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Bailey’s Palomar Resort
P.O. Box 87, Palomar Mountain, CA  92060

Phone: 760 / 742-1859

Email: Click to use our secure email form.

Bailey's Outdoor Experience

Our outdoor experience offers your group of students, teachers and parents a truly unique educational environment enjoyed over a Two Day - Overnight Campout Adventure.

This is a world of pristine old growth forests that shelter Prehistoric Native Campsites.  

Your group will explore historic Bailey’s early California homestead-turned township, and visit the awesome cosmic science of nearby Palomar Observatory. 

You will be based at our century old “Campo-Contento” group camp - enjoyed for generations as part of Bailey’s Palomar Resort. Your adventure begins with camp set up followed by a tour of the 100 year old Bailey Museum, where pioneer Theodore Bailey settled in 1888 and built the town of Palomar Mountain.

Then it is time for lunch under the spreading oak and chestnut trees and a walk in nature’s backyard–a guided hike in Palomar State Park. This is where you directly observe the wonder and diversity of our Native world, high atop the mountain. You will enjoy the awesome outdoor classroom of ponds, meadows and old growth forest environments, complete with deer, wild turkeys and many other critters. Enjoy a tall drink of cool mountain water from our natural artesian springs, the finest drinking water on the planet.

The Evening Program - Back at camp you set up for dinner and as the sun sets you are treated to a literally endless star-dusted evening sky. Dinner follows and then it’s time for your camp fire program, always a big hit–sitting around a crackling fire singing your favorite old songs. Story time is always special, sitting around the campfire listening to tall mountain tales, just like others have done here in the past ~I T'S A BRAND NEW DAY! ~

Awake to birds singing the next morning and share breakfast with your friends, teachers and parents as you look forward to another day on Palomar! After breaking camp, you travel the “Highway-To-The-Stars” to explore the world famous Palomar Observatory, a working observatory owned and operated by the California Institute of Technology. It was designed and built in the 1930’s but the 200 inch Hale Telescope continues to be a wonder of modern science. It operates every evening, as it has for the last half century. You are taken on a private guided tour of the Visitor’s Center and the public gallery within the 200 inch dome itself. There is also a gift shop to explore.

This program is designed for youngsters from 8-12 years old, accompanied by parents and teachers. Adult supervision and participation is required. An overall group of 10-30 persons is desirable, each group supplying its own overnight gear.

Campfire cuisine is provided for lunch and dinner on the first day and breakfast and lunch for the second day.

The program includes instruction in nature studies, guided hikes, historical interpretation, a campfire program with music and stories, plus a guided tour of Palomar Observatory and is held at the campground facility of historic Bailey’s Palomar Resort. Rooms and cottages are available for parents on a first come, first serve basis.  

 Terri Rubio Bailey, Program Manager
 Bailey’s Outdoor Experience
 P.O. Box 87
 Palomar Mountain, CA 92060