A dark green Toyota pickup with a roof tent parked in tall dry grass as mist closes in.

Forest Service group campground

Heart Bar Equestrian

Forest Service group campground in San Bernardino National Forest, San Bernardino County, California. 8.5 miles from Big Bear Lake.

Managed by
Forest Service San Bernardino National Forest
Sites
1 1 group standard non-electric
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov

Overview

The Heart Bar Equestrian Campground is available by reservation and is for equestrian campers only. It provides access to some of Southern California's greatest backcountry horseback riding trails and a variety of other recreational opportunities in the surrounding area as well.

Recreation

A variety of horseback riding trails can be found near the campground, including the famed Santa Ana River Trail, which is also popular among hikers and bikers and provides miles of scenic mountain views.

The Wildhorse Creek Trail, which explores 5 miles of rolling terrain in the area, is accessed just north of the campground and leads to a remote camping area south of Wildhorse Meadow, climbing nearly 1,100 feet in elevation.Creek fishing is also available nearby.

Facilities

The campground offers one large-group campsite, available for tent or RV camping. The site can accommodate up to 65 people and 21 vehicles, as well as a large number of horses. Only campers with horses will be permitted at the campground.

The campground is equipped with corrals for 40 horses, multiple tables, a campfire circle and grills. Firewood is available for purchase at the adjacent Heart Bar Campground. Accessible flush toilets, showers and drinking water are provided at the campground.

Natural Features

The campground is located in the pine-covered mountains of Southern California, at an elevation of 6,880 feet. It is not far from the Big Bear Lake, but far enough to retain a remote and secluded atmosphere.

Nearby Attractions

The Big Bear Lake and its adjoining town are located approximately 20 miles from the campground, offering a variety of water-related recreation opportunities, as well as golf, shopping and restaurant options.

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

What people do here

  • biking
  • camping
  • hiking
  • horse camping
  • horseback riding

The land around Heart Bar Equestrian

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.