Big Bear, CA labor day weekend dispersed campsites?

MoreGone

MoreGone

Rank V
Launch Member

Advocate III

2,049
Mesa, AZ
Member #

10594

Got a couple friends who would like to make a trip to Big Bear over labor day weekend. We're meeting there coming from Phoenix and San Francisco.

I'm aware of the Yellow Post sites having stayed at one last year passing through, but with the holiday weekend I wouldn't want to bank on getting one.

Can anyone recommend any other dispersed camping in the area?

Thanks
 
Crappy part is that no yellow post site = no fire but there a few really cool spots that are very open with good views along allot of the forest roads. I'll see if I can find my favorite and post it up here.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MoreGone
tstead60 said:
Crappy part is that no yellow post site = no fire but there a few really cool spots that are very open with good views along allot of the forest roads. I'll see if I can find my favorite and post it up here.
Click to expand...
Didn't realize that was a factor. Thanks for mentioning it. So you can camp elsewhere but just without a camp fire?

We had a pretty amazing spot last year but it wasn't a Yellow Post spot. They were all taken. We thought we were camping against the rules. We didn't have a camp fire but still thought it wasn't permitted since it wasn't a Yellow Post.

But on day 10 of an 11 day trip we were too exhausted to keep looking.

Pic of a view as we rolled into camp 20180710_200010_HDR.jpeg
 
tstead60 said:
National Forest you can essentially camp anywhere as long as it's a certain distance from the road. And you can only have fires in established fire rings and such .

So for dispersed camping this means yellow post sites only
Click to expand...



I'm confused. You say, "essentially camp anywhere...". Then you say yellow post only.

Which is it, anywhere or yellow post?

What exactly is a yellow post site (maybe why I'm confused)?
 
Superduty said:
I'm confused. You say, "essentially camp anywhere...". Then you say yellow post only.

Which is it, anywhere or yellow post?

What exactly is a yellow post site (maybe why I'm confused)?
Click to expand...
Believe he was saying dispersed camping with fire =Yellow Post only

Otherwise there is plenty of open dispersed camping without fire pits
 
Keep in mind that even Yellow Post sites are very often under burn restrictions. There is a difference between a "Developed Recreational" site and a Yellow Post site. Developed recreational sites are basically campgrounds. Make sure to have a California campfire permit even if you are just going to use a gas stove outside a developed recreational site.

Get a permit here Prevent Wildfire - California Campfire Permit Online

Current fire restrictions San Bernardino National Forest - Outdoor Safety & Ethics
 
  • Like
Reactions: MoreGone
Brewbud said:
Keep in mind that even Yellow Post sites are very often under burn restrictions. There is a difference between a "Developed Recreational" site and a Yellow Post site. Developed recreational sites are basically campgrounds. Make sure to have a California campfire permit even if you are just going to use a gas stove outside a developed recreational site.

Get a permit here Prevent Wildfire - California Campfire Permit Online

Current fire restrictions San Bernardino National Forest - Outdoor Safety & Ethics
Click to expand...
Much appreciated!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Brewbud
Brewbud said:
Keep in mind that even Yellow Post sites are very often under burn restrictions. There is a difference between a "Developed Recreational" site and a Yellow Post site. Developed recreational sites are basically campgrounds. Make sure to have a California campfire permit even if you are just going to use a gas stove outside a developed recreational site.

Get a permit here Prevent Wildfire - California Campfire Permit Online

Current fire restrictions San Bernardino National Forest - Outdoor Safety & Ethics
Click to expand...

From the fire restrictions listed at that link it looks like you can't even use a cooking stove except at developed camp grounds, unless I'm reading wrong.
 
mk-Zero said:
From the fire restrictions listed at that link it looks like you can't even use a cooking stove except at developed camp grounds, unless I'm reading wrong.
Click to expand...

Eating warm food is over rated anyways /s

I'll have to check into it. I haven't followed the links yet
 
Yeah, I hope I'm reading it wrong/misinterpreting it. Have a look and see what you guys think it says.

I'd really like to go camping in Big Bear but mostly in dispersed areas. Not sure I'd want to do it though without being able to heat food up...
 
mk-Zero said:
From the fire restrictions listed at that link it looks like you can't even use a cooking stove except at developed camp grounds, unless I'm reading wrong.
Click to expand...

As long as the stove has a shutoff (ie no alcohol stoves) and you have a campfire permit you can use the stove in dispersed camping.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mk-Zero and MoreGone
I'm heading up to Big Bear tomorrow, we're just going to wing it for dispersed camping. Be sure to get your fire permit for stoves, it's an easy online process: Prevent Wild Fire | Campfire Permit. Half of the adventure is not knowin' where you're goin'. No yellow sites means no campfires but I can respect that and my and my two boys are okay with that, as long as we can get out and not be right next to others!
 
Some good dispersed camping over labor day weekend in Big Bear. I stayed away from the common jeep trails (one group I saw said that those trails were all jammed up over the weekend) and took to the off-trails. It was surprisingly uncrowded and quiet.

2N10 (south of Big Bear Lake, behind Snow Summit ski park) does have some nice spots if you just drive around and keep an eye for turn outs and side trails. It was nice and green there.

I found a nice site off of 3N17 (north of Big Bear Lake) with a good view of Lucerne/Hisperia valley. North of the lake isn't my favorite, it's a bit more barren and desert-like with rocks, shale, etc. But it was nice view, especially at night with lightning storms to the east and the lights in the valley to the north. That was a bit of a not-too-interesting drive so not sure if I'd do that again. It was a bit windy but the JB RTT never fails in the wind. The Kinsmen awning did awesome in the wind as well, which is pretty good for not having any support poles. Knowing that wind can really kick up in the evening especially with the storm coming in, I smartly stowed the awning before going to bed and that ended up being a really good decision since some stronger winds came in over night and I didn't have to worry about the awning at that point.

I'd love to come back in the spring when there's some snow out there.

Note: you'll need an Adventure Pass permit if you're camping/parking on the trails. Annual pass is just $35 and you can get that at Big Bear visitor center just off of Big Bear Blvd. Good tip: if the parking lot is full there's 10min parking right next to visitor center and it's easy to pop in to get permit.

bigbear-labor-day-weekend - 2.jpg

bigbear-labor-day-weekend - 1.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: SgtMac, SWDudley, MysticZT4R and 3 others
Hi,
We are heading up to Big Bear for dispersed camping on Friday- should arrive by 3. Any suggestions on secluded sites with nice scenery? Thanks
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom