San Diego California Events. Area focus - Potrero

City: Unincorporated area of San Diego County
Area Population: 899
Elevation: 2,473 feet above sea level
Distance from downtown SD: 44.6 miles southeast

Potrero County Park
24800 Potrero Park Drive
Potrero, CA 91963 Map - Day Use - Park - Campground

Potrero County Park features grassy meadows and hundreds of ancient oak trees. The secluded 115-acre park has one reservable picnic area that can accommodate up to 300 people, and additional picnic areas are available for walk-in visitors. A ball field, playground, and hiking trails are a few of the recreational options for picnickers.

Potrero County Park, 45 miles east of San Diego, is in a broad valley dotted by coastal live oaks. Its grassy meadow and rocky hillsides provide quiet solitude for hikers and campers, and picnickers will enjoy the shade of hundred-year-old oak trees. The park is well suited for year round recreation. The average summer high is 90 and the average winter low is 34. At an elevation of 2300 feet, the valley can receive occasional light snowfall in the winter.

Some History
The Spanish word potrero means "pasturing place." Until the middle of the 19th century, the Potrero region was inhabited only by Kumeyaay Indians, who found the area rich in their main food, the acorn. Evidence of their way of life can be seen on the park's nature trail. Look for the large rock pitted with smooth holes, in which they ground the acorns into meal.

In 1868 Charlie McAlmond, a ship captain from San Diego, settled in the Potrero Valley and established a cattle ranch and farm. Others soon followed, becoming ranchers or wood cutters. The cordwood business flourished in this oak woodland, and large horse-drawn wagons hauled firewood and bark to San Diego.

What You'll See
Wagons no longer run between Potrero and San Diego, but much of the area might still seem like home to Captain McAlmond. Because the mountainous habitat has suffered relatively little disturbance, wildlife abounds here. Rare predators such as mountain lions and bobcats are seen occasionally. Some of the more conspicuous animal residents include mule deer, coyotes, raccoons, striped and spotted skunks, and brush rabbits.

Many of the bird species native to Southern California live in the oaks and surrounding chaparral. Red-tailed and Cooper's hawks, golden eagles, acorn woodpeckers, and scrub jays are just a few that you might notice. Observant visitors may also see reptiles such as the Great Basin fence lizard or the San Diego gopher snake. Rattlesnakes are occasionally reported; be cautious of these natural residents of the park and leave them undisturbed. During the spring, listen for the evening call of the Pacific tree frog.

Facilities
Potrero County Park offers RV, tent, and group camping. Groups, including corporate campouts, can use developed and primitive sites and can reserve a picnic area. Hot showers are available for campers staying at one of the 39 RV sites, which have electrical hook-ups and water, or at one of the tent sites. There is a holding tank disposal station near the campground. Much of the 115-acre park consists of picnic areas. Visitors can also enjoy ball fields, a dance pavilion, playgrounds, and hiking trails. The nearby town of Potrero offers a general store, cafe, post office, and library. The railroad museum and century-old historic stone store in Campo make for an interesting side trip, and the colorful Mexican community of Tecate is only minutes away.

San Diego County Website
San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce
Potrero Demographic Profile - Fact Sheet
Potrero Demographic Profile - Map

Potrero Weather - NOAA
Air Quality Forecast
Moon Phases & Astronomical Events
Recent Earthquakes

Potrero Homes For Sale
Potrero Condominiums For Sale
Potrero Mobile Homes For Sale
Potrero Vacant Land For Sale

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Services
Potrero

Library
24883 Potrero Valley Road, Potrero, CA 91963
(619-478-5978) Map - Website

Useful Links
Potrero

East County Magazine
San Diego County Branch Libraries
San Diego County Business Directory - Potrero
San Diego County, Office of Education
San Diego County Parks and Recreation
Wikipedia - Potrero, California

Potrero is an unincorporated community in San Diego County, California, United States.

State Route 94 connects Potrero by road west to San Diego and east to Campo. Potrero is Spanish for 'pasture land', it closest neighbor is Tecate in Mexico.

Blackwater Controversy

In 2007 Blackwater USA submitted plans to build a weapons training facility in Potrero. The plans generated substantial controversy in the community. Local activists organized a recall campaign against the members of the local planning group. On 11 December 2007 all five members of the Potrero Community Planning Group who approved the Blackwater project lost their seats in a recall election. Subsequently, on March 7th 2008, Blackwater USA pulled their application for this facility.


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