24 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Holcomb Valley Ranch covers over 400 acres surrounded by thousands of acres of National Forest land, providing equestrian campers with ample room for horses to roam. The ranch features large, well-spaced campsites with fire rings and picnic tables, positioned away from other campers for privacy. Horse owners appreciate the spacious camping areas that accommodate trailers and offer direct access to numerous riding trails. The camping area borders a scenic meadow where visitors regularly spot mule deer grazing in the evenings. The rough, rocky road leading to the ranch requires careful driving, especially for those pulling horse trailers.
Positioned approximately 20 minutes from Big Bear Lake, Heart Bar Campground offers another option for horse enthusiasts with its proximity to equestrian trails. The campground sits higher above the highway, providing excellent wildlife viewing opportunities and entry points to the San Gorgonio Wilderness for trail riding. Several equestrian campgrounds in the area allow riders to access an interconnected network of trails suitable for day rides of varying difficulty. The topography resembles the Eastern Sierra, with dry desert winds and sage brush scents creating a distinctive riding environment. Winter temperatures can drop to around 40 degrees at night, requiring extra blankets for both riders and horses. Riders should be aware that firewood can be purchased on-site, and each campsite includes bear boxes for secure storage of feed and tack.
"There are a lot of equestrian campgrounds in the area so be prepared to see horses on the near by trails."
"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."
from $29 - $58 / night
Check Availability"Easy access to the hot springs and no services to speak of. Basically a patch of dirt you can occupy for $10 a night. Loved it."
"Super fun place to visit with the hot springs trail. Went in January with snowfall, hardly any campers and nature all around! Two nights are perfect."
from $10 - $119 / night
Check Availability"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."
"Trees provide lots of shade and some privacy despite campsites being fairly close to one another. Easy road in most anything can drive it."
"Tons of hiking trails and within 30 min drive of major shopping/grocery stores. Big Bear is about an hour away with and awesome drive up the mountain."
"Close to the city but far enough away from the lights. There is a ton of stuff to do here. Fishing, kayaking, hiking, water slides, disc golf, bike trails. The RV spots are beyond huge!"
"You will have to drive 6 miles of mountainous dirt roads to reach the property, but it takes you away from all signs of the city and surrounds you in nature when you get there, making a very nice camping"
from $15 - $119 / night
Check Availability"The lakes are nice, there are mountain views, and some cool hikes to explore in the riverbed area."
from $3 - $40 / night
Check Availability"Short drive to the park and easy to get to the main grocery stores. The sites are not very shady and there is not too much privacy but overall it's a nice place and the bathrooms are very clean."
"This campground is a little outside the main Joshua Tree area. It used to be the only campground you could reserve ahead. "
from $35 / night
Check Availability"There is some garbage, target shooting in the distance and the occasional maniac driving through too fast and kicking up lots of dust. Generally it was quiet."
"We pulled in at night and passed a few other people camping, but there are so many little roads/trails around we had no problem finding a spot."
"Nice views of the lake but it's fenced off and access to the lake and park close in the evening. There is a small older bathroom there a flush toilet and a shower"
"Tents RVs fishing showers water electric hookups and reasonable ducks beautiful lake! Buttt..you can only stay 5 days. 😔"
from $35 - $40 / night
Check Availability"Already been here twice once in 01/25 and 11/25 great campsite some have access to running water facet if not there are some that are close by, have also close by trash bins, has a little shop near by"
"It is right next to the lake which has a swimming area, bike path, climbing area, Hiking trails, along with a camp store which has boat rentals and much more! "
from $10 - $300 / night
Check Availability
RangerWe 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.
RangerThis is a really fun place to stay and has a bunch of awesome amenities. Right behind the campground is the Pioneertown Main Street, featuring replica buildings from the old west. They have stores, gun fights, and a restaurant nearby. The campground itself has a communal fire pit and bbq area that all campers can use. Each site has a table and fire pit. The layout of the sites is a little cramped and there is no privacy. It is designed mostly for equestrian camping and has horse stalls you can rent along with your site. The restaurant (Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace) is somewhat of a local icon, and has amazing food and is known for their live music.
ScoutI 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.
GuideBeen 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.
GuideStayed here one night when the park was full. Short drive to the park and easy to get to the main grocery stores. The sites are not very shady and there is not too much privacy but overall it's a nice place and the bathrooms are very clean. It also has an equestrian campground attached.
GuideWhile technically in Joshua Tree National Park, this campground sits on the Northwest edge of J.T., requires no park entrance fee, and does not connect with the main road through the park. It's a fine campground for those who can't get a site at one of the other campgrounds, or those who don't want to make the long, slow drive into the park. If you want to actually visit Joshua Tree, I'd find a different campground further into the park.
PROS: Easy access, Lots of sites with nice views overlooking the town, Several hiking trails starting at the edge of campground, separate campground for people with horses.
CONS: No shade, lot of the sites are uneven and hard-packed ground (You can't get spikes in deep enough at some sites, I wouldn't trust my tent being secure in high winds), Not really "in" the park, long drive to park entrance, you don't get that isolated feeling, campsites feel a bit too close to each other.
Each site has a fire pit and a concrete picnic table. Size of campsites seem to vary greatly. Facilities are clean, with flush toilets/urinals.
After being unable to get a site at our preferred campground in Joshua Tree we grabbed two spots at Black Rock Campground. While not bad, it wasn't that normal Joshua Tree feel, the lights from the nearby town wash out some of the night sky, and the camp just felt packed, even when it was at ~60% capacity.
ScoutHeart 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.
LegendThis campground is a little outside the main Joshua Tree area. It used to be the only campground you could reserve ahead. So we usually spend the first night here and then head into the main park in the morning. It has full facilites and water on sight. It has a small visitor center/ranger station as well.
You drive through a residential area and then you are at the campground. You are on a knoll or incline so you are looking down over the valley. There is horse site as well but I do not know the details of that.
We are tent campers. There are good tent sites as well RV sites. A great place to watch the star, the sunset and the sunrise. Trail right fromt= the campground up to a hill/mountain behind the campground.
Be prepared. We have been snowed on here and wind whipped. Always go in February.
Sites have tables, fire rings and water. Modern bathrooms.
You are surrounded by Joshua Trees and if you catch them in the right time they are blooming.
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.
Equestrian camping near Lucerne Valley, California provides access to desert and mountain terrain between 3,000-7,000 feet elevation. The high desert climate brings temperature variations of up to 40 degrees between day and night, especially during winter months. Campgrounds in this region feature a mix of established sites with amenities and dispersed camping opportunities on Forest Service land.
Mountain biking access: Heart Bar Campground sits along the Alpine bike path, making it convenient for campers looking to explore the San Bernardino Mountains on two wheels. "There's a beautiful meadow to hike through, and you can drive 10 minutes to Jenks Lake for some fishing and lake views," notes Amy B. from Heart Bar Campground.
Wildlife viewing: The Black Rock Canyon area provides opportunities to observe local fauna in their natural habitat. "We saw mule deer and of course the horses! Check out grand view mountain trail, it was a gorgeous view - across the lake," shares Francisco G. from Holcomb Valley Ranch.
Hot springs soaking: Deep Creek Hot Springs offers natural thermal pools adjacent to a cold creek. "Easy access to the hot springs and no services to speak of. Basically a patch of dirt you can occupy for $10 a night," explains Dan X. The trail to the springs requires moderate effort but rewards with therapeutic soaking options.
Spacious campsites: Many equestrian campgrounds provide extra room for horses and equipment. "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," comments Emily B. about Deep Creek Hot Springs Camp Retreat.
Natural water features: Streams and small lakes offer respite from desert heat. "With temperature nearing 90 or at least it dealt like it. The mountain cooled stream was just what our family needed to get unbound and grounded," shares Armando C. about Seven Oaks Lodge.
Dark night skies: The remote location provides excellent stargazing conditions away from city lights. "When you hike up the trails and look back you can see the cityscape/city lights in the not so far distance," notes Christopher D. about the contrast between the campground and surrounding urban areas.
Road conditions: Access to many equestrian camping areas requires careful driving. "Tips: When you're on the road heading into Holcomb go slow (Rocky). Prep for dusty ground sediment," advises Francisco G., highlighting typical high desert road challenges.
Seasonal considerations: Winter temperatures drop significantly after sunset in this region. "Dropped to around 40 degrees at night so bring extra blankets/jackets. Bring firewood from town," warns Francisco G., emphasizing the need for adequate cold-weather gear.
Wildlife awareness: The area supports diverse wildlife populations that campers should respect. "The campground sits higher above the highway and displaces sound nicely. This spot is excellent for wildlife viewing and entry to the wilderness for hiking and exploring," explains Nick L. from Coon Creek Yellow Post Sites.
Kid-friendly water options: Some campgrounds offer swimming opportunities suitable for children. "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," reports ReadySetCamp S.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Lucerne Valley, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Lucerne Valley, CA is Heart Bar Campground with a 4.9-star rating from 20 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Lucerne Valley, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 24 equestrian camping locations near Lucerne Valley, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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