Observatory Campground
Its 28 sites are reservable through Recreation.gov, and camping costs Single Site: $20 per night. Observatory Campground is a National Forest campground near Santa Ysabel, California.
Reservable: Recreation.gov
- National Forest
- Managed by
- None
- Hookups
- 35 ft
- Max RV length
Getting a site
- Managed by
- National Forest
- Reservations
- Recreation.gov Book a site
- Fee
- Single Site: $20 per night
Source: recreation.gov, accessed 2026-09-30
Sites and hookups
- Total sites
- 28
- Accessible sites
- 3
- Hookups
- None
- Max RV length
- 35 ft
- Site driveways
- Back-in
- ✓ Toilets
- ✓ Fire rings
- ✓ Pets allowed
On site: Toilets, fire rings, and pets allowed.
Source: recreation.gov, accessed 2026-09-30
Campsites
28 sites; the longest takes a 35 ft vehicle. Every site below links to its own page on Recreation.gov, where it is booked. Official site list and booking on recreation.gov.
| Book | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 001/002 | OBSERVATORY CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 12 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 001/002 |
| 003 | OBSERVATORY CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 12 ft | Back-in | Not on record | Yes | Yes | Book site 003 |
| 005 | OBSERVATORY CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 12 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 005 |
| 006 | OBSERVATORY CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 12 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 006 |
| 008 | OBSERVATORY CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 12 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 008 |
| 009 | OBSERVATORY CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 12 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 009 |
| 010 | OBSERVATORY CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 12 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 010 |
| 011 | OBSERVATORY CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 12 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 011 |
| 013 | OBSERVATORY CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 12 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 013 |
| 017 | OBSERVATORY CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 15 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 017 |
| 019 | OBSERVATORY CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 15 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 019 |
| 021/022 | OBSERVATORY CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 15 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 021/022 |
| 023 | OBSERVATORY CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 15 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 023 |
| 024 | OBSERVATORY CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 15 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 024 |
| 025 | OBSERVATORY CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 15 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 025 |
| 026 | OBSERVATORY CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 15 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 026 |
| 028 | OBSERVATORY CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 20 ft | Back-in | Not on record | Yes | Yes | Book site 028 |
| 029 | OBSERVATORY CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 20 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 029 |
| 030 | OBSERVATORY CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 20 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 030 |
| 031/032 | OBSERVATORY CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 20 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 031/032 |
| 32a | OBSERVATORY CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 20 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 32a |
| 033 | OBSERVATORY CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 15 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 033 |
| 034 | OBSERVATORY CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 20 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 034 |
| 035/036 | OBSERVATORY CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 12 ft | Back-in | Not on record | Yes | Not on record | Book site 035/036 |
| 037/038 | OBSERVATORY CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 30 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 037/038 |
| 039 | OBSERVATORY CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 35 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 039 |
| 040 | OBSERVATORY CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 35 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 040 |
| 041/042 | OBSERVATORY CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 35 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 041/042 |
Data source: Recreation.gov , accessed 2026-09-30. Site details are Recreation.gov's own per-site listing and can differ from the campground-wide facts above.
Rules
- Pets
- Allowed
Source: recreation.gov, accessed 2026-09-30
Access and cell service
- Elevation
- 4,862 ft
33.3427, -116.8763 in San Diego. Open in OpenStreetMap. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Common questions
Do you need a reservation at Observatory Campground?
Sites at Observatory Campground are reserved through Recreation.gov (https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233300).
How much does it cost to camp at Observatory Campground?
Camping at Observatory Campground costs Single Site: $20 per night.
How many campsites does Observatory Campground have?
Observatory Campground has 28 campsites. 3 sites are accessible.
Are there accessible (ADA) campsites at Observatory Campground?
Yes, 3 sites are designated accessible at Observatory Campground.
Does Observatory Campground have RV hookups?
No. Observatory Campground has no hookups. The longest rig allowed is 35 feet.
Are there pull-through sites at Observatory Campground?
Recreation.gov lists no pull-through sites at Observatory Campground; 28 sites with a stated driveway are back-in or parallel.
Are dogs allowed at Observatory Campground?
Yes, pets are allowed at Observatory Campground.
Who manages Observatory Campground?
Observatory Campground is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
Around Observatory Campground
- Sites
- 12
- Season
- Not on record
- Fee
- Single Site: $15 per night
- Sites
- 1
- Season
- Not on record
- Fee
- Overnight:
Oak Grove Campground - Sites
- 63
- Season
- Not on record
- Fee
- Single Site: $15 per night
- Sites
- 33
- Season
- Not on record
- Fee
- Single Site: $25 per night
More campgrounds: camping near Santa Ysabel and campgrounds in San Diego.
Sources
- apps.fs.usda.gov (all fields), accessed 2026-09-30
- recreation.gov (reservationSystem, reservationSystemName, reservationUrl, maxRvLengthFt, drivewayType, petsAllowed, fireRings, sites, campsites, hookups), accessed 2026-09-30
- epqs.nationalmap.gov (elevationFt), accessed 2026-10-01