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

Forest Service campground

Serrano

Forest Service campground in San Bernardino National Forest, San Bernardino County, California. 6,808 feet. 1.7 miles from Big Bear Lake.

Managed by
Forest Service San Bernardino National Forest
Elevation
6,808 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
109 82 standard non-electric, 27 rv electric
Longest rig
40 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
Electric, Water, Sewer
Reservations
Recreation.gov

Overview

Serrano Campground is a beautiful place for campers to come to enjoy beautiful Big Bear Lake. It is a scenic and fairly modern campground that provides access to a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities.

Recreation

Visitors enjoy access to a number of hiking and mountain biking trails found within a short distance of the campground. The Alpine Pedal Path and the Cougar Crest Trail are nearby and provide access to the Pacific Crest Trail. The Big Bear Ranger Station is within a mile of the campground. Rangers can provide maps of the area and answer any questions about trails.

Fishing and boating at Big Bear Lake are popular activities. The campground does not provide direct access to the lake, but a boat ramp is available about a mile away. Anglers can look forward to a possible catch of trout, bass, catfish, carp, bluegill and crappie, among others.

Facilities

The campground offers more than a hundred sites for tent and RV camping. A couple dozen sites provide full utility hookups for RVs and a dump station, with a $10 fee, is located within the campground.

Each site is equipped with tables and campfire rings with grills. Firewood is available for purchase. Accessible flush toilets, showers and drinking water are provided. There is street parking available outside of the campground.

Natural Features

The campground is located in the San Bernardino Mountains, within walking distance of the lake. Accessed by the Rim of the World Scenic Byway, the campground is situated in a mountainous, pine forest setting. Sagebrush grows alongside the paved roads.

Nearby Attractions

The Big Bear Discovery Center is located across the street from the entrance of the campground. 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

  • backpacking
  • biking
  • boating
  • camping
  • canoeing
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • information site
  • interpretive programs
  • paddle boating
  • ranger station
  • star gazing
  • visitor center
  • water sports

The land around Serrano

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

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 September 1, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.