Santee Lakes Guide: Hours, Fees, Fishing, Camping and More

Santee Lakes at a glance

Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve sits at 9310 Fanita Parkway in Santee, in East County San Diego. Its seven lakes are stocked with sport fish year-round, and the park offers fishing, pedal boats, seven playgrounds, picnic areas, walking paths, birding, a 300-site campground and ten cabins. Padre Dam Municipal Water District owns and operates it, funding operations through user fees, grants and sponsorships, and the park reports more than 700,000 visitors a year.

The lakes have an unusual history. Padre Dam says that in 1959, under general manager Ray Stoyer, the local water district began recycling wastewater, ending the treatment process in a chain of seven recycled-water lakes. Boating and fishing were authorized in 1961, when the lakes opened to the public.

Hours and fees

Hours change with the seasons. The park lists these for winter 2026-27:

• November 1 through March 2027: 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday to Thursday; 6 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday to Sunday.
• Federal holidays follow the Friday-to-Sunday hours for that month.
• The campground, day-use park, General Store and Park Office close only on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
• General Store and Park Office: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. daily.
• Parking: $4 per vehicle on weekdays, $7 on weekends and holidays, $10 on special-event or peak-holiday days. RV parking is $10 on weekdays and $15 on weekends and holidays, subject to availability.
• Annual parking passes start at $99 for a single user; blackout dates apply.
• Walk-in gates are open during park hours.

Fishing at Santee Lakes

Fishing is the main draw for many visitors. The park sells day permits: $10 for adults 16 and older, $6 for seniors 60 and older and $6 for juniors 15 and under, with an extra pole stamp for $4. Registered campers can also buy night permits.

The rules are specific, so read them before you cast. Anglers may keep a combined total of five fish per person per day. Bass must be released into the lake where they were caught, carp have no limit and may not be released, and releasing trout is prohibited; catch-and-release of catfish is encouraged. Lakes 6 and 7 are reserved for registered campers, though non-campers may be able to buy a stamp to fish them. Day visitors fish during posted park hours. The park says the District may require anglers over 16 to carry a valid California fishing license, so confirm the current requirement with the park office.

Species mentioned by the park include catfish, trout, bass and carp. The park’s Fish Report lists trout stocking dates; the most recent one posted was March 6, 2026, marked as the last stock of that season, so check it for 2026-27 dates before planning a trout trip. Beginners can look for the park’s Fishing 101 sessions, which the events calendar lists on Saturday mornings, including November 14, November 28 and December 12, 2026.

Pedal boats and paddling

Santee Lakes rents pedal boats from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. A standard pedal boat is $17 per half hour, and the Ducky, Swan and Dragon pedal boats are $24 per half hour. Everyone aboard must wear a life vest, passengers must be at least 1 year old or over 20 pounds, and at least one person aboard must be 18 or older to rent.

If you were hoping for kayaks, note that the park’s boating page lists only pedal boats, and personal watercraft are not allowed because of the threat of quagga mussels. Call the park office before bringing any boat of your own.

Playgrounds and the sprayground

Santee Lakes is an easy place to spend a day with children. The park lists seven play areas:

• Boulder Adventure Course, on an island in Lake 5 reached by a bridge.
• Mega Tower at Lake 1, for more adventurous kids.
• Tot Lot near the General Store, for younger children.
• A playground at the north end of Lake 5.
• Kiwanis Club playground, designed for children with disabilities, between Lakes 3 and 4, with a shade structure.
• Campground playground, across from the Clubhouse.
• Sprayground at Lake 1, for kids 13 and under: $3 on weekdays and $5 on weekends. It is closed November through February, so it is not an option in winter.

Birding and walking

Around 230 bird species have been recorded at Santee Lakes, a mix of year-round residents and migrants that pass through to avoid the cold, which makes winter a good season for a slow lap of the lakes. The park’s birding page links to a bird checklist, an interactive story map of commonly photographed birds and a Birder Bingo game.

Dog owners should plan ahead: pets are not allowed in the day-use area, but there is a pet walk along the east side of Lake 5 and around Lake 6.

Camping and cabins

The campground has 300 full-hookup sites, all with free Wi-Fi, and deluxe sites are larger with cable TV. Campers get two pools and a spa, and the campground pages are written mainly for RVs, so check with the reservations team about other setups. Reservations are online or by phone at 619-596-3141.

For a roof over your head, Santee Lakes has seven lakefront cabins and three floating cabins. Each has heating and air conditioning, Wi-Fi, a TV, a bathroom with shower, a kitchenette and a grill; the floating cabins come with a private pedal boat. Pets are not allowed in the cabins. Many of the park’s smaller events, such as craft mornings, movie nights and game nights, are for registered campers only.

Santee Lakes in December 2026

The park’s events calendar lists a Water Lantern Festival on Saturday, December 12 and Sunday, December 13, 2026, from 2 to 7 p.m. According to the organizer’s page, gates open at 2 p.m., lantern design starts at 4:30 p.m. and the lantern launch runs from 5 to 7 p.m. Tickets are sold through the Water Lantern Festival website, where prices vary by tier, and parking is $10 per vehicle, paid to the park. The organizer warns that spaces fill quickly.

For campers, the calendar also lists a Christmas craft on December 5, a pajama cocoa-and-movie night on December 19 and a New Year’s Eve party on December 31. The park is closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

If you are building a December day around East County, the Yuletide Medieval Festival runs on December 5-6 and 12-13, 2026, at El Monte County Park in neighboring Lakeside, a short drive east of Santee.

Tips for a good visit

• Check the hours page before you go; the park notes that hours and fees are subject to change.
• In winter the park closes at 5 p.m., so arrive by early afternoon to make the most of it.
• Expect higher parking fees on special-event days such as the lantern festival.
• Buy your fishing permit before you start fishing, and read the catch rules for each species.
• Leave pets at home if you plan to use the day-use area, or stick to the pet walk at Lakes 5 and 6.

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