Jun D
July 23, 2026
Campsite was well maintained and very accommodating for a big group.
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About Black Mountain (San Bernardino)
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.
Activities & Attractions
Nearby
Fishing
Year-round
Hiking
Year-round
Year-round
Fishing
Nearby
Hiking
Nearby
Seasonal information
2026
(Current year)
2026 Season availability
Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Currently closed
Campground Amenities
Most popular amenities
Parking
Picnic Table
Restrooms
Fire Pit
Water and Hygiene
- Potable Water
- Restrooms
Cooking and Fire
- Picnic Table
- BBQ
- Fire Pit
Parking and Transport
- Parking
On Site Services
- Fish Cleaning Station
Missing information?
Reviews
17 reviews
Summary
Black Mountain offers a beautiful and spacious campsite, ideal for larger groups, with nice features like gendered pit toilets and a secure entrance. However, access requires a high-clearance, four-wheel-drive vehicle due to a poorly maintained and challenging dirt road. Overall, while the site itself is enjoyable, some visitors found the road conditions and reservation management to detract from their experience.
Based on guest feedback
3.9
Overall rating
Based on 17 reviews
5 stars
47.1% (8)
4 stars
17.6% (3)
3 stars
17.6% (3)
2 stars
17.6% (3)
1 star
0.0% (0)
Showing 17 reviews
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Oliver O
July 15, 2026
Nice and secluded, absolutely massive area. Road was rough but someone in my group made it in a camry so not impassable (just be careful).
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Lian L
October 14, 2024
The site was nice, the road up to the site was incredibly difficult. it says 4 wheel drive 'recommended' this is a must, and a high clearance vehicle is ABSOLUTELY NEEDED. cars were heavily scrapped, and the dirt road is NOT maintained well - you're on it for about 6 mi. No fault of the campsite, but apple maps has the site location farther up the road than it is, so use google maps or risk missing the turn off. Also on the user, but make sure to update the reservation if you end up having fewer people (we ended up having about 25, instead of the original 70 and the site would've been much cheaper for fewer people. the site itself is nice, tho not a ton of flat areas for tents. the pit toilets were actually pretty nice, tho would recommend bringing extra TP.
Overall nice, but the road and the damage to cars made the experience .. not great. and would not go again.
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Lian L
October 14, 2024
The site was nice, the road up to the site was incredibly difficult. it says 4 wheel drive 'recommended' this is a must, and a high clearance vehicle is ABSOLUTELY NEEDED. cars were heavily scrapped, and the dirt road is NOT maintained well - you're on it for about 6 mi. No fault of the campsite, but apple maps has the site location farther up the road than it is, so use google maps or risk missing the turn off. Also on the user, but make sure to update the reservation if you end up having fewer people (we ended up having about 25, instead of the original 70 and the site would've been much cheaper for fewer people. the site itself is nice, tho not a ton of flat areas for tents. the pit toilets were actually pretty nice, tho would recommend bringing extra TP.
Overall nice, but the road and the damage to cars made the experience .. not great. and would not go again.
Helpful
Lian L
October 14, 2024
The site was nice, the road up to the site was incredibly difficult. it says 4 wheel drive 'recommended' this is a must, and a high clearance vehicle is ABSOLUTELY NEEDED. cars were heavily scrapped, and the dirt road is NOT maintained well - you're on it for about 6 mi. No fault of the campsite, but apple maps has the site location farther up the road than it is, so use google maps or risk missing the turn off. Also on the user, but make sure to update the reservation if you end up having fewer people (we ended up having about 25, instead of the original 70 and the site would've been much cheaper for fewer people. the site itself is nice, tho not a ton of flat areas for tents. the pit toilets were actually pretty nice, tho would recommend bringing extra TP.
Overall nice, but the road and the damage to cars made the experience .. not great. and would not go again.
Helpful
Tyann A
July 8, 2024
I went with only one other person and it is certainly a massive and beautiful site. There is a lock to get in which is cool and gendered pit toilets. I would say if a ton of tents were here it may be tricky to find a bunch of flat spots. Also be ready for a bumpy and long dirt road that may get tougher in the rain. Overall, this is a super pretty campsite that gives you a quiet and spacious area. Definitely worth the money if you have a big group
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Tyann A
July 8, 2024
I went with only one other person and it is certainly a massive and beautiful site. There is a lock to get in which is cool and gendered pit toilets. I would say if a ton of tents were here it may be tricky to find a bunch of flat spots. Also be ready for a bumpy and long dirt road that may get tougher in the rain. Overall, this is a super pretty campsite that gives you a quiet and spacious area. Definitely worth the money if you have a big group
Helpful
Tyann A
July 8, 2024
I went with only one other person and it is certainly a massive and beautiful site. There is a lock to get in which is cool and gendered pit toilets. I would say if a ton of tents were here it may be tricky to find a bunch of flat spots. Also be ready for a bumpy and long dirt road that may get tougher in the rain. Overall, this is a super pretty campsite that gives you a quiet and spacious area. Definitely worth the money if you have a big group
Helpful
Claire B
June 26, 2023
This is an amazing campground. Very beautiful, but when we go there the gates were locked so we couldn't drive into the site and had to carry all of our camping gear in. Given that we paid for the site and we were planning on car camping with a bunch of little kids it was pretty frustrating. It is also not a quick drive back down the road to the ranger station given the road conditions. I would check ahead with the ranger station in Idyllwild before booking this campground again.
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Claire B
June 26, 2023
This is an amazing campground. Very beautiful, but when we go there the gates were locked so we couldn't drive into the site and had to carry all of our camping gear in. Given that we paid for the site and we were planning on car camping with a bunch of little kids it was pretty frustrating. It is also not a quick drive back down the road to the ranger station given the road conditions. I would check ahead with the ranger station in Idyllwild before booking this campground again.
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Location & Directions for Black Mountain (San Bernardino)
Po Box 518, Idyllwild, CA 92549 United States
Elevation: 2,286 ft
Getting There
From Idyllwild, California, travel north on Highway 243 about 9 mi. Take a sharp right turn onto Black Mountain Trail/Forest Route 4S01 and continue just over 2 mi. Forest Route 4S01 turns slightly left and becomes Black Mountain Truck Trail, whic...
From Idyllwild, California, travel north on Highway 243 about 9 mi. Take a sharp right turn onto Black Mountain Trail/Forest Route 4S01 and continue just over 2 mi. Forest Route 4S01 turns slightly left and becomes Black Mountain Truck Trail, which leads to the campground.
Highway access
The campground is accessible via Highway 243 from Idyllwild, California, which connects to nearby roads.
Near Joshua Tree National Park
The closest entrance is: West Entrance Station
Approximate drive: 39.9 mi · over 1 hr (68 min)
Policies & Rules
Cancellation policy
- Reservation fees are non-refundable. For campsites, cabins, lookouts, yurts, group sites, and similar stays, we charge a reservation service fee of $8.
- Standard cancellations usually have a $10 cancellation fee. Customers can generally cancel before the check-in date online.
- Late cancellation rules differ by stay type.
- Individual campsites: cancelling after 12:00am local time the day before arrival usually means a $10 cancellation fee plus forfeiting the first night's fee.
- Cabins, lookouts, and yurts: cancelling less than 14 days before arrival usually means a $10 cancellation fee plus forfeiting the first night's fee.
- One-night reservations: a late cancellation usually forfeits the full amount paid, up to the total original reservation cost.
- Modifications are allowed before the cut-off window, but fees depend on the change. Changing to dates completely outside the original reservation dates may trigger a $10 change fee. Extending or shortening a stay that still includes original dates usually has no change fee, though refunds may depend on timing and facility rules. Switching to the same type of campsite for the same dates usually has no change fee, but price differences are charged or refunded.
- Early departures may or may not be refunded. At certain facilities, partial refunds may be possible if staff can mark the site available for other visitors. No refund is given for a night if the early departure is requested after that day's check-out time.
- Security deposits are separate. Security deposits may be refunded to the original payment method if the facility is left in acceptable condition, as determined by the property.
Fires & fuel
- Check for fire restrictions and only use approved fire rings for wood and charcoal fires.
- To protect forests, buy firewood locally and burn it on-site; do not move firewood.
Utilities
- No water is provided; bring your own containers for potable water from a nearby natural spring.
General
- Click here for more information on the San Bernardino National Forest
Nearby Campgrounds
Nearby destinations
Last updated: October 7, 2026
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Explore Idyllwild, CA
Nearby city: San Jacinto, CA
Approx. 13 mi away (straight-line distance)
Elevation: 5,253 ft
Idyllwild, CA
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Managed by the USDA Forest Service