Potrero County Park – Yours to discover and enjoy

By Dan and Lisa Goy

We were introduced to the Potrero County Park a few years ago when traveling north to the US border after a few weeks on Baja.  We made the decision to avoid Tijuana and cross at Tecate. We pulled in at dusk and, as “first impressions” go, we were impressed for sure!  Now we start all our Baja RV Caravan Tours from Potrero, which includes our Rendezvous Reception. 

We know that in the tour business it is important to start strong. Meeting everyone at Potrero ensures that happens - everyone is pleasantly surprised when they arrive, with such a charming and picturesque campground. We are not alone in our opinion, as other Baja RV Caravan operators - and most RVers heading to Baja - stage from Potrero and often return prior to the journey northward.

The County of San Diego describes the campground as “Potrero Regional 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°F and the average winter low is 34°F.  At an elevation of 2300 feet, the valley can receive occasional light snowfall in the winter.” We have been here in all weather, sunny bright warm afternoons, pouring rain, ice on the puddles at first light and yes, even a bit of snow. 

The park is tucked into a spacious, live-oak-covered corner of Potrero Valley, near the village of Potrero — east of the Tecate turnoff (only 10 minutes away) and west of Campo (a 20 minute drive). The twisting but scenic drive - a real favourite for motorcyclists from San Diego, via Highway 94, is 44 miles (from downtown) and takes about an hour to the campground and park.  Potrero offers 39 RV sites with 15, 30 and 50 amp connections, and potable water that tastes great, every one heading to Baja fills up prior to departure. The showers are hot and the bathrooms clean. A common pull-through dump station is located at the entrance/exit to the campground. There's lots to see and do within the park itself, including hiking, walking and birding.  Wildlife abounds - from rare predators, like bobcats, to more usual suspects such as mule deer, racoons, skunks, wild rabbits, Red-tailed and Coopers hawks, acorn woodpeckers, owls, jays, gopher snakes - and we cannot forget to mention the ground squirrels everywhere  (watch out for holes), and coyotes of course (you may not see them but you will certainly hear them).

Potrero is Spanish for “pasturing place”, and the Kumeyaay Indians inhabited the entire region, which includes northern Baja, Mexico, until the mid 1850s. Past Kumeyaay life can still be found throughout the park – a fact that is evident on large rocks that are pitted and smoothed where abundant acorns were likely ground into a meal. 

Gaskill Brothers’ Stone Store and Museum

The well-built stone building was the result of a raid on the original frame store of the Gaskill brothers by border bandits in 1875.  The furious gun battle that ensued prompted the early settlers of East County to build a more secure, fortress-like stone store.  Constructed post 1875 raid it still stands to remind us the “wild west” was real not just TV fiction.  When the host of the museum tells the story you can easily imagine the chaos of the event and the bravery of those resisting the raid from real Banditos.  The new and improved “store” also functioned as a bank, post office, and social center for the community.

Tecate, Mexico

Only a 10 minute drive (6 miles) from Potrero, Tecate is a town with about 65,000 people, and provides a glimpse of life in a non-tourist town.  Take the tour at the famous Tecate brewery, an easy walk from the border and free.  You can park on the US side at the convenience store for $5 all day, no need for a tourist card, just a valid passport.  If you have never been to Mexico this is a great opportunity to experience a different culture without the pressure of big crowds or pushy vendors (as in Tijuana).

Submitted by Dan & Lisa Goy

Baja Amigos RV Caravan Tours