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PCT Southern Terminus Town Is on Sale for $6 Million
The town of Campo, California, gateway to the Pacific Crest Trail’s Southern Terminus, is currently on sale for a cool $6 million. A single Las Vegas real estate investor, John Ray, has owned most of downtown Campo — a 16-acre, 28-building property that encompasses everything but the fire department — since 2000. Now, he’s looking to sell — and has been for a while: the property has been on the market since 2019.
The property includes a mix of residential and commercial buildings, including a VFW outpost, church, post office, Border Patrol office, and specialized workshops. Many of the buildings were once part of Camp Lockett, a World War II-era US Army outpost that garrisoned the Buffalo Soldiers, and were later converted into residential and commercial spaces.
The unincorporated community is currently home to roughly 2,700 people. The agents representing the property, Nick Hernandez and Joseph Barela of Top Gun CRE, are pitching it as an opportunity for a creative investor to revitalize a struggling downtown area. “Investing in Campo is more than a financial venture; it is a commitment to nurturing and developing a community with untapped potential,” reads part of the listing.
For PCT hikers, Campo offers a last taste of civilization for northbounders starting their journey. Many spend the night at the Camp Lockett Event and Equestrian Facility (CLEEF) campground the night before starting their thru. CLEEF is not part of the parcel that’s for sale, although the PCT itself just skirts the property after mile 1.
Whether a buyer ultimately sees Campo as a real estate investment, a community revitalization project, or (cough) a thru-hiker paradise remains to be seen. For thousands of hikers each year, the town serves as the unofficial front door to one of America’s most iconic long-distance trails. For now, the 16-acre property remains on the market.
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Comments 2
Sweet! I’ve been wondering what to do the $6 million I have laying around the house,..
If there’s so much untapped potential, why has he been trying to sell the property for 7 years?
As a native San Diegan who knows this area well, I can assure you there is very little potential unless you are willing to risk a pretty big investment on a very remote location. The area attracts some off roaders in the Four Corners recreation area, and angler traffic is non existent now that “Lake” Morena is obscenely low. There is a small population of local residents but this is primarily a low income area. That leaves PCT hikers who visit for 2-3 months a year and are typically not flush with cash. He obviously needs to reduce his asking price.