Best Tent Camping near Big Bear City, CA
San Bernardino National Forest surrounding Big Bear City, California offers diverse tent camping options from primitive backcountry sites to established campgrounds. Holcomb Valley Climbers Camp provides free dispersed tent camping popular with rock climbers, featuring flat tent pads scattered throughout the forest. Mill Creek Dispersed Camping offers first-come, first-served tent sites just outside Big Bear with numerous flat spots for pitching tents. For those seeking more structured tent-only camping, Tanglewood Group Campground sits at over 7,000 feet elevation in dense pine forest, accessible via dirt roads and operational from May through October.
Most tent campsites in the Big Bear area require campers to bring their own water and supplies. Yellow Post sites, found at locations like Keller Peak and Thomas Hunting Grounds, provide basic amenities such as fire rings and sometimes picnic tables, but no drinking water or toilets. Sites typically sit on natural forest floor with minimal grading. High-clearance vehicles are recommended for accessing many of the more remote tent camping areas, particularly after rain or snow when forest roads may become rutted or washed out. Seasonal fire restrictions frequently apply throughout summer and fall, with complete bans common during high fire danger periods.
Tent campers frequently report excellent solitude at dispersed sites despite their proximity to Big Bear City. One visitor noted that Keller Peak Yellow Post sites are "stretched across 5 miles so you will have no neighbors," with sites tucked away among rock formations. At Mill Creek Dispersed Camping, a camper observed it "was not crowded mid-week, but spots were filling up closer to the weekend." Backcountry tent camping at higher elevations can experience extreme temperature drops, even in summer months. The dense pine forests provide good shade for most tent sites, while offering access to extensive hiking and mountain biking trail networks throughout the San Bernardino Mountains.