Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Johnson Valley, CA has a lot to offer. Johnson Valley is a great camping destination for everyone. There are tons of nearby hikes, adventurous activities, and sights to see. Search nearby campsites and find top-rated spots from other campers.
Serrano Campground is a beautiful place for campers to come to enjoy beautiful Big Bear Lake. It is a scenic and fairly modern campground that provides access to a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities.
Visitors enjoy access to a number of hiking and mountain biking trails found within a short distance of the campground. The Alpine Pedal Path and the Cougar Crest Trail are nearby and provide access to the Pacific Crest Trail. The Big Bear Ranger Station is within a mile of the campground. Rangers can provide maps of the area and answer any questions about trails. Fishing and boating at Big Bear Lake are popular activities. The campground does not provide direct access to the lake, but a boat ramp is available about a mile away. Anglers can look forward to a possible catch of trout, bass, catfish, carp, bluegill and crappie, among others.
Visitors enjoy access to a number of hiking and mountain biking trails found within a short distance of the campground. The Alpine Pedal Path and the Cougar Crest Trail are nearby and provide access to the Pacific Crest Trail. The Big Bear Ranger Station is within a mile of the campground. Rangers can provide maps of the area and answer any questions about trails. Fishing and boating at Big Bear Lake are popular activities. The campground does not provide direct access to the lake, but a boat ramp is available about a mile away. Anglers can look forward to a possible catch of trout, bass, catfish, carp, bluegill and crappie, among others.
The campground is located in the San Bernardino Mountains, within walking distance of the lake. Accessed by the Rim of the World Scenic Byway, the campground is situated in a mountainous, pine forest setting. Sagebrush grows alongside the paved roads.
The Big Bear Discovery Center is located across the street from the entrance of the campground. A visitor center, interpretive trails and educational programs are available, as well as accessible flush restroom facilities.
For facility specific information, please call (909) 866-8550.
Rules & Reservation Policies As you make travel plans that include reservations on Recreation.gov, there are standard policies that apply to most locations of which you should be aware. Do keep in mind, however, that there are many exceptions, so it is best to review reservation information listed on individual facility pages for those policies and procedures that pertain to your specific locations. 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.). The $10.00 service fee will be deducted from the refund amount. You can cancel or change reservations through Recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777. Tours & Tickets: You may request changes to tour dates at no cost before the arrival date. If you cancel before your tour date, you may be eligible for a refund. Cancellation fees apply. Please check the tour facility description details page for cancellation policies. Permits: Varies by location. Please check the permit details for the permit location. Late Cancellations Overnight and Day Use Facilities: Late cancellations are those cancelled between 12:01 a.m. (Eastern) on the day before arrival and check out time on the day after arrival. Individual Campsites: If a customer cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival they will be charged a $10.00 service fee and will also forfeit the first night's use fee (not to exceed the total paid for the original reservation). Cancellations for a single night's reservation will forfeit the entire use fee but no cancellation fee will apply. Cabins / Lookouts: Customers will be charged a $10.00 cancellation fee and forfeit the first night's use fee if a cabin or lookout reservation is cancelled within 14 days of the scheduled arrival date. Cancellations for a single night's use will not be assessed a service fee. Group Facility: If a customer cancels a group overnight facility reservation within 14 days of the scheduled arrival date they will be charged the $10.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's use fee. Cancellations for a single night's use will not be assessed a service fee. Group Day Use Area: If a customer cancels a group day use facility reservation within 14 days of the scheduled arrival date, they will forfeit the total day use fee with no service fee charge. No-Shows Camping / Day Use: A camping no-show customer is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Reserved campsites and group overnight facilities will be held until check-out time on the day following your scheduled arrival. Group day-use facilities will be held until check-in time on your scheduled arrival date. If a customer does not arrive at the campground or group facility by check-out time the day after arrival or does not cancel the reservation by the times listed under "Late Cancellations" above, the customer may be assessed a $20.00 service fee and forfeit use fees. Tours: A tour or ticket no-show is one who does not cancel a ticket before arrival and does not arrive for the tour. Tour no-shows are not entitled to a refund. Refunds Customers must request refunds no later than 14 days after the scheduled departure date. Recreation.gov will not grant refund requests after 14 days of departure. Reservation Fee: For some facilities, tours or permits an additional reservation fee is charged. For some overnight and day-use facilities, an additional non-refundable reservation fee may apply. The non-refundable reservation fee for tours and tickets is $1.00. The non-refundable reservation fee for permits varies by location. Refunds for Bankcard Purchases: Refunds for bank card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank card. Refunds for Check or Cash Purchases: Refunds for Recreation.gov payments made by check or money order, and cash payments at selected campgrounds will be issued a check refund. A refund will be processed within 30 days of receipt and approval. Please Note: Refund requests made during or after departure can only be processed when approved by the facility management staff based upon local policy. Refunds for Emergency Closures: In the event of an emergency closure, the Recreation.gov team will attempt to notify users and offer alternate dates (as appropriate). If this is not possible, reservations will be cancelled and all fees paid will be refunded. Reservation fees for free tickets are non-refundable in the event of an emergency closure. Recreation.gov Billing Information Reservation transaction will appear on customer's credit card statements as "Recreation.gov 877-444-6777." Changes to Policies and Procedures Recreation.gov reserves the right, when necessary, to modify reservation policies. These policies were last updated July__
$79 - $81 / night
$22 - $44 / night
$55 - $90 / night
North Shore Campground is a quiet place to camp, away from the hustle and bustle of nearby cities. The campground is nestled among Southern California's pine-covered mountains, providing ample opportunity for outdoor relaxation and recreation.
The North Shore National Recreation Trail connects the campground with Papoose Lake (trail is not accessible). The 1.7-mile trail descends through a mixed conifer forest and settles along Little Bear Creek, providing scenic views of the surrounding area. Please note, nearby Lake Arrowhead is a private lake.
The North Shore National Recreation Trail connects the campground with Papoose Lake (trail is not accessible). The 1.7-mile trail descends through a mixed conifer forest and settles along Little Bear Creek, providing scenic views of the surrounding area. Please note, nearby Lake Arrowhead is a private lake.
The campground is located 23 miles northeast of San Bernardino in the San Bernardino National Forest. It is about 3 miles from the community of Lake Arrowhead. Settled in an oak woodland environment, the campground is close to many outdoor amenities. Lake Arowhead is a private lake, no access available.
Lake Gregory is located 40 minute away and offers fishing, boat rentals and a waterslide park. Lake Arrowhead is a private lake, no public access.
Rules & Reservation Policies As you make travel plans that include reservations on Recreation.gov, there are standard policies that apply to most locations of which you should be aware. Do keep in mind, however, that there are many exceptions, so it is best to review reservation information listed on individual facility pages for those policies and procedures that pertain to your specific locations.__ 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.). The $10.00 service fee will be deducted from the refund amount. You can cancel or change reservations through Recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777. Tours & Tickets: You may request changes to tour dates at no cost before the arrival date. If you cancel before your tour date, you may be eligible for a refund. Cancellation fees apply. Please check the tour facility description details page for cancellation policies.__ Permits: Varies by location. Please check the permit details for the permit location.__ Late Cancellations Overnight and Day Use Facilities: Late cancellations are those cancelled between 12:01 a.m. (Eastern) on the day before arrival and check out time on the day after arrival. Individual Campsites: If a customer cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival they will be charged a $10.00 service fee and will also forfeit the first night's use fee (not to exceed the total paid for the original reservation). Cancellations for a single night's reservation will forfeit the entire use fee but no cancellation fee will apply. Cabins / Lookouts: Customers will be charged a $10.00 cancellation fee and forfeit the first night's use fee if a cabin or lookout reservation is cancelled within 14 days of the scheduled arrival date. Cancellations for a single night's use will not be assessed a service fee. Group Facility: If a customer cancels a group overnight facility reservation within 14 days of the scheduled arrival date they will be charged the $10.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's use fee. Cancellations for a single night's use will not be assessed a service fee. Group Day Use Area: If a customer cancels a group day use facility reservation within 14 days of the scheduled arrival date, they will forfeit the total day use fee with no service fee charge. No-Shows Camping / Day Use: A camping no-show customer is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Reserved campsites and group overnight facilities will be held until check-out time on the day following your scheduled arrival. Group day-use facilities will be held until check-in time on your scheduled arrival date.__ If a customer does not arrive at the campground or group facility by check-out time the day after arrival or does not cancel the reservation by the times listed under "Late Cancellations" above, the customer may be assessed a $20.00 service fee and forfeit use fees.__ Tours: A tour or ticket no-show is one who does not cancel a ticket before arrival and does not arrive for the tour. Tour no-shows are not entitled to a refund.__ Refunds Customers must request refunds no later than 14 days after the scheduled departure date. Recreation.gov will not grant refund requests after 14 days of departure.__ Reservation Fee: For some facilities, tours or permits an additional reservation fee is charged. For some overnight and day-use facilities, an additional non-refundable reservation fee may apply. The non-refundable reservation fee for tours and tickets is $1.00. The non-refundable reservation fee for permits varies by location. Refunds for Bankcard Purchases: Refunds for bank card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank card. Refunds for Check or Cash Purchases: Refunds for Recreation.gov payments made by check or money order, and cash payments at selected campgrounds will be issued a check refund. A refund will be processed within 30 days of receipt and approval. Please Note: Refund requests made during or after departure can only be processed when approved by the facility management staff based upon local policy. Refunds for Emergency Closures: In the event of an emergency closure, the Recreation.gov team will attempt to notify users and offer alternate dates (as appropriate). If this is not possible, reservations will be cancelled and all fees paid will be refunded. Reservation fees for free tickets are non-refundable in the event of an emergency closure. Recreation.gov Billing Information Reservation transaction will appear on customer's credit card statements as "Recreation.gov 877-444-6777."__ Changes to Policies and Procedures Recreation.gov reserves the right, when necessary, to modify reservation policies. These policies were last updated July__
$56 / night
Lake Hemet is surrounded by the majestic beauty of the San Jacinto Mountains, in Mountain Center, near the charming town of Idyllwild. The scenery is splendid no matter which direction you look. Tall pines, manzanitas, sage, and giant oaks abound!
Lake Hemet is one of the most popular spots in Southern California for camping and fishing. The recent additions of the Soaring Pines Cafe serving delicious food and Splashing Eagle Swim Zone have made Lake Hemet the vacation spot to be during the spring and summer months.
Remember to pack a camera and binoculars, and keep a watchful eye as majestic eagles, hawks, and other wildlife are often seen soaring throughout the forest and campground. Come and enjoy camping, fishing, boating and the breathtaking scenery all year round.
DAY USE: In addition to camping, Lake Hemet offers public access to the campground for day use guests daily (hours vary by season). Day use is $25 per vehicle and affords guests with the opportunity to picnic, shoreline fish, launch personal boats or kayaks (additional fees apply) and rent boats or kayaks from our marina. If you are visiting other guests who are overnight camping with us, the $25 fee still applies. NOTE: DAY USE WILL BE CLOSED FOR ALL SUMMER HOLIDAY WEEKENDS FROM FRIDAY TO SUNDAY for Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day weekends. Only guests with previously purchased annual day use or launch passes will be allowed as our campground will be fully booked and activities are planned for our guests.
$45 / 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
Temporarily closed until further notice
$40 - $55 / night
Staff all friendly and facilities while dated are kept very clean. Campers are respectful and quit at night but it’s a very noisy location right next to the freeway which took some getting used to the first few days.
The place felt very tired, and lacking in any atmosphere. There is a pool, which was nice. There just wasn't anything else there to justify the steep price of $100 a night. Though I'd award 5 stars to the lovely German lady who checked us in and was very friendly.
Clean and well maintained. Friendly service. Awesome pool! Just a little pricey...$71
Booked this campground for 3 nights, in large part for the hot showers. The showers and bathroom facilities are frankly disgusting and not something we would us, nor would our friends who were there with us. The staff was rude and provided the typical"we don't provide refunds" when we told them respectfully we we're leaving after the first night. The campground was a wierd mix of what looked liked full-time campers but mostly no one was occupying the sites that there campers and belongings were left at. Post apocalyptic vibe, can you say ghost town. North Shore Campground is a dusty one and done for us. Caveat emptor.
We camped here the last weekend before they closed for the winter, after Thanksgiving. The campground was clean, quiet, and had a decent amount of space between sites. There is a biking trail that goes through the campground that was well used. Our sewer outlet was frozen in the morning, so we had to dump when we got out of the mountains. 100% would stay here again.
They are scammers. The cabin they have on site electricity keeps going on and off, the cabin was also dirty. Got a bad splinter on my hand from the railing and spoke to some residents and figured out that even though they’re selling memberships the electricity is going to be shut off. They are going to cause hundreds of people to go homeless and trying to keep it a secret. What a shame.
It's an excellent location for access to Barstow and Calico. We appreciated the pool, hammocks next to the pool, and the treats at the store. Sites are primarily pull-throughs, and many are occupied by people passing through them for one night. There are easy hookups, 50 amp service, and easy on/off from the highway. We visited both Barstow and Calico and had a good time at both.
We had a great overnight stay at this park. Two other campers were there, and we had no interactions other than waving. We arrived after hours, and the gate code was included in the reservation information. We will be adding this park back for future stays.
Had a wonderful time with the kids and our two doggos here! Great dog park, family friendly and the hot springs was just perfect for all of us. Even have 3 temperatures so the kids can enjoy hot springs too! Thanks for a wonderful stay! We’re here last week of March 2024.
The campground (CG) was super easy to find as it was right off I-40 on old Route 66. Our check-in could not have been easier, and the reception was very nice. There are 18 FHU sites here, with half being for long-termers on the west side and short-term pull-throughs on the east side. We were given an option of several sites and chose site 17. We had to disconnect and park on the side of this gravel site. The Wi-Fi speed was 3.32 for Download and 2.35 for Upload, which worked okay. We got 3 bars on Verizon. Due to the expected freeze warning, we did not hook up to the water or sewer. There are a few trees in the CG so getting a clear shot for satellite is easy. The old caboose, the Hwy 66 hotel mural, and the ducks around the pond were a nice touch. They had a shower house and laundry, but we did not use them. Heads up that we got diesel at the exit a couple of miles west of the campground, and that was the most expensive price we experienced in CA at$6.69/gallon last January.
Jake from the Dyrt here! We're excited to have this campground on the Dyrt and ready for you to book, check them out and make sure to leave a review!
Jake from the Dyrt here! Deep Creek Camp is a great spot to get out in nature and check out one of the coolest geological features in the area! Check them out and leave a review about your stay on the Dyrt!
We booked a few days here on our 2 month trip to be able to relax in a nice campground, but we were a bit disappointed.
Toilets and shower were not very nice, you do not get much privacy as the sites are quite close to each other, and it is super busy, a lot of people around. Even during the day it is quite noisy.
Location is good though, and it is nice to be up here in summer as the temperature is a bit better.
We stayed in spot number 16 since it was one of the few that wasn’t reservable. Most are reserved but there is a chart at the pay area. Number 16 was such a great spot but horrible for getting your stuff up that hill. I recommend this spot if you are staying awhile. It was close to Idyllwild, which was convenient when we ran out of ice. There are no bear boxes, not sure if it was needed though. For the best spots, make sure to reserve. Not sure where to go to do that but definitely recommended. We were far enough away from neighbors to feel like we were almost camping alone. The only reason I wouldn’t come back is because there was no water.
We loved this campground. We enjoyed the size and feel of the campground. Well, every campground has ups and downs. This one literally has slopes. Hahah some sites were more slope-y than others, but most had a flat spot for a tent in for the picnic bench. We stayed in camp spot number 24 and it had a nice secluded feel to it. After walking around the entire campground well most spots were very nice. We did find that the spots in the center lacked privacy. And the spots to the East/backside of the campground were our least favorites. (#10, #16 especially wouldn’t recommend). We did find that spot to the west were the best ones for the most part . If you’re camping in a group numbers, 6,7,8,9 were nice as well as 22,23,24! There were a couple sites that you did have to walk through/near the other camp spot to get to it. I.e. Sites number seven and eight, as well as number 19 and 20, and 22 and 23.
Parking is a little funky, some of the closer camp spots, the parking was together. They each have their own spot, but you couldn’t fit more than one car. I would say that the center spots offered better dual parking if needed.
Final note: dogs do need to be on a leash in the campground, you will see my pup in the photo off leash because there was no one there at that time!
Visited the last 2 weeks of August. Great place for family and kids. Affordable. Campsite #295. You can fit two 10' x10' canopies to cover the bench table, and fit 2 individual tents (4-6 person) OR a bigger 12p tent however you decide to position it. It has its own Fire pit. Different campgrounds for all chosen methods (Tent, RV, Glamping, etc..) There's restrooms you can use. There's showers you can pay per use. The swim zone isn't too far from this campsite, 5-10 min walk w/ no accessories. If you have little ones, you can take them with a wagon but I'd recommend just driving your car with a few items to the zone. Bring your own shade for this campsite, your own water too. The marketplace is near the entrance BUT they only sell individual waters (No 48 pack types). You'll definitely hear your neighbors snore at night after a long day LOL.. quiet hours are from 10pm - 8am. Overall, this is a great spot. If you're lucky to snag other spots with trees covering you then great but this is still a good campsite. Happy camping! ... Oh yeah, T-Mobile no service up there (apparently Verizon, AT&T do)
The day use areas were under water and we weren’t told we were allowed to be anywhere else so we just drove around and checked it out then left.
It looked like a nice lake to fish in and I know they don’t control the water levels but $25 is a lot for day use
This campground is in a great location between Joshua Tree and Palm Springs. The site was large and we had no one around us, though there is no privacy. The sites were very dusty, with little to no gravel. The best thing about the place (besides the location) were the natural hot springs hot tubs—three of them! For the price, this place cannot be beat!
I've been coming to Lake Hemet for several years. The campground is clean and the fishing is good, most of the time. They stock the lake regularly so you have a good chance of catching trout, even from the shore.
It can get a little loud on the weekends with drunk party-goers. There's not a lot of campground etiquette either. Not the campgrounds fault. Just uncaring people stomping through your site on their way to and from where ever.
There's a water park for playing in the lake but, the lake is off limits to pets. If you forget something there's a store at the entrance. You can even get a fishing license there if needed.
The staff are friendly and helpful most of the time. But, like anywhere people get out of hand they can get surly too.
A lot of sites have some shade but you have to look for them. Full hookups are available too.
My two brothers and their families called me at the last minute and said they were camping at Lake Hemet (the weekend of May 12, 2023). They invited me as a spur-of-the-moment thing (because they knew I liked to fish). I have often driven by the lake, but I have never taken the time to fish the water.
Since I was planning to drive my Class-A motorhome to the campgrounds, my choices of full hookup sites were limited. I ended up at Site #267 (Racoon Loop) which is in the residential area of the park. My site faced the lagoon area of the lake by the marina. The site was nice and easy to access. The view from my motorhome was fantastic.
The only thing that was a bummer was the amount of vehicle traffic to and from the marina and boat launch. It was bearable but I wish the drivers would pay attention to speed limits (a lot of dust was flying).
Since I was too lazy to hunt for a fishing hole, I fished the lagoon area in front of my site. There was life in the lagoon as I constantly saw fish jumping out of the water. I later learned from a camp resident that I was seeing Carp leaping (bummer). I managed to land a 10-inch Rainbow Trout over my three-day stay.
My nephew rented a kayak and fished the region just outside the lagoon. He limited out in Rainbow Trout by catching and releasing five average-sized prey. All of the fish were caught with barbless lures.
The staff at the campgrounds were polite and helpful when I arrived. The roving staff members were not so friendly, but they did respond when I stopped them and asked some questions. Honestly, an occasional smile will go a long way.
I plan to visit the lake again, but I hope to find another site. There is a strong possibility that I will find a lakeside site with partial utilities.
I had to change my reservation three times, and the staff was incredibly helpful. They went above and beyond to give us the easiest possible stay. The campground itself was reasonably clean with a gorgeous view of the desert and mountains. Sites laid out well and most are pull through and accommodate big rigs. Pool, laundry, general store, showers and lavatories. They did not however have the shuttle to the silver mine as advertised (ended with Covid) and the Enterprise rental in Barstow does not “pick you up“ and were rude besides.
This rv park is horrible! It’s run down. There is trash everywhere. There are huge potholes all over the park. Not only are the sites small, but they are so uneven I couldn’t even level out my rv. They have a tree literally overhanging the entrance that damaged my rv . The idiot that manages the park never even lifted a finger to help, and his bosses won’t even answer or return my calls. I’d advise anyone to stay far away from this dump.
Rough ride in but totally worth it
The hike to the springs is pretty rough but also worth it when you get there. No hot showers
Nothing below $80 even though the website says they have sites from $45
The staff was very friendly and helpful and quick to bring whatever we needed!
We spent 5 nights here and choose this location for it’s proximity to downtown, Aerial Tramway, and Joshua Tree. The park could be a gem once again, but currently worn down. The majority of campers are wonderful people, long-time return residents to the park. Trailhead 1/3 mile away.
Camping near Johnson Valley, California, offers a unique experience with stunning desert landscapes and plenty of outdoor activities. Whether you're looking to hike, rock climb, or just relax under the stars, there are several campgrounds to choose from.
Camping near Johnson Valley, California, is a great way to enjoy the outdoors, but be prepared for the unique challenges and rewards of desert camping!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Johnson Valley, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Johnson Valley, CA is Serrano with a 4.6-star rating from 34 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Johnson Valley, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 28 glamping camping locations near Johnson Valley, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
