Hours
Monday, 7:00 AM - 7:00 PMTuesday, 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday, 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday, 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday, 6:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday, 6:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday, 6:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve Introduce
Welcome to Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve, a premier destination for camping and outdoor activities in Santee, California. Nestled in the heart of San Diego County, this beautiful preserve offers a tranquil escape with its six stunning lakes, abundant wildlife, and lush greenery. Whether you're planning a family vacation, a weekend getaway, or a peaceful retreat, Santee Lakes has something for everyone.
The campgrounds and RV parks at Santee Lakes are known for their cleanliness, safety, and quiet atmosphere, making it an ideal spot for both seasoned campers and first-time visitors. The grounds are meticulously maintained and beautifully decorated, especially during the holiday season, creating a festive and welcoming environment.
Visitors can enjoy a variety of activities, including:
- Fishing in the well-stocked lakes
- Renting paddle boats for a leisurely ride on the water
- Exploring the 4.5-mile walking and biking trails
- Bird watching and observing the diverse wildlife, including geese, pelicans, swans, and ducks
- Relaxing in the playgrounds and picnic areas
Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve is a favorite among locals and tourists alike, offering a perfect blend of natural beauty and recreational opportunities. Whether you're looking to unwind, stay active, or connect with nature, this preserve provides an unforgettable experience.
Customer feedback highlights the clean and safe environment, the variety of activities available, and the overall beauty of the grounds. Many visitors appreciate the peaceful atmosphere and the chance to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of daily life, even if it means limited cell service in certain areas. Santee Lakes is truly a gem in the San Diego area, offering a unique and enjoyable camping experience for all ages.
Location
Customer Reviews
This was my 2nd camping trip here for the holidays. Just love Santee Lakes for camping. The grounds are clean, safe and quiet. Great mix for a great trip. The grounds are nicely decorated with lights throughout the grounds. I enjoyed walking the entire grounds everyday as it is about 4.5 miles round trip from where we camped. The lakes are full of wild life and there are people walking the grounds bird watching. This is definitely one of my favorite places in the San Diego area. Our only challenge was not having cell service where we were camping. This made it very challenging to keep in contact with family in the area. But still it worked out.
Although we have camped here in the past and enjoyed our stay with no issues. Lots to do here for all ages - playgrounds, fishing, paddle boats, walking area, absolutely beautiful lakes (6), geese, pelicans, swan, ducks, lots of grass, trees and more. We also walk here and ride our bikes when not camping.
Great park close by. Road runs all the way around the lakes, ideal for easy riding bikes with a new rider. Lots of fish and ducks, geese, cranes and other water foul in abundance. Lots of friendly staff. General store with basics in case you forgot something.
We found this place Absolutely wonderful. The staff was extremely helpful and polite and the spaces were actually groomed. I posted 7 or8 pictures earlier, great place for bird photography . GREAT PLACE!
Today I finally drove down for the trout stocking weekend, haven't done it since 2007 when I was a kid. The lakes have changed so much during that time and not for the better. The overpopulation in Santee was even more evident during this trip, everyone was touching elbows, very few spots. It was like a bad theme park. Overpopulation has destroyed a fishing area that I grew up with and have many happy memories growing up at. This reinforced exactly why I am selling my houses and moving out of state. SoCal is no longer the carefree laid back paradise it once was, its overcrowded and overpriced. Hope you newcomers enjoyed screwing up the fishing experience, pretty hard to make fishing unenjoyable, but you found a way 👍.
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