U.S. Forest Service · Cleveland National Forest · California

Crestline Group Campground

Crestline Group Campground is located in a wooded area on Palomar Mountain, at approximately 5,390 feet in elevation. Many trees including Black Oak, Cedar, White Fir and Live Oak surround the site. Crestline Group Campground is a convenient place for large families, church groups and other social gatherings of up to 50 people. The facility is a popular recreation site for visitors going to the Palomar Observatory, a world-class center of astronomical research by the California Institute of Technology in North San Diego County. Hiking, biking and picnicking are available nearby.

Temporarily closedReservable · Recreation.gov1 sitePets ok

More like this: reservable in California · pets allowed in California · group sites in California

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site sign Crestline Group CampgroundPicnic table on slope.Group fire ring with benches around.Picnic tables near shaded area.
Photos courtesy of Palomar Ranger District · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Group tent areas1
This site is booked as a single unit on Recreation.gov. The booking page shows which dates are open and how far ahead they release. How the booking window works

Site guide

1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteSurfaceShadeWater / sewerPeople / vehiclesAccessible
1PavedPartialNo / No50 / 12Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 1:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

PetsAllowed
AccessibilitySite 1 is listed accessible

The accessible site is equipped with several picnic tables in the campground and cooking area, as well as an accessible vault toilet. RVs with a maximum length of 27 feet can be accommodated. No electricity.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusTemporarily closed
SeasonJanuary to December
ForestCleveland National Forest
BookingThis site can be reserved by calling Toll Free 1-877-444-6777 (International 518-885-3639 or TDD 877-833-6777) or on-line www.recreation.gov
FeesA reservation charge is added to the price of the site. $75/Night
RulesNo RV parking.

Cleveland National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Crestline Group Campground40°50°60°70°80°January: 5.93 inches of precipitation, 6.2 inches of snowFebruary: 7.34 inches of precipitation, 10.6 inches of snowMarch: 4.61 inches of precipitation, 3.1 inches of snowApril: 2.00 inches of precipitation, 3.5 inches of snowMay: 0.89 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 0.17 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 0.29 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.68 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 0.48 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 1.21 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowNovember: 2.25 inches of precipitation, 0.4 inches of snowDecember: 4.56 inches of precipitation, 2.4 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 44.2°F averageFebruary: 43.6°F averageMarch: 47.3°F averageApril: 51.5°F averageMay: 58.8°F averageJune: 67.8°F averageJuly: 74.1°F averageAugust: 74.5°F averageSeptember: 69.4°F averageOctober: 59.9°F averageNovember: 50.3°F averageDecember: 43.7°F average0 in5 in10 in15 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Palomar Mtn Obsy, 5 miles from the campground at 5,550 feet, station USC00046657 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 30 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 26 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From San Diego, California, follow U.S. Highway 15 north to State Highway 76. Proceed east to County Road S6. Take S6 north to the top of Palomar Mountain. Group campground is at the junction of County Roads S6 and S7.

Coordinates33.3128° N, 116.8647° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Outdoor gearNomad Ventures ↗18.5 mi
Dump stationDump station ↗29.4 mi
RV sales & serviceBobby Combs RV Centers - El Cajon ↗35.7 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

Inside The Coleman Crestline 3

Worth a stop

The campground is adjacent to Palomar Mountain State Park and less than a two-hour drive from San Diego, California.

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 2.2 mi
    Observatory
    2.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.4 mi
    Fry Creek
    1.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3 mi
    Barker Valley
    3.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

Agua Tibia Wilderness begins about 7.1 miles away, and it is the closest of these.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

Natural features

The campground sits at an elevation of 5,390 feet in the Palomar Mountains of Southern California. The site is forested but has plenty of open space for star gazing and playing.

Recreation

The campground makes a good base camp for visiting the Palomar Observatory Visitor Center and Palomar Mountain State Park or exploring the surrounding forest. Day hiking, backpacking, biking, picnicking and scenic driving are available in the area.

Guidebooks for California

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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Crestline Group Campground?

Sites at Crestline Group Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. This site can be reserved by calling Toll Free 1-877-444-6777 (International 518-885-3639 or TDD 877-833-6777) or on-line www.recreation.gov Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Crestline Group Campground?

A reservation charge is added to the price of the site. $75/Night

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Crestline Group Campground?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 1:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Crestline Group Campground open right now?

Temporarily closed as of Oct 16, 2026. Season January to December.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Crestline Group Campground have?

1 site, including 1 group tent area.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Crestline Group Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Crestline Group Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there accessible sites at Crestline Group Campground?

Site 1 is listed accessible on Recreation.gov. What that covers (a paved pad, an accessible table, a nearby accessible restroom) is on each site's booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is there cell service at Crestline Group Campground?

FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G and AT&T 5G at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.

Source: FCC Broadband Map

What is there to do at Crestline Group Campground?

The campground makes a good base camp for visiting the Palomar Observatory Visitor Center and Palomar Mountain State Park or exploring the surrounding forest. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What if Crestline Group Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Observatory Campground (2.2 mi), Fry Creek Campground (2.4 mi), and Oak Grove Campground (6.6 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby