Summertime is synonymous with sleeping under the stars. Camping enthusiasts have waited a long three years for their beloved Kumeyaay Lake campground in Mission Trails Regional Park to reopen. That wait came to an end last month when the funds, staff and resources came together.
Summertime is synonymous with sleeping under the stars. Camping enthusiasts have waited a long three years for their beloved Kumeyaay Lake campground in Mission Trails Regional Park to reopen. That wait came to an end last month when the funds, staff and resources came together.
Councilmember Scott Sherman, whose district includes the campsites and Mission Trails Regional Park, helped secure the approximately $140,000 needed to reopen the campground two nights a week. As part of the City’s FY 2014 mid-year budget update, funds for the campground were restored. The campground, located at Two Father Junipero Serra Trail, will remain open through the 2015 fiscal year.
Andy Quinn, newly appointed Senior Park Ranger at Mission Trails Regional Park, said that the park’s foundation also played a big role in reopening the campground. Staff had been pulling weeds and making repairs to the campground facility when Quinn came on board three months ago. MTRP Foundation hired the probation crew and Urban Corp to assist the rangers and staff in trimming overgrowth and beautifying the area.
“So far, so good. Campers are really impressed on how good the park looks,” Quinn said.
The newly appointed Center Director of the Kumeyaay Campground is Roozbeh Ravansari. “My role in getting the campground re-opened involved everything from getting my hands dirty with some brush removal and weeding,” Ravansari said.
Ravansari also painted and did upgrades on the campground facilities. In addition, he keeps the financial accounts of the campground.
“As a Center Director, you’re in the trenches on the front line, and you do what needs to be done,” he said.
A lot of overgrowth has taken place since the campground closed. “Beautification is a constant battle we will continue to fight with the help of volunteers and work crews,” Ravansari said.
Jay Wilson, director of the MTRP Foundation, said that the Kumeyaay Lake Campground is one of the unique focal points of Mission Trails, offering 46 campsites.
“We are all excited to have the campground open after being closed for nearly three years. Check in Friday afternoon knowing that you have nearly 6,000 acres and 54 miles of trails to explore. Other than the cost of camping, everything in Mission Trails Regional Park is free,” Wilson said.
The biggest hurdle continues to be funding for the future, according to Quinn.
“We hope the campground at one point can open for four nights,” he said.
Roozbeh said he hopes that the campground will keep receiving as much use and enthusiasm from the community as it has since it reopened.
“Come out, have fun, and enjoy the nature right in your backyard,” he said.
Volunteers are always needed and appreciated to help clear non-native vegetation and maintain the campground. Contact Ravansari at rravansari@sandiego.gov.
The 7,000-acre campground is available for camping Friday and Saturday nights. Forty-six campsites offer the best in lakeside camping, with a maximum of six campers per site, at the rate of $20 per night. The campground has many walking, biking and horse paths and trails, and fishing is available at the lake with a valid California Fishing License.
For more information, go to https://www.mtrp.org/campground.asp.
