Santa Margarita Lake

Beautiful little lake wit a ton of trails! Smaller campground, I think there are 3 (Coyote, Roadrunner, and Osprey) which have a 2 car/8 person maximum. Quiet and calm, by far my favorite winter camping getaway. Prices jumped up in January 2023, with fees, $91 for 2 nights which is OUTRAGEOUS for dry camping. With camping becoming more popular during Covid, it seems all campgrounds in California have increased in price.

No swimming in the lake itself. There is a pool that is open seasonally. It’s on the smallish size so, if the campgrounds are full during summer (daytime temps July-September 100°+) it is crowded. No cell service anywhere around the lake or in the campgrounds. All in all, as much as I love this little reservoir, it’s priced itself out of my budget.