King Creek Campground

10/10 camping experience here at Kings Ranch with our 2.5 year old and almost 5 year old! Carlotta our host did an excellent job providing us with all the information needed to be acquainted with our campground. She led us down to the campsite and provided us with a map and overview of rules. We were lucky to be the only campers the entire weekend, but even if there were other campers it would still be secluded since the camps are pretty separated. Great hikes to do, nothing too strenuous. Carlotta provided 2 jugs of well water to drink which was great. She has 2 dogs who checked up on us during the stay but never stayed long or was a bother (and actually was quite comforting!) Never saw any scary wildlife. There were a bunch of fire ants that came out during the day but went back underground at night, but didn’t get on our things at all and didn’t interfere with our stay. We stayed at meadow and there’s 2 large swings that my daughters loved. We felt completely safe and would come back again. There’s a trading post a few miles out that we went to on Day 2 to pick up more firewood. Driving down to the campsite from the main road was completely unpaved down a mountain and took 15-20 minutes so make sure your driver is capable and not scared! Great stargazing. No Wifi so great for disconnecting from technology and the world! Be ready to be awakened by the array of bird callings at 6:30am!

Brittany R.

9 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· May 2026

Excellent camping

Tent ·

Excellent and accessible host, took us to the camp site from her gate. Lots of helpful information!

Kevin H.

2 reviews

Not recommend

· April 2026

BYO Tractor

Tent ·

Big, open, secluded spot in between hillsides that offered quiet isolation but lacking in some amenities. Included is a functional non-flush outhouse, firepit with a loose grill grate, and small table, plus two hanging swings. Not included is running water, but the owner will provide a jug if requested. Most important thing to be aware of is that the road from the regular street to the campsite is really rough! About 1.3 miles of extremely uneven, rocky, narrow, and eroding dirt road with big divots that most definitely requires a large high-clearance SUV or truck with sturdy tires. The description on HipCamp does not match the reality that your car will not make it up or down without extreme caution and a large vehicle. If you've got a massive off-roading truck and don't expect to get out easily in a storm/fire or to reach good hiking areas, then this is the place for you.

Rachael A.

2 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· April 2026

Tent ·

Solo female camper/hiker here…. And purveyor of off grid camps! I had such a fabulous time. The site is beautifully built for off road camping. It’s safe and clean plenty of land to explore. The owners are very kind and friendly. I suggest more primitive camping gear. Plan to CAMP!

Michelle B.

2 reviews

Recommends

· March 2026

Tent · Group trip ·

Definitely higher clearance car needed but the Meadow campsite was amazing. Carlotta was super nice and helpful. No service and the outhouse is an outhouse haha. The swinging hammock things were a big hit, and would definitely stay again at that campsite, and recommend.

Tyrell A.

2 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· February 2026

Tent ·

My husband and I enjoyed our stay at the campsite Valentine's Day weekend. The campsite was clean, private, quiet, and spacious. The view of the mountains were breathtaking. Definitely coming back.

Jessica P.

2 reviews

Recommends

· February 2026

Pleasant Private getaway.

Tent ·

We really really loved our stay at the camp for the first time to celebrate Valentines day. It was really private, quiet, with beautiful surroundings (nature), interesting trails.for adventure. Host's are very kind, feels like family with a sweet dog that will lead you to your campsite, lol. Best place for a weekend getaway away from city life. We will definitely return.

Matt O.

5 reviews

Recommends

· February 2026

Tent ·

Very nice, 🌄 and everything clean. love and peace ✌🏿

Julian C.

2 reviews

Recommends

· January 2026

Quiet and beautiful

Tent · With kids ·

Great trip. Literally the quietest campground I have ever been too. Plenty of space to spread out, beautiful landscape. Would HIGHLY recommend.

Brian C.

5 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· January 2026

Amazing stay!

Tent ·

Stunning land with so much to explore! The hosts were incredibly kind and helpful, showing us hiking trails and bringing us water twice during our 4-day stay, which really came in handy. There’s no service at the site (Wi-Fi near the host’s house for emergencies), making it a great place to disconnect. The hosts’ dogs were friendly and made us feel safe throughout the stay. Can’t wait to come back when the dam is full!

Catherine C.

3 reviews

Recommends

· January 2026

Tent · With kids ·

Great spot. Off the beaten path. Not too far from the city for a quick getaway. Will definitely be back to explore the property more. We really enjoyed our stay.

Jared B.

2 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· December 2025

Will be back!!

Tent ·

I loved visiting Carlotta’s land! Such a thoughtful and attentive host with a BEAUTIFUL property that felt like home. Very grateful for the experience I had there and looking forward to my next stay already ᵕ̈

Emily H.

2 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· December 2025

Lovely stay

Tent · Group trip ·

The space was peaceful and secluded; exactly what I wanted from an escape from the modern world. Carlotta was very kind and helpful. There is so much land to explore that I will have to return to explore the rest.

Devon K.

7 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· December 2025

Tent · Group trip ·

Beautiful location and friendly host, we’d definitely stay here again! There were nice trails and it was so quiet and private. The drive on the dirt road to the campsites is a bit steep and uneven in places, which was fine for our SUVs, but we had friends with smaller cars (Prius, Mazda 3) who couldn’t comfortably make it due to their low clearance so we just shuttled them in our SUVs. We’d recommend making sure you bring a car with higher clearance.

Michelle G.

8 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· November 2025

18 ft Class B ·

Rugged and remote location with lots of space to explore. The old dam is super cool. I spent two nights there and had fun adventures. Hosts are very cool with an interesting backstory. The dirt road is pretty steep in parts, so you gotta know what you're doing with a heavy vehicles.

T.C. J.

4 reviews

Recommends

· November 2025

Tent · With kids ·

Super awesome place. First time camping with kids and it was very nice experience.

Isaac Belmontes R.

7 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· November 2025

Tent ·

Lovely spot. Perfect for stargazing! Just a tip-if you click on the map it will not take you to the correct place but if you directly plug in a ur coordinates, it’s perfect!

Quinn L.

3 reviews

Recommends

· October 2025

Great time in Descanso!

Tent · With kids ·

We loved our night at Carlotta’s place. It all started with a fund ride down off roading (bring a higher car) which the kids loved, then she upgraded us to a bigger site with a decent outhouse. The highlights were definitely the privacy, the swings and the awesome hikes around the property. Would definitely recommend, especially with a nice host like Carlotta!

David A.

8 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· October 2025

Tent ·

Great location - less than an hour from San Diego, but you feel much further. Tons of stars at night and we couldn't hear any noise from the other sites. Road in isn't bad if you have some clearance and AWD/4WD. Would happily stay again.

Neil J.

2 reviews

Recommends

· October 2025

Tent ·

Really beautiful spot with friendly, accommodating hosts. We stayed at the Dam site and felt completely secluded. It was a warm day but the site has a big shaded area so we were very comfortable. There was an outhouse as expected and it even had a nice view. The hosts were kind enough to even leave us water for dousing the fire and a trash can. This is not a glamping situation at all, but it's exactly what we were hoping for and expecting when we booked it! There are many historical sites and features that we didn't have time to check out this time but are looking forward to seeing on the next trip. Only word of caution is that the road really is pretty rough to get in. You definitely need reasonably high clearance and we were glad to have 4WD on the way back out, although you could probably get by with FWD. Normally I think people overstate this in reviews but I really don't think you should try to access this site in a sedan or low-ish crossover. Not a complaint, just a heads up.

Cae L.

5 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· October 2025

Tent ·

Loved this spot! We did combo truck/tent camping and enjoyed a lovely weekend hosted by Carlotta and her 2 dogs. Hollow was the dog to stay with us practically the whole weekend and led us around the property while we explored. She also watched over us at night and had our backs throughout our stay. This is a great spot for beginning campers looking for a step up into a more secluded camp, we recommend bringing friends and enjoying this awesome nature rich spot. We definitely plan on coming back! P.S. the drive in is a rocky dirt road, we recommend only bringing higher sitting verticales: trucks, jeeps, SUVs, etc.

Sophia C.

10 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· October 2025

Natural Southern California Beauty

Tent ·

The property is beautiful, natural Southern California foothills with tons of wildlife. All I could hear was the wind and the birds, and lots of them! No noisy neighbors and it was wonderful! Carlotta was a great host, and I’m thankful to her and Richard for making their property available to others to enjoy. They provided well water, privacy and a beautiful landscape with lots of lovely trails to trek. The road in and out is a bit harrowing, and I’m glad I had my AWD Subaru. I want to come back again soon, and hopefully with more time to explore the little town of Descanso down the road. Download your maps before you leave because there is no GPS or cell service. Ahhh…

Jim B.

2 reviews

Recommends

· September 2025

Tent · Group trip ·

We booked the entire campsite and had a wonderful time. My full review is on meadow campsite page!

Jenn Z.

5 reviews

Recommends

· September 2025

Tent · Group trip ·

Carlotta and her husband were so incredibly hospitable and helpful during our stay. My group of friends had a wonderful time cooking, listening to music, and going on nature walks throughout the property. I would absolutely recommend King Creek Campground, especially to those with a large group. We will absolutely be back - thanks again Carlotta!

Jenn Z.

5 reviews

Recommends

· September 2025

Tent · Group trip ·

Wonderful. secluded, quiet spot! The host showed us a great little hike to watch the sunset. Tons of shade, so even with the heat it stayed cool. The pups are super cute and fun bonus.

Mackenzy T.

6 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· August 2025

Great camping near Julian

Tent ·

This place was amazing! The hosts are very accommodating and the property is beautiful. I am looking forward to camping here again. I would recommend an AWD vehicle to get to the location. The hosts’ dogs are very sweet. The location has so much to see and all the camping spots are situated far away from one another so you still have privacy. You are also near the town of Julian so I’d recommend grabbing a pie for the campfire at night. I am looking forward to camping here again. 10/10 recommend.

Connor C.

2 reviews

Recommends

· August 2025

Tent ·

What an amazing and special place! Campsites are secluded and spacious. Carlotta is a great hostess! Such a great place to unplug and get away from it all. We will definitely be coming back!

Loukas And Stacy M.

2 reviews

Recommends

· July 2025

10/10 Site

Tent ·

The site was beautiful and very private. Carlotta was exceedingly kind and helpful; She provided us a few gallons of water for bathing and cleaning our stuff, and was very willing to help us with any issues. I couldn’t recommend the site more. Her pup, Benny was a great addition to the trip as well. Make sure you have a vehicle with decent clearance for the drive in. A road car would not be a happy camper… pun intended.

Austin M.

11 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· July 2025

King Creek Campground

Tent · Group trip ·

We had a great time here! We had a large group and stayed at The Meadows Campgound. Carlotta and her husband were very attentive and accommodating. They gave us specific directions and met us at the gate to provide maps and information about the camp grounds. We were guided to our site and provided with water. They refilled our water when we needed it and also we’re kind enough to get us some firewood from around the camp. The road was a little rough so keep that in mind! There were plenty of areas to walk around. We had kids and babies. The night sky was stunning and we even saw a meteor shower. There are lots of critters, but we brought some stuff to put around our tents to keep the fire ants away. I loved that we didn’t have service and we got to unplug while we were there. There is emergency Wi-Fi at the hosts home but we didn’t need it. There wasn’t water in the creek when we were there, but that was kind of nice because it meant less bugs and mosquitoes. There was lots of shade under the oak trees, and the poison oak was easy to avoid. I would definitely recommend this campsite!

Bryce E.

2 reviews

Recommends

· July 2025

Tent ·