About this campground
***EL CARISO NORTH PICNIC AREA WILL BE CLOSED FROM SEPT 20 TO OCT 31 FOR MAINTENANCE. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE DISTRICT OFFICE AT 951-736-1811.*** Access to El Cariso North Picnic area is only available from the Lake Elsinore side of Ortega Highway due to Cal Trans closures every other weekend. Please click the link for more information. https://sr-74-ortega-highway-widening.constantcontactsites.com/ NO CAMPFIRES OR BBQS. CAMP STOVES ARE OK.
Getting there
Located Adjacent to the Ortega Highway (Highway 74), 25 Miles east of San Juan Capistrano and 5 miles west of Lake Elsinore.
Activities
- PICNICKING
Nearby federal campgrounds
- El Cariso Info Site Interpretive Site (minor)Cleveland National Forest0 mi
- El Cariso South Picnic SiteCleveland National Forest0 mi
- Ortega Highway AreaCleveland National Forest1 mi
- FALCON GROUPCleveland National Forest3 mi
- San Mateo Wilderness North AreaCleveland National Forest5 mi
- Holy Jim/Los Pinos AreaCleveland National Forest6 mi
Explore more California camping
El Cariso North Picnic Site doesn't take campsite reservations — but plenty of nearby California campgrounds do, and we'll alert you the moment a sold-out site opens up.
Browse California camping →Details from Recreation.gov's official RIDB catalog. Conditions change — confirm with the managing office before you go. Not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.