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Pineknot

CAMPER SUMMARY PRESENTED BYFord

Pineknot, near Big Bear, California, is a solid choice for campers looking to enjoy the great outdoors without straying too far from town. This campground offers a mix of tent and RV sites, all nestled among towering pine trees, creating a serene atmosphere perfect for unwinding after a day of adventure.

The campground is conveniently located right next to Snow Summit, making it a prime spot for mountain biking enthusiasts. Visitors have noted that the sites are generally clean and well-maintained, with picnic tables and fire rings available for those cozy campfire evenings. One happy camper mentioned, “The spacing between sites is generous,” which helps maintain a sense of privacy even when the campground fills up.

For those who enjoy wildlife, Pineknot offers a chance to spot local critters like coyotes and raccoons, adding a touch of excitement to your stay. The camp host is known for being friendly and attentive, ensuring that the grounds stay tidy and welcoming. Plus, with flush toilets and drinking water available, you can enjoy the comforts of home while still being immersed in nature.

If you’re looking to explore, the nearby Big Bear City has plenty of attractions, and the peaceful surroundings of Pineknot make it easy to recharge for another day of hiking or biking. Whether you’re a seasoned camper or just looking for a weekend escape, Pineknot has the right vibe for a memorable outdoor experience.

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Location

Pineknot is located in California

Detail location of campground

Directions

From I-10 in Redlands, take Highway 330 to Highway 18 in Running Springs. Continue east on Highway 18 at Big Bear Lake Dam, go straight at the dam and follow Highway 18. Turn onto Summit Boulevard and continue to a block wall. Turn left into the campground.

Coordinates

34.235875 N
116.886078 W

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Connectivity

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Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)
  • Group

Features

For Campers

  • Trash
  • Picnic Table
  • Firewood Available
  • Phone Service
  • Reservable
  • Drinking Water
  • Toilets
  • Alcohol
  • Pets
  • Fires

For Vehicles

  • Sanitary Dump
  • Big Rig Friendly

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Reviews

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4.5

out of 5

18 Reviews

Reviewed May. 16, 2024

Great weekend.

Peaceful experience, very clean, great camp host. Would come back.

Site#10
Month of VisitMay
  • Review photo of Pineknot by alain E., May 16, 2024
  • Review photo of Pineknot by alain E., May 16, 2024
Reviewed Sep. 8, 2023

Hidden Gem! Walk into Big Bear City!

Great campground. Hidden gem for sure. It was secluded and quiet. Had great connectivity for calls, just nor zoom calls. It is a bit tricky to find the road in, but drive up Summit until you hit employee parking, then drive through the employee lot, hang a left and a quick right and you are there. Sean was our Camp Host and was pleasant and on point with firewood. We will be back for sure!

Site29
Month of VisitAugust
Reviewed Aug. 5, 2023

Lots of Pine Trees; Butted up against Snow Summit

Pineknot is a decent, if not average, campground in Big Bear that wasn't too crowded for a summer week. The entrance is a little strange and hidden; I Google mapped it so I knew where it was. I didn't realize that the campground sat at the bottom of Snow Summit Ski Resort, but it was quiet and peaceful nonetheless. Each site comes with a bear box, which was good b/c the camp host mentioned a bear had been frequenting sites. After walking around the campground, I think 19 and 47 are the best sites for privacy. We stayed at 30 and were able to see neighbors on all sides of us, but all of our neighbors were quiet.

Site30
Month of VisitAugust
Reviewed Jun. 21, 2022

Clean, pretty, private, wildlife, nice hosts, near essentials

We love Pineknot campground and have camped there 3 or 4 years in a row now. The last few times we have gone we have stayed in 19 because of its location and layout. We hear coyotes at night, and have seen raccoons and I swear I saw a bear but my husband insists it was a raccoon 😅. The bathrooms are clean and are flush toilets with a sink. Campground has nice walking/biking areas and it's right next to the snow summit which we discovered recently has a lot of fun especially if you bring a mountain bike.

Site19
Month of VisitJune
Reviewed Oct. 13, 2021

Beautiful Campground!

I absolutely loved my stay at Pineknot. The spacing between sites is generous, and although it filled up on Friday and Saturday, the grounds remained quiet. If you’re looking for a peaceful getaway, I’d definitely suggest booking during the week, and choosing a site near the back of the grounds. My first night was on a Thursday and the grounds were practically empty. The check in procedure here consists of the host coming to you with a card for your car and map of the grounds, as there’s no designated booth or kiosk. He was super friendly, and kept the grounds extremely clean!

Site42
Month of VisitOctober
  • Review photo of Pineknot by Lily K., October 13, 2021
  • Review photo of Pineknot by Lily K., October 13, 2021
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Reviewed Oct. 12, 2021

Cozy but risky when crowded

We’ve stayed at Pineknot a few times. Overall it is very easy to access with any vehicle. Each site has a picnic table plus fire ring and grill, whenever fires will be allowed again. The risk with this site is that it can fill up quickly and the sites have thin veil of separation between them, however it is better than others in the area on the other side of the lake. The terrain and scenery are very beautiful. As others have mentioned, the host is very nice!

Site39
Month of VisitOctober
Reviewed Jun. 7, 2021

Perfect Mountain Biking Campspot

Pineknot is perfectly situated in Big Bear where you're in the woods but only a short walk to Snow Summit.  This allows you a staging area to ride mountain bikes all day at Snow Summit and around the mountain but allows you the convenience to be camped nearby.

The campground has everything a typical campground should have to include restrooms, water, trash bins, and firewood for sale. That's if there's no fire ban in place.

The turnoff to the road to the campground is easy to miss so keep an eye open for the small sign.

Site31
Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Pineknot by Berton M., June 7, 2021
  • Review photo of Pineknot by Berton M., June 7, 2021
  • Review photo of Pineknot by Berton M., June 7, 2021
  • (5) View All
Reviewed Oct. 19, 2020

Great campground near town

Tucked away just a skip and a hop from the town, Pine Knot is a great camping spot for those that don’t want to be too far from exploring all the attractions of Big Bear. Despite being close to a developed area, the campground still feels like a getaway in the woods. Sites are well spaced out for the most part. Would recommend finding a site at the back of the campground (higher # site) if you want a more privacy. I stayed at site #47 and it was nicely set back. Snow summit is also a stones throw away. The Camp host kept the grounds tidy. Bathrooms with flush toilets and a sink were a nice surprise. Even with the fire ban, still enjoyed a great stay in the woods!

  • Review photo of Pineknot by Esther Y., October 19, 2020
  • Review photo of Pineknot by Esther Y., October 19, 2020
Reviewed Aug. 31, 2020

In Big Bear

This campsite is literally in Big Bear, so if you want to be close to the city this is a great spot for you. Very crowded and little privacy, but very pretty.

  • Review photo of Pineknot by Hannah L., August 31, 2020
Reviewed Jul. 25, 2020

What a great, peaceful place!

I’ve been to Big Bear many times, and love it every time, but this was my first time camping there. My family went with our normal camping family, as our kids get along beautifully, as well as the adults. We had spaces 1 and 3, which were close to the main gate. They were far enough away where you felt like you were well within the campgrounds. Between the two spaces, was a huge open area, which was great for the kids and dogs to play. I discovered toward the end of the trip, that we should have set our tents up at the back end of the sites, as this is where the flattest spots were. Fire rings are provided, as well as grills if you chose to make use of those. This campground does provide running water throughout the campsite for washing dishes, hands, etc. There are also flushing toilets in multiple locations. Bear lockers are provided, and they should be used. My only complaint, and this is no fault of the campground was that there are a ton of flies during the day. They leave at night. Make sure to keep your tents fully zipped up because they will get in there. We had to buy a can of Raid and spray the entire tent. I have never swept up so many dead flies. :) Beyond that, I would stay here again in a heartbeat. The weather was great, there is plenty of shade, and it gets really dark at night, which makes star gazing, and having a campfire perfect!

  • Review photo of Pineknot by Brian L., July 25, 2020
Reviewed May. 28, 2019

Very clean

I recently stayed here for a Spartan Race (in May). It was a very clean site with a convenient bear-box. The hosts are great people and make sure that the site is clear of needles, leaves, branches, etc. They do have flushable toilets and running water sinks however they do not have showers. I spoke to the hosts and they recommended to stop by the sister campground on the other side of the lake (7 minute drive) for hot showers which is what I did. Overall it was a great campground to stay at

Site1
Month of VisitMay
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Reviewed Aug. 9, 2018

Convenient

Easy access from the road. 5-10 minutes from town. Sites were all a decent size. Bear bins. The best part of this campground is it is within walking distance of Snow Summit. We walked over and took the ski lift up to the top and hiked around the loop. BEAUTIFUL!

Month of VisitAugust
  • Review photo of Pineknot by Rose B., August 9, 2018
  • Review photo of Pineknot by Rose B., August 9, 2018
  • Review photo of Pineknot by Rose B., August 9, 2018
  • (8) View All
Reviewed Aug. 1, 2018

Great, beautiful little spot.

Clean, relaxing area that gives each party plenty of room. Pet friendly, our three dogs loved it! Staff was incredibly helpful and hard working. Also it was well located as it was a semi-quick drive to a few fun locations. Will be coming again, though I hear it requires a reservation well in advance. This is a very popular location!

  • Review photo of Pineknot by Tyger B., August 1, 2018
  • Review photo of Pineknot by Tyger B., August 1, 2018
  • Review photo of Pineknot by Tyger B., August 1, 2018
  • (4) View All
Reviewed Jul. 11, 2018

Easy getaway!

It’s a normal campground with restrooms and water access. It doesn’t get to crowded and the spots are pretty distant from each other giving you an isolated feel! Good place for dogs and kids.

Site32
Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Pineknot by Emilie B., July 11, 2018
Reviewed Nov. 22, 2017

Charming spot

We absolutely love it here. The only downfall is that this spots are small and so close together. This would be ideal if you are coming with a large group and book out several sites.

SiteDon’t remember
Month of VisitOctober
  • Review photo of Pineknot by Janice C., November 22, 2017
Reviewed Aug. 25, 2017

Pineknot Campground, Big Bear Lake, Ca

A bit challenging to locate via Google Maps... Just go up (south) Summit Blvd, when you get to the parking lot of the ski resort, veer towards the left, and just past a concrete wall, you'll see the little Pineknot Campground sign attached to an aluminium pole. The campground is very cozy, countless tall pine trees, clean bathrooms, clean sites, water from taps, no hookups, and not for big rigs. The hosts are friendly, but strict! No generators from 8 pm to 8 am, a $3000 fine if your campfire is left unattended, and no rowdy obnoxious behavior is tolerated! We appreciated the rules, and thoroughly enjoyed our peaceful, quiet, deep in the woods getaway!!

Site43
Month of VisitAugust
  • Review photo of Pineknot by Colette K., August 25, 2017
  • Review photo of Pineknot by Colette K., August 25, 2017
  • Review photo of Pineknot by Colette K., August 25, 2017
  • (9) View All

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Pine Knot Campground in Big Bear look like?

Pine Knot Campground features a cozy woodland setting with spacious, well-maintained sites nestled among the trees. Each site comes equipped with a picnic table, fire ring, and grill. The campground provides bear boxes for food storage and has flushable toilets with running water sinks. Despite being close to town, the campground maintains a natural forest atmosphere with enough spacing between sites to create a sense of privacy, particularly in the back sections. The layout allows for both isolation and community, making it suitable for individual campers and groups alike.

What do visitors say about Pine Knot Campground in Big Bear?

Pine Knot Campground receives consistently positive feedback for its convenient location near Snow Summit and Big Bear town while still maintaining a woodland feel. Campers appreciate the clean facilities, including flushable toilets and running water sinks. Many highlight the helpful and hardworking staff who keep the grounds well-maintained. The campground is noted for being pet-friendly and family-oriented, though some mention that it can get crowded on weekends. For those seeking peace and quiet, weekday visits and choosing sites toward the back of the grounds are recommended.

How much does it cost to camp at Pine Knot Campground?

The specific fee information for Pine Knot Campground isn't detailed in available sources. For accurate and current pricing, it's best to contact the campground directly or check the official USDA Forest Service website. Typical National Forest campgrounds in the Big Bear area range from $25-35 per night. Reservations are recommended, especially during peak seasons, as the campground is known to fill up quickly.