It's a beautiful campground, but I got confused: This review is of the neighboring campground:…read morePineknot.....At first, it's strange that you go down a long residential street and then up to the Ski ramps, but you make a left and go down another road to the camp. Do not get a site by the front road. Get a site in the center or back, and you'll be surrounded by a forest. The camp host is great, helpful, and keeps everything very clean. Now, this campground, Serrano is also beautiful, but doesn't feel as foresty as the I stayed at because there aren't as many pines, BUT there are showers, and that's why we came here before 8pm daily, for $5 a person.

This was our first time camping here after struggling to get a reservation after many years. We…read moredidn't have much of a choice for our campsite, but FWIW, the campsite was still pretty clutch. We were close to showers and bathrooms, and our neighbors on both sides were very polite and pretty quiet (or kept to themselves; not blasting music or being overly loud). We were close to the lake so we were able to walk and check it out. Camp hosts were around to keep the bathrooms clean and to be around for any questions. If you walk around, you might see a camp host selling firewood at their site, which was really helpful so you didn't have to drive all the way to the front to purchase more. Overall, loved our stay. I am not sure if we would camp here again, but still enjoyed our time here. Thank you!

I was very surprised how quiet this campground was. Also clean. Had the beautiful experience of…read moretwo coyotes strolling through our campsite, not scared or aggressive just peaceful. The issues I had were people tying things to the trees leaving huge grooves in the bark, wood gathering, and too many cars and people in campsites. We had a group of about twelve next to us they did have two sites but all stayed at one site with 6 vehicles. Also no campground etiquette... please don't journey through my site. Teach your kids better... I will return as I did like the campground!

PINEKNOT FAMILY CAMPGROUND @ BIG BEAR…read more NOTE: bring hand soap, dish soap, etc! There are bathrooms provided but no sanitizing! Parking is available for only two spots in each lot you end up purchasing, it was super easy to park, our lot was 46, so it was a bit of a drive. It was a very friendly area, there was a fire place, a table, and even a stoned cabinet (to store food, etc). The place itself is very close to all the popular lakes and spots. The only downside was that you might not get a lot of sleep, there are many kids there who were keeping people up even at 5am... maybe it's the family itself! But definitely be aware there might be noises and loudness since it's very family friendly! Overall, i'd definitely come back, it was about $120 for two nights!

It's so peaceful, clean and beautiful! We love camping here and so relaxing!! There is tent or RV…read moresites, no hookups but there is a pay dump station if needed. The camp hosts are so nice and friendly. Thank you!

I've camped here a few times and it's always a good experience. Not too far from LA and Highway 38…read moreis a much easier drive than Highway 18 going to Big Bear in my opinion. Flush toilets and free showers available (both are generally clean with adequate hot water to shower with, and you'll see the "off duty" host clean them every day, but their condition will be highly dependent on your neighbors). There are a few hiking trail options during your stay: from inside the campground, if you follow the trail by the entrance/the hosts' RVs, to the right, a quick scurry across the highway, there's a mile long hike up to Jenks Lake. If you go left, you'll go through a few other campsites, then an amphitheater, and then an overlook area with a picnic table. There are a few loops in the trees behind the campgrounds, but I'm not sure where they lead as I just turned around eventually. The east loop (1-22) feels more spread out and private although there aren't really too many decent places to hang a hammock in most spots. The west loop (23+) feels a little closer together (but also not bad) with a lot more trees for shade and to hang hammocks. The west loop also tends to have more RVs and generator users for whatever reason though. I've mostly stayed on the east loop and would suggest bringing a canopy for shade. Even though the temperature may not seem that high, the sun is HOT, and is a little unbearable around 1 PM - 3 PM. Surprisingly, bugs are mostly a non issue even in the summer. Bundles of firewood for sale if conditions allow. $10 a bundle as of 07/2025 cash only. Expect each bundle to last about an hour. The host will go around selling however many fits on their cart or you can just drive your car up to the active host and fill your trunk. Big Bear is also a 30 minute drive away.

The campground is clean and beautiful. It does have water available but the spigot close to us was…read morebroken. But there were 2 close by. The hosts came by both nights with wood. Great service! We would come back again!

I love camping here. The restrooms were clean, hot showers. Clean campground. Great Hosts, they…read morelove what they do, they are very helpful when it comes to things to do in the local area. The campground was quiet. This was my third time here, and will be back again to celebrate my Birthday next year again.

My favorite place in the world! I always have an amazing time, the staff is always super friendly…read moreand helpful!

I went to De Beneville more than 50+ years ago. I was already fully engulfed in anti war and racial…read moreissues. Also, I had grown up in the Unitarian Church. But, my week(?) was mind blowing. The counselors really dug through very important issues of the times. It is also where I met Luis Javier Rodriguez. He was a tough guy back then, but, I knew he was special. We stayed in touch for a while....but kind of lost the connection. It has been great to see him on Sub Stack. Always Running Robin Field

Brought our Scout Troop here for a camping weekend and couldn't have been more pleased. The place…read moreis clean and well kept, with plenty of trails and places to see near by. They also have many spots designated as "first come first serve" which is nice as that means you have a good chance of just showing up on the fly and getting a spot if needed. In all I was certainly pleased, and we will most certainly be returning. :)

This was a beautiful campground just 10-15 minutes from the Lake and about the same amount of time…read morefrom town. Many of the camp sites were very large which was great for groups. One downside is the last 2 miles getting into the campground is unpaved and was a bit rough with a camper but we made it. We'd definitely camp here again

I will definitely return to this beautiful, safe, clean, quiet RV resort surrounded by pines. 5…read moreminute walk to Big Bear Lake and bike/walking path. The owner and on-site manager are friendly and genuinely care about their guests. They made me feel like family. Reserved one month and stayed two. Thanks for the wonderful stay.

Small rv Park, most are residents, super quiet, large spots, super clean bathrooms, fire pits and…read morepicnic tables in each spot, lots of shade, manager very friendly and helpful, short walk to the lake

Use to go here in the 80s and my parents would join us along with my sister…read more Loved the mountain air but our favorite was to go down by the stream and watch the beavers at sunset

Wonderful as always. M&Ms are the best hosts! Clean bathrooms, knowledgeable of the area. Nice…read moresites. One of my favorite campgrounds,!

I meant to post a review of this charming family campground earlier. We had been planning a camping…read moretrip over Labor Day weekend in Los Angeles National Forest, but then we realized there would be a heat wave leading to 100 plus degree weather. Our planned trip was a no-go. Our eight year old son was very disappointed. We brainstormed Big Bear as a place to go, as it would be a relatively balmy 85 degrees. Only problem was, I couldn't find any openings at any of the Big Bear campgrounds for the busy Labor Day weekend. I looked and looked, and finally found Camp Tanda. Before Covid, it was a Christian camp that only catered to large groups and kids' camps. During these times, they adapted for small families. I was happy to find they had one opening left for the holiday weekend. Our trip was saved. Our son was excited. The campground is lovely and clean with lots of trees. It's been around for seventy years, so the cabins have a rustic, vintage feel. We tent camped in a lovely spot near the kitchen building. Everything was very clean. There are restroom facilities, potable water, and hot showers available. There is also a basketball court, volleyball net, ping pong tables, and horse shoe game. The price is very affordable. The lady running the camp was very kind, bending over backwards to make sure we had all we needed. She provided a shade tent at no extra charge, and gave us a s'mores kit our first night there! Things to be aware of: This was and still is a Christian camp. No alcohol, drugs, or weapons of any kind are allowed. Very strict no noise between 10pm and 8am rule, which suited us fine. The camp is located very close to Big Bear Lake, which meant we could hear Air BnB partiers nearby. It's not fancy. Everything is quite old, but it all works fine. We stayed in tents, but they do have cabins available. Bring warm clothes for nighttime. Not everyone wears masks, but even at full capacity, it was never crowded. Easy to social distance. No campfires allowed, but there is a legal gas campfire from 7-10 pm. If you have a family who likes to camp, this is the place for you. Call or e-mail them for a reservation!

A group of us from church went to camp here and it was a comfortable stay, the gentleman Christian…read moretook care of us. He gave us a tour of the property and took us for a walk to show us how to get to the shore because a couple of the guys wanted to kayak. We really enjoyed out time here at Camp Tanda.

My church was just up there this weekend my church is Compass Bible Church and we had a great time…read morethere. The food was delicious and the cafeteria was very clean. The only complaint I have was the lighting it was hard to find our cabin's but other than that. We had a wonderful time.

Cozy lodges and a peaceful, serene location for a mountain getaway. The archery and BB gun…read moreactivities were my personal favorite but there is also a pool, pickle ball courts, ziplining, and several other activity choices available. My only complaint/warning is the bathrooms in the lodge we were in (Hope Lodge) were very very tiny. Barely anywhere to hang your towel and couldn't open the shower door at the same time as the door into the bathroom.. that's how small it was lol. Other than that, the facilities were overall really great for a church retreat