RV Parks In Big Bear Lake, California

For lakefront full hookups, Holloway's Marina & RV Park is a top pick, with 115 full-hookup sites right on the water and an onsite marina renting boats and paddleboards. Big Bear Shores RV Resort is an upscale gated lakefront resort on the north shore, and Pine Tree RV Park is the north shore's only full-hookup park open year-round. For public camping, San Bernardino National Forest runs the developed Serrano Campground near the lake with some hookup sites, plus no-hookup forest options like Pineknot above the village and rustic Holcomb Valley higher up. Lakefront private parks suit big rigs; the forest sites tilt smaller.

The private parks do. Holloway's Marina, Big Bear Shores, and Pine Tree RV Park all offer full hookups with water, sewer, and electric, several right on the lake. On the public side it is more limited: Serrano Campground in the San Bernardino National Forest has some sites with water and electric hookups along with flush toilets, showers, and a dump station, while the other forest campgrounds like Pineknot and Holcomb Valley have no hookups at all. So if you want true full hookups, book one of the lakefront private parks, and use Serrano or the rustic forest sites when partial or no hookups work for your rig.

Big Bear is a popular mountain resort, so it is not cheap. Lakefront private full-hookup sites generally run about fifty to ninety dollars a night, with the upscale resorts and summer or ski weekends at the top of that range. The Serrano Campground in the national forest is more moderate, and the no-hookup forest sites like Pineknot and Holcomb Valley are the budget picks, often in the teens to twenties. Rates peak in summer and on winter ski weekends. To save money, camp midweek, use the forest campgrounds when you do not need hookups, and book early so the better-value sites do not sell out.

Book months ahead for summer and ski weekends. Big Bear is one of the closest mountain escapes for the huge Los Angeles and Inland Empire population, so the lakefront full-hookup sites and the Serrano forest campground fill fast for summer, and the year-round private parks fill for winter ski weekends. National-forest sites book through Recreation.gov, often up to six months out, and go quickly for peak dates. If you are flexible, midweek stays and the spring and fall shoulders are far easier and cheaper. Holcomb Valley and some forest sites are first-come, but you will want to arrive early on summer weekends to land one.

It is a true four-season destination, so it depends on your plans. Summer, roughly June through September, is the prime lake season, with warm days, cool nights, and the elevation keeping it comfortable when the lowlands bake, though it is busy and pricey. Winter brings skiing at Snow Summit and Bear Mountain, with a real RV scene at the year-round parks, snow, and chain requirements on the roads. Fall is crisp, quiet, and lovely as the forest campgrounds wind down. Spring is cool and variable with late-opening forest sites. For lake time aim for summer; for skiing, winter.

Yes, at the right parks and via the right road. The lakefront private parks like Holloway's Marina and Big Bear Shores handle big rigs with full-hookup sites, and Serrano Campground has larger forest sites. The bigger challenge is the drive up: Big Bear sits high in the San Bernardino Mountains, and the main approaches are steep and winding. With a big rig or trailer, take SR-38 over Onyx Summit, the longer but gentler grade, rather than the steeper SR-18 and SR-330, and go slow watching your brakes. The rustic high-elevation forest sites like Holcomb Valley are small and better for vans and mid-size rigs.

Yes, and it is a real draw. Several parks, including Pine Tree RV Park and Holloway's Marina, stay open year-round, and they fill on winter weekends with skiers and snowboarders headed to Snow Summit and Bear Mountain. You will want a four-season rig set up for the cold, with heated hoses and skirting for a longer stay, since Big Bear gets genuine snow at nearly 6,750 feet. Just as important, carry tire chains and check road conditions, because the mountain highways require chains during storms and can close temporarily. The payoff is ski-in convenience and a snowy alpine setting close to Los Angeles.

Yes, plenty, all in the San Bernardino National Forest. The developed Serrano Campground sits near the north shore with some water-and-electric hookup sites, flush toilets, showers, and a dump station, reservable on Recreation.gov. Pineknot Campground, a short climb above the village near Snow Summit, offers no-hookup pine-forest sites, and rustic Holcomb Valley, higher and quieter in a historic gold-rush area, runs first-come with bear boxes and no water. These public options are cheaper than the lakefront resorts and put you in the forest, though most close for winter. They suit self-contained rigs; for full hookups, stick with the private parks.

A lot, year-round. The seven-mile lake is the centerpiece for boating, fishing, and paddling, but the surrounding San Bernardino National Forest offers hiking, including a stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail and the popular Castle Rock trail, plus mountain biking, much of it lift-served at the ski resorts in summer. In winter, Snow Summit and Bear Mountain are full ski areas. The walkable Village has shops and restaurants and the Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain, and the Big Bear Alpine Zoo rehabilitates rescued mountain wildlife. Add gold-rush history up in Holcomb Valley, and Big Bear easily fills several days in any season.

Some are, some are not. The lakefront private parks like Pine Tree RV Park and Holloway's Marina stay open year-round and cater to the winter ski crowd as well as summer lake visitors. The national-forest campgrounds, including Serrano, Pineknot, and Holcomb Valley, are seasonal, typically open spring through fall and closed for the snowy winter. So winter camping here means a year-round private park and a cold-ready rig, while summer opens up the full range of forest and lakefront options. Always confirm dates with your specific campground, and remember the mountain roads can require chains and occasionally close in winter storms.

Big Bear sits high in the San Bernardino Mountains, so the drive up is the main consideration. From the Inland Empire, SR-330 connects to SR-18, the steep and winding "Rim of the World" highway, while SR-38 from Redlands climbs more gently over Onyx Summit and is the route generally recommended for big rigs and trailers. Take whichever you choose slowly, watch your engine and brakes on the grades, and carry tire chains in winter. Once on the mountain, the parks ring the lake on paved roads. San Bernardino and Redlands, about an hour down, have full services, and Ontario airport handles fly-and-rent trips.

It is the main one. Big Bear sits at the heart of the San Bernardino Mountains with the lake, two ski resorts, and the national forest all right there, so you can base at a lakefront or forest campground and fill days with water sports, hiking, biking, or skiing depending on the season. The nearby Pacific Crest Trail, Castle Rock, and Holcomb Valley add backcountry and history close at hand, and the walkable Village covers dining and shopping. Because it is only a couple of hours from Los Angeles yet feels like a true alpine town, Big Bear makes a comfortable, scenic mountain home base year-round.

Yes. The lakefront private parks have full hookups with sewer at the site, and the Serrano Campground in the national forest has a dump station, so if you are staying at any of them you can empty tanks before you leave. Staying a while and need to empty your tanks between trips? See our guide to RV dump stations in Big Bear Lake for the full list of options in the area. If you are camping the no-hookup forest sites like Pineknot or Holcomb Valley, plan to use the dump station at Serrano or a private park, since those rustic sites have only vault toilets.

For lakefront full hookups, Holloway's Marina & RV Park is a top pick, with 115 full-hookup sites right on the water and an onsite marina renting boats and paddleboards. Big Bear Shores RV Resort is an upscale gated lakefront resort on the north shore, and Pine Tree RV Park is the north shore's only full-hookup park open year-round. For public camping, San Bernardino National Forest runs the developed Serrano Campground near the lake with some hookup sites, plus no-hookup forest options like Pineknot above the village and rustic Holcomb Valley higher up. Lakefront private parks suit big rigs; the forest sites tilt smaller.

The private parks do. Holloway's Marina, Big Bear Shores, and Pine Tree RV Park all offer full hookups with water, sewer, and electric, several right on the lake. On the public side it is more limited: Serrano Campground in the San Bernardino National Forest has some sites with water and electric hookups along with flush toilets, showers, and a dump station, while the other forest campgrounds like Pineknot and Holcomb Valley have no hookups at all. So if you want true full hookups, book one of the lakefront private parks, and use Serrano or the rustic forest sites when partial or no hookups work for your rig.

Big Bear is a popular mountain resort, so it is not cheap. Lakefront private full-hookup sites generally run about fifty to ninety dollars a night, with the upscale resorts and summer or ski weekends at the top of that range. The Serrano Campground in the national forest is more moderate, and the no-hookup forest sites like Pineknot and Holcomb Valley are the budget picks, often in the teens to twenties. Rates peak in summer and on winter ski weekends. To save money, camp midweek, use the forest campgrounds when you do not need hookups, and book early so the better-value sites do not sell out.

Book months ahead for summer and ski weekends. Big Bear is one of the closest mountain escapes for the huge Los Angeles and Inland Empire population, so the lakefront full-hookup sites and the Serrano forest campground fill fast for summer, and the year-round private parks fill for winter ski weekends. National-forest sites book through Recreation.gov, often up to six months out, and go quickly for peak dates. If you are flexible, midweek stays and the spring and fall shoulders are far easier and cheaper. Holcomb Valley and some forest sites are first-come, but you will want to arrive early on summer weekends to land one.

It is a true four-season destination, so it depends on your plans. Summer, roughly June through September, is the prime lake season, with warm days, cool nights, and the elevation keeping it comfortable when the lowlands bake, though it is busy and pricey. Winter brings skiing at Snow Summit and Bear Mountain, with a real RV scene at the year-round parks, snow, and chain requirements on the roads. Fall is crisp, quiet, and lovely as the forest campgrounds wind down. Spring is cool and variable with late-opening forest sites. For lake time aim for summer; for skiing, winter.

Yes, at the right parks and via the right road. The lakefront private parks like Holloway's Marina and Big Bear Shores handle big rigs with full-hookup sites, and Serrano Campground has larger forest sites. The bigger challenge is the drive up: Big Bear sits high in the San Bernardino Mountains, and the main approaches are steep and winding. With a big rig or trailer, take SR-38 over Onyx Summit, the longer but gentler grade, rather than the steeper SR-18 and SR-330, and go slow watching your brakes. The rustic high-elevation forest sites like Holcomb Valley are small and better for vans and mid-size rigs.

Yes, and it is a real draw. Several parks, including Pine Tree RV Park and Holloway's Marina, stay open year-round, and they fill on winter weekends with skiers and snowboarders headed to Snow Summit and Bear Mountain. You will want a four-season rig set up for the cold, with heated hoses and skirting for a longer stay, since Big Bear gets genuine snow at nearly 6,750 feet. Just as important, carry tire chains and check road conditions, because the mountain highways require chains during storms and can close temporarily. The payoff is ski-in convenience and a snowy alpine setting close to Los Angeles.

Yes, plenty, all in the San Bernardino National Forest. The developed Serrano Campground sits near the north shore with some water-and-electric hookup sites, flush toilets, showers, and a dump station, reservable on Recreation.gov. Pineknot Campground, a short climb above the village near Snow Summit, offers no-hookup pine-forest sites, and rustic Holcomb Valley, higher and quieter in a historic gold-rush area, runs first-come with bear boxes and no water. These public options are cheaper than the lakefront resorts and put you in the forest, though most close for winter. They suit self-contained rigs; for full hookups, stick with the private parks.

A lot, year-round. The seven-mile lake is the centerpiece for boating, fishing, and paddling, but the surrounding San Bernardino National Forest offers hiking, including a stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail and the popular Castle Rock trail, plus mountain biking, much of it lift-served at the ski resorts in summer. In winter, Snow Summit and Bear Mountain are full ski areas. The walkable Village has shops and restaurants and the Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain, and the Big Bear Alpine Zoo rehabilitates rescued mountain wildlife. Add gold-rush history up in Holcomb Valley, and Big Bear easily fills several days in any season.

Some are, some are not. The lakefront private parks like Pine Tree RV Park and Holloway's Marina stay open year-round and cater to the winter ski crowd as well as summer lake visitors. The national-forest campgrounds, including Serrano, Pineknot, and Holcomb Valley, are seasonal, typically open spring through fall and closed for the snowy winter. So winter camping here means a year-round private park and a cold-ready rig, while summer opens up the full range of forest and lakefront options. Always confirm dates with your specific campground, and remember the mountain roads can require chains and occasionally close in winter storms.

Big Bear sits high in the San Bernardino Mountains, so the drive up is the main consideration. From the Inland Empire, SR-330 connects to SR-18, the steep and winding "Rim of the World" highway, while SR-38 from Redlands climbs more gently over Onyx Summit and is the route generally recommended for big rigs and trailers. Take whichever you choose slowly, watch your engine and brakes on the grades, and carry tire chains in winter. Once on the mountain, the parks ring the lake on paved roads. San Bernardino and Redlands, about an hour down, have full services, and Ontario airport handles fly-and-rent trips.

It is the main one. Big Bear sits at the heart of the San Bernardino Mountains with the lake, two ski resorts, and the national forest all right there, so you can base at a lakefront or forest campground and fill days with water sports, hiking, biking, or skiing depending on the season. The nearby Pacific Crest Trail, Castle Rock, and Holcomb Valley add backcountry and history close at hand, and the walkable Village covers dining and shopping. Because it is only a couple of hours from Los Angeles yet feels like a true alpine town, Big Bear makes a comfortable, scenic mountain home base year-round.

Yes. The lakefront private parks have full hookups with sewer at the site, and the Serrano Campground in the national forest has a dump station, so if you are staying at any of them you can empty tanks before you leave. Staying a while and need to empty your tanks between trips? See our guide to RV dump stations in Big Bear Lake for the full list of options in the area. If you are camping the no-hookup forest sites like Pineknot or Holcomb Valley, plan to use the dump station at Serrano or a private park, since those rustic sites have only vault toilets.

Yes — there are free RV waste disposal options available near Big Bear Lake.