U.S. Forest Service · Cleveland National Forest · Mt. Laguna, CA

Burnt Rancheria

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.

Closed for the seasonReservable · Recreation.gov124 sites99 ft maxNo hookupsPets okFires ok

More like this: reservable in California · big rigs in California · pets allowed in California

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Flat sandy campsite with a picnic table and fire pit.BURNT RANCHERIABURNT RANCHERIABURNT RANCHERIA
Photos courtesy of USFS · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard, no hookups48
Tent-only8
Host/management68
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 50 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

56 sites in 4 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteLoopTypeEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadePeople / vehiclesFiresAccessible
013AmphitheaterStandardBack-in38PavedPartial8 / 1Yes
014AmphitheaterStandardBack-in42Paved8 / 1Yes
017AmphitheaterStandardBack-in50PavedFull8 / 1Yes
018AmphitheaterStandardBack-in50PavedFull8 / 1Yes
033AmphitheaterStandardBack-in40PavedFull8 / 1Yes
035AmphitheaterStandardBack-in25Paved8 / 1Yes
036AmphitheaterTent onlyBack-inPavedPartial8 / 1Yes
037AmphitheaterTent onlyBack-inPavedFull8 / 1YesYes
039AmphitheaterStandardBack-in30Paved8 / 1Yes
041AmphitheaterTent onlyBack-inPavedPartial8 / 1Yes

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 11:00 AM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
Max vehicle length99 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
AccessibilitySites 037, 012 are listed accessible

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.

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

Season & status

StatusClosed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
SeasonApril
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 at http://www.recreation.gov
FeesCampsites $35/Night for single unit (one vehicle included). Extra vehicle $10 (over 2 allowed with each campsite/night). Parking at Day Use Parking Area $8 fee; leaving before 6PM. Day Use parking at campsite $13. A reservation charge is added to the price of the site using Recreation.gov
RulesVehicles 40 ft. max.

Cleveland National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Burnt Rancheria40°50°60°70°80°January: 2.69 inches of precipitationFebruary: 4.82 inches of precipitationMarch: 2.59 inches of precipitationApril: 0.90 inches of precipitationMay: 0.40 inches of precipitationJune: 0.08 inches of precipitationJuly: 0.75 inches of precipitationAugust: 0.49 inches of precipitationSeptember: 0.53 inches of precipitationOctober: 0.70 inches of precipitationNovember: 1.39 inches of precipitationDecember: 2.30 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 41.7°F averageFebruary: 41.9°F averageMarch: 45.2°F averageApril: 50.5°F averageMay: 56.9°F averageJune: 65.3°F averageJuly: 71.2°F averageAugust: 70.2°F averageSeptember: 64.9°F averageOctober: 56.0°F averageNovember: 47.3°F averageDecember: 42.2°F average0 in1 in2 in3 in4 in5 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Mt Laguna #3, less than a mile from the campground at 5,920 feet, station USC00045968 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 18 inches a year.

Getting there

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.

Nearest townMt. Laguna, California
Coordinates32.8614° N, 116.4161° W · Directions ↗

Good to know

  • Biking is not allowed on any portion of the Pacific Crest Trail.

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗9.1 mi
Outdoor gearBorrego Outfitters ↗27.3 mi
RV sales & serviceBobby Combs RV Centers - El Cajon ↗30.2 mi

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

Explore

Video

Burnt Rancheria Campground, Cleveland National Forest, California

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.2 mi
    Desert View Nature
    1.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.5 mi
    Kwaaymii Cultural
    0.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.8 mi
    Redtail Roost Loop Spur
    2.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.1 mi
    Wooded Hill - Agua Dulce
    0.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.3 mi
    Gatos Spur
    1.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.3 mi
    Wooded Hill Nature Trail
    1.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

Trailheads within three miles

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 →

Sawtooth Mountains Wilderness begins about 0.5 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

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.

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. 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.

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 Burnt Rancheria?

Sites at Burnt Rancheria 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 at http://www.recreation.gov Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Burnt Rancheria?

Campsites $35/Night for single unit (one vehicle included). Extra vehicle $10 (over 2 allowed with each campsite/night). Parking at Day Use Parking Area $8 fee; leaving before 6PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Burnt Rancheria?

Check-in 0:00 AM, checkout 0:00 AM.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Burnt Rancheria open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026. Season April.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Burnt Rancheria have?

124 sites, including 48 standard sites without power and 8 tent-only sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Burnt Rancheria?

Recreation.gov lists no practical vehicle capacity limit for the largest site here, which usually means pull-through or open parking. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Are there showers or a dump station at Burnt Rancheria?

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.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Burnt Rancheria?

Yes, pets are allowed at Burnt Rancheria. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Burnt Rancheria?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. Vehicles 40 ft.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there accessible sites at Burnt Rancheria?

Sites 037 and 012 are 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 Burnt Rancheria?

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

Source: FCC Broadband Map

What is there to do at Burnt Rancheria?

Day hiking and picnicking are most popular at Burnt Rancheria. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation