U.S. Forest Service · San Bernardino National Forest · California

Horse Springs Campground

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. Surrounded by a high desert environment, the campground is a cluster of juniper and pine trees that offers sweeping mountain views in all directions. This campground is ideal for OHV users, as it is close to designated green-sticker routes and close to the forest boundary with the BLM Juniper Flats district. There are 11 single-family campsites, some with lots of shade and others with little to no shade.

Closed for the seasonFirst-come, first-served

Sites are first-come, first-served. Recreation.gov lists this campground for paying on site, and you may be able to pay with the Scan and Pay feature of its app.

More like this: first-come in California

Season & status

StatusClosed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
SeasonYear-Round
ForestSan Bernardino National Forest
BookingNo reservations available for this campground.
Fees$10 per night/per site. Please be prepared to pay with either cash or check. America the Beautiful Interagency Senior and Access Passes provide for 50% off site fees per night. Include pass number on envelope when paying.
RulesCampfire restrictions are generally enforced during the summer months. Call 909-382-2790 to check conditions before visiting. 8 persons maximum. 2 vehicles maximum. Avoid parking on grasses and vegetation at all times. Campsites have a 14 day camping limit. Pack out what you pack in and Leave No Trace!

San Bernardino National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Horse Springs Campground30°40°50°60°70°January: 8.36 inches of precipitation, 3.0 inches of snowFebruary: 9.87 inches of precipitation, 5.3 inches of snowMarch: 5.17 inches of precipitation, 6.7 inches of snowApril: 2.76 inches of precipitation, 2.8 inches of snowMay: 1.15 inches of precipitation, 0.8 inches of snowJune: 0.26 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 0.12 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.13 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 0.31 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 2.06 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowNovember: 2.37 inches of precipitation, 0.3 inches of snowDecember: 5.17 inches of precipitation, 3.5 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 36.5°F averageFebruary: 37.4°F averageMarch: 41.8°F averageApril: 48.0°F averageMay: 53.9°F averageJune: 62.8°F averageJuly: 69.1°F averageAugust: 69.4°F averageSeptember: 63.0°F averageOctober: 52.9°F averageNovember: 42.7°F averageDecember: 36.0°F average0 in2 in4 in6 in8 in10 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Lake Arrowhead, 10 miles from the campground at 5,205 feet, station USC00044671 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 38 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 22 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

Coordinates34.3522° N, 117.0689° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗10.8 mi
RV sales & serviceMajor RV Sales ↗17.5 mi
Outdoor gearOutdoor gear ↗22.8 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Limited data for this unit

No site-by-site records, no amenities, no fee schedule, no directions or photos in the Recreation.gov record. What is here comes from the agency's own listing. The rest lives there.

Checked nightly. Modules appear as soon as the record fills in.

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Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

San Bernardino National Forest begins about 1.6 miles away, and it is the closest of these.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Guidebooks for California

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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Horse Springs Campground?

No. Horse Springs Campground is first-come, first-served. No reservations available for this campground. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.

Source: Forest Service

How much does it cost to camp at Horse Springs Campground?

$10 per night/per site. Please be prepared to pay with either cash or check. America the Beautiful Interagency Senior and Access Passes provide for 50% off site fees per night.

Source: Forest Service

Is Horse Springs Campground open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026. Season Year-Round.

Source: Forest Service status

What if Horse Springs Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Big Pine Equestrian Group Campground (3.9 mi), Ironwood Group Camp (4.6 mi), and Crab Flats (6.2 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby