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  4. Santa Ysabel

Fort Cross Adventures

Hosted by Doreen · Santa Ysabel, California
11 sites · RV, Tent · 12 acres
99%
·
127 reviews
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Staff verified
Accuracy verified by Hipcamp's on-the-ground team.
Creature comforts
Enjoy the comforts of home at some sites—including flush toilets, showers, and a kitchen.
Join us at Fort Cross, near the idyllic mountain town of Julian, CA! Famous for it's apples and pies. Also great hiking and scenic nature views! A popular destination for tourism! ***Please note that each camper in the group age 4 to adult will need to have purchased a Farm Tour Adventure, prior to booking being approved. Send a message to receive the 20% discount code!*** Fort Cross is a 12-acre adventure farm. We offer midweek educational field trip events during the school year, and weekend activities. During your stay, you'll have so much fun! Our Farm Tour Adventure includes archery, hatchet throwing, slingshot range, petting zoo, and interactive reptile experience! There's plenty to see and do that kids and adults will love. There are also seasonal festival events that offer even more activities! Pitch a tent or camp in your trailer/RV! You will have access to water, restrooms, and a shower! Each site has a picnic table provided. Sites: - Tire Swing & Doug Fir tent sites are closest to showers & toilets. Parking next to sites. - Jeffrey Pine tent site is in the middle area of tree farm. Nice central spot with parking close by. Near composting toilet & water spigot as well as the back field for stars at night. - Kumeyaay tent site is toward the back of tree farm. Parking very close by. Lots of shade. Compost toilet and water spigot nearby. - Live Oak tent site is closest to compost toilet & water spigot. Parking right next to site. Located next to the back field with open sky. Plenty of shade & easy access to stars at night. One of our most popular tent sites. - Coffee Berry site is the furthest site on the property. Definite favorite for self-contained trailers. Plenty of shade and privacy. - Tree House site is great for smaller trailers/RVs or tent camping further out. - Linden & Manzanita are both large sites in an open field. Bring shade! Perfect open sky for star gazing. For more information about our place, check out fortcross com

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Tent-only sites

6 sites
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Jeffrey Pine

100%
(2)
Tent site · Sleeps 6
The Jeffrey Pine site has a few choice spots to pitch a tent, with space that measures 17x10. This site is located in the middle of the tree farm area, where all of the tent sites are. Although parking is not right next to the site, it is very close. This site is also close to the composting toilet, and the open sky in the back field. A great choice if you'd like easy access to star gazing at night!
No campfires
Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Showers
Picnic table
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Live Oak

100%
(2)
Tent site · Sleeps 6
The Live Oak tent site measures 12x19. This is a corner site with plenty of shade. Just on the other side is an open sky that's great for stargazing. 1 vehicle can park right next to the site. Located a short walk from the composting toilet. It is a further walk to the other toilets and showers, but not too far at all. A favorite for tent campers!
No campfires
Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Showers
Picnic table
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Tire Swing

100%
(2)
Tent site · Sleeps 6
The Tire Swing site measures at 17x8 for the main tent pad. 1 vehicle can park right next to the site. Closest site to the toilets, showers, tire swing, and the adventure area Great spot, especially for families that need facilities a bit closer.
No campfires
Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Showers
Picnic table
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Doug Fir

100%
(1)
Tent site · Sleeps 6
The Doug Fir site has 2 open tent pads with measurements of 9x12 and 9x11. 1 vehicle can park right next to the site. Located close to the toilets and showers, as well as the adventure area and tire swing. Great spot, especially for families that need facilities a bit closer.
No campfires
Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Showers
Picnic table
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Clementine

Booked 1 time
Tent site · Sleeps 6
Clementine tent site is an unusual site. It measures 24x10, which is a pretty big spot. But it has a very small faux graveyard as part of the site. NOT an actual graveyard. It was named Clementine after our Haunted Hayride event, that we host Saturday nights in October, where we tell the story of the Curse of Clementine. 1 vehicle can park right next to the site. Located a short walk to the toilets and showers, as well as the adventure area and tire swing. Spacious spot.
No campfires
Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Showers
Picnic table
  • Picture of the site
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Kumeyaay

Booked 1 time
Tent site · Sleeps 6
The Kumeyaay measures 15x10. Although there is no parking right next to the site, there is a private pathway leading to the site. And it's not far at all from your vehicle, as you can see in the photo. Great shade and centrally located in the tree farm with the other tent sites. Not a far walk to the toilets and showers.
No campfires
Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Showers
Picnic table

RV/tent sites

5 sites

Coffee Berry

100%
(2)
RV/tent site · Sleeps 6 · Vehicles under 45 ft
Plenty of shade! This site is large enough for a trailer, and even another tent or two, along with your vehicle. It is the furthest campsite on the property, so you'll feel some separation from other campers. We use this spot for our survival skills station when we host field trip events. So you will have some rustic surroundings from our educational programs. It's a bit of a walk to the toilets and showers, so it's perfect for those that are self-contained. The caretaker of the neighboring property has a trailer on the other side of the fence, and they may have their quiet generator running. Despite that though, this is still the top choice for campers that stay in a trailer. Everyone loves the Coffee Berry site!
No campfires
Toilet
No potable water
Pets allowed
No electrical hookup
No water hookup

Tree House

100%
(1)
RV/tent site · Sleeps 6 · Vehicles under 25 ft
This site is large enough for a smaller trailer, or a large tent, along with your vehicle. It is one of the furthest campsites on the property, and located next to the graded road so it's easy to access. It's a bit of a walk to the toilets and showers. But there is a composting toilet a short walk away. It's a perfect spot for those that are self-contained. This site is great for stargazing, and enjoying the sunset in the back of the property.
No campfires
Toilet
No potable water
Pets allowed
No electrical hookup
No water hookup

Butterfly

Booked 1 time
RV/tent site · Sleeps 6 · Vehicles under 45 ft
This site is large enough for a trailer, and even another tent or two, along with your vehicle. It is one of the furthest campsites on the property, so you'll feel some separation from other campers compared to the standard tent sites. It's a bit of a walk to the toilets and showers, so it's perfect for those that are self-contained. The compost toilet and water spigot are a short walk away.
No campfires
Toilet
No potable water
Pets allowed
No electrical hookup
No water hookup
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Linden

RV/tent site · Sleeps 6 · Vehicles under 45 ft
Largest campsite on the property. One of the top 2 sites to stargaze under the open sky! This site is large enough for a trailer, with another tent or two, along with your vehicle. Or pitch several tents! EZ-ups are welcome and encouraged for daytime sun at this site. Composting toilet and water spigot not too far away. Showers and other toilets a little further, but not terribly far. The whole property is a joy to walk through.
No campfires
Toilet
No potable water
Pets allowed
No electrical hookup
No water hookup
  • Picture of the site
  • Picture of the site

Manzanita

RV/tent site · Sleeps 6 · Vehicles under 45 ft
One of the largest campsites on the property. One of the top 2 sites to stargaze under the open sky! This site is large enough for a trailer, with another tent or two, along with your vehicle. Or pitch several tents! EZ-ups are welcome and encouraged for daytime sun at this site. Composting toilet and water spigot not too far away. Showers and other toilets a little further, but not terribly far. The whole property is a joy to walk through.
No campfires
Toilet
No potable water
Pets allowed
No electrical hookup
No water hookup

Reviews

99% Recommend182 ratings · 127 reviews
Recommends
· July 2026
Tent ·
Jeffrey Pine
We enjoyed our time at Fort Cross. It is a beautiful and well-maintained property. The campsites are very comfortable and have everything you need. The hosts were amazing and attentive. I would certainly recommend staying here if you're in the area!
Recommends
· July 2026
Core Memories Unlocked
Tent · With kids ·
Live Oak
Such a fun time for the family. The staff was very kind and accommodating. The campsite area was perfect for a family of four with two dogs. The adventure package was especially great. A lot of core memories made for our little ones here. Can’t wait to return!
Recommends
· July 2026
Tent · With pets ·
Coffee Berry
Ft Cross was a great weekend experience for our family! Friendly hosts and staff with great communication before and bring the trip. The Adventure Tour was a fun addition to our highlights including, exploring the site, taking a local hike, and visiting Julian!
Recommends
· July 2026
Tree House Spot
Tent · With kids ·
Tree House
Doreen and her crew were very friendly and accommodating. This is a perfect spot if you have kids and want them to learn a thing or two about animals and the outdoors. It is quiet enough during the night time and the star gazing is amazing.
Recommends
· June 2026
Great spot!
10 ft travel trailer · With pets ·
Coffee Berry
Our 2nd visit to Ft Cross. This time we enjoyed the Summer Solstice Music Event. Coffee Berry site was the perfect get away with our little vintage camper. Thanks again to Jesse and Doreen!
Recommends
· June 2026
Tent ·
Doug Fir
Doreen and her family are very kind and welcoming. Upon our arrival, she greeted us warmly and gave us a detailed tour of the farm. The campsite has plenty of shade, so we did not have to worry about the heat. The restrooms are extremely clean and well maintained, and the shower is always available as well. We were also lucky enough to enjoy a live music performance by a local teenage band, and they were amazing! Overall, we had a wonderful experience and would highly recommend this place.
Recommends
· June 2026
Tent ·
Jeffrey Pine
We had so much fun with our toddler, what a gem of a place!
Recommends
· June 2026
Great place for adults and kids
10 ft travel trailer ·
Tire Swing Tent Site
My wife and I were the first Hipcampers for the summer season at Fort Cross old timey adventures, and it was great. Doreen and Jesse were great and led us to our choices of camper sites available. We were in a secluded spot away from the fray. We had our 1956 Shasta canned ham camper set up for off grid because there are no hook ups at these sites so we utilized our solar power bank. Saturday we experienced the nature tour (small $25 feet) including petting zoo, reptile experience, archery, tomahawk throwing and a tour of the most amazing historical rustic Tom Sawer esque village of structures and educational areas. I strongly recommend this place for anyone that love old rusty gold and everything built with an artisans touch! Fresh strawberry picking in Berryland was a bonus. Easy drive from coastal San Diego. We are definitely coming back. Drew W
Recommends
· May 2026
Tent ·
Tire Swing Tent Site
the camping grounds in the local parks were full i had to look for other options and found this spot , i wanted to take advantage of the long weekend and get to know the area for astrophotography and scenic views. I was solo camping and the place felt secured and it had an open space for stargazing after 2 AM sky looked amazing. it had showers and working restrooms. I really liked it.
Recommends
· November 2020
Group trip ·
Tire Swing Tent Site
Wonderful stay and our hosts were fantastic. Can't wait to go back!
Recommends
· August 2020
Group trip ·
Tire Swing Tent Site
Loved it all! Huge fun for overnight tent camp with kids. Best petting zoo I’ve been to in San Diego. Doreen and Hubby (sorry I don’t recall his name atm) were great! Definitely recommend and will come back.
Recommends
· August 2020
Group trip ·
Tire Swing Tent Site
Doreen was so welcoming and helpful. Everyone loved the activities and the campsites were much better than I expected. Enjoying the meteor shower in the open field was perfect.
Recommends
· August 2020
Activities & Camping Def Recommend!
Tire Swing Tent Site
This was a really fun weekend that I highly recommend if you are either a couple to adults who enjoy doing activities outside the usual hanging at the campsite or you are a family with young kids who may need some extra entertainment while enjoying sleeping in the outdoors. With just my partner and I, we had a great time feeding the animals, feeling like kids with the paint ball sling shots, shooting some arrows, and feeling accomplished with the sound of tomahawks landing into the wall of stumps. Doreen, Jesse, and all the other members at Fort Cross who were with us were very welcoming and helpful. If you have young children, I definitely recommend a stay here or even just a day visit! However, having a campsite within walking distance to come home to after all the playing was really nice. Access to the porta potty and water spout was convenient. And the layout of the area was so easy to navigate and you were far enough away from other campsites. You will still hear each other, but it was not a problem and there were set quiet hours which everyone followed. Also you may get to meet there pup who came by to say hello (hi Prince!). This was our first time using HipCamp and booking with Doreen at Fort Cross Adventures definitely made a great first impression! I hope to book again in the future with hopefully all my nieces and nephews when we are all able to spend time together!
Recommends
· August 2020
Very enjoyable!
Tire Swing Tent Site
This campground was very enjoyable! My husband, son and I all had a really great time at Fort Cross. The activities were so enjoyable, we especially loved meeting all of the animals and reptiles. I also really liked the campfire and songs hosted by the campground owners, Doreen and Jess. They are so nice and welcoming. You can tell they put time and effort into making their campground great! Our campsite, Grandma Bea, was very clean, well maintained and private. There were plants and trees everywhere, a tire swing (my son loved), and so many fun activities!
Recommends
· August 2020
Fun weekend adventure
Group trip ·
Tire Swing Tent Site
Fortcross was a great fun experience for me and my family. We enjoyed meeting the Fortcross team, they were all great. We loved our time with the animals and reptiles! It was great to interact with them and it felt authentic and Jesse showed he cared and wanted everyone to enjoy. The bow & arrow, sling shot and tomahawks were great. The right amount of instruction and freedom to practice were provided. It was a great experience and my kids loved it. Doreen was very accommodating and went out of her way to help us and make sure we were comfortable. She is responsive and easy to work with. I’d go back!
Recommends
· August 2020
Incredible find!
Group trip ·
Tire Swing Tent Site
What an incredible experience! Words don’t capture the easy joyfulness of thus experience for our whole family! We’ll be back!!
Recommends
· August 2020
Tire Swing Tent Site
It was ok staying here. Was hoping for more isolation, but nice for families.
Recommends
· August 2020
Tire Swing Tent Site
My teen girls and I really enjoyed the property, the petting zoo/animal experience, and the activities. The hosts were all very friendly and welcoming. We look forward to another stay soon.
Recommends
· August 2020
An easy weekend away
Group trip ·
Tire Swing Tent Site
Our stay at Fort Cross was so lovely. We had a nice spacious campsite, with a big oak tree shading our tent. Doreen and Jesse has fun activities throughout the day for our youngest camper to enjoy, and we had sightings of turkeys, cows, and donkeys which were a fun addition to the weekend. The star viewing at night was phenomenal, and we can’t wait to visit Fort Cross again!
Recommends
· August 2020
Group trip ·
Tire Swing Tent Site
Our family enjoyed the camping experience and all the activities!
Recommends
· August 2020
Amazing Weekend
Group trip ·
Tire Swing Tent Site
Fort Cross was amazing! We had such a great time with our family there this past weekend. It started off as just a birthday party and we decided to stay the night. All of Fort Cross's staff are awesome and the owners went above and beyond. From baby farm animals to reptiles to archery they had it all! My family and I cant wait to get back.
Recommends
· August 2020
Unique, Fun and Educational!
Group trip ·
Tire Swing Tent Site
I can’t say enough good things about Forcross Old Timey Adventures! This place and our hosts (Jessie and Doreen) over exceeded our expectations! We are a family of 4 with 2 kids, and we had a BLAST! We camped there with our tent for 2 nights, did all the activities available. We did the Tomahawk throw, slingshooting, petting zoo, archery, tire swings. Etc... so much fun, educational and very unique! There’s nothing like Fortcross, our kids never asked for the ipad for 3 days because this place kept them busy and interested. Our campsite was private enough, lots of shade, the showers and portapotty were very clean. It was so hot in the afternoon during our stay and Jessie turned on the sprinklers and an open grass area and we had a ton of fun cooling off there. The jug band folk music get together at night was so fun too, even with social distancing. They truly have something special here! Look no further and bring your family here for a great adventure. We will be back around Halloween time! Can’t wait! Thank you Doreen and Jessie for a wonderful stay! We see the love and hardwork you have put in this place. See you again!
Recommends
· August 2020
Very hospitable!!
Tire Swing Tent Site
Doreen and Jesse treated us like family! Our kids want to live there, they had the most fun. The ho down and campfire songs were my favorite. Great entertainment and great attitudes. Super fun time.
Recommends
· August 2020
Group trip ·
Tire Swing Tent Site
We had a great time at Fort Cross! Doreen was a lovely host and made us feel welcome and comfortable right away. Our site was large and shady and although there were a lot of groups there it never felt crowded—our site felt private and we were able to social distance without a problem. Plus the facilities (portapotties, handwashing stations, and showers) were clean and easily accessible. The whole place had a summer camp vibe (in a good way!) and it was great for kids. Our 2 year old loved the tire swing, petting zoo, and wandering the maze. Overall we had great time and hope to return next year!
Recommends
· August 2020
Very easy, relaxing, and fun!
Tire Swing Tent Site
It was great! Doreen and her husband are super nice people! She gave us great recommendations for coffee and pie in town and her husband was great with the kids showing them all the animals. My gf and I did the activities, which were a lot of fun. We didn’t know what to expect, but we’re so glad we did it. We only did a weekend, but needed to do a whole week to both camp and explore the area. We will definitely be back for a longer trip and one with the kids. They’re going to love it! Definitely book if you have kids or want a chill easy camping experience. There are markets 5 min away driving if you forget or need anything.
Recommends
· August 2020
Group trip ·
Tire Swing Tent Site
My family had a fantastic time. The campsite was nicely shaded with a table with benches. We had a great time stargazing and doing the onsite activities. My children's favorite activity was archery, and I loved the paintball slingshots. We also enjoyed the petting zoo and reptile interactions along with all the other activities. Doreen was a gracious host, and we highly recommend Fort Cross Adventures!
Recommends
· August 2020
Group trip ·
Tire Swing Tent Site
Dry camping at its finest. Sites are pretty spacious and private. Activities are great
Recommends
· August 2020
Group trip ·
Tire Swing Tent Site
We had a great time! Activities were very fun & everyone one was very nice and welcoming. Very family friendly, and great to star gaze. Took my telescope and saw 5 shooting starts and a few satellites.
Recommends
· August 2020
Loved it, will be back.
Group trip ·
Tire Swing Tent Site
Doreen and the rest of the folks at Fort Cross Adventures were very friendly and fun, and our party loved staying here. There was a good mix of things to do and quiet time, so it never got boring, but nor did it feel too exciting. The activities were lots of fun. Bring earplugs to sleep if you're there on a weekend. The camp itself is very quiet and tranquil, but it's close enough to a thoroughfare that sometimes evening travelers will wake you up.
Recommends
· August 2020
Tire Swing Tent Site
Totally fun safe adventures for my two boys. Warm, welcoming, accommodating and good ole fashioned fun. I’ll be back. Thanks!

Location

Santa Ysabel, San Diego, California, United StatesTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
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Hosted by Doreen C.

Joined in November 2017
Response rate: 80%Response time: Within 6 hours

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