From camping to ghost stories, Lake Morena — located in the southeastern mountains of San Diego County — has long been known for its scenic views, outdoor recreation, and peaceful surroundings.
Over the years, however, it has quietly developed a reputation for alleged paranormal activity.
Stories of ghost sightings, mysterious sounds, and unexplained occurrences have circulated for decades. The most common tale involves the “Lady of the Lake” —a figure in white that some claim to have seen walking near the shoreline at dusk.
Others report hearing footsteps around campsites late at night, sudden drops in temperature, or faint voices near an old stone structure along one of the park’s trails.
Lake Morena is a man-made reservoir, completed in 1912 to serve San Diego’s growing water needs. Sitting at over 3,000 feet in elevation, it’s one of the highest reservoirs in the county and part of the city’s municipal water system. The surrounding area has a rich history, including Native Kumeyaay presence, early ranching settlements, and nearby military activity in Campo during World War II.
Hoax or Real Deal?
Despite the folklore, long-time locals say they haven’t experienced anything out of the ordinary.
“I’ve heard that people have seen sightings and things, spirits,” said Lily Grill, kitchen manager and head cook at the Oak Shores Malt Shop at 2425 Lake Morena Drive, a short drive from the lake. “A lady was doing a YouTube video once, but I never saw anything myself, and I’ve been here for 12 years.”
Ronny, owner of the nearby Lake Morena Country Market, echoed that sentiment.
“Nope, never even heard that, and I have been here for 23 years.”
Some attribute the eerie experiences to wildlife. The area is home to deer, coyotes, bobcats, and owls — animals that could account for strange sounds or fleeting shadows. Still, visitors often find the lake’s quiet, sometimes foggy atmosphere a little unsettling. The origin of the abandoned stone structure near one trail remains unclear, but hikers have reported hearing whispers or feeling a strange heaviness in the air near it.
April Bell, 40, a lifelong Campo resident who was shopping at the Campo Green Store and Deli at 31080 CA-94, said she’s familiar with the stories but hasn’t encountered anything herself.
“We camp near the lake all the time and have never seen or heard anything. I tend to be more skeptical of that kind of stuff, but some people do believe things like that and find the paranormal interesting.”
“Back in the 1800s there was a mine just behind the Lake Morena damn, there was so much poisonous gas that it had killed over 40-plus minors, and it is said that that these souls still walk the lake … haunted is an understatement …,” said local Jody Richter.
Another, Sam Shoemaker, said, “Not that I remember, however, we vacated the area around 1984 or so. I remember in the summer months, the first Saturday…people from all over the hills came to get together and have a grand ole time.”
One last local, Katrina Spirz, who has lived in the Campo area for 17 years and works at the Campo Green Store, recalled an eerie experience from about two years ago.
She and her friends brought along a “spirit box” one night while exploring. “We did hear some weird sounds, like a ‘whooooo,’ but who knows, it could have been anything. Animals? I don’t think it was. I do think you can differentiate between those sounds. We went at night, and it was sort of spooky. We had never been there and had heard there were weird things…”
While she and her friends haven’t actively searched for ghosts, they do camp at the lake regularly.
“I have heard that Goat Island, the small separate island in the middle of the lake, is also said to be the most haunted,” she said. “We’ve all heard the stories—since Lake Morena was farmland before it became a dam — and that bodies were dumped there, maybe, or the one about the Lady of the Lake.”
Rangers at the station and media for County of San Diego Parks & Recreation — Lake
Morena County Park declined to comment on the rumored hauntings.
So, after all these years, whether the stories come from imagination, wildlife encounters, or something truly unexplained, the tales surrounding Lake Morena continue to add a layer of mystery to this remote corner of San Diego County.
