Santee Lakes to Guajome

[jacknsan]

Hello to All,

We live in the Los Angeles area and were looking for a place to camp that was within a couple of hours drive and where we could take our 2 young sons fishing. I found a link to Santee Lakes in Santee, CA near San Diego that looked perfect. After driving 5-6 hours in nightmare traffic, we arrive at the CG to our "lakeside" spot on lake 6. When we got out we noticed a bad smell. There was trash everywhere and there was what looked like sewage foam on the water and the shore by our site. My wife said no way could we stay here. After getting on the phone to every CG within 100 miles, they were all full (it was a Saturday). Only one place, Guajome regional park had one cancellation but we had to be there in one hour. The folks at Santee were nice enough to refund us our money (after explaining to us that the oxygen level in the lake was low and the fish were dying so they had to bubble O2 into it thus explaining the bad smell and "foam" on the water), so we took our chance and high tailed it to Guajome. We made it in time and were assigned one of the best sites I have ever seen. Beautiful, lush, private, large site with hookups for $20. Free hot showers. The kids loved it. Small fishing lake, lots of safe bike trails, 10 minutes from the beach. We enjoyed our 3 days here.

I know there are a lot of good reviews of Santee Lakes and for RVers looking for a city spot in SD with full hookups, cable, and WIFI, it may be good, but for someone looking for a beautiful place to camp with a popup, go elsewhere. This is an urban city park and was on the trashy side when we were there. The far end of the CG looked better from what we could tell, but lake six was a dump.

After the traffic nightmare, we'll be heading north from LA next time, but we will definitely return to Guajome. Sites 18, 19, and 20 are primo spots.

Jack & Sandy

[wavery]

Hello to All,

We live in the Los Angeles area and were looking for a place to camp that was within a couple of hours drive and where we could take our 2 young sons fishing. I found a link to Santee Lakes in Santee, CA near San Diego that looked perfect. After driving 5-6 hours in nightmare traffic, we arrive at the CG to our "lakeside" spot on lake 6. When we got out we noticed a bad smell. There was trash everywhere and there was what looked like sewage foam on the water and the shore by our site. My wife said no way could we stay here. After getting on the phone to every CG within 100 miles, they were all full (it was a Saturday). Only one place, Guajome regional park had one cancellation but we had to be there in one hour. The folks at Santee were nice enough to refund us our money (after explaining to us that the oxygen level in the lake was low and the fish were dying so they had to bubble O2 into it thus explaining the bad smell and "foam" on the water), so we took our chance and high tailed it to Guajome. We made it in time and were assigned one of the best sites I have ever seen. Beautiful, lush, private, large site with hookups for $20. Free hot showers. The kids loved it. Small fishing lake, lots of safe bike trails, 10 minutes from the beach. We enjoyed our 3 days here.

I know there are a lot of good reviews of Santee Lakes and for RVers looking for a city spot in SD with full hookups, cable, and WIFI, it may be good, but for someone looking for a beautiful place to camp with a popup, go elsewhere. This is an urban city park and was on the trashy side when we were there. The far end of the CG looked better from what we could tell, but lake six was a dump.

After the traffic nightmare, we'll be heading north from LA next time, but we will definitely return to Guajome. Sites 18, 19, and 20 are primo spots.

Jack & Sandy

WELCOME to PUT!!
We had a group campout a Guajome last year. The CG was quite nice. Some of us got chigger bites but that may have been an isolated event. Other than that, we would agree that it is nice.


Thanks for the heads-up on Santee. We were actually thinking of going there.

[kimrb266]

Thanks for the info on Santee lakes.  We've been thinking about that place.

Last year we made a couple trips down to San Diego, including Julian.  and the traffic was awefull!.  I told my DW I wasn't to sure when we'd come back since it takes hours upon hours to get there.

[Dee4j]

YES welcome...one of our members went there at Thanksgiving and liked it..

We have a rally scheduled in June

here is the link  http://www.arveeclub.com/showthread.php?p=155213#post155213

it's in Buelton above Santa Barabara

[griffsdad]

I've been to Guajome twice and I love the camp grounds!! Though some people have had problems with chiggers, I would go back there again.

[Eric Sass]

Good to hear about Guajome. I've been wanting to camp there, but it's always been full. We are camping there June 25-27 (Site 23). I also recommend Lake Jennings. The San Diego County Campgrounds are reasonably priced and reservations can be made on-line.

//www.sdcounty.ca.gov/parks/camping/camping.html


Eric
El Cajon
2005 Fleetwood Niagra

[wavery]

Good to hear about Guajome. I've been wanting to camp there, but it's always been full. We are camping there June 25-27 (Site 23). I also recommend Lake Jennings. The San Diego County Campgrounds are reasonably priced and reservations can be made on-line.

//www.sdcounty.ca.gov/parks/camping/camping.html


Eric
El Cajon
2005 Fleetwood Niagra

I would highly recommend NOT laying on the grass