A white Tacoma with a camper shell parked on a rise above a broad, empty basin under building cloud.

Forest Service group campground

Bluff Mesa Group Camp

Forest Service group campground in San Bernardino National Forest, San Bernardino County, California. 4.6 miles from Big Bear Lake.

Managed by
Forest Service San Bernardino National Forest
Sites
1 1 group standard non-electric
Longest rig
19 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov

Overview

Bluff Mesa Group Campground is conveniently located for campers to enjoy all the beautiful Big Bear Lake area has to offer. A variety of trailheads are nearby, leading visitors through the scenic forest that surrounds the campground.

Recreation

A variety of hiking and mountain biking trails can be accessed from the campground, and rock climbing routes can be found nearby.

Fishing, boating and swimming at Big Bear Lake are popular activities. Anglers can look forward to trout, bluegill, crappie, catfish and largemouth bass, among other fish. The lake is less than 10 miles from the campground.

Facilities

The campground offers one large group site for tents. It can accommodate up to 40 people and eight vehicles and is accessed by a dirt road. The site is equipped with picnic tables, grills and campfire circle.

Vault toilets are provided. Drinking water, utility hookups and trash collection are not available. Parking surfaces are gravel.

Natural Features

The campground is located 45 miles from San Bernardino at an elevation of 6,800 feet. It is accessed via a dirt road, and is nestled in a secluded, mixed conifer forest with a grassy understory. Mature trees provide much shade throughout the area, but open meadows are also available.

Nearby Attractions

The Big Bear Discovery Center is located about 10 miles from the campground, on the other side of Big Bear Lake. A visitor center, interpretive trails and educational programs are available, as well as accessible flush restroom facilities.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • biking
  • boating
  • camping
  • climbing
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • swimming site
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Bluff Mesa Group Camp

The ringed pin is this group campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in. The federal record’s point for it sits at a very different height from the one the agency describes, so the pin may be off: trust the directions above over the map.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated August 11, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.