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Horse Flats Campground provides tent and RV camping opportunities in the Angeles National Forest near Pearblossom, approximately 40 miles from Phelan. While the campground lacks dedicated horse corrals according to the data, it serves as a base for equestrians exploring the surrounding forest trails. The campground features vault toilets, picnic tables, and fire rings with no drinking water available. Sites accommodate both tents and small to medium-sized RVs, though the access road may be challenging for larger rigs. First-come, first-served sites offer adequate space between neighbors, providing privacy for campers with horses. The campground remains open year-round but experiences seasonal closures from November to April depending on weather conditions. Sites in this rustic campground spread out across the landscape, allowing horse owners to set up temporary containment options.
Trails from Horse Flats connect to the extensive Angeles National Forest trail system, including access points to the Pacific Crest Trail for extended horseback riding opportunities. Nearby Mount Pacifico Campground offers additional tent camping options, though with limited facilities. Day use areas throughout the region provide parking for horse trailers with access to bridle paths and forest service roads suitable for riding. The natural terrain offers varied experiences from mountain views to desert landscapes. Horse owners should bring all necessary water for themselves and their animals, as no natural water sources are consistently available at the campgrounds. The Angeles National Forest requires Adventure Passes for vehicle parking in developed recreation sites, including those frequented by equestrians. Rock formations surrounding the campgrounds attract climbers, creating a multi-use recreational environment that horse campers share with other outdoor enthusiasts.
"The lakes are nice, there are mountain views, and some cool hikes to explore in the riverbed area."
from $3 - $40 / night
Check Availability"Nice place to camp, weather is around 75 during the day and about 50 to 36 degrees cold through out the night. Has everything you'll need. Bathrooms are close by, showers HOT water available."
"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."
from $3 - $40 / night
Check Availability"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"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 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."
"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"Nice level grounds to walk around. Lakeside has gravel roads / pads... other side has asphalt roads / concrete pads. Restrooms are clean and acceptable."
"The lakeview area has dirt roads, sparse grass and a few spots close to the lake. The Cottonwood campground has concrete pads and well maintained grass throughout."
from $40 - $55 / 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 $25 - $300 / night
Check Availability"Horse Flats is not as popular as Buckhorn, and is a little less "green" with regards to the immediate scenery. It is also quieter for this reason, which is nice."
"We usually only see rangers come around in the morning. With that said, we still like Horse Flats because there is usually a spot or two open if we arrive on a Saturday."
from $12 / night
Check Availability"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!"
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.
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.
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.
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.
Scout
TravelerAlready 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 sells wood fire starter batteries and other things you might need.
RangerThis campground is great! 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! There is also a museum off the entrance road to the lake. The Perris Auto Speedway is also very close to the campground. They have full hookup, partial hookup, and tent camping sites. Many of the sites have shade trees but some are exposed and can get hot during the summer.
RangerUsually come week after Thanksgiving when 25% occupied. They provide gate / bathroom / laundry codes for late arrivals. Nice level grounds to walk around. Lakeside has gravel roads / pads... other side has asphalt roads / concrete pads. Restrooms are clean and acceptable. Lakeside showers require tokens... inquire at check-in. Limited shower seating to change clothes both sides. Easy drives to downtown area to see Mission Inn Christmas lights and walk around lake at city park. Cabins on-site look good and had some holiday lights. Store on-site has basics for camping and fishing. Overall a good place at this time of year.
Horse Flats Campground sits at 5,900 feet elevation in Angeles National Forest, with seasonal temperature shifts between daytime highs in the 80s and nighttime lows in the 50s. The campground offers first-come, first-served tent and RV sites spaced across the landscape amid pine and juniper trees. Access roads can challenge larger vehicles, especially on the 45-minute drive from the mountain base.
Bouldering excursions: Horse Flats Campground provides access to climbing areas within walking distance. "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.
Meadow wildlife viewing: Observe deer grazing in evenings at Heart Bar Campground meadows. "This spot is excellent for wildlife viewing and entry to the wilderness for hiking and exploring. The campground is also littered with tall standing pines and even some massive junipers, providing ample shade," shares Nick L. about Heart Bar Campground.
Fishing at nearby lakes: Lake Perris offers fishing opportunities within an hour's drive. "This lake has been good to me and my friends, always catch something, maybe not a lunker but fun," writes John H. about his experiences at Lake Perris State Recreational Area.
Secluded campsites: The spacing between sites at Horse Flats provides privacy. "The individual sites are large and spread out from each other, so it is easy to have some privacy," explains Les R. who camped at Horse Flats Campground.
Natural hot springs access: Deep Creek Hot Springs Campground offers therapeutic waters. "The hike to the hot springs was fairly tough, but we found it easily with the trail starting right on the property! Definitely recommend camping here," shares Jessica B. about her stay at Deep Creek Hot Springs Camp Retreat.
Desert-mountain transition zones: The unique ecological transition creates diverse landscapes. "This is a nice little retreat from the desert," notes Michelle K. who stayed at Mojave Narrows Regional Park, adding "Wish they still had the paddle boats and horse back riding. The little zero gravity water park is nice if you have children."
Seasonal closures affect planning: Horse Flats typically closes from November to April depending on conditions. "We camped here this weekend, which is the latest we've gone before the winter months... Even though it was 79 degrees in the day, temperature got down to 54 at night," reports Les R. from his October trip to Horse Flats Campground.
Water availability limits: Most equestrian-friendly campgrounds lack reliable water sources. "Bring all your water with you. There is no running water at this campground," warns a Horse Flats camper, emphasizing the need to pack water for both humans and horses.
Trail access points: Heart Bar connects to multiple hiking and equestrian trails. "Has a hiking trail not far away. Close to big bear city about 15mi South. Not too far from Jenks Lake to do some fishing," shares Alfonso C. from Heart Bar Campground.
Water activities for children: Several parks offer water features for kids. "The little zero gravity water park is nice if you have children," notes Michelle K. about Mojave Narrows Regional Park.
Playground access: Rancho Jurupa Park provides recreation areas beyond camping. "LOTS of activities for families (splash pad)," points out Kaitlynn B. from Rancho Jurupa RV Park, adding "Very spacious and good for big rigs."
Wildlife education opportunities: Heart Bar's meadows offer wildlife viewing chances. "This campground is excellent for wildlife viewing and entry to the wilderness for hiking and exploring," writes Nick L. who frequents Heart Bar Campground.
Site selection for size restrictions: Choose carefully when bringing larger vehicles. "This is by far the best and largest campground off of the 38. First reason is the pricing. At only $21 per night for a single site, this is the best priced campground in the area excluding free yellow post sites," recommends Nick L. about Heart Bar Campground.
Water and electrical hookups: Hesperia Lake Park offers partial hookups. "Water and electric only on camp sites. No dump site there. There's nice shade on probably half the sites, the other ones have little or none," explains James's C. about Hesperia Lake Park and Campground.
Off-road access considerations: Some roads to horse-friendly campgrounds require appropriate vehicles. "The drive from the base of the mountain to this campground is about 45 minutes. Make sure you have enough gas and have a map/driving directions ready, because there is no cell phone service," advises a visitor to Horse Flats.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Phelan, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Phelan, CA is Mojave Narrows Regional Park with a 3.2-star rating from 10 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 25 equestrian camping locations near Phelan, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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