Heart Bar Equestrian
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 the surrounding area as well.
More like this: reservable in California · group sites in California
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| Group sites | 1 |
Site guide
1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Entry | Surface | Shade | People / vehicles | Fires |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GR1 | Back-in | Gravel | Partial | 65 / 21 | Yes |
Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 1:00 PM.
Amenities & rules
| Hookups | None |
| Equipment | RVs & trailers, Tents |
| Campfires | Allowed, subject to restrictions |
The campground offers one large-group campsite, available for tent or RV camping. The site can accommodate up to 65 people and 21 vehicles, as well as a large number of horses. Only campers with horses will be permitted at the campground. The campground is equipped with corrals for 40 horses, multiple tables, a campfire circle and grills. Firewood is available for purchase at the adjacent Heart Bar Campground. Accessible flush toilets, showers and drinking water are provided at the campground.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Closed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date. |
| Forest | San Bernardino National Forest |
| Booking | Call 1-877-444-6777 or www.recreation.gov. Reservations can be made as early as 6 months or as late as 24 hours in advance. |
| Fees | Group Site $314 - Holiday $324 |
| Rules | Campground capacity, maximum of 65 persons and 21 vehicles. This campground requires a 2 day minimum stay on weekends and a 3 day minimum stay on holiday weekends. Dogs must be leashed. |
Weather by month
Getting there
From I-10 in San Bernardino, take the Alabama exit in the city of Redlands to Lugonia Avenue (State Highway 38). Travel northeast on Highway 38 for approximately 30 miles until you reach Forest Route IN02. Continue less than a mile to the campground.
| Coordinates | 34.1595° N, 116.7856° W · Directions ↗ |
Charges and cancellations
Any location or activity requiring a permit or lottery will have unique requirements and policies. Please check individual facility pages for pertinent information for those sites. Booking Window For most locations, you can reserve six months in advance of your stay for individual sites and 12 months in advance for group sites. There are some exceptions, so it is best to check with each facility. Change and Cancellation Policies and Fees Overnight and Day Use Facilities: To ensure fairness, reservation arrival or departure dates may not be changed beyond the booking window until 18 days after booking the reservation. Camping / Day Use: A $10.00 service fee will apply if you change or cancel your reservation (including campsites, cabins, lookouts, group facilities, etc.).
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 5.2 mi |
| RV sales & service | Mountain Air Mobile Home Sales ↗ | 17.9 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Soboba Flight Park ↗ | 25.6 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Worth a stop
The Big Bear Lake and its adjoining town are located approximately 20 miles from the campground, offering a variety of water-related recreation opportunities, as well as golf, shopping and restaurant options.
- 5.5 miJenks Lake Day Use Area ↗Day use
- 7.3 miOhv Road 2N61Y ↗OHV / range
- 7.6 miRattlesnake Canyon Ohv Road 2N70Y ↗OHV / range
- 9.6 mi
- 11.7 miGrays Peak Trailhead Day Use ↗Trailhead
Trails nearby
- 0.3 miWildhorse Creek ↗3.9 mi trail
- 0.9 miAspen Grove ↗2 mi trail
- 2.4 miLost Creek ↗4.7 mi trail
- 2.6 miFish Creek ↗6 mi trail
- 2.7 miGrinnell Mountain1.2 mi trail
- 2.8 miPCT Section 23 ↗6.2 mi trail · national_scenic_or_historic
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
This campground sits inside San Gorgonio Wilderness, which overlaps Sand to Snow National Monument.
- inSan Gorgonio Wilderness ↗Wilderness · BLM/FS · 101,574 acres
- inSand to Snow National Monument ↗National Monument · Bureau of Land Management · 174,844 acres
- inSan Bernardino National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 805,483 acres
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.
Other campgrounds nearby
On the National Register nearby
- Henry Washington Survey MarkerObject · Big Bear City · 8.7 mi
Natural features
The campground is located in the pine-covered mountains of Southern California, at an elevation of 6,880 feet.
Recreation
A variety of horseback riding trails can be found near the campground, including the famed Santa Ana River Trail, which is also popular among hikers and bikers and provides miles of scenic mountain views. The Wildhorse Creek Trail, which explores 5 miles of rolling terrain in the area, is accessed just north of the campground and leads to a remote camping area south of Wildhorse Meadow, climbing nearly 1,100 feet in elevation.Creek fishing is also available nearby.
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 Heart Bar Equestrian?
Sites at Heart Bar Equestrian are reservable on Recreation.gov. Call 1-877-444-6777 or www.recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
How much does it cost to camp at Heart Bar Equestrian?
Group Site $314 - Holiday $324
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Heart Bar Equestrian?
Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 1:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
What does it cost to cancel a reservation at Heart Bar Equestrian?
Camping / Day Use: A $10.00 service fee will apply if you change or cancel your reservation (including campsites, cabins, lookouts, group facilities, etc.).
Source: Charges and cancellations
Is Heart Bar Equestrian open right now?
Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026.
Source: Forest Service status
How many sites does Heart Bar Equestrian have?
1 site, including 1 group site.
Source: Recreation.gov
Can I bring an RV to Heart Bar Equestrian?
Heart Bar Equestrian is listed for tents only.
Source: Recreation.gov
Are there showers or a dump station at Heart Bar Equestrian?
Accessible flush toilets, showers and drinking water are provided at the campground.
Source: Recreation.gov
Can I have a campfire at Heart Bar Equestrian?
Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. Campground capacity, maximum of 65 persons and 21 vehicles.
Source: Recreation.gov
What is there to do at Heart Bar Equestrian?
A variety of horseback riding trails can be found near the campground, including the famed Santa Ana River Trail, which is also popular among hikers and bikers and provides miles of scenic mountain views. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What if Heart Bar Equestrian is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Heart Bar Campground (under 0.1 mi, partly first-come), Wild Horse Equestrian Family (0.4 mi), and Skyline (0.4 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby