Cleveland National Forest
Cleveland National Forest is a U.S. national forest in Southern California that encompasses 460,000 acres/720 mi2 (1,900 km2) of inland montane regions. It lies 11 mi south of Aguanga. Its origins go back to 1908.
A national forest, 11 mi south of Aguanga
Summers are hot
July and August highs run 95–96°, and about 88 days a year reach 90°. When to go ↓
Valley Center is the nearest base
Valley Center is 13 miles west, with 5 places to stay. Where to stay ↓
Established in 1908
Cleveland National Forest dates from 1908. About ↓
Best months: Apr, May and Oct
April, May and October are the mild months, with highs of 73–81°. When to go ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
The weather by month
Every month near Cleveland National Forest is set out below.
Cleveland National Forest
Cleveland National Forest is a U.S. national forest in Southern California that encompasses 460,000 acres/720 mi2 (1,900 km2) of inland montane regions. It is approximately 60 miles (97 km) from the Pacific Ocean, within the counties of San Diego, Riverside, and Orange. The landscape varies somewhat, with mostly chaparral canyons, arroyos and high desert, but dotted with meadows and oak and conifer forests. Near water sources, riparian environments and perennial aquatic plants attract native and migratory wildlife, such as at San Diego's man-made Lake Cuyamaca. A generally warm and dry, inland-Mediterranean climate prevails over the Forest, with the cooler months producing morning frost and snowfall (in the higher elevations). It is the southernmost U.S. National Forest of California. The area is administered by the U.S.
- Type
- National forest
- Established
- 1908
- Area
- 686 square miles
- Wikipedia readers
- 11K a year
Bases for Cleveland National Forest
The first towns with rooms are Julian (26) and Escondido (20), and San Diego has the most rooms in the area (508).
Julian
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
1,751 people · 25% vacation homes
20 mi southeast of Cleveland National Forest
San Diego
The most places to stay in the area, and a base for a longer trip.
1,406,106 people
37 mi southwest of Cleveland National Forest
Compare 9 towns
| Town | From Cleveland National Forest | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Julian 25% vacation homes | 20 mi southeast | 30 min | 26 5 hotels · 7 inns & B&Bs · 6 lodges & cabins · 6 campgrounds · 2 RV parks | 1,751 | $603K | — |
| Escondido | 20 mi southwest | 30 min | 20 12 hotels · 6 motels · 1 campground · 1 RV park | 146,030 | $715K | C |
| Oceanside | 30 mi west | 45 min | 52 42 hotels · 4 motels · 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground · 3 RV parks | 170,483 | $770K | C− |
| Temecula | 24 mi northwest | 35 min | 23 18 hotels · 1 motel · 3 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins | 114,865 | $680K | C+ |
| Valley Center | 13 mi west | 20 min | 5 2 hotels · 3 campgrounds | 11,119 | $884K | — |
| Borrego Springs 36% vacation homes | 26 mi east | 40 min | 17 10 hotels · 2 motels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 1 campground · 2 RV parks | 2,700 | $403K | — |
| Hidden Meadows | 19 mi west | 30 min | 7 6 hotels · 1 lodge or cabins | 3,524 | $851K | — |
| Pala | 16 mi west | 25 min | 4 3 hotels · 1 RV park | 914 | $306K | — |
| San Diego | 37 mi southwest | 1 hr | 508 401 hotels · 27 motels · 25 inns & B&Bs · 17 lodges & cabins · 20 hostels · 13 campgrounds · 5 RV parks | 1,406,106 | $907K | C− |
Day trip from
Straight-line miles.
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Close to Cleveland National Forest
Places worth adding lie within 65 miles.
Big draw56 mi LakeSalton Sea
Big draw56 mi LandmarkMexico–United States border wall
Big draw64 mi National ParkJoshua Tree National Park2.9M visitors a year
Big draw40 mi Stadium & arenaSnapdragon Stadium
46 mi Stadium & arenaPetco Park
44 mi Zoo & aquariumSan Diego Zoo4.0M visitors a year
118 mi Zoo & aquariumSan Diego Zoo Safari Park
44 mi Park & preserveBalboa ParkPhoto credits
Salton Sea: NASA, Public domain · Mexico–United States border wall: Földhegy, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Joshua Tree National Park: Sergiy Galyonkin, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Snapdragon Stadium: Terrible Tim, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Petco Park: Mds08011, CC BY 4.0 · San Diego Zoo: en:User:Cburnett, CC BY-SA 3.0 · San Diego Zoo Safari Park: Flickr user: Olivier Bruchez https://www.flickr.com/photos/bruchez/, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Balboa Park: Antoine Taveneaux, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Questions before you go
What town is Cleveland National Forest near?
Aguanga, CA, about 11 miles north.
When is the best time to visit Cleveland National Forest?
April, May and October, with highs of 73–81°.
How far is Cleveland National Forest from Riverside and Irvine?
About 56 miles northwest of Riverside and about 62 miles northwest of Irvine, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Cleveland National Forest?
McClellan-Palomar (CLD), about 30 miles away. The nearest big hub is Palm Springs (PSP), about 40 miles.
Where should I stay near Cleveland National Forest?
San Diego (37 mi, 508 places to stay), Julian (20 mi, 26 places to stay) and Escondido (20 mi, 20 places to stay).
Ask a local in Aguanga
Nobody has posted a tip yet; ask or answer in Aguanga’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.