Vallecito County Park

Vallecito County Park preserves a desert oasis whose Spanish name means “little valley.” The park is built around a reconstruction of the historic Butterfield Stage Station. People have camped here for hundreds of years, beginning with the Kumeyaay. It is a quieter alternative to busier desert campgrounds, averages about 10 degrees cooler than nearby Agua Caliente, and has abundant wildflowers in spring.

The campground has 44 primitive sites with tables, fire rings, and barbecue stoves, eight equestrian sites with corrals, and a youth area. Water is available at scattered spots around the campground, and a large covered picnic area serves day visitors. Pets are allowed. Check-in is at 2 p.m. and check-out at noon.

The park is open from Labor Day weekend through the last week of May and closes for the summer. Day use runs from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., extended to sunset on weekends, and day-use parking is $5.

There are no supplies at the campground. The store at Agua Caliente County Park, four miles south on S-2, is open on weekends; there is also a store at the private Butterfield Ranch campground along S-2, and supplies can be found in Warner Springs and Ocotillo. Vallecito makes a base for hiking and picnicking at Agua Caliente and in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.