Rachel M.
Traveler
TravelerNorth Shore Campground - Lake Arrowhead
DogWood Ca
Beautiful, well maintenance, great experience. So clean.
Camping near Juniper Hills, CA
192 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
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SUMMARY PRESENTED BY
Campgrounds in the Angeles National Forest near Juniper Hills, California provide multiple options for overnight stays in a high desert mountain setting. Established sites like Buckhorn Campground and Horse Flats Campground offer developed facilities within reasonable driving distance of Juniper Hills, while Crystal Lake Recreation Area provides cabin accommodations alongside traditional tent and RV sites. Most locations in this area feature fire rings, picnic tables, and vault toilets, with varying levels of drinking water availability depending on the specific campground.
Road conditions and campground accessibility vary significantly by season, with most developed sites operating from spring through fall. "Most campgrounds are closed during winter months when snow makes access difficult," according to one visitor who noted the challenges of high-altitude camping. Sites like Buckhorn typically open from April to November, while Horse Flats Campground remains accessible year-round despite its elevation. Summer temperatures can reach into the 90s during daytime hours, while winter brings snow and freezing conditions. Cell phone coverage is limited throughout much of the Angeles National Forest, making advance planning essential. Adventure passes are required for parking at most trailheads and campgrounds in the area.
The proximity to the Pacific Crest Trail represents a major draw for many campers in this region. Little Jimmy Trail Campground, accessible only by hiking, serves as a popular backcountry option for PCT hikers and those seeking a more remote experience. A camper described it as "a backcountry hike-in only campground nestled just 2 miles off the Angeles Crest Highway" with access to vintage backcountry ovens and several first-come, first-served sites. Wildlife sightings including bears are common in some areas, particularly during summer months when proper food storage becomes crucial. Many campgrounds in the Angeles National Forest provide a balance between accessibility and natural seclusion, with most sites situated within a 90-minute drive from Los Angeles, making them popular weekend destinations.
Best Campgrounds near Juniper Hills (192)
1. Buckhorn Campground
"Beautiful trails near by, next to a stream, gorgeous views, and of course that mountain air! Trees are perfect for hammocks."
"It is set back from the road a little giving you a quieter experience away from the 2. This would be a good first car camping spot for families with young children."
from $20 / night
Check Availability2. Crystal Lake Rec Area Campground
"We’ve done Crystal Lake probably 6 dozen times or more in our time in California and it never disappoints on the spectacular views."
"Whenever I need to get away from LALA Land, I head up here. I grew up in the mountains of western Pennsylvania, so , sometimes , I need to kick back and recharge."
from $20 / night
Check Availability3. Chilao Campground
"Campground We had been driving around the campground loops for more than an hour, and had just about given up, when we say the sign for overflow camping near the exit of the Chilao campground loop"
"Great spot to get away from the big city being only a 45min drive from the Downtown, couldn’t ask for more"
from $20 / night
Check Availability4. Coldbrook Campground
"We left LA (Hollywood) on a Friday afternoon around 3, and were setting up camp by 5! Luckily a friend got to the campground before us though, as he snagged the last of the 20 or so sites there."
"Coldbrooke is a excellent campground that is relatively close to the city. The camp host was super helpful in explaining the fire restrictions and overall questions."
5. Table Mountain Campground
"If you have a chance after - drive the whole Angeles crest highway! Worth the trouble. You are also located close to the PCT, take a hike!"
"We got a campsite that was on the outside of the loop. We were in Cherokee loop in campsite #87."
from $30 - $500 / night
Check Availability6. Angeles National Forest Chilao Campground
"OKAY... seriously this one of the best campgrounds near Los Angeles. My ultimate go to spot for an overnight camping trip."
"We were told that the water pumps were off but actually managed to camp right next to the one that was working. The bathrooms were super clean too!"
7. Thousand Trails Soledad Canyon
"It's a very hot campground close to a road and train. Sites are big. Tons of things to do for adults and children."
"Surrounded my mountains, which is nice. Staff is happy and helpful."
8. Horse Flats Campground
"This past week had record high temperatures for all of Southern California, so I can’t say how representative our experience was compared to typically late fall trips in other years."
"It's an hours drive from LA and because the campground is at elevation it stays cooler during the hot months."
from $12 / night
Check Availability9. Southfork Campground
"The drive to the campsite is pretty rough but doable. It’s very close to a good stream of of water. There are fire pits in some spots just get there early to get a good spot."
"First come first serve, short drive from OC making it a nice option for a spontaneous getaway. Sites are pretty close to each other and you can hear some road noise from the 38."
10. Monte Cristo Campground
"Or one right next to you if you don't have one. The water does not taste too good, but it serves for washing. A bear was on our stuff the first night. I whistled and it ran away."
"It’s Close to Hidden Springs and Switzer falls, surrounding area is very beautiful. I’ll be back!"
from $12 / night
Check Availability
Drive Time
- 1 hr 7 min from Los Angeles, CA
- 1 hr 40 min from Oxnard, CA
- 1 hr 48 min from Bakersfield, CA
- 2 hrs 33 min from San Diego, CA
Recent Camping Photos near Juniper Hills, CA
287 Photos of 192 Juniper Hills Campgrounds
Esther Y.
Cooper Canyon Trail Camp
Tony C.
Cooper Canyon Trail Campground
Vickie C.
Buckhorn Campground
Les R.
Camp Eaton
Christopher L.
Southfork Campground
Les R.
Bandido Group campground
Les R.
Horse Flats Campground
Freddy L.
Angeles National Forest Deer Flats Group Campground
Dora O.
Angeles National Forest Chilao Campground
Les R.
Angeles National Forest Meadow Group Campground
Josh F.
Chilao Campground
Andres P.
Little pine campground
Recent Reviews near Juniper Hills, CA
908 Reviews of 192 Juniper Hills Campgrounds
Pamela A.
GuideColdbrook Campground
Awesome place, reasonable price
We have been to this campground quite a few times in the last couple of years and I really love it, personally because it’s really close to home. I also love that it’s first come first serve, which allows us to spontaneously go and enjoy without having to make reservations. I also like the fact that all the campsites have a fire pit and a picnic table, which were very recently replaced so they look very new. They installed metal storage boxes for saving your food overnight, this is super helpful. I love the creek even though the water is freezing cold but it’s truly a favorite. This place is wonderful and even though right now there is no water access until further notice, as long as you know you need to take lots of water for cooking and cleaning up you are good.
Marbly 2.
ScoutGolden Shore RV Resort
Great for campers looking to unhook their campers and explore the area
The place is simple, well maintained and extremely clean. There’s back in sites that accommodate smaller 20ft campers and bigger 30ft campers, with there being some pull through sites that are big enough for RV’s, however no camping with tents allowed. Would recommend against bringing in campers with damage or DIY repairs as they “have to maintain sightly appearance”. Overall great for the price. Extremely clean bathrooms with free showers with a pool and jacuzzi plus a short walk to the beach. Only about a 45 min drive to LA with no traffic. The only bad is the constant noise from the port that doesn’t go away at night.
Trash M.GuideMesa Campground — Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area
GREAT Time 👍👍👍👍👍
Campground,restrooms area very clean. Lots of paths to ride or hike. Lot of friendly rangers and staff. The lake is Very easy to use your boat and jet skis. Nice ramps and docks. I live in LA I was going to Perris Lake a crap hole, this place a lot nicer and just as close as driving to Perris. COME HERE YOU'LL LOVE IT.
Gary L.ScoutNorth Shore Campground Lake Arrowhead
Not so bad
Booked this last minute on Rec.Gov and didn't do a lot of background research. Took me a while going around to find my site, there are private roads within the campsite. Also the entrance of the site is a City sized hospital which threw me off.
Next day the nice and quiet little campsite was awaken by the roaring sounds of motorbikes. I found out the site was next to a trail hike which is also next to a moto-dirt bike trail.
Not so bad overall since all I needed was to sit in front of my little campfire in the quiet evening listening to crickets and howls.
Coming from Long Beach, the traffic wasn't so bad compare to going to San Bernardino area.
- johnathonTraveler
Manker Campground
Relatively BA good for climbers and repealing check out San Antonio fall about 85ft drop/climb
Be sure to come early. Great location for families and small groups. Peaceful close to a city within 40min small town with church ect 15 minutes away.
Lee D.
LegendDockweiler Beach RV Park
Beachfront camping but you'd better like the sound of jet planes!
General: Two sections: RV camping and dry camping
Site Quality: If you have a larger RV and/or need hookups, you will be in a parking space with ZERO privacy between spaces (it is literally a parking space!). If you have a small RV or van conversion (smaller than 19 feet), there is dry camping. Concrete driveway; minimal privacy but a direct view of the beach. You must have a bed, dinette, sink, and small water supply to be in these spots. A concrete picnic table is included in each site.
Bath/Shower: Six-digit codes (that change regularly) needed to enter (and a different one for each bathroom). One all-in-one with a sink, toilet, urinal, and diaper changing station. The other has two shower stalls, two toilets, and one sink. The shower in the one closest to the dry camping area left much to be desired. I couldn’t get the ADA-accessible shower to work, and the other one had a push-button flow that took some time to get warm and had to be repeatedly pushed to complete the shower. Hooks and bench are outside the shower stall, compromising privacy. My biggest disappointment, however, was that there were NO electrical outlets. I took a chance and walked to the other end of the campground (by the entrance and full hookup sites) where I discovered the bathroom was much nicer. Not only did it have electrical outlets, but it looked like the showers were much nicer.
Activities/Amenities: You are right on the beach! There is a paved path for walking, running, or bicycling. Laundry was temporarily out of order when we were there.
There are very limited options for camping in this area, and the price was $55/night for dry camping. You are in the direct flight path of LAX, so have earplugs at the ready if the sound of jet planes overhead is not your thing!
Mary O.ScoutGolden Shore RV Resort
Perfect!
My golden shore experience was nothing short of amazing the camping ground was clean. The poop ,electricity and water where working just fine there was enough space for our 40 ft RV. The palm trees added a beach atmosphere. The greatest part was the pool and the jacuzzi they where the cherry on top the pool was clean and the jacuzzi where just right! I absolutely loved it 5 stars.
- KKaty K.Traveler
Chilao Campground
Gorgeous Site but Noisy Neighbors
I stayed at Little Pines. This spot has some beautiful sites. Some are semi-secluded with stunning views. Some have a lot of shade, some have little. Silver Moccasin Trail is on-site and a great hike. Notorious for bears but I didn’t see any.
I camped with a bear canister and bear country precaution anyway. A few sets of vault toilets and dumpsters so no site is too far from one. But no sinks. There is running water here but it’s non-potable.
It’s a beautiful spot but I had a group of about 10-15 people in diesel trucks roll in at 10pm on a Friday and blare Banda music for 3 days. From about 8am-10:30pm-ish. Unrelenting. Even with earplugs I could feel the bass of the tubas. Ruined the entire trip. So be aware that like any campground, loud jerks can spoil it for everyone.
I noticed a lot of people coming in until about 10pm on Friday and there were still spots. This wasn’t a holiday weekend but it was a pretty weekend in June. I got there at 6pm and got a great spot.
The Manzanita area is very pretty but sites are smaller and it’s more of an Oak Woodland with Manzanita and lots of boulders. Far fewer pines and cedars so not a lot of shade. In the fall this might be a nice option but in summer it may be a little hot.
Little Pines is pretty accessible for wheelchairs. The road has some pot holes but it’s paved and the grade isn’t terrible. Several spots would be very accessible to anyone with mobility devices or wheelchairs as you can park and get right to the campsite beside the car, on level ground. Restrooms are ADA-accessible.
WARNING: Watch out for the purple plant everywhere! Behaves like poison oak. Keep pets (and yourself) away. Included pics.
Guide to Juniper Hills
Campgrounds in the Angeles National Forest near Juniper Hills offer a mix of high-elevation wilderness camping with accessible sites between 5,000-6,500 feet. Summer temperatures typically range from mid-80s during the day to mid-50s at night, while winter brings heavy snowfall at many sites. The region forms part of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, providing a stark transition from desert landscape to alpine forest within a relatively short drive.
What to do
Bouldering adventures: Horse Flats Campground serves as a popular base for climbing enthusiasts with numerous bouldering routes nearby. "Nice place to stay for climbing - there is mostly bouldering in the area, with some trad stuff. Plenty of sites!" notes Kathleen L. about Horse Flats Campground.
Hiking to mountain peaks: Several trails lead to panoramic summit views throughout the area. At Table Mountain Campground, "There are a couple of trails right from the campground too," according to Amy B., who visited Table Mountain Campground for a day trip. For more challenging routes, head to Little Jimmy Trail Campground where "a short hike from mount baden Powell, mount Williamson & mount islip" provides multiple summit options according to Anthony K.
Astronomy and stargazing: The high elevation and relatively dark skies make this area ideal for night sky viewing. At Chilao Campground, "At night it's the best especially when the sun is going down... on a clear night you can see all the stars," shares Jessica P. The area's elevation places many campgrounds above the light pollution from nearby urban areas.
What campers like
Secluded campsites: Many campgrounds feature well-spaced sites that offer privacy despite being established areas. "Each camp sites is pretty well secluded from others, high desert, shrubs and some trees, was able to hang my hammock at site," writes Justin B. about Horse Flats Campground.
Convenient water sources: Some campgrounds maintain year-round water access. "There is a great little creek that runs through the campground. Standard pit toilets. Friendly people," notes Forest G. about Coldbrook Campground. Similarly, at Little Jimmy Trail Campground, campers appreciate the "great natural spring by that has water year round" according to Ian C.
Wildlife viewing opportunities: The forest setting provides chances to observe local animals. "We saw wild ducks too and some other desert critters," reports Suly&Fabian L. about Southfork Campground. At Crystal Lake Recreation Area, Forest G. details specific sightings: "ANIMALS SEEN: Black bear, deer (wandered through our site), red foxes, Stellar's Jays, woodpeckers, other birds."
What you should know
Fire restrictions vary significantly: Fire policies change frequently based on conditions. At Coldbrook Campground, a recent visitor noted, "We camped during a no fire period so no campfires or outdoor propane gas stove fires." These restrictions can impact camping plans substantially.
Vault toilets are standard: Most campgrounds feature basic facilities. "Has pit toilets in 2 locations, a large dumpster in 2 locations, a large picnic area, small group fire pit, individual fire pits in some campsites," explains Christopher L. about Southfork Campground.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Juniper Hills, CA?
What camping is available near Juniper Hills, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, Juniper Hills, CA offers a wide range of camping options, with 192 campgrounds and RV parks near Juniper Hills, CA and 10 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Juniper Hills, CA?
Which is the most popular campground near Juniper Hills, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Juniper Hills, CA is Buckhorn Campground with a 4.8-star rating from 20 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Juniper Hills, CA?
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Juniper Hills, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 10 free dispersed camping spots near Juniper Hills, CA.
What parks are near Juniper Hills, CA?
What parks are near Juniper Hills, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 13 parks near Juniper Hills, CA that allow camping, notably Angeles National Forest and Mojave River Dam.
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