Trip · 3-day camping trip
For · Friends and new campers
Vibe · Challenging and hard
Reservations · Yes, reserve a site at Hanna Flat campground
Drive · 2 hours from LA
Ideal dates · April to September
Pets · Welcome at camp and on trails!
San Bernardino National Forest (SBNF) is one of the most diverse forests in the country when it comes to plants and wildlife, partly because its elevation ranges from 2,000 to 11,500+ feet on Mount San Gorgonio, the highest peak in SoCal. It's home to the tallest waterfalls in the region: Big Falls and Bonita Falls, and every year, SBNF receives more visitors than either Yosemite or Yellowstone National Parks.
Official Forest Service Website
Main image credit: Joshua Chun
Each campsite comes with a:
Hanna Flat Campground is a beautiful, secluded campground located a 10-minute drive north of Big Bear Lake. Nestled among pine trees, Hanna Flat has 80 tent and RV campsites available to be reserved and a few by first-come, first-serve. There are restrooms, drinking water, and firewood that you can buy on site.
Check-in: After 2 PM · Check-out: 12 PM
Nightly Rate: $38
Gold was discovered in the San Bernardino Mountains in 1855, prompting the mining, lumber, and grazing industry to move into the area
The San Bernardino Flying Squirrel is a unique species living in SoCal's high-elevation forests, but they're notoriously hard to find. They were once on the endangered species list.
SBNF has eight wilderness areas: San Jacinto, Santa Rosa, San Gorgonio, Cucamonga, Bighorn Mountain, Cahuilla Mountain, South Fork San Jacinto, and Sheep Mountain.
