Camp Cajon Monument & Historic Site

About

Before motels and interstate rest areas, Camp Cajon welcomed motorists emerging from the Mojave Desert. Opened by William M. Bristol on July 4, 1919, this free campground became known as the “Gateway to Southern California.” Its picnic tables and roadside comforts served travelers along the National Old Trails Road, later Route 66, until devastating floods in 1938.

Today, a stone monument dedicated on the camp’s centennial in 2019 honors that welcoming spirit near the original location. An original concrete picnic table, interpretive displays, and a Route 66 mileage signpost bring the early motoring era into focus. The neighboring Santa Fe and Salt Lake Trail Monument reaches further back into the pass’s history.

At the end of Wagon Train Road, this compact historic stop offers a chance to stretch your legs, take photos, and discover the journeys that shaped Cajon Pass.

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