Our Mission
A quiet peaceful getaway that you can’t wait to return to time and time again.
Our goal at Pinezanita RV Park & Campgrounds has always been to provide a quiet peaceful getaway that you can’t wait to return to time and time again. Remember, that high in the mountains above San Diego, 4680 feet up in the air, the hospitality of the Stanley Family awaits you. Many a camper has come through our doors since 1968, and many have taken advantage of our “Cabin in the Mountains” program and have become a part of our family here. We’re looking forward to sharing with you our hospitality, our green forest, and our “Little Piece of Heaven” and would love to have you as our guests!
Who we are
Pinezanita is Stanley Hospitality at its finest!
We come from a hard-working family and we want you to feel at home during your stay with us. Tom Stanley is the park manager and you’ll find his wife Sandy Stanley and sister-in-law Barbara Stanley in the Pinezanita registration office cheerfully greeting our guests. Tom & Sandy’s daughter Shannon Stanley graduated Valedictorian of Julian High School Class of 2017 and is currently attending Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, AZ, pursuing a degree in Global Intelligence and Cyber Security.
Fred and Jill Stanley are now retired and are involved with public service projects in their community. Fred also helps with family construction projects and serves on the Pinezanita Board of Directors.
Jim and Michelle Stanley, help occasionally in the Pinezanita office on weekends. They both live near the park and have very successful careers in San Diego at BF Goodrich (formerly Rohr Aircraft).
Richard and Barbara Stanley own their own business, Stanley Backhoe Inc. He takes care of Pinezanita RV Park & Campgrounds material needs and septic service, while his wife Barbara works in the Pinezanita office. Richard and Barbara have two sons, Justin and Brandon. Justin Stanley and his wife Victoria have two wonderful children: daughter Tatum and their son Mason. Justin helps with the running of his dad’s business and his wife Victoria owns China Blue Salon in Ramona, CA. Brandon Stanley is a highly respected police detective for the City of El Cajon, and his wife Michelle Stanley is a very successful teacher for Julian Junior High School. Brandon & Michelle have had their first child Trevor and he’s growing up fast (don’t they all?).
Betty Stanley-Morgan writes and photographs for her vegan cooking website: Chez Bettay, The Vegan Gourmet. Her husband Robert Morgan, writes BareFeats (a Macintosh Speed website) and he also writes and draws Christian cartoons on his website Barefoot On The Rock. They both moved to Portland, Oregon in 2009 to be near their children and grandchildren. Betty’s son Jeff Burns is the architect in the family with his website Burns Organic Modern and his wife Jen Burns is a pharmacist. Jeff and Jen are the proud and “beaming” parents to their two children, beautiful daughter Jessica, and their most recent addition Johnny Cash Burns.
History & The Name
The true spirit of Pinezanita
Christine, with the help of her family, nurtured the business known today as Pinezanita RV Park & Campgrounds. To us, she was and always will be the true spirit of Pinezanita. From our early beginnings of handing out shovels and rakes so campers could clear themselves a camping spot, to where we are today, Pinezanita has blossomed from those early beginnings in 1960. It has seen its’ ups, and some downs, but we remain focused on providing you with an excellent location to nurture your own family traditions.
For those of you who have stayed at Pinezanita RV Park & Campgrounds, you know that this park is unique from any other camping or recreational campground. That’s because when you come to Pinezanita, you are really vacationing in our backyard. Early on, the Stanley family would use this property as a weekend retreat until we moved here permanently in 1960. This is the place where we raised chickens, dogs, steers, rode our horses, hiked and adventured. Our dad and uncles trapped the wild game in the area, and we cleared the land, cut, split, and sold cords of wood for extra money.
Our family moved to Julian in 1960 and in 1964, our mother Christine and a friend, Lola Tracey, started Pinezanita Gift Shop. The gift shop’s name was created by taking the “pine” from pine trees and the “zanita” from the lush brush called Manzanita that grows profusely in the Julian area. The idea for the business came from the crafter’s who were making resin grapes and wanted to attach their grapes to gnarly natural roots or stumps that looked like grapevines. What developed was a flourishing business where Christine and Lola created gorgeous floral arrangements.
Early on, our father Alfred (or “Red” as most knew him) ran two very successful plumbing businesses; first in San Diego and later in Julian. A heart attack claimed his life in 1967 leaving Mom with 26.5 acres of pristine mountain property and 5 children to raise on her own. Mom was 39 years old, a real turning point in most lives, and was now responsible for all of us. Our mother and father always had the dream of creating a campground that they often talked about, but never did anything about. When Christine was faced with the reality of raising five children alone, and not wanting to return to the city, she quickly developed a plan to create her dream campground. Without knowing it, she was to become a forest conservationist as well as a shrewd businesswoman.
Christine dug out that early artists’ rendition of Pinezanita from her closet, rolled up her sleeves, and proceeded to go to work. In 1968, with the help of a La Jolla, CA investor, the undeveloped 26.5 acres of pine, oak, and Manzanita covered mountain property located four miles south of Julian became the start of Pinezanita RV Park & Campgrounds. The property already had a two story building at the entrance that was the Pinezanita Gift Shop. That building would become the registration office and camping store with restrooms, showers, and a laundry room downstairs. Today, that building has been remodeled with modern restrooms both upstairs and downstairs.
The large home that lies in the center of Pinezanita was created from a bunkhouse and shop used by nickel miners as late as 1947. Our parents and relatives renovated the house and it was our residence until 1972. That house has been a rental since that time and is now divided in half forming two of our three exquisite Overnight Rental Cabins. We’ve tried to keep the “You’re a Guest in Our Home” flavor with all of our rentals… it’s just like you came to spend the weekend our at Mom’s house.
In 1989, the business had reached another turning point, and Christine asked her son Tom to stay and help with the business. Christine, Tom, and Barbara (Sandy in 1999) worked side-by-side until sadly, Christine passed away in 2005. Christine wanted the family business to continue on, and with that Tom, Sandy, Barbara and the rest of the family have carried on the tradition. Over the years, our “Little Piece of Heaven” has gone through some amazing transformations and is a place we’re proud to have families come to rest, relax, and enjoy. Come stay with us to experience the great outdoors and all that the Julian area has to offer!
Winter Office Hours:
Mon. thru Thu. 9am – 5pm
Friday 9am – 6pm
Saturday 9am -5pm
Sunday 9am – 4pm
(After hours Check-in is
not permissible.)
Location
4446 Highway 79
P.O. Box 2380
Julian, CA 92036
Contact
(760) 765-0429