Black Mountain (San Bernardino)

Po Box 518, Idyllwild, California, United States
Black Mountain Campground sign with trees in the background.
Picnic benches and fire ring.
Forest trail leading to campsite.
Down slopping hill with trees.
Parking area.

Featured amenities

Parking Parking
Picnic Table Picnic Table
Restrooms Restrooms
Fire Pit Fire Pit
View all amenities

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

Fishing

Year-round
Hiking

Hiking

Year-round

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 Parking
Picnic Table Picnic Table
Restrooms Restrooms
Fire Pit Fire Pit
Water and Hygiene

Water and Hygiene

  • Potable Water
  • Restrooms
Cooking and Fire

Cooking and Fire

  • Picnic Table
  • BBQ
  • Fire Pit
Parking and Transport

Parking and Transport

  • Parking
On Site Services

On Site Services

  • Fish Cleaning Station
Missing information?

Reviews

17 reviews

Summary

AI generated

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

Write a review
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

Sort by: Newest First
Newest First Oldest First

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.

Helpful

christiana a

August 12, 2021

Wonderful campground. I've hosted a campout there several times. It was especially nice, this time, to have trash cans down near the tables in addition to the location by the toilets.

Helpful

christiana a

August 12, 2021

Wonderful campground. I've hosted a campout there several times. It was especially nice, this time, to have trash cans down near the tables in addition to the location by the toilets.

Helpful

christiana a

August 12, 2021

Wonderful campground. I've hosted a campout there several times. It was especially nice, this time, to have trash cans down near the tables in addition to the location by the toilets.

Helpful

Cindee K

June 13, 2021

Our favorite group camp! Lovely trees and so quiet. Blake was awesome, so friendly ! The bathrooms were clean, and a bit smelly.

Helpful

Cindee K

June 13, 2021

Our favorite group camp! Lovely trees and so quiet. Blake was awesome, so friendly ! The bathrooms were clean, and a bit smelly.

Helpful

Cindee K

June 13, 2021

Our favorite group camp! Lovely trees and so quiet. Blake was awesome, so friendly ! The bathrooms were clean, and a bit smelly.

Helpful

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...

Nearest town

Idyllwild, CA - 14 mi

About 45 min to downtown

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

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Nearby destinations

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6 mi away

City
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Idyllwild

7 mi away

Day trip
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City

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

Learn more about Idyllwild

Idyllwild, CA

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