24800 Potrero Park Drive
Potrero, CA 91963
Note: Potrero County Park will be closed from August 4 through August 7, 2008 for maintenance on the water system. Please call the Reservation Desk at 858-565-3600 for more information.
Potrero County Park, 45 miles east of San Diego, is in a broad valley dotted by coastal live oaks. Its grassy meadow and rocky hillsides provide quiet solitude for hikers and campers, and picnickers will enjoy the shade of hundred-year-old oak trees. The park is well suited for year round recreation. The average summer high is 90 and the average winter low is 34. At an elevation of 2300 feet, the valley can receive occasional light snowfall in the winter.
Some History
The Spanish word potrero means "pasturing place." Until the middle of the 19th century, the Potrero region was inhabited only by Kumeyaay Indians, who found the area rich in their main food, the acorn. Evidence of their way of life can be seen on the park's nature trail. Look for the large rock pitted with smooth holes, in which they ground the acorns into meal.
In 1868 Charlie McAlmond, a ship captain from San Diego, settled in the Potrero Valley and established a cattle ranch and farm. Others soon followed, becoming ranchers or wood cutters. The cordwood business flourished in this oak woodland, and large horse-drawn wagons hauled firewood and bark to San Diego.
What You'll See
Wagons no longer run between Potrero and San Diego, but much of the area might still seem like home to Captain McAlmond. Because the mountainous habitat has suffered relatively little disturbance, wildlife abounds here. Rare predators such as mountain lions and bobcats are seen occasionally. Some of the more conspicuous animal residents include mule deer, coyotes, raccoons, striped and spotted skunks, and brush rabbits.
Many of the bird species native to Southern California live in the oaks and surrounding chaparral. Red-tailed and Cooper's hawks, golden eagles, acorn woodpeckers, and scrub jays are just a few that you might notice. Observant visitors may also see reptiles such as the Great Basin fence lizard or the San Diego gopher snake. Rattlesnakes are occasionally reported; be cautious of these natural residents of the park and leave them undisturbed. During the spring, listen for the evening call of the Pacific tree frog.
Facilities
Potrero County Park offers RV, tent, and group camping. Groups, including corporate campouts, can use developed and primitive sites and can reserve a picnic area. Hot showers are available for campers staying at one of the 39 RV sites, which have electrical hook-ups and water, or at one of the tent sites. There is a holding tank disposal station near the campground. Much of the 115-acre park consists of picnic areas. Visitors can also enjoy ball fields, a dance pavilion, playgrounds, and hiking trails. The nearby town of Potrero offers a general store, cafe, post office, and library. The railroad museum and century-old historic stone store in Campo make for an interesting side trip, and the colorful Mexican community of Tecate is only minutes away.
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