Camp at Dixon Lake

Dixon Lake is Escondido's best kept secret! A man-made reservoir located right next to Daley Ranch, Dixon Lake offers overnight camping, boat rentals, fishing, and hiking, along with picnic areas, a kids park, and more. 

The campground is open year-round and is located next to the lake with a lofty elevation gain that affords each site stunning views of the lake and/or the City of Escondido. Every campsite is unique in its size and layout, and has a private, "carved out" feel, isolated from neighboring sites. You can preview photos of each campsite, along with the views each campsite offers, in the Dixon Lake Campground Guide located on their website.

At the most basic level reservation you'll get your own dedicated driveway to your campsite, a picnic table, charcoal grill pit, food storage locker, and covered trash/recycling bins. For an additional fee you can also get hookups for water, electricity, and sewer. Reservation fees are cheaper in the off-season (Nov 16 - March 1), but even during the busy season, a basic campsite reservation only runs about $30/night. 

Dixon Lake offers individual and group reservations, ADA-accessible cabins, camper/RV hookups, and is dog-friendly (on-leash only). There are several clean, plumbed restrooms throughout the campground, some of which include shower facilities. 

A couple things to note:

• Check-in starts at 2pm; Check-out is at 12pm
• Charcoal fires only; No wood fires permitted
• Alcohol is permitted, but only within the campgrounds
• No swimming or body contact with the lake
• Raccoon activity has been increasing, so be mindful of your food/trash
• While there are plenty of opportunities for quiet, peaceful moments, keep in mind that this is still a family-friendly/group-friendly campground, and some groups can be quite loud. Quiet hours begin at 10pm.