Best Equestrian Camping near Daggett, CA

We normally camp in the other side of Big Bear, but decided to try a new campground this year. Overall we really liked this campground. Although some of the sites are close together most of them have good separation. There are a lot of equestrian campgrounds in the area so be prepared to see horses on the near by trails. It’s close enough for a quick trip to the lake yet you are far enough away that you still get the true camping experience.

I only saw the first 9 or so sites and stayed I think at site #9. For the most part, spacious spots, fire ring, picnic table, a lot of trees, and varied slopes. Road in is placed initially then dirt but is fine. There's other rough roads further in and access to hikes nearby. I loved how quiet it was, except for neighbors since sound carries so easily even though spots are quiet apart from each other. You'll pass an equestrian campground on the way in that you might be able to get water from.

This is a nice little retreat from the desert. The only real complaint I have is the train. It takes a little while to get used to it going by. Wish they still had the paddle boats and horse back riding. The little zero gravity water park is nice if you have children.

Tips: When you’re on the road heading into Holcomb go slow (Rocky). Prep for dusty ground sediment. Bring extra water and chargers. Dropped to around 40 degrees at night so bring extra blankets/ jackets. Bring firewood from town. Otherwise, As expected when arrived with fireplace, secluded space (enough from other tents), space to spread out, and scenic meadow views. We saw mule deer and of course the horses! Check out grand view mountain trail, it was a gorgeous view- across the lake. Oh and it’s rifle hunting season in Oct, FYI.

General: A mix of FHU RV sites tent sites, group sites around Horseshoe Lake and some additional dry camping and equestrian sites around Pelican Lake. There are also four RVs you can “rent” in the Horseshoe Lake area. The sites around Horseshoe Lake are close to an active rail line. And by active, I mean really active – I stopped counting after I counted 24 trains lumbering by during our short overnight stay. 

Site Quality: IMO the waterfront tent sites are the nicest. They are farthest away from the trains (but not far enough!) The other dry sites have paved camper pads; some are “doubles” which would kind of suck if both sites were occupied by people who did not know each other! (Ours was one but fortunately, this was not the case for us on a Sunday in November). 

Bath/Shower House: There were two restrooms about equidistant from our campsite, but both were very basic– no soap, hooks or shelves and no mirrors (it looked like they had been ripped off the wall). The floors were concrete, and the entire appearance was very drab. I did not use the shower. 

This was an overnight stop for us, so we did not take advantage of any of the activities (horseback riding, hiking, disc golf, fishing). There was a very nice playground in the day-use area, a reasonable walking distance from the Horseshoe Lake sites. I had called about a week ahead of time to make a reservation (the online reservation system has been down for quite some time) and was assured would not need a reservation. However, there is a gate that is locked at 4 pm and we knew we would not arrive in time, so we called and were able to make a phone reservation when our site was assigned. We were a little concerned when we saw a security guard making rounds around 10 pm (and this combined with the locked gate), we wondered if we were in a safe environment, although we did not encounter any problems. Make sure you know that the park is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (which seems a bit bizarre) so you will need to know the gate code after 4 pm and on those days (the code seems to change daily). Also, I read that seniors (62 and older), active duty military, and veterans receive a $5 discount Sundays through Thursdays but you have to go to the office and show proof and then you will receive a “rebate” a few days later (which we did). This was just an overnight for us as we worked our way back home but we would likely not stay here again.

Heart Bar Campground is one of my favorites. The first thing to mention is the location. The back of the campground faces west where the rolling mountains seem to part in a way that showcases the beautiful California sunset. The campground is away from the town enough to feel secluded and quiet. If you plan to camp in the Big Bear area, I strongly suggest giving Heart Bar a try. The beauty of the surrounding environment is worth it alone.

Looks to me like this site could use a little Park Maintenence

Plenty of room to be by yourself and shoot some pictures.

The RV Park is located in a natural reserve. The scenes are beautiful!! We stayed by the river and had a great time. The only downside is that there are railways near the park and trains running by all night long.

This campground could be a 5 rating...level,paved, separated FHU sites with picnic tables and fire rings. Hiking and bike trails. Lots of birds. Fishing. Wide open spaces. BUT the campground bathrooms are not well maintained...no hot water, handle fell off shower, and not clean. Some reviews mentioned train noise...trains do go by but we did not find them to be overly obnoxious...we have had way worse

Holcomb Valley Ranch is absolutely beautiful, the shower facilities are clean and the portapotties are clean for portapotties. You can buy wood on-site. The campsites are huge - I doubt there’s a bad spot. The drive up is treacherous if you have a lil sedan - I was worried for my Honda Fit.

We spent 4 days at the Ranch on a Peninsula Site near the Barn. Sunrise and sunset views are absolutely gorgeous. Clean porta potties, fire rings, we had two picnic benches and far from any other campers. Staff was amazing so sum them up. We will be making this trip I imagine twice a year. We'll worth every penny. Plenty of off-roading trails, sites to see and exploring.

Big Bear RV Ranch is an amazing place to stay in your RV. It feels so peaceful and zen, yet is full of outdoor experiences and very close drive to town. Huge 400+acre ranch surrounded by thousands of acres of National Forrest provides plenty of space to stretch your legs. Highly recommend.

One of the most beautiful and pristine properties I've ever seen. Holcomb Valley Ranch is a magical place. So much room to run around and enjoy the outdoors, safely. The RV spaces are well distanced. The staff are incredible. Very welcoming and professional. You'll definitely enjoy your extended stay and will likely want to settle into this beautiful setting for the entire season.