Rancho Cuyamaca State Park
12551 Highway 79, Descanso, CA 91916; 760-765-3020;
Park Website;
The beautiful park offers camping and hiking in an oak woodland forest,
with a sprinkling of pines and lovely meadows with creeks.
There are over 100 miles of trails which accommodate hikers, bikers, and equestrians.
At Cuyamaca look for the waterfalls near Green Valley Campground, headwaters to the Sweetwater River.
There are also hidden meadows near Granite Springs or Milk Ranch Road.
And great views from the top of Cuyamaca Peak or Stonewall Peak.
Park Wildlife
The most commonly seen wildlife includes mule deer, gray squirrels, raccoons and striped skunks.
Predators such as gray foxes, coyotes, bobcats and mountain lions are also present.
Park Campgrounds
The two family camps, Paso Picacho and Green Valley,
are open and on the reservation system spring through fall. Call for availability
during the remainder of the year.
Green Valley - Elev 4,000 / 81 sites -
There is a creek which runs through the middle of the campground.
The day use area offers sets of cascades and shallow pools, great for water play on hot days.
Paso Picacho - Elev 5,000 / 85 sites
- The most popular hikes start from this camp, including the 2 mile hike up
Stonewall Peak (elevation 5,700 feet), and the 3.5 mile hike up Cuyamaca Peak
(elevation 6,512 feet), both which offer breathtaking views of the deserts to the east,
the coast to the west, and Lake Cuyamaca at the bottom.
Cuyamaca Rancho State Park Interpretive Association CRSPIA
The CRSPIA supports the mission of California State Parks, Cuyamaca Rancho State Park
and Palomar Mountain State Park through education and interpretive activities
that enhance the visitor’s experience.
Inaja & Cosmit Reservation - Cuyamaca CA
Kumeyaay / Diegueno Indian Band
1040 East Valley Parkway, Escondido, CA 92025; 760-747-8581;
Tribe Article;
Probably the least-known Indian reservation in San Diego County. This 851-acre reservation is tucked away in Julian’s backcountry.
Very few people have actually seen this land, yet at one time it was home to many people and even had its own school.
The small village of Inaja was located on the southwest slope of North Peak in the Cuyamaca Mountains.
Currently there is no population here.