The Cleveland National Forest, nestled in the bustling greater San Diego area, spans a modest 460,000 acres intersecting parts of Orange and Riverside Counties. Providing ample recreation, sprawling mountain vistas, and an abundance of wildlife and natural resources.

El Prado Cabin was the first Ranger's cabin on the Cleveland National Forest and was built in 1911. The cabin is still standing today and is located in the Laguna Mountain Recreation Area, El Prado Campground.

Until the arrival in San Diego of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, the lands now within the Cleveland National Forest were known only to the desert and coastal Indian tribes who used them. The Kumeyaay, Luiseños, Cahuilla and Cupeño found a good living on the abundant acorns and game. Many of our trails today follow those routes first used by these early dwellers.

Cabrillo's arrival in 1542 had little affect on the area. It wasn't until 1769 that the Peninsular Range and its coastal plain attracted much interest. Fearing possible interference by England and possibly Russia, Spain encouraged Junípero Serra to establish his first of 21 California Missions.

The original site of the first mission was located near the present Old Town in San Diego.

Prior to the establishment of the missions, human impact on the land was relatively insignificant. The explorers Vizcaíno and Cabrillo reported that the native Indians did considerable burning of the brushlands along the coast and in the mountains, but the overall impact was probably not very great. However, with the arrival of a ranching culture, the landscape underwent more dramatic changes; subtle at first, as the native grasslands were slowly replaced by European and Asian weeds and other introduced plants. Some botanists argue that this invasion of exotic plants had more affect on the area than any other single factor.

Widespread overgrazing throughout the area, brush and trees cut for fence posts, and fires set to produce forage expanded the impact well beyond that of the Indians in the previous centuries.

In 1869, gold was discovered near Julian attracting hordes of miners from the Mother Lode and swelling the town to a population greater than that of San Diego. Also, during this period, zinc, lead, and silver mines were booming in the western canyons of the Santa Anas (hence, Silverado Canyon).

The influx of miners left its mark on the land. Trees were cut for mine timbers, heat and cooking fuel. Great expanses of brush were burned so miners could penetrate new areas to search for minerals.

As the mines petered out, so did many of the early ranches which had been overgrazed and had lost their chief labor force as the Indian population died off due to hardship and disease.

The principal end results was steadily growing threats to the watersheds, which by now were of critical importance to southern California communities.

Early reports from the 1870's - 1880's refer to fires that burned uncontrolled for weeks at a time. Lack of protection from fire was causing serious damage to irrigation works, the water supplies of rural areas, the small metropolitan area of San Diego, and other coastal towns of the late 1800's. The need for a forest reserve was evident to the first California Forestry Commission, appointed by Governor Stone in 1886. The commission recorded in its findings the necessity for special protection of the watershed cover to prevent the occurrence of major fires and subsequent erosion which were injuring the climate, agriculture and future prospects of southern California.

The widespread support for better resource management found a few opposing voices. Among these were timber and ranching interests who viewed the movement as leading to greater restriction on their activities.

Regardless, the Forest Reserve Act was passed in 1891. Although the Act was meant to slow wasteful and illegal timber cutting, the problem was different in southern California. It was to protect their watersheds that Californians immediately began demanding Forest Reserves.

Cleveland National Forest became one of the first in the new system and had its basis in the 50,000 acre Trabuco Cañon Forest Reserve (in the Santa Ana Mountains), created by President Harrison in February 1893. In February 1897 President Cleveland created San Jacinto Forest Reserve, a 700,000 acre area which included the desert lands southeast of Palomar Mountain. In 1899, the Trabuco Reserve was more than doubled, in response to a petition sent to the General Land Office by residents near Trabuco Canyon.

These early Forest Reserves had been administered by the General Land Office (GLO) in the U.S. Department of Interior. However, the GLO lacked any trained foresters to aggressively take charge. As a result in 1905 the reserves were transferred to a new Bureau of Forestry (now the Forest Service) in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In 1907 their designation as Forest Reserves was changed to National Forests.

In 1907 President Roosevelt made extensive additions to both the Trabuco Canyon and San Jacinto Forest Reserves, to include Palomar and Laguna Mountains and those farther south to the Mexican Border. A year later (1908) President Roosevelt combined the two Reserves to form the new 1,904,826 acre Cleveland National Forest.

During the next seventeen years there were several deletions to the Cleveland. A major one in 1915 when 749,730 acres of non-forest value lands were returned to public entry, and another in 1925 when the San Jacinto unit was transferred to the San Bernardino National Forest. Today the Cleveland National Forest consists of approximately 424,000 acres of forest land.

Information provided here is courtesy of USDA Forest Service. For more info about the Cleveland National Forest, please visit their web-site.

"Hidden waterfalls and more than 100 miles of trails through forest and meadow silently witness the regrowth of Cuyamaca Rancho State Park."

The Rancho Cuyamaca State Park is one of the most beautiful regions our backcountry has to offer. You'll definitely want to stop by during your visit with us and check out some of the beautiful landscapes, mounatin forests, meadows and miles of rolling hills. We host a few Alter Experiences camp out events at both Paso Picasho State and Green Valley falls campgrounds throughout the year. If you're staying at our site in Laguna Campground, the drive to the State Park takes about 15 minutes. It's also about a 15 minute drive from our site in Wynola at Fort Cross. Lake Cuyamaca, Cleveland National Forest and the Rancho Cuyamaca state park all border each other and you'll be in relatively close proximity to all 3 locations. The historic town of Julian is also near by. You'll have plenty to see and do during your stay with us. 

The beautiful state park offers camping and hiking in an oak woodland forest, with a sprinkling of pines and lovely meadows with creeks. There are over 100 miles of trails which accommodate hikers, bikers, and equestrians. The two family camps, Paso Picacho and Green Valley, are open and on the reservation system spring through fall. Green Valley sits at an elevation of 4,000 feet and has a creek which runs through the middle of the campground. The day use area offers sets of cascades and shallow pools, great for water play on hot days. 

Paso Picacho, 5 miles north, sits at an elevation of 5,000 feet. The most popular hikes start from this camp, including the 2 mile hike up Stonewall Peak (elevation 5,700 feet), and the 3.5 mile hike up Cuyamaca Peak (elevation 6,512 feet), both which offer breathtaking views of the deserts to the east, the coast to the west, and Lake Cuyamaca at the bottom. 

Each campsite has a picnic table and a fire ring. Restrooms with flush toilets and pay showers are available.

There are no hookups. Each campground has a dump station. Firewood and ice may be purchased at the camps. Interpretive programs are offered during the summer season. Campsites are $30 per night. Reservations are necessary for weekends April through October. The camping fee includes one motorized vehicle. Extra vehicles are $10 per night. There is a limit of 8 persons per campsite. Dogs are allowed but are restricted to the campgrounds, picnic areas, and paved roads and Cuyamaca Peak Fire Road. They may not be left unattended.

Granite Springs and Arroyo Seco Environmental camps have chemical toilets, non-potable water, corrals and tent sites.

Day use visitors may use the picnic areas provided at the campgrounds for $10 per vehicle. The receipt is good for the entire park for the day. The picnic areas offer tables, restrooms, and barbeques. Visitors may also park in legal turnouts along the highway and hike for free. Fire is not allowed anywhere except in the developed picnic areas and campgrounds. 

For the most current information on the park, go to http://www.crspia.org. This website also covers our tremendous volunteer program and its opportunities.

The park phone number is 760-765-3020.

Information provided here is courtesy of California Department of Parks an Recreation. For more info please visit the California State Park web-site.

You can download the State Park brochure here courtesy of the California Department of Parks an Recreation.

Alter Experiences is on a mission to find the most remote, pristine, and bio-diverse habitats to host our glamping retreats. Our headquarters are located in San Diego's backountry where we currently manage several sites in Cleveland National Forest (Mount Laguna), Julian & near Lake Cuyamaca & the Cuyamaca Ranch State Park.

We also have various affiliate destinations in some of the most pristine and remote destinations on this planet where we offer our glamping retreats. Some of these destinations include; Baja California - Mexico, Catalina Island, Big Sur, and the Red Sea.

Each one of our sites is handpicked to offer you a truly nature immersive experience. We strive to create the most comfortable outdoor experience possible, even at our most remote locations. The result is an outdoor & nature immersive experience unlike any other.

In the very heart of San Diego county is one of Southern California's most pristine & bio-diverse natural environments. It's known as the Central Mountain region and encompasses the communities of Cuyamaca, Descanso, Guatay, Pine Valley, and Mount Laguna. It's here where we first introduced our initial outdoor hospitality model and are operating under permit by the US Department of Agriculture - US Forestry Service.

This region is exemplifying a tourism model based around bio-diversity, conservation, heritage and community development. It’s these principles which have inspired our company vision & business model.

"The Central Mountain Subregion lies east of the Alpine and Ramona Community Panning Areas (CPA), west of the Desert Subregion, south of the Julian CPA, and north of the Mountain Empire Subregion. The Central Mountain Subregion is one of the most scenic areas in the County. It is a recreational and agricultural resource for the entire County. It offers its residents and visitors a place to experience tranquility and the beauty of undisturbed nature.

There are two public recreation and wilderness areas in the Subregion: Cuyamaca Rancho State Park (approximately 25,000 acres) and the Cleveland National Forest (approximately 120,000 acres).

The Subregion covers approximately 200,000 acres, 78 percent of which are in public ownership or in the Inaja, Cosmit, La Posta, or Capitan Grande Indian Reservations. The principal types of vegetation found in the Subregion are southern oak woodland, which consists of two communities: the mountain woodland and the valley woodland, the coniferous forest, chaparral, and riparian vegetation. The Central Mountain Subregion contains most of the highest mountains in the County: Cuyamaca Peak (6,512 feet), Cuyapaipe Mountain (6,378 feet), Monument Peak (6,272 feet), and North Peak (5,993 feet). Other striking features of this Subregion are: Cuyamaca Lake, a reservoir for the Helix Water District the northern tip of El Capitan Reservoir; meadows and coniferous forests; and spectacular views of the Anza Borrego Desert from the Sunrise Highway."

Central Mountain Subregional Plan - San Diego County General Plan

The driving force behind this region's growth is an emphasis on the community character - preservation of the integrity of the National Forests and State Parks, the retention & enhancement of the rural character of the central mountain communities, & the preservation of the natural environment and habitat.

There are many individuals, sponsor groups, businesses and organizations that are working together towards these objectives for the area many years now. They've continued to set the example for a sustainable tourism model and overall environmental conservation.

You can read all about their plan in their publication "Central Mountain Sub-regional Plan," which can be downloaded here.

"Within the Central Mountain Subregion, we preserve and respect our venerable and historic structures in the form of lodges, halls and restaurants, churches and residences, barns, and bridges. Our compact utilitarian commercial cores represent a very small percentage of our overall land use and provide essential local services for area residents and visitors. Limited pockets of residential development spread outward from our village centers to areas where they fit well within their surroundings. The lack of tract housing developments and larger commercial centers further defines and enhances the unique character of our backcountry communities. It is the combination of 52 these factors that contribute to our quaint rural ambiance and charm.

Because of limited infrastructure and limited natural resources like groundwater, any further growth must be carefully managed. Any growth must also compliment our natural rural landscape and adhere to our community character. Our communities are gateways to recreational opportunities. We place an extremely high value on recreational opportunities provided by open space and community trails which offer pedestrians, equestrians, and mountain bikers access to federal, State and County Parks. As committed backcountry stewards, we believe in the preservation of clean air and dark skies, mature woodlands and open spaces, natural resources, and water quality. These core values are reflected in our rural lifestyles and make up some of the essential components of our community character.

The Central Mountain Subregion is perhaps one of the few remaining areas within the County that still offers visitors a chance to escape their fast-paced urban lifestyle and recall with nostalgia, the essence of life in a small mountain village. As nearby suburban populations continue to increase, it is of the utmost importance that the natural beauty of our local rural landscapes and vital character of our small villages be treasured and preserved for future generations."

Central Mountain Subregional Plan - San Diego County General Plan

This environmental policy came about as a result of over 10 years travel across some of the most exotic destinations on the planet. From a treehouse in India’s rainforests to a tent in the sub-saharan deserts of the Red Sea; these & many other examples of sustainable tourism models have inspired our tourism policy.

In a time when our planet needs it most, Alter Experiences LLC will set the standard for a tourism model centered around sustainability, conservation & the protection of our resources in the San Diego Central Mountain Region.

We're dedicated to pioneering business practices that encourage overall sustainability, a balance with nature conservation, & encouraging localized business growth. 

We're setting out to prove that economic growth & sustainable business development can be achieved without plundering our resources, destroying the environment, succumbing to corporate greed, or sending jobs overseas. There are countless examples of business models such as agri-business, eco-tourism & renewable energy tech that we need to begin encouraging & investing in as a community.

It's time for a change in the way we live, in the way we do business and in our priorities as a society.

A Model of Sustainable Tourism in San Diego

While our board of directors were exploring potential sites for our tourism model, we were captivated by San Diego’s Central Mountain region & its conservation model. It was clear to us that there was no better place that could exemplify an internationally recognized model of sustainable tourism development in Southern California.

These regions are some of San Diego’s most pristine & bio-diverse habitats. Our ultimate goal is to work with community partners and stakeholders to exemplify this destination as a model of sustainable tourism development & environmental conservation. It is our goal to encourage sustainable tourism practices, creating nature-oriented, educational, and engaging visitor experiences.

“Cuyamaca is a scenic mountain community of Cuyamaca Peak, North Peak, Middle Peak, & Stonewall Peak. Cuyamaca is a forested area of oaks, incense cedar, white fir, and pines. Also riparian trees, such as willow, alder, and sycamore, lie along many small spring fed streams. Boulder Creek is designated a “Wild and Scenic River”. Lake Cuyamaca is located in a natural valley and covers about 100 acres. The Lake Cuyamaca meadow has fifteen sensitive plant species, is biologically one of the most important areas in the county, and is a Resource Conservation Area. The Cuyamaca Sponsor Group area has abundant wildlife, mountain lions, bobcats, deer, badgers, foxes, bald and 9 golden eagles, and over a hundred species of birds. At an altitude of over 4000 ft., Cuyamaca is characterized by seasonal color changes on the open meadows and hillsides, from wildflowers to snow…

The Cuyamaca Subregional Group area is one of the most unique scenic areas of San Diego County. It is a rural, residential mountain community, dependen  on limited groundwater. Residents have a recreational lifestyle of hiking, biking, fishing, hunting, and horseback riding. They enjoy clean air and water, a clear night sky, spacious mountain views, and peace and quiet…

The desire of residents to preserve the area’s beauty of undisturbed nature will severely limit the future development of Cuyamaca…”

Central Mountain Subregional Plan - San Diego County General Plan

Visitor Education

We are present for every guest check-in so and continue to place emphasis on safety and environmental stewardship during every briefing. We also make ourselves available throughout the stay if need be. We emphasis visitor safety and responsible tourism through our marketing approach and social media activism.

Water Conservation

In our efforts to conserve water in California’s drought stricken regions, we’ll be implementing water recycling practices like grey water recycling & rain harvesting. We’ll be be encouraging water conservation practices in a time when California needs it the most. Raising awareness about the seriousness of the drought condition in California will be an important part of our educational campaign. We’ll incorporate water saving practices & water conservation as our communities most important environmental priority.

Waste Reduction

Waste reduction measures will include waste minimization, waste reuse, and recycling. We’ll place emphasis on raising awareness about pollution & moving away from plastic and other products that negatively impact our environment and wildlife. We’ll provide alternatives like biodegradable plastics made from polyethylene plastic which will degrade in 70-80 days.

A major part of the experience will include getting guests to start thinking about their environmental foot prints, as well as steps they can take to reduce waste and pollution. The visitor experience is designed to nurture a culture of recycle, re-use, reduce & getting people to re-think their day-to-day consumption habits.

We’ll be using a multi-media approach to engender this message, as well as workshops designed to educate and engage our guests about these serious environmental issues.

Community Development

Culture and heritage will play an integral part of the overall guest experience. We’ll encourage tours to some of the historical sites in the region, as well as the nearby reservations and visitors centers. We’ll provide on-line resources, pamphlets, and other media that will serve to educate visitors about the region’s rich heritage and culture.

We’ll work with community partners who can assist us with providing a multitude of activities such as equestrian, water-sports, hiking, hunting, agro-tours, yoga & star-gazing.

This will allow us to offer experience based tour packages in collaboration with local stakeholder, while engendering a business atmosphere that encourages overall economic growth for the community. This model will allow us to grow strong as a leading tourism destination, while giving the community a stake in the region’s economic growth. We’ll be actively working with and supporting like minded businesses, non-profits & responsible tourism development planners.

How Visitors Can Get Involved

By visiting Alter Experiences LLC, you're already making a positive, environmental choice in destination. We need the support of our guests to conserve the natural resources of the region. There are many things you can do to get involved like joining one of our workshops, being a responsible tourist while visiting the region and expanding your own personal knowledge about environmental conservation and sustainable living. Here are a few other things you can do to help us: