View Attractions Related to: Mountains & Desert

by TourGuideTim

Vallecito Stage Coach Station

Location: Anza-Borrego Desert (90 Miles / 2 Hours East of San Diego Coastal Areas)

Open Daily: Labor Day Weekend (September) – Memorial Day Weekend (May); Closed During Summer

Cost: $2 per Vehicle, Extra for Camping

Features: Restored Butterfield Stage Coach Station; 45 Camping Sites; County Park; Hiking; Scenic Vistas

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Agua Caliente – Desert Hot Springs

Location: Anza-Borrego Desert (94 Miles / 2 Hours East of Downtown San Diego)

Open Daily: 9:30 AM – 5PM from September 1 – May 31; Closed During Summer

Cost: $5 per Vehicle, Extra for Camping

Features: Indoor and Outdoor Mineral Hot Springs; 142 Camping Sites; County Park; Hiking; Scenic Vistas

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Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

Location: Anza-Borrego Desert (Visitor Center is 93 Miles/ 2 Hours from the Coastal Areas of San Diego)

Visitor Center Hours: 9AM – 5PM; Thursday through Monday From October to May; Weekends from June to September.

Cost: Free (Except for $6 per day parking at 3 Campgrounds)

Features: Sonoran Desert Meets the Peninsular Mountain Ranges Creating the Most Diverse Desert Landscape in the World and offering Hiking, Camping, Horseback Riding, Desert Wildflower Viewing, Stargazing, and Geological Exploration.

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Borrego Springs

Location: Borrego Springs is surrounded by the Anza-Borrego Desert (93 Miles/ 2 Hours East of San Diego Coastal Areas)

When to Visit: October through May

Features: Desert Town Providing Hospitality to Guests of the Anza-Borrego Desert; Includes Resorts, Spas, Stargazing, Adventure Activities, Life-Size Pre-Historic Animals, and Cultural Events.

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Dig for California Tourmaline at the Himalaya Mine

Location: Santa Ysabel (75 Miles / 1.25 Hours Northeast of Downtown San Diego)

Hours: 10AM – 3PM Thursdays through Mondays

Cost: $75 ($37.50 for kids ages 12-15; Free for Kids under 12); $50 for 1PM-3PM only

Features: Mine for Tourmaline from one of the most famous Tourmaline Mines of the 20th century.

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Fly Sailplanes Above the Mountains and Desert

Location: Warner Springs (75 Miles / 1.5 Hours Northeast of Downtown San Diego)

Open Daily: 9AM – 5PM (Weekday reservations strongly recommended)

Cost: Rides start at $125 for 20 Minutes. ($160 for 2 people)

Features: Glide over the Mountains and Desert on a Sail Plane

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Palomar Observatory

Location: Palomar Mountain (78 Miles / 1 Hour and 45 Minutes Northeast of Downtown San Diego)

Open Daily: Generally open 9AM – 4PM (Closed on December 24th and 25th)

Cost: None

Features: Home to One of the World’s Most Powerful Telescopes; Took Clearest Pictures Ever of Outer Space in 2007; Images Used in Google Sky; One of America’s Finest Scientific Achievements.

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Lake Cuyamaca – Mountain Lake

Location: Cuyamaca Rancho State Park (9 Miles South of Julian and 53 Miles / 1 Hour Northeast of Downtown San Diego)

Open Daily: 6AM – Sunset

Cost: $6 Minimum for each Car. (See Fee information below.)

Features: 4,600 Feet Above Sea Level; Surrounded by a National Forest; Fishing; Boating; Bird Watching; Hiking Trail; Tent & RV Camp Sites

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Palomar Mountain State Park

Location: Palomar Moutain (77 Miles / 1 Hour and 45 Minutes Northeast of Downtown San Diego)

Open Daily: Dawn till Dusk

Cost: $6 per Vehicle; $15+ for Camp Sites

Features: Pine Tree Forest with Hiking Trails, Trout Fishing, and Camping.

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Cleveland National Forest

Location: Cleveland National Forest (1 Hour Drive from the Coastal Areas of San Diego)

Cost: Most Visitors Will Need An Adventure Pass – $5 per Day or $30 per Year.

Features: Mountains, Meadows, Views of Ocean and Desert; Scenic Drives; Eagles; Falcons; Trails for Hiking, Biking, and Horseback Riding; Campground & RV Sites

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Cuyamaca Rancho State Park

Location: Cuyamaca Rancho State Park (14 Miles South of Julian and 48 Miles / 55 Minutes Northeast of Downtown San Diego)

Open Daily: Dawn to Dusk

Cost: $6 per Vehicle; $15+ for Camp Sites

Features: Mountains, Meadows, and Woodlands Ranging from 4,000 – 6,512 Feet Above Sea Level; Mountain Top Vistas; Trails for Hiking, Biking, and Horseback Riding; Campground & RV Sites

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