How to Find the Right Julian Neighborhood

The San Diego Backcountry real estate market is very strong—and all for good reasons as the area allows you to enjoy a rural, small-town, mountain lifestyle and still be a short drive away from highways and state roads leading to the Los Angeles and San Diego areas. House hunting in a new area can be a daunting experience when trying to figure out which neighborhood and area will match your lifestyle. With a limited marketplace of homes in a small geographic area, many people find it easier to look for the perfect house as opposed to looking in a specific location. If you have children and are looking in the Julian zip code, your child will typically attend the Julian school systems. Differences in neighborhoods can come down to specific water districts and HOAs – if any. All Julian neighborhoods have something unique to offer, no matter your lifestyle.

I’ve written an overview of the areas in Julian as well as the surrounding areas. Many of the homes are stand-alone instead of being in HOA-type neighborhoods and are lifestyle listings. It’s easy to figure out if the area is a fit based on researching adjacent neighborhoods. 

Certainly, here are descriptions for each of the mentioned neighborhoods and communities, organized alphabetically:

BANNER GRADE:

On the eastern side of Whispering Pines and Kentwood, you’ll find Banner Grade. In the later 1800s, the area was heavily mined; Banner began as a site serving several of those mines with a hotel and saloons. Today, ranches like the Banner Queen and the Banner Princess occupy the area. Where the grade levels out, you’ll see the Banner Recreation Ranch, which rents trailers. Properties here have private wells that feed the properties with groundwater.

CALICO RANCH:

Accessed by a private dirt road in the Wynola area, Calico Ranch is a small neighborhood with approximately 14 parcels with 8-acre minimums. The properties and homes are on the larger side with plenty of space between neighbors.

CANEBRAKE:

One of Julian’s most unique desert communities. Founded in the 1940s as a series of “Jackrabbit homesteads,” the small community began with settlers building homes from ‘found’ materials. Surrounded by the Anza Borrego Desert on three sides, Canebrake formed its community water system that is still in operation. The area has attracted individuals and families drawn to the intentional community of artists. Canebrake is located off the Historic S-2 Route, also known as the Great Overland Stage Route-GSO, about 22 miles from I-8. With a lack of ambient light from a large town, stars are brilliant, and wildlife is abundant. The Canebrake Community Association is non-HOA and is an all-volunteer organization that works to keep the community spirit alive.

CUYAMACA FOREST RANCH:

Cuyamaca Forest Ranch is a gated community located in the mountains above Cuyamaca Lake. Homes & properties in this area are often situated on large parcels of land, equipped with their own well systems. This area is perfect for families & individuals that desire to live away from it all, be nestled in the oak & pine trees, and still be within 20 minutes of town. There are two ways to access this community. One is via Yaqui drive from Cuyamaca. The other is via Harrison Parkway just outside of Julian.

CUYAMACA MEADOWS:

Cuyamaca Meadows is located halfway between the mountain town of Julian and Cuyamaca Lake. With big lots & rolling hills, this is often a great neighborhood for ranches & farms.

CUYAMACA WOODS:

This rural neighborhood can be found on the west side of North Peak. It is accessed via the Cuyamaca side of Engineers Road or from the far side of Pine Hills. All homes here are totally off the grid. It’s another area that was wiped out by the Cedar Fire, so many homes are rebuilds.

HARRISON PARK:

One of the larger neighborhoods, Harrison Park, borders the Cleveland National Forest and Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. Mountain Lion sightings are not uncommon. The 2007 Cedar Fire burned all but three of the homes in this area. As a result, the homes are built after 2003 and most have built-in fire prevention measures.

HIGH MEADOW RANCH:

High Meadow Ranch is a gated community in the larger, desirable area of Pine Hills. Accessed from Boulder Creek Rd, properties in this area often have sweeping, 360-degree views of the countryside & Pacific Ocean on a clear day. Situated above the headwaters of the San Diego River, this area offers privacy while still being accessible to the conveniences of the Julian township. The properties in this area are all off-grid.

JULIAN HISTORIC DISTRICT:

The downtown area is now protected by the County Zoning Ordinance as the Julian Historic District. As such, any exterior renovations or changes must be pre-approved by the Julian Architectural Review Board (ARB). Water for businesses and residences within its area is provided by the Julian Community Services District (JCSD). JCSD. Because the majority of the town is served by a small sewer system, EDUs may be constrained.

HOSKINGS RANCH:

Hoskings Ranch is a gated community with a small population. Most properties exceed 40 acres in size and have large homes with private wells. The covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&Rs) of this neighborhood are well established.

JULIAN AREA:

Throughout Julian there are many homes that fall outside of the various neighborhoods. They are within the zip code but not in any defined neighborhood. Examples of this would be homes off Farmer’s Road, just north of the Julian township.

JULIAN ESTATES:

Another gated community within Julian, this community dates back to 1989. This neighborhood mostly features large homes that are of high value and land that is ready for new life! The lots are typically around 4-8 acres. With private, paved roads, this community offers a luxury, high-end experience inside the backcountry.

JULIAN PINES:

Just a stone’s throw from Main Street, the Julian Pines area, formerly known as Sleepy Hollow and Payson, offers affordable rental units. Perfect for small, growing families, the convenience of living close to town is a plus!

KENTWOOD:

The Kentwood neighborhood is considered two separate areas. The ridge-line splits the neighborhood into two distinct valleys. Kentwood-in-the-Pines, aka Kentwood-One (K1), is the northeast side of the settlement accessible through HWY 78. The southwest (HWY 79) division is known as Kentwood-Two (K2). Located in the Majestic Pines Water district, Kentwood 1 and 2 are recognized as being very peaceful neighborhoods. The lots and homes in this area are on average between .25 – .5 acres, with some more & some less. The Kentwood’s are conveniently located close to town & on better, county maintained roads. The area is also popular for walking and bike-riding.

LAKE CUYAMACA:

The Lake Cuyamaca community straddles the western slopes of North Peak. Properties in this area enjoy panoramic views of Lake Cuyamaca and sweeping views to the East, including Tecate. A few homes also have a western viewpoint and on a clear day can see the Pacific Ocean & coastline. The elevation of Lake Cuyamaca area exceeds that of Julian, so winter can bring more snow and colder conditions.

MESA GRANDE:

The Mesa Grande, the name tells the story of big mountains, valleys, and mesas. It has been quietly known by San Diegans for a hundred plus years. This area is home to some large cattle ranches run by families. These areas are considered “lifestyle” areas as there is much land, and you can have most animals without many restrictions. Mesa Grande is an area with few words to express the beauty, light, and shadows of the hills dotted with famously spectacular Oaks that make the most breathtaking vistas at Sunset. Parts of Mesa Grande offer panoramic views across Warner Springs, Santa Ysabel Ranch, Lake

Henshaw, and Palomar Mountain. It boasts pleasant drives, Indian Reservations, and mines of tourmaline, topaz, and beryl. Delicious cherries, apples, grapes, and other fruits grow in abundance in Mesa Grande. Most properties are larger, some equaling thousands of acres.

NORTH PEAK:

North Peak is a small gated community on the North side of the North Peak in Cuyamaca. Properties in this area have stunning east & west views, in addition to a beautiful view of Lake Cuyamaca. The Lake Cuyamca area is at a higher elevation than Julian, so they do experience colder weather & more snow. They have an HOA & their own water district.

OAK HILL RANCH:

Located within 5 miles of main street Julian, Oak Hill Ranch is a small gated community that consists of high-end homes on large lots, incredible views, paved roads & underground utilities. Oak Hill Ranch consists of approximately 16 parcels & is nestled within the greater area of Pine Hills.

PINE HILLS:

On the west-facing side of Julian lies Pine Hills, a highly desirable neighborhood. The average lot size is about 1 acre, however, there are many properties that are larger. One of the many reasons this neighborhood is sought after is because it tends to hold its resale value well. Conveniently located, Pine Hills is about 5-10 minutes away from Julian & Wynola, depending on where the property is situated. Another plus about this neighborhood is that William Heise State Park is located towards the back end of the community. This is a wonderful area full of hiking trails for all levels.

SANTA YSABEL:

Located just 10 minutes from Julian, Santa Ysabel is a small town with its own grocery store, post office & gas station. Properties in this area are full of massive boulders & towering oaks. Santa Ysabel is home to many large cattle farms, as the parcels are often larger. This area is also home to the Santa Ysabel Reservation, where over 100 tribal members live.

SHELTER VALLEY:

As you drive down Banner Grade for 15 miles, you’ll reach Scissors Crossing. A right onto the Great Southern Overland Stage Route delivers you into the Julian desert community named Shelter Valley. In comparison to the rest of the Julian zip code, houses and rental homes are much cheaper here. During the months of fall and spring, hundreds of hikers pass through the area. The community of Shelter Valley pitches in to help hikers in a multitude of ways, such as transporting them to and from Julian or providing temporary shelter.

VALLECITO:

Translated to “Little Valley,” Vallecito has been a desirable camping area for over hundreds of years, beginning first with the native Kumeyaay Indians. Vallecito County Park is a preserved 71-acre park built around a reconstruction of the historic Butterfield Stage Station.

VOLCAN MOUNTAIN:

At the end of Farmer’s Road, about a mile and half past the Volcan Mountain Preserve Trailhead, lies one of the most beautiful, untouched areas of Julian. This area of Volcan Mountain is gated & only contains a handful of properties, which very rarely go to market.

WHISPERING PINES:

Heading east on HWY 78, beyond the entrance to Kentwood 1, are four paved roads (Whispering Pines Dr., Sunshine Trail, Cannon Dr., and Whispering Pines Dr.). These roads lead into the neighborhoods of Whispering Pines. As with the Kentwoods, this area has smaller parcels and smaller homes. The community lies within the Majestic Pines Water District.

WYNOLA:

Wynola is a community located just 5 minutes away from the township of Julian. Properties tend to have orchards as this area has a rich agricultural history. Over the past years Wynola has increasingly become a go-to town with the busy Wynola Junction, upscale restaurants & full-service farms such as Julian Farm & Orchard. It is unofficially at the junction between the zip codes Santa Ysabel (92070) and Julian (92036).

WYNOLA ESTATES:

Wynola Estates is tucked away off Highway 78, yet still maintains proximity to highways and large lots – perfect for privacy and for growing families. This area is known for larger lots of two and a half acres or more. Many parcels have very usable acreage with mature pines & oak trees.