Our guide to unique lodging and adventures in San Diego's beautiful backcountry.
By Miriam Raftery
June 10, 2018 (Palomar) – Bailey House, built in 1888, is the centerpiece of Bailey’s Palomar Resort on Palomar Mountain.
It’s been family-owned and operated ever since, for 130 years in San Diego’s northeast county.
Today, guests can choose from renting the entire historic 7-bedroom home, a variety of guest cottages each with its own character and charm, or “glamping” tents on the 60-acre property that includes apple orchards, a walnut grove, forests and a fish pond.
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September 26, 2015 (Palomar) – Palomar Mountain State Park invites the public to its 2015 Palomar Apple Festival on Sunday, October 18 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
This free festival includes delicious apple goodies, spinning and weaving demonstration, arts and crafts, games and activities, a pie eating contest,plus live folk music and square dancers (join in – all are welcome!).
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October 12, 2013 (Palomar) -- Palomar Mountain State Park' invites the public to its 3rd Annual "Apple Festival", Sunday October 27th from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is free to the park for this fun and educational occasion.
The Park has apple trees planted by homesteading pioneers over 100 years ago--and they're still producing delicious apples to this day. Come spend the day at the Park to enjoy food, love folk music, square dancing, games, arts and crafts with an apple harvest theme.
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January 1, 2013 - First Day Hike was cancelled due to weather.
December 30, 2012 (San Diego) – Palomar Mountain State Park’s First Day Hike to welcome the New Year is January 1 at 9 a.m. The hike will begin at the Doane Pond parking lot and start out on the heavily canopied Doane Valley Trail heading towards the meadows of French Valley.
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October 13, 2012 (Palomar) – The 2012 Apple Festival at Palomar Mountain State Park will take place October 21 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission to the park is free courtesy of Friends of Palomar Mountain State Park and Cuyamaca Rancho State Park Interpretive Association. The park is located at 19952 State Park Rd., Palomar.
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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.
September 27, 2012 (Palomar) -- Did you know that Palomar Mountain State Park is made up of pioneer homesteads that included magnificent apple orchards still producing delicious apples to this day? On Sunday, October 21 from 11 a.m to 4 p.m. you’re invited to join in a celebration of the Park's apple heritage with fresh apples picked from the park's 100 year old orchards, apple dishes, live music, cider, arts and crafts for kids, prizes and living history volunteers /re-enactors.
Guests are welcome to bring their own homemade apple dish-- and come dressed in 19th century homestead period attire. Admission is free to this second annual celebration.
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September 15, 2012 (Palomar) – Assembly Bill 1478, now on Governor Jerry Brown’s desk awaiting signature, would issue a moratorium on state park closures until at least 2014. It also directs that a windfall of funds found within the Department of Parks and Recreation should be used in part to keep state parks open, with priority given to those parks where citizens have shown support by raising funds through foundations or nonprofits. (For details see http://www.friendsofpalomarsp.org/legislative_update_09_10.htm.) Now supporters of Palomar Mountain State Park are asking for public help to persuade Governor Brown to sign this legislation.
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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.
April 8, 2012 (Palomar) – It seems fitting that on Easter Sunday, we got word of a modern-day resurrection.
Rick Barclay chairs a foundation that’s been striving to save Palomar State Park from permanent closure in July, drawing help from many of our readers to fill the budget gap.Today, he sent East County Magazine the following message of hope:
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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.
January 16, 2012 (Palomar) – Friends of Palomar Mountain State Park has submitted a plan to the California Dept. of Parks and Recreation that could prevent the park from closing permanently on July 1 due to budget cuts. The group seeks pledges from inidividuals in hopes of reaching $60,000. [Editor's note: 16% of the goal was met when we posted this. Now on Jan. 17, 20% of the goal has been met. Thanks to our readers who helped! I made a pledge and hope many more of you will help save this beautiful place!)
Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.
January 1, 2013 - First Day Hike was cancelled due to weather.
October 13, 2012 (Palomar) – The 2012 Apple Festival at Palomar Mountain State Park will take place October 21 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission to the park is free courtesy of Friends of Palomar Mountain State Park and Cuyamaca Rancho State Park Interpretive Association. The park is located at 19952 State Park Rd., Palomar.
September 27, 2012 (Palomar) -- Did you know that Palomar Mountain State Park is made up of pioneer homesteads that included magnificent apple orchards still producing delicious apples to this day? On Sunday, October 21 from 11 a.m to 4 p.m. you’re invited to join in a celebration of the Park's apple heritage with fresh apples picked from the park's 100 year old orchards, apple dishes, live music, cider, arts and crafts for kids, prizes and living history volunteers /re-enactors.
September 15, 2012 (Palomar) – Assembly Bill 1478, now on Governor Jerry Brown’s desk awaiting signature, would issue a moratorium on state park closures until at least 2014. It also directs that a windfall of funds found within the Department of Parks and Recreation should be used in part to keep state parks open, with priority given to those parks where citizens have shown support by raising funds through foundations or nonprofits. (For details see 
By Miriam Raftery
New! View a video of what may be lost: 
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