Palomar Mountain

Palomar Mountain rises to 6,140 feet in the Peninsular Ranges of San Diego County, supporting dense conifer forest atop an otherwise semi-arid landscape. The summit area is home to the Palomar Observatory, which houses the 200-inch Hale Telescope — one of the most influential astronomical instruments of the twentieth century. The state park campgrounds at the mountain top provide access to dark skies for amateur astronomy and relief from the heat of the southern California lowlands.