Best Tent Camping near San Bernardino, CA
The San Bernardino Mountains offer diverse tent camping options ranging from established campgrounds to primitive backcountry sites. Tent campers can find accommodations at Yucaipa Regional Park, which provides designated tent areas with picnic tables and fire rings, or explore more remote options like the Yellow Post Sites at Thomas Hunting Grounds and Keller Peak, which offer secluded tent camping experiences within the San Bernardino National Forest.
Most tent-only sites in the region feature basic amenities with varying levels of development. Established campgrounds typically provide picnic tables, fire rings, and vault toilets, while dispersed camping areas like Mill Creek require campers to be self-sufficient. "We stayed at campsite #9. It has a great view and secluded," noted one Keller Peak visitor. High-clearance vehicles are recommended for accessing many of the forest's primitive tent camping areas, particularly after rain or snow. Bear activity is common throughout the region, so proper food storage is essential at backcountry tent sites, with some areas providing bear boxes for campers.
Tent campers frequently use these areas as bases for hiking, climbing, and mountain biking adventures. The higher elevation sites offer cooler temperatures during summer months, making them popular escapes from the valley heat. Areas farther from town provide deeper seclusion and less noise pollution. A camper described Thomas Hunting Grounds as having "beautiful views of the mountains, and the bird's eye view of the city of San Bernardino was definitely breathtaking." Many tent campgrounds experience significant temperature drops at night, even during summer months, so appropriate sleeping gear is recommended. Sites at higher elevations may have seasonal closures due to snow, with most high-country tent camping areas accessible only from late spring through early fall. First-come, first-served policies apply at most primitive tent sites, with weekends filling quickly during peak season.