Can you reserve a site at El Cariso North Picnic Site?

No. El Cariso North Picnic Site is not reservable through Recreation.gov, so sites are first-come, first-served or booked elsewhere.

El Cariso North Picnic Site

Facility · California ·

Managed by the USDA Forest Service

Cleveland National Forest (NF) · Open Access

2,556 ft
Elevation

***EL CARISO NORTH PICNIC AREA WILL BE CLOSED FROM SEPT 20 TO OCT 31 FOR MAINTENANCE. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE DISTRICT OFFICE AT 951-736-1811.***

Access to El Cariso North Picnic area is only available from the Lake Elsinore side of Ortega Highway due to Cal Trans closures every other weekend. Please click the link for more information.

https://sr-74-ortega-highway-widening.constantcontactsites.com/

NO CAMPFIRES OR BBQS. CAMP STOVES ARE OK.

The facts

Season: Year Round — USDA Forest Service, Aug 24, 2026

Recreation.gov's own page

Getting there

Located Adjacent to the Ortega Highway (Highway 74), 25 Miles east of San Juan Capistrano and 5 miles west of Lake Elsinore.

33.65111, -117.41333 · 33°39'4.0"N 117°24'48.0"W

Directions (Google Maps) · Directions (Apple Maps)

Typical weather

Typically 98°F in Aug, down to 65°F in Dec.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °F	66	67	72	77	82	90	97	98	93	83	73	65
Low °F	42	43	46	49	54	58	64	65	61	54	46	40
Precip in	3.0	2.9	1.5	0.5	0.2	0.1	0.2	0.1	0.2	0.5	0.6	2.0

1991–2020 averages from the nearest NOAA station, 4.6 mi away — not measured at the facility itself, and elevation can make a real difference over that distance.

Map

Member photos

Add a photo

Common questions about El Cariso North Picnic Site

Can you reserve a site at El Cariso North Picnic Site?: No. El Cariso North Picnic Site is not reservable through Recreation.gov, so sites are first-come, first-served or booked elsewhere.

Also listed by

El Cariso North Picnic Site also appears in other federal recreation data. Facts below are matched by name and location, not confirmed by El Cariso North Picnic Site's operator.