Connectivity
- VerizonLTESome coverageVerified by 0 campers
- AT&T5GGood coverageVerified by 0 campers
Community-reported service can change with terrain, weather, congestion, and carrier coverage.
Campground
Black Mountain (San Bernardino)
San Bernardino National Forest, California
About this campground
The Black Mountain Group Campground provides a picturesque camping location for large groups.
The San Bernardino National Forest is submitting a proposal to increase fees at various sites across the Forest and is seeking public input.
Drinking water is not available in the campground, but can be found at the Cinco Posa Spring along Black Mountain Road, about two miles before the campground.
Map
Loading map
- Latitude
- 33.834167° N
- Longitude
- 116.738889° W
Know before you arrive
Access, sites & campground features
Official facility and campsite inventory, supplemented by clearly marked community reports when the official listing does not publish the detail.
Access
- Drive-inCommunity report
Site types
- Tent sites
- Group sites
Features
For campers
- Toilets
- Picnic table
- Fires
- Pets allowedDogs are allowed in developed Forest Service recreation sites when restrained, crated or caged, or on a leash no longer than six feet. Posted site restrictions still apply.
- Reservable
For vehicles
No vehicle features are separately published.
Official campground guide
Plan with the full campground details
Facility information, site rules, booking windows, and published rates. Source snapshot checked Oct 18, 2026.
Overview
Black Mountain Road is is poor condition at this time. 4 Wheel Drive is recommended. The road is currently a high-priority for maintenance, which should be occuring in June, 2023.
The Black Mountain Group Campground provides a picturesque camping location for large groups. Views from the campground encompass the desert divide, San Jacinto Mountains and, on a clear day, as far north as the San Gabriel Mountains.
The San Bernardino National Forest is submitting a proposal to increase fees at various sites across the Forest and is seeking public input. Please visit the https://www.fs.usda.gov/sbnf for more information and to submit comments regarding this proposal.
The surrounding area provides a variety of outdoor recreation opportunities, including hiking, climbing, fishing, biking and wilderness exploration.
Facilities
The campground provides one large group campsite that can accommodate up to 100 guests for tent camping. A parking area can accommodate up to 25 vehicles, but rough roads to the site are not recommended for trailers of any kind.
The site is equipped with multiple tables and campfire circles with grills. Vault toilets are provided. Drinking water is not available in the campground, but can be found at the Cinco Posa Spring along Black Mountain Road, about two miles before the campground.
Recreation
The Fuller Ridge Trail, which serves as part of the famous Pacific Crest Trail, is located just steps away from the campground. Starting at 7,600 feet, the trail follows the high, timbered ridge above Snow Creek, offering spectacular views of the desert. From there, it joins Deer Springs Trail and a strenuous climb to San Jacinto Peak, at 10,804 feet in elevation.
Natural Features
The campground is located in a heavily forested area of the mountains in southern California at an elevation of about 7,500 feet. The roads to and within the campground are not paved and much of the area is part of classified wilderness area.
Nearby Attractions
This group site is located approximately 50 miles southeast of San Bernardino, California, and 16 miles north of the small town of Idyllwild, which offers locally owned shops and restaurants.
Activities & amenities
What Recreation.gov or the campground’s official source specifically lists.
Available activities
- Fire Lookouts/Cabins Overnight
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Camping
- Picnicking
- Climbing
Amenities and facility features
- Vault or pit toilets
- No potable waterThe official facility record directs campers to carry water
- Vault Toilets
Recreation sites
Published inventory grouped by site type. Individual sites can have stricter limits.
Group Tent Only Area Non-Electric
1 site- Reservation type
- Site-Specific
- Equipment
- Tent
- Maximum people
- 100
- Maximum vehicles
- 50
- Maximum vehicle length
- 12 ft
- Check-in
- 2:00 PM
- Check-out
- 2:00 PM
- Accessible sites
- None flagged in site inventory
Site rules, inventory & rates
Facility rules, inventory procedures, and price seasons published by the official source.
Site rules
- Holiday-weekend minimum
- 3 nights
- Reservation cutoff
- 3 days before arrival
- Maximum published occupancy
- 100 people per site
- Maximum published vehicles
- 50 vehicles per site
- Check-in
- 2:00 PM
- Check-out
- 2:00 PM
- Food storage
- Black Mountain (San Bernardino)'s official facility record checked 2026-10-16 does not publish a food-storage method; confirm the posted rule with San Bernardino National Forest.
- Fire and stove use
- Black Mountain (San Bernardino)'s official facility record states: The site is equipped with multiple tables and campfire circles with grills.
- Pets
- Dogs are allowed in developed Forest Service recreation sites when restrained, crated or caged, or on a leash no longer than six feet. Posted site restrictions still apply.
Inventory window
Recreation.gov publishes a rolling booking window. The dates below are the official snapshot captured for this catalog build.
- Currently bookable through
- Oct 25, 2026
- Next release
- Nov 22, 2026, 7:00 AM PST
- Next book-through date
- May 22, 2027
- Group sites bookable through
- Oct 25, 2026
Published seasons & rates
| Season | Site type | Nightly rate | Additional person | Deposit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peak SeasonMay 21, 2026 – Oct 25, 2026 | Group Tent Only Area Non-Electric | $0 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 22, 2027 – Sep 2, 2027 | Group Tent Only Area Non-Electric | $0 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 22, 2028 – Sep 2, 2028 | Group Tent Only Area Non-Electric | $0 | — | — |
Important facility notices
Read these with current closure and fire notices before departure.
- Fire Restrictions may be in place at anytime during the season, check in with the San Jacinto Ranger District by calling (909) 382-2921 to confirm. Wood and charcoal fires are only permitted in an agency provided metal ring. Cooking stoves or fireplaces using gas, jellied petroleum, or pressurized liquid fuel are still allowed.
- Water is not provided at this campground. Potable (tested monthly) water may be available from a natural spring along Black Mountain road. Bring your own containers.
- Click here for more information on the San Bernardino National Forest
- Don't Move Firewood: Protect California's forests from tree-killing pests by buying your firewood locally and burning it on-site. For more information visit firewood.ca.gov.
Getting there & contact
Official directions
From Idyllwild, California, travel north on Highway 243 about 9 miles. Take a sharp right turn onto Black Mountain Trail/Forest Route 4S01 and continue just over 2 miles. Forest Route 4S01 turns slightly left and becomes Black Mountain Truck Trail, which leads to the campground.
Facility contact
909-382-2922