers

  • Toilets
  • Showers
  • Drinking water
  • FiresUse only when the current order allows flame
  • Amphitheater
  • Picnic table
  • ADA access
  • Alcohol allowedCommunity report
  • Firewood availableCommunity report
  • Phone serviceCommunity report
  • Trash serviceCommunity report
  • Pets allowedDogs are allowed in developed Forest Service recreation sites when restrained, crated or caged, or on a leash no longer than six feet. Posted site restrictions still apply.
  • Reservable

For vehicles

  • Sanitary dump
  • Parking
  • Big rig friendlyPublished vehicle length up to 99 ft
  • Back-in sitesCommunity report

Official campground guide

Plan with the full campground details

Facility information, site rules, booking windows, and published rates. Source snapshot checked Oct 18, 2026.

Open official source

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.

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.

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).

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.

Nearby Attractions

Not separately published

Recreation.gov does not publish a separate nearby attractions section for this campground.

Activities & amenities

What Recreation.gov or the campground’s official source specifically lists.

Available activities

  • Day Use AreaAmphitheater
  • Visitor CenterRanger Station
  • Interpretive ProgramsEducational Programs
  • Camping

Amenities and facility features

  • Flush toilets
  • Showers
  • Potable water
  • Site fire ring or grillUse only when the current order allows flame
  • Dump station
  • Amphitheater
  • Parking Area
  • Vault Toilets

Recreation sites

Published inventory grouped by site type. Individual sites can have stricter limits.

Management

68 sites
Reservation type
Non Site-Specific, Site-Specific
Equipment
RV, Tent, Trailer
Maximum people
8
Maximum vehicles
1
Maximum vehicle length
99 ft
Check-in
0:00 AM, 2:00 PM
Check-out
0:00 AM, 11:00 AM
Accessible sites
None flagged in site inventory

Standard Non-Electric

48 sites
Reservation type
Site-Specific
Equipment
RV, Tent, Trailer
Maximum people
8
Maximum vehicles
1
Maximum vehicle length
50 ft
Check-in
2:00 PM
Check-out
11:00 AM
Accessible sites
1 flagged accessible

Tent Only Non-Electric

8 sites
Reservation type
Site-Specific
Equipment
Tent
Maximum people
8
Maximum vehicles
1
Maximum vehicle length
40 ft
Check-in
2:00 PM
Check-out
11:00 AM
Accessible sites
1 flagged accessible

Site rules, inventory & rates

Facility rules, inventory procedures, and price seasons published by the official source.

Site rules

Maximum stay
14 nights
Max Stay
14 nights
Holiday-weekend minimum
3 nights
Weekend minimum
2 nights
Reservation cutoff
4 days before arrival
Maximum published occupancy
8 people per site
Maximum published vehicles
1 vehicles per site
Check-in
0:00 AM, 2:00 PM
Check-out
0:00 AM, 11:00 AM
Food storage
Burnt Rancheria's official facility record checked 2026-10-16 does not publish a food-storage method; confirm the posted rule with Cleveland National Forest.
Fire and stove use
Burnt Rancheria's official facility record states: Each site has a table and campfire ring.
Pets
Dogs are allowed in developed Forest Service recreation sites when restrained, crated or caged, or on a leash no longer than six feet. Posted site restrictions still apply.

Inventory window

Recreation.gov publishes a rolling booking window. The dates below are the official snapshot captured for this catalog build.

Currently bookable through
Oct 18, 2026
Next release
Oct 25, 2026, 7:00 AM PDT
Next book-through date
Apr 25, 2027
Group sites bookable through
Oct 18, 2027

Published seasons & rates

SeasonSite typeNightly rateAdditional personDeposit
Peak SeasonApr 25, 2026 – Oct 18, 2026Management$35——
Peak SeasonApr 25, 2026 – Oct 18, 2026Standard Non-Electric$35——
Peak SeasonApr 25, 2026 – Oct 18, 2026Tent Only Non-Electric$35——
Peak SeasonApr 25, 2027 – Oct 18, 2027Management$35——
Peak SeasonApr 25, 2027 – Oct 18, 2027Standard Non-Electric$35——
Peak SeasonApr 25, 2027 – Oct 18, 2027Tent Only Non-Electric$35——
Peak SeasonApr 25, 2028 – Oct 18, 2028Management$35——
Peak SeasonApr 25, 2028 – Oct 18, 2028Standard Non-Electric$35——
Peak SeasonApr 25, 2028 – Oct 18, 2028Tent Only Non-Electric$35——

Important facility notices

Read these with current closure and fire notices before departure.

  • This is Burnt Rancheria in the Cleveland National Forest east of San Diego; it is not Rancheria near Clovis in the Sierra National Forest
  • 2 Pets per site only
  • Please Note: One RV with tow vehicle per single site or one vehicle per tent site. Most sites can accommodate 1 extra vehicle that is not included with the reservation fee. Extra vehicle will be charged a per night fee and collected at the campground.
  • Fire Restrictions: Fire restrictions may be imposed at any time due to hot, dry weather conditions, at which time campfires and charcoal fires may not be allowed. Wooden pallets are not allowed for campfires; During hot and dry summer months, fire restrictions are common and campfires may be prohibited
  • Reserved Sites will be held until check out time (NOON) the day following your arrival date. Sites must be occupied by the checkout time of that following day to hold a reservation or the site will be forfeited and released to other guests. Once your reservation start date has begun, neither the Recreation.gov Contact Center nor the campground manager will be able to modify your reservation.
  • Don't Move Firewood: Protect California's forests from tree-killing pests by buying your firewood locally and burning it on-site. For more information visit firewood.ca.gov.
  • Click here to learn more about Cleveland National Forest, or call 619-354-8776
  • Camping or otherwise occupying a single location (including leaving camping equipment and/or related supplies) for a period longer than 14 consecutive calendar days is prohibited. ‘Location’ means the occupied area, the occupied campsite, and the National Forest System lands in the immediate vicinity thereof. Camping or occupying any location on all National Forest lands for more than 28 calendar days total during a calendar year is prohibited.

Getting there & contact

Official 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.

Facility contact

619-473-0120 · joy@westrecllc.com

Sources

Recreation.gov official facility record — Burnt RancheriaUSDA Forest Service — responsible pet practicesRecreation.gov official facility record — Burnt RancheriaBurnt Rancheria official facility detailsRecreation.gov official facility record — Burnt Rancheria — food-storage guidanceThe Dyrt community reports — Burnt Rancheria CampgroundRecreation.gov campground details APIRecreation.gov published seasons and ratesRecreation.gov booking-window release dataRecreation.gov recreation-site inventory