Searching for the perfect place to pitch your tent near Helendale? The Dyrt can help you find the best tent campsites for your next trip. Each spot offers quick access to one or more of Helendale, California's most popular destinations.
Camp high in the clouds at Manker Flats Campground. This campground sits at 6000-feet and offers 21 campsites open year-round. However, piped-water is turned once temperatures reach freezing. Each site comes with a spacious spot for all your family camping needs and includes a picnic bench, fire ring, and vault toilets. It's located within a short drive to historic Mt. Baldy Schoolhouse and Visitor Center where visitors can discover the land's Native American roots. Close by, hikers have several options to begin their day's adventure including, Mt. Baldy Bowl trailhead. This trailhead can be combined with another major route, Devil's Backbone, to reach the summit (10,069') to form an impressive 11.3-mile loop hike. For the more casual hiker, a 1.4 mile round trip to the 75-foot San Antonio Falls is available. Bears are very active in this area, so it is recommended that all campers use provided bear boxes, personal bear canisters, or seal all food as to eliminate scent.
$12 / night
Permits are available for sale on-site using a fee machine. The fee machines at EL Mirage sell $15 daily, $30 weekly and $90 annual passes.
$10 - $119 / night
These 9 Yellow Post sites are individual camping sites. Each campsite will be available on a first-come-first-serve basis. No reservations. Each site is limited to a maximum of 8 people at any one time. There is limited parking at these Yellow Post Sites for 2 vehicles. Amenities include 1 picnic table and 1 fire ring per site. There are no restroom facilities or drinking water. Please pack it in - pack it out! During winter, Keller Peak Road closes due to snow accumulation, but it is still possible to hike, snowshoe, or cross-country ski to these sites. These sites are near the Children's Forest Visitor Center, the Children's Forest Exploration Trail, and the Keller Peak Fire Lookout. Campfire permits are required for any type of fire use - campfires, charcoal BBQ`s, or gas stoves. Campfires and charcoal BBQ's may not be allowed certain times of the year. Click here for current fire restriction information. Keller Peak Yellow Post Site Map
These five remote camping sites offer locations for tent and car camping. There are some mature shade trees near the sites, but other than a metal fire ring for campfires, these sites do NOT contain the amenities found at developed campgrounds. There is no water, no picnic tables, no restrooms nearby, and no trash containers. Please pack it in - pack it out! All sites are first-come, first-served. Campfire permits are required for any type of fire use - campfires, charcoal BBQ's, or stoves. Campfires may not be allowed certain times of the year. Contact the Mill Creek Ranger Station for current fire restriction information and road conditions. (909) 382-2882 (closed Tues/Wed) These yellow post sites are reached via forest road 1N12 (unpaved, trailers and large RVs not suitable). Please refer to the yellow-post site map available for free at the Mill Creek Ranger Station. High-clearance vehicles are recommended and four-wheel drive vehicles may also be required to reach these sites, depending on current road conditions.
Includes: Lake Arrowhead, Lake Silverwood, Crestline, Running Springs, Green Valley Lake and Keller Peak recreational activities
Currently NO toilet facilities at this site.
Just above Crystal Lake lies Little Jimmy trail camp...a backcountry campground nestled just 2 miles off the Angeles Crest Highway.
It features seven first-come, first-served sites with picnic tables, fire rings, vault/composting toilets, and vintage backcountry ovens.
Hike-in only (2.5 miles one-way). After parking your vehicle at Islip Saddle, cross the highway and begin hiking for 2.5 miles up the switchbacks until you reach Little Jimmy Campground on your right.
Popular with Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, this scenic spot offers a chance to get away from established campgrounds and live amongst the Coulter Pines and Bigcone Douglas Firs.
Campers turned hikers have easy access to hop on the legendary Pacific Crest Trail which runs through the camp.
There is no fee to camp here other than an Adventure Pass for your parking. In the summertime, bears can be common visitors, so it please secure your food and scented items in bear-proof boxes provided or bring your own bear canisters. As always, make sure you follow the "Leave No Trace" principles and pack everything in and out!
These remote camping sites offer isolated scenic locations ideal for tent and car camping or a relaxing picnic far from the crowds. Other than a pit for campfires, these sites do NOT contain the amenities found at developed campgrounds. There is no water, no picnic tables, no restrooms nearby, and no trash containers. Please pack it in - pack it out! All sites are first-come, first-served. Campfire permits are required for any type of fire use - campfires, charcoal BBQ's, or stoves. Campfires may not be allowed certain times of the year. See Current Conditions below or call the Lytle Creek Ranger Station (909-382-2851). These Yellow Post Sites are reached via Forest Road 3N06. Please refer to the Yellow-post site map available by clicking on this link or for free at the Lytle Creek Ranger Station. High-clearance vehicles are recommended for reaching all sites. Four-wheel drive vehicles may also be required depending on current road conditions.
This campground is Hike In only. Fisherman's Group Campground is a semi-primitive campground reached by a 2.5-mile hike into the mountains of southern California. The dirt road and walk to the sites are well worth the effort once you reach the campground, which is nestled in a scenic forest on the banks of Deep Creek.
Visitors enjoy access to some great birding and wildlife viewing. Other activities include hiking, horseback riding, hunting and mountain stream fishing. A variety of trailheads can be accessed near the campground.
The campground is situated along Deep Creek, 2.5 miles into an area forested by tall pine, oak and cedar trees at an elevation of about 7,000 feet. It is nestled in the mountains of southern California, in the San Bernardino National Forest.
Big Bear Lake and the Big Bear Discovery Center are located about 21 miles from the campground. The center provides information on the area, a nature-themed gift shop, educational programs and restroom facilities. Trailheads are available at and near both the lake and the visitor center.
$10 / night
Nestled in a scenic canyon just off the Big Pines Highway, Apple Tree provides a scenic and relaxing destination for camping, hiking, picnicking and wildlife viewing. Within driving distance of Jackson Lake for easy access to fishing, canoeing, and swimming. Just northwest of the Los Angeles metro area. Visitors enjoy exploring the Angeles Crest Scenic Byway, which offers incredible views of oak thickets, high desert landscapes, chaparral and pine forests.
Wildlife viewing is a popular activity, as visitors may see bobcats, mountain lions, bears and Nelson bighorn sheep. Powerboating is not permitted on Jackson Lake, so the setting is peaceful and quiet for swimming, canoeing and fishing. The lake is stocked with trout and bluegill.
Apple Tree Campground sits at an elevation of 6,100 feet in Angeles National Forest. Campsites are shaded with scattered oak trees and Jeffrey pines. Daytime temperatures in the summer are usually in the low 80s and evenings are cool. The Angeles National Forest spans nearly 695,000 acres over most of the San Gabriel Mountain Range in southern California. Vegetation ranges from chaparral and oak at lower elevations to pine forests at higher altitudes. Elevations range from 1,200 to 10,000 feet. The endangered California condor inhabits the forest. The Least Bells vireo and the Southwestern Willow flycatcher are two migratory birds that visitors enjoy spotting in the area. Other local inhabitants include the Arroyo toad, mountain yellow-legged frog, the mountain lion and the two-striped garter snake.
The Angeles Crest Highway, part of California State Route 2, is a scenic byway that meanders through oak thickets, chaparral, high desert landscapes and pine tree forests. The ski resort town of Wrightwood is very close by. Restaurants and a disc golf course can be found at the North Resort. Take a hike on the Blue Ridge Trail or the Pacific Crest Trail. The Pacific Crest Trail is an impressive path that starts in Mexico and zigzags its way through Angeles and continues north across California, Oregon and Washington.
$20 / night
Guide
Been here many times since it is local to me.
This place has changed a lot over the years, and not necessarily for the good, in my opinion.
What there is:
What there is no longer:
Beware of skunks and loud trains!
It is still a somewhat nice place to visit for a couple hours with the kids.
We have camped in a tent. The tents sites are adjacent to the lake.
Trailer camping isn't too bad, other than being adjacent to the busy railroad. Most sites have grass.
Guide
We tent camped here for 3 nights and loved this campground. The tent sites are spacious - can’t exaggerate that enough. the workers were friendly and helpful. The bathrooms were clean and had plenty of showers available. There is a playground centrally located, tennis court and basketball - all equipment available from the office. They also had board games for use and a pool table inside. There are a couple of pontoon boats available for rental as well! We took out kids on a couple hikes, be sure you have an interagency pass for parking at trailheads! Fantastic getaway!
Scout
Best place ever!! Tent camping, RV camping, they have a restaurant and bar, best burgers in all of southern California!! They also have a small store, there's showers, restrooms and a swimming pool! Tent camping along Santa Ana River, you can also fish and hike. So amazing and beautiful, awesome memories made!!
Traveler
But very rock to tent camp on. A ton of RV’s, so the noise was a premium. Great hiking into the mountain and mines.
Ranger
tent camped. not many amenities, but we found peace and quiet, across the lake, from big bear. lots of trees! we brought our own grill, but enjoyed the campgrounds fire pit also.
Traveler
Super nice staff!! They remembered us after only staying here twice which means they take pride in the care for their customers. We love that we can tent camp by the water!
Will definitely recommend to anyone!
Scout
Came here for a weekend, good spot for tent camping, I went on an off trail hike, cool, fun area. Some views. Drove over to the lake but couldn’t find parking. Very quiet and clean as well.
Guide
Big government campground. Big spots but it can be difficult to get reservations. Lots of tent sites that cram way too many people in. Close to the lake
Traveler
Bring own gear, tent sites are primative you have to walk to toilet and showers but not far campsites are big enough for more than one family and friends
Lake fishing swimming hiking campfires
Group activities
TravelerThe campsite at Calico Ghost Town is nice with hook ups for RV and spaces for tent camping. Our boys scout troop spent a weekend October. The boys and their families enjoy touring the ghost town. We hiked around the area and on hills during the day. The facility has running water, restrooms and showers.
GuideThere were no trees at all. We were told to wait for a white truck when we got there. No one came. We called the security number and they told us they would be by. We waited about 20 minutes and ended up leaving. The tent sites were gravel. Overall not impressed.
Guide
This campground is close to the 15 and 215 interstate freeways, with easy access. It is better to make a reservation then to just show up. There are RV sites and tent sites as well as group camp sites. Not much to do at the campground but if you go across the street to the park there is fishing and picnic areas.
Ranger
We stayed at Cabin Flat several years ago, and it's one of the most difficult campgrounds to reach near Wrightwood in the Angeles National Forest. To get here, you need to take the Blue Ridge Trail Road from Inspiration Point off of Highway 2. This road is closed during the winter, as it traverses through Mountain High Ski Resort. That said, the campground itself is very basic. I would not recommend bringing an RV here as the dirt road to get down is winding and bumpy. Tent camping only.
Guide
This is a fairly nice place to camp. I would avoid camping here during the summer since it does get very hot. It is closed during the winter months, but you can still catch some cooler weather when it first opens during the season.
There is not much for shade in the areas for RV/Trailer camping.
Not much to do here other than hiking and kicking back. The Pacific Crest Trail passes nearby.
It is away from the populated cities, but not far from them. It still gives you a sense of seclusion.
There is water and electricity hookups, along with a dump station and separate tent camp spaces.
Traveler
Great car camping location with lots to do. Plenty of camp sites but they fill up fast, especially during the summer on weekends. Very comfortable with all the amenities and enough space in between sites for low noise. Very beautiful with tall cedar, pine, fir and spruce with a nice creek in the wet season. Trails going all over the place, some easy some steep and wild life every where you look. Simple tent sites to bigger trailer pads for every type of camper. Probably the best campground in SoCal. Great for kids.
TravelerIf you have to camp near Barstow, this is a good place for a week-day stay. Calico ghost town was a fun spot for our kids, not too busy on a week day in the spring though I’m sure it can be crazy (and hot) at other times. The campsites were hit or miss. We staid in a tent site which was tiny, right next to all the others, with no trees or vegetation for privacy, and no permanent fire ring or picnic bench. We walked around and some of the other RV sites are bigger and nicer. Classic desert views. I give it 4 stars for access to the ghost town and price.
Traveler
My husband and I tent camped here during the week for 2 days. This campground is gorgeous. With how brown and dreary everything always looks at this time of year in this drought ridden state, this campground is so gorgeously green and lush! Most camp sites that I saw are pretty big and all sites have plenty of trees. There’s a good amount of space between the sites with some being more secluded then others. There are both hook up and non hook up sites. There are plenty of clean restrooms throughout the campground as well as showers that are now open again. There’s a really nice, 3 mile loop trail in the campground and another close by as well. We liked the campground so much that we made reservations while we were there for next month.
LegendGeneral: 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.
Guide
Pros: Large campsites
Clean-ish toilets
Lake within walking distance
Cons: Right near highway, noisy
Lots of flies during the day
tent sites are very flat
Last minute trip and decided to check out Lake Campground. There are 8 sites placed on this hilly area, with a vault toilet in the center of the campground. It is located right next to the highway, so it can be pretty noisy during the day as its a popular route for motorcyclists. The campground itself was fairly clean, and all the sites were very large and spaced well away from each other. The sites weren't very flat, so options to set your tent up were very limited. Some sites had some shade, others almost none. There were tons of flies, very active during the daytime, but went away during the evening. The vault toilets were the cleanest I'd seen (For vault toilets) and the staff came through the campgrounds several times a day.
Jackson Lake is a short walk from the campgrounds. It has a nice day use picnic area with coal grills, picnic benches, and four vault toilets (in pretty poor condition). The lake was pretty small and had a stagnant smell to it. Lots of people were fishing, and a few people waded into the waters. I saw people in rafts / kayaks later in the day. The area was covered in fleas so careful with pets.
GuideI have been to this campground twice now. I would love to go back again one day. There is a nice size creek that runs adjacent to the campsites, which appears to run only during snow melt. It was dry one of the times we camped there, the other time it was flowing very good. I would estimate that it was probably around 40-50 feet wide when we went there. You do have to drive through the creek to get to the campground, so a small car probably would not be advisable when it is really flowing. I drove my small Toyota pickup through it with no problem.
A forest adventure pass was required.
Campsites were very clean. Has pit toilets, which were also very clean. No electricity or water at the camp site. No dump station. Has fire rings.
We tent camped both times.
A mother bear and her two cubs did visit us on one of the visits. We did find what looked like mountain lion footprints. There is wild life. No bear containers at the time.
This campground is nestled in a valley/canyon and is next to Fenner Canyon Conservation Camp #41.
There really are no views other than the surrounding trees and landscape, but was still very beautiful.
It is a very quiet place to stay. Depending on the traffic from the nearby Highway 2, you might hear some of that traffic, but it is not bad at all.
At the time of visiting, we did not have cell phone service in that canyon.
Guide
Traveling while pulling my utility trailer along makes slow going. And pulling up a long, long, long desert mountain grade can be downright exhausting.
So this is a mighty grateful thumbs up review. Robert made my day when I phoned up in the late afternoon and offered me a limited use rate on one their full hookup sites.
And of course, I got in real late, just after late closing hours–10 pm!
I got the last pull through site at the end of the lane. It was a breeze to pull in, get my deep cycle battery charging. 30 Amp with an adapter is all I need.
Shady Lane is mostly populated by real big rigs. So a 50amp socket is also on the post.
The park is a little distance from the highway, so it's blessedly quiet overall. After a grueling pull from Las Vegas, it was a wonderful blessing to crawl into my tent with my feline road companion, Missy. She just loves tent camping the very best. It was down in the 40s last night, but our traveling bed is a cushy cloud ☁️ from Heaven 🌠🌌✨ Just me and Missy and all those stars on that dark desert night.
Just woke to a lovely quiet morning here at Shady Lane. Fully renewed, to make my long drive down towards San Diego.
Looks they offer all the basics, showers, laumdry, and the same wifi network is offered all over these desert parts.. So once signed up, its the same login wherever you go on this network.. That's handy. Great wifi signal all the way down at the end of the lane, too.
Most importantly, Shady Lane offers tent spots and doesn't get snooty about whether you're pulling a utility trailer, or a spit shined mega-rig. On the phone, when I spoke with Robert, told him what I'm pulling along, he was as nice as can be.
I'm glad I found this quiet little desert overnighter. 🏜 Just right for Missy and me.
TravelerIf you know the area then you know that most of these campgrounds are fairly shaded, but can still get very hot with the high desert not to far away. Barton Flats is not by anymeans the best place to be for tent camping due to this, but would make an excellent trade off for those looking to bring up the family and the trailer. There is a dump station a the entrance of the camp, and the sites are not too close together to be inconvenienced by your neighbors.
Close to the valley as well as Big Bear I can see this as a good middle ground to get out. There are some spots that are much more shaded than others. my favorites I’ll list here were site #’s 4 which sits on the center loop, 47 outer loop, and double sites 7 and 43. Yes a double site costs double the price. All sites are within a quick walk to a bathroom and new water pipes were located throughout the camp.
The grounds themselves are lackluster with not much to see, but I did notice there are several undocumented sequoia trees that must be near at-least 70 years old in the middle of camp. You can distinguish them from the local cedars by their lighter green coloring, sponge like bark (cedar is a hard bark/wood), and their branches not fanning out like cedars do but more spread in long skinny fingers. Make a note to your kids! We are one of the very few areas that have the ability for these wonderful trees to flourish.
ScoutStayed a couple nights here. The staff are all really nice and the campsites were very clean. Flush toilets and hot showers are available for 4 quarvters for every two minutes. Full hookups are available in one campsite for 55 a night. Parking is very limited. At the full hookup campsites you have two small spots, and one spot at the tent camping sites. Also you can't keep your boat and trailer at the marina which still blows my mind. They could make so much money off a nightly fee for parking there. Marina has 4 slips for rent at 15 a night.
Supppsedly your not allowed to have dogs on the beaches, but they were everywhere. I have never seen so many dogs at a lake before. And many off leash with owners oblivious to what they are doing.
15 minute limit for tying off at the boat ramp which is ignored and not enforced. Launching and retrieving boats was a nightmare because of the jet skies that are docked and left there. No one could tie their boats off to get their trailers. We sat for an hour with a group of other boats all waiting for pickup and 5 jet skies were parked there the whole time. Oh and don't forget the people fishing from the launch ramp standing by the no fishing signs.
People ignore the no wake zone and in three days we only saw one boat get called out on it.
Then there's the kids that throw rocks in the water where people are fishing and the jerks on the shore yelling at anyone fishing from a boat in the coves.
It really is a nice lake and campground or would be if the rangers had better rule enforcement in place.
TravelerI was looking to take my Jeep off-roading in the Big Bear area. I just needed a simple tent site where I could have a campfire at night, and as usual I hadn't booked very far in advance. By luck, I found Green Valley Lake.
When I went online to reserve my spot, the only site left was site #1, so I grabbed it. Searching for reviews or pictures of that site, there were comments about it being too close to other sites, too close to the road, too close to houses, etc. When I got there I found a different story. After asking the camp host, I found the site - isolated from the rest of them in its own private little grove. The parking spot for the site is a considerable distance away, next to site 2. There are 2 trails leading to the site - one from the parking spot that cuts through site 2, and another one that ends near the entrance gate. It was a bit of a hike to get my gear in and out, but it was worth it for the privacy. Plenty of trees provide shade, and isolate you from the road and your neighbors. There was some noise, but they were completely blocked from view.
The campground itself is very well maintained. The bathrooms were clean, with flush toilets, running water, and lights. The sites themselves don't have water, but there were faucets all over the campground so you could fill up a jug and take it back to your site. This is bear country, and bear lockers are installed at every site. The hosts were very nice, and sold firewood at their trailer for $8 a bundle. There was no AT&T cell service at the site, but there was a few miles down the road.
The campground is about a mile past the village of Green Valley Lake, which has a small market and a restaurant. A few miles further is Arrowbear, which has a couple very well stocked markets and gas stations. Running Springs is a few more miles down the road, and has all the services you would need in a small town.
For off-roaders like myself, the Big Pine Flats trail starts just a couple miles down the road, and offers a fairly easy and fun drive to just north of Big Bear Lake, and continuing on to Baldwin Lake.
The next time i camp up in the Big Bear area, this will definitely be on my list of places to camp again.
Traveler
I am here in California getting ready to leave the state by FY22 and had to get outside. I have been exploring the idea of going camping and decided to go this weekend. I stayed a half mile down from the main camping area. Setup my tent on the back of my truck and enjoyed the scenery. It was amazing sleeping under the stars, I had not done that in years
GuideA great campground that is very close to the amenities of small town Big Bear Lake village / town. The discovery center is very close which does tend to get busy during the summer months and on long weekends. I had in my mind that the campsites would be closer to the water however it was not terrible. I did not like my specific campsite however saw quite a few sites that I marked off in my mapbooks as locations to request (if available / applicable) A lot of sites in Ca are First-Come and are not reservable however you can save a space (or you could a couple years ago) Very scenic- great hiking and trails. Bring your bike. Great for tenting. RV accessible as well. Discovery Center is awesome and has a Jr Ranger Program as well.
Sites are not the cleanest however its up to the campers to keep things clean. While a site host is usually there it is quiet for the most part. Very enjoyable and would go again. NOT my favorite but it isnt bad. Especially if you live in the Riverside area or Southern California and want to have a quick getaway to the local mountains for some outdoor reset time.
TravelerWe stayed here for Father’s Day weekend and we thoroughly satisfied. Our site was 71 and although secluded would not recommend for toddlers(I have two toddlers). The site was sloped and the level pad was small. Would be great for a couple with a 4-6 person tent seeking a little more privacy than other sites. The site as well as the campground was spotless. Very well maintained. Bathroom was across the road as well as potable water. Trails literally out the back of the campsite. There’s a little off shoot from the campground that had a large flat spot which would be cool to set up a tent if you needed to set up multiple tents. There are better sites but you’ll have to explore the campground and find those yourself 😉. There’s a few cons. You can hear cars out on the 18 when you’re laying quietly in your tent. Not a nuisance but takes away the feel a bit. The other con was pulling in and out can be a little sketch due to a simi blind turn. Other than that I look forward to my next visit here with my family.
Tent camping near Helendale, California, offers a variety of unique experiences in the great outdoors, with options ranging from desert landscapes to serene lakeside settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Helendale, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Helendale, CA is Manker Campground with a 4-star rating from 12 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 37 tent camping locations near Helendale, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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