28 campgrounds around Big Bear and the surrounding national forest, plus the free first-come sites most visitors never hear about — with which ones you can book, which ones you cannot, and how to reach each.
These take reservations through Recreation.gov, the federal booking system. Summer weekends and holidays go early.
Overview The Barton Flats Campground provides a taste of just about everything the San Bernardino National Forest has to offer. In addition to a nearby lake and river access, a variety hiking, biking and horseback riding trails can be accessed from the…
Overview The Council Group Campground is a great place to enjoy a large outdoor gathering with just about everything the San Bernardino National Forest has to offer.
Overview Crab Flats Campground is an off-roaders paradise, with plenty of off-road vehicle trails nearby for both beginner and experienced riders.
Overview Green Valley Campground is located near Arrowbear in the San Bernardino National Forest in Southern California. It is centered between Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear Lake, providing ample recreational opportunities in the area's pine-covered mountains.
Overview Hanna Flat Campground is a family-friendly facility nestled in the pine-covered mountains of Southern California. It offers access to a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities and a beautiful location to enjoy nature.
Overview The Heart Bar Campground provides access to some of southern California's greatest backcountry hiking, biking and horseback riding trails, as well as a nice play to experience nature.
Overview The Heart Bar Equestrian Campground is available by reservation and is for equestrian campers only. It provides access to some of Southern California's greatest backcountry horseback riding trails and a variety of other recreational opportunities in…
Overview Pineknot Campground is located in the mountains of San Bernardino at Big Bear Lake. It is a popular destination for many outdoor enthusiasts looking for respite from the busy cities nearby.
Overview The San Gorgonio Campground provides access to a variety of recreational opportunities, as well as a beautiful location in which to enjoy nature.
Overview Serrano Campground is a beautiful place for campers to come to enjoy beautiful Big Bear Lake. It is a scenic and fairly modern campground that provides access to a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities.
Overview The Skyline Group Campground is a great place to enjoy an extended family or large group camping experience. It is close to a variety of wilderness trails and offers abundant fishing opportunities within the surrounding mountain creeks.
Overview The Wild Horse Equestrian Campground is one of a handful that is equipped for corralling horses in the beautiful pine-forested mountains of Southern California available by reservation and is for equestrian campers only .
No booking system at all. Arrive early on a summer weekend.
This family campground has 19 single-family campsites. All sites are first-come-first-serve basis (no reservations). Holcomb Valley campground is located approximately 5 miles north of Big Bear Lake off Forest Service Road 3N16.
First come, first served — no booking, turn up and take a spot.
For those visitors who want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the nearby Big Bear valley, Horse Springs campground offers a secluded escape unlike many others on the San Bernardino National Forest.
First come, first served — no booking, turn up and take a spot.
Sites built for one large party rather than separate families — reunions, scout troops, club trips. Several are equestrian, with corrals or tie stalls. Group sites book further ahead than anything else on this page, and Recreation.gov opens them twelve months out rather than the usual six.
Overview Big Pine Equestrian Group Campground is a beautiful place to take the horses on a camping outing. The facility is comfortably equipped for the equestrian camper and is close to a variety of hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding trails.
Overview Bluff Mesa Group Campground is conveniently located for campers to enjoy all the beautiful Big Bear Lake area has to offer. A variety of trailheads are nearby, leading visitors through the scenic forest that surrounds the campground.
Overview Boulder Group Campground is a great place to bring an extended family or large group for a relaxing camping excursion. Its convenient location provides access to all of the area's greatest recreation opportunities and lets campers relax and enjoy…
Overview Buttercup Group Camp is an outdoor oasis nestled in Southern California's pine-covered mountains. Big Bear Lake is nearby, a popular destination for a variety of recreational activities.
Overview The Coon Creek Group Campground is located in the pine-covered mountains of Southern California. The unique campground is home to three historic cabins and a stunning view into the Coachella Valley on clear days.
Overview This campground is Hike In only. Fisherman's Group Campground is a semi-primitive campground reached by a 2.5-mile hike into the mountains of southern California.
Overview Grays Peak Group Campground is conveniently located for campers to enjoy all that the Big Bear Lake area has to offer. Many trailheads are nearby, leading visitors through the scenic forest that surrounds the campground.
Overview Green Spot Equestrian Group Campground provides access to a number of recreational activities in the area, namely horseback riding trails. The large campground gives campers and horses ample space to move around and enjoy the scenic surroundings.
Overview Ironwood Group Campground offers a secluded place for an extended family or large group getaway in the mountains of Southern California.
Overview The Lobo Group Campground is nestled in the beautiful Barton Flats area of the San Bernardino Mountains. It is surrounded by picturesque pine trees, providing ample shade and miles of scenic landscapes.
Overview The Oso Group Campground is nestled in the beautiful Barton Flats area of the San Bernardino Mountains. It is surrounded by picturesque pine trees and miles of scenic landscape.
Overview Shady Cove Group Campground is a beautiful place to camp within the Children's National Forest. It provides access to numerous trails and a lookout tower, with a climbing area nearby.
Overview The Tanglewood Group Campground provides a picturesque spot for an extended family or large group getaway. It is nestled in the pine-covered mountains of Southern California, providing a variety of recreational opportunities for visitors of any age.
Overview Tent Peg Group Campground offers a semi-primitive location for an extended family or large group outing. The area provides easy access to many off-road vehicle trails. A variety of other recreational opportunities can be found in the vicinity.
Free, first-come, dispersed sites on national forest land — a numbered yellow post marks each one, and that is the whole facility. No water, no hookups, usually a fire ring and nothing else. They are a genuinely Big Bear thing and they are not well explained anywhere.
There are 13 of them, on dirt roads north and south of the lake. The Forest Service publishes a North Shore and a South Shore map rather than a list, and the Big Bear Discovery Center will show you which sites are where.
You need a valid California Campfire Permit to use the fire ring — and also to run a gas or propane stove or lantern, which is the part that catches people out. Campfires are banned outright at some times of year, so check the current restriction before you rely on one.
The rest of the rules are short: no fee, a 14-day limit, and a maximum of eight people and two vehicles per site. Pack everything out, keep dogs on a lead under six feet, and do not park on vegetation.
Getting there is the part to plan. High clearance is recommended and four-wheel drive can be necessary depending on the state of the road. RVs and trailers are not recommended at all. The sites listed below are the ones with published records; the rest are found from the maps.
This single remote camp site offers an isolated scenic location ideal for tent and car camping or a relaxing picnic far from the crowds. This site is within a short driving distance of the Santa Ana River and Deer Creek.
First come, first served — no booking, turn up and take a spot.
These 19 yellow post sites are individual camping sites. Each campsite will be available on a first-come-first-serve basis. No reservations. Each site is limited to a maximum of 8 persons at any one time.
First come, first served — no booking, turn up and take a spot.
The list above is the national forest and federal sites, which is where the published data covers. Big Bear also has private RV parks and campgrounds, and two of them — Holloway's Marina & RV Park and Lighthouse Trailer Resort & Marina — appear on the lake activities page, because the water district lists them among the lake's marinas.