Spent 2 nights/ 3 days here on a weekend (Friday-Sunday) in early July with a party of 4. We were surprised to be able to book a site online less than a week before. When our party arrived at the campsite, the host gave us the option of choosing a different campsite as they said our original site (#11) wasn't great. We camped at spot #74 and it was very spacious with plenty of shade in the afternoon (the mornings were quite hot). There were two dumpster sites a short walk away, and a parking space large enough for our 2 cars (crossover/ hatchback). The potable water pump was also closely accessible across the road. There are no flush toilets at Heart Bar, only vault toilets. However, staff kept the toilet area pretty clean and stocked with toilet paper. Each site has a firepit, picnic table, and bear box. The hosts sell firewood as well. This campground is also dog friendly, and our dogs had a great time. Compared to other campgrounds I've been to, Heart Bar is a lot bigger and feels more secluded and peaceful as there is plenty of space between campsites. I loved it here! Already thinking about when I can make my next trip back. read more

Heart Bar Campground - site #74 - Campgrounds Near Me - San Bernardino, California

No wifi no nothing except Lions, Tigers, and bears! (actually I saw none) Many bathrooms to choose from and no lights. No showers either, you must bring your own solar shower bag or buckets. The camp grounds have a lot of room in between parties so you do not feel so close to each other. The only drawback I found first is the entrance sign is really small and in no time you can miss it. I want to say I missed it the first time because I was hoping to see a bigger sign. Otherwise the campgrounds volunteers were very kind and helpful. Lots of pine trees with so much to explore. I fell in love with this camp site and I highly recommend to take your own trash back home. I found many of the dumpsters the next day full. I do not think it is to much to ask. It was a perfect weekend with a full-moon and it does get a bit chilly at night with thin air. It was really refreshing to get out of the city and relax under so many trees. Our experience was our neighbors were peaceful and kind. if you forget firewood they do sell some on site. extra small car parking fee per night $7. read more

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Loved staying at this campground. Plenty of shade and the staff is super friendly and helpful. Great hiking trails in close proximity. We loved the nearby meadows with little creek. Easy drive up the 38 highway. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3Pf40VTV0nI&feature=youtu.be read more

Getting there: It's faster if you take the 38 through Yucaipa. If you follow that about 30 mins up the mountain you'll run right into the campground. Experience: We only went up for a night with some friends, but it was easy to find and nice and clean. We had so much space at our site. The parking spot is meant for two cars, but we squeezed 3 cars in there (a truck, suv and a buick), however I wouldn't recommend. We were able to set up 3, 2 person tents and a truck tent at our site with plenty of room to spare. I didn't like that the toilets were so dark at night meaning there is no lighting besides the headlamp or flashlight you bring with you. It was pretty scary. Tips: - There are no showers, so bring an outdoor shower. - The bathrooms are just big outhouses with very minimal lighting (scary at night). Bring your own compost toilet if you're not comfortable or if you are bring a toilet kit (toilet paper, wipes, hand sanitizer, etc). - Plan to take only two cars up. There is no room for extra people...I was barely able to fit my suv in the spot. - It can reach low 30s at night so the more blankets the better. We slept in sweatpants and a sweatshirt along with, a sleeping back and 3 big blankets on top and we were still a bit cold. Check the weather before you go up. read more

Love camping here with my horse. Trails are nice when it's summer and needing a break from the valley heat.

Huge sites, lots of trees, wonderfully managed by the campground hosts. We'll be camping here at least once a year maybe more. read more

Some one posted that there are showers at Heart Bar CG but there are no showers at this campground and the toilets are pit. Down the road at Barton Flats CG there are showers and flush toilets but due to Covid the showers are not yet opened. This is however an awesome campground! Most of the sites are well spaced out and if you don't mind being close to your neighbors there are a few sites that have spectacular views of the meadow. I haven't seen them myself but I hear deer like to frequent the meadow. It 's in a great location for hiking trails and far enough off the highway that most vehicle can barely be heard. Great camp hosts and clean facilities. One of my favorite campgrounds! read more

At Site 15 the stench of urine and feces creeps up around 7PM. Watch out for that! Camp host interrupted our dinner to warn us about loudness - we. were. having. dinner. Music wasn't even playing and I know for damn sure our neighbors didn't complain. Around 10pm or so we could hear people having a jolly time at other sites with no trace of camp hosts telling them to cool it. I felt our group was targeted for no reason other than maybe we don't appear to be seasoned campers or WHITE. Doesn't matter. Campsite smells like poo and hosts are bitter and wack. Hard Pass on HeartBar and Barton Flats - these sites don't provide you with a genuine camping experience anyway. read more

Great campground. Friendly, helpful camp hosts. Clean pit toilets. Tables and camp fire rings are well maintained. We opted for the Santa Ana loop because initially tur ADA was the only site available online. Our site had ample space and privacy. The bear locker is a little smaller than I'm used to. Our cooler usually fits vertically into bear lockers but we had to turn it horizontally to get it to fit. Just something to keep in mind if you're camping with other people. My only complaint is, it is close to the main road and you can hear cars throughout the night. Also, the light pollution from the city makes star gazing difficult. I guess it's a trade off, easy access in exchange for road noise. Get outside and enjoy nature. It does wonders for your well being. read more

Heart Bar Campground - Campground map. The entire Santa Ana loop is non reservable. - Campgrounds Near Me - San Bernardino, California

We visited Heart Bar in mid September, the weather was warm during the day and chilly at night, i definitely recommend bringing appropriate clothing. We arrived on Sunday, with no reservation, plenty of open spots. A lot of people reserve a site online but choose a different site once they arrive, so check in with the host first. Kathy, the Camp Host, was very informative, helpful & friendly, firewood is available for $8 a bundle. We were told that Rattlesnakes have not been around for a while, but beware of the coyotes, they can be aggressive, don't leave your dog tied to the picnic table unattended...ever. we did hear them howling at night in the meadow behind our site. This is a very clean campground, except the bathroom smelled like a sewer. I recommend bringing your own potty. There is an Alpine grove that you can walk to a tall grass meadow across the creek directly behind site 70 on the Aspen loop where we stayed. Water pumps are next to each site and dumps are scattered around. Every site has a bear box, picnic table, fire ring & grill. Ants are a problem here, so bring repellent. Every site is shaded & plenty of trees for the hammock. I highly recommend Heart Bar & will be returning. read more

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Beautiful campground and convenient location! Heart Bar Campground is a great place to unwind and enjoy nature while being close to home in the greater Los Angeles area. The camp hosts/staff are very friendly. If you need fire wood, there is wood available for purchase for $8.00. The fire pits are large with a grate to cook on. Please be sure not to leave you fires unattended and always put the fire out before hitting the sack!! There are enclosed pit toilets that are kept pretty clean, but are a bit dark and scary. I would recommend bringing wet wipes and a light when using the restroom. There are water fountains located throughout the campground which is awesome and convenient. I would suggest reserving a site near the water fountains and bringing a bucket to haul water to your site. We usually prefer our site to be located in Aspen Loop due to its proximity to the meadow. But if you're afraid of animals or bears, you are more likely to have encounters here. They have installed bear proof boxes in the past few years in order to prevent bears from getting our food and causing damage. Most of the camp sites provide ample shade and are spaces apart sufficiently in order to maintain privacy between neighboring sites. It is a beautiful campground with many great qualities. Just keep an eye out for the entrance otherwise you might just pass it by!!! read more

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My family & I really enjoyed our camping weekend at Heart Bar. We attempted to get a site at 3 other campgrounds that were sold out. Luckily we found Heart Bar. It's a diamond in a rough. It's not very visible from the main road, so it's easy to miss. Now that we know about this campground, this will be our first choice next time. If you want a quiet, spacious, wilderness experience, this is where you want to camp! If you are looking for amenities, this is not the place for you. No sinks, no flushable toilets, no showers (on our side of the campground). We had an outhouse and running water from a pump nearby - that's it. Our campsite (79) was spacious, private, quiet, partly sunny, partly shady, very clean and had a gorgeous mountain view (see our photos). We loved it! The camp hosts were very welcoming. The campsite is huge and well kept. We loved our experience here. read more

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Roughly two weeks ago I wanted to go camping. I used ReserveAmerica.com to find a campsite in our vicinity, a little too late to be picky about where you might go. In my searching I stumbled upon Heart Bar. I wanted to be near a lake and out in the real forest at a campground without much amenity. Heart Bar turned out to be the perfect place. We started on our way out to Big Bear on Friday at 2 in mid July. It took roughly three hours to get to our campsite from Santa Monica with one stop to get gas and directions in Redlands, CA. We went east on 38 from Redlands and enjoyed the beautiful climb up to 8,000 feet. When you get to about mile marker 30 start watching the right hand side of the road like a hawk. There will be a big brown sign listing out four campgrounds with Heart Bar listed; this is the road you want and it's easy to miss. It's not far from Barton Flats. If you get to mile markers in the 40s, you've gone too far. Cathy, one of the camp hosts, is really wonderful. When I got there I checked in with her and we chatted about 5 minutes about wildlife in the area and the weather. It was 82 degrees but you couldn't tell. We had reserved campsite 11 but she let us know that 3 was also open if we wanted to switch. We went to check out 11 and it wasn't our cup of tea so to speak, not a whole lot of privacy there. We switched to 3 and we're glad we did! Even though it's right at the entrance, it wasn't loud and I liked being next to the camp hosts. They are super chill. Pros: Clean bathrooms, but dark, bring a flashlight Potable/drinkable water all over the place (please bring to your campsite!) Wood for purchase on site Tons of stars and clear at night Extremely quiet and courteous campers HUGE campsites, we walked all four loops and didn't see any that were small Cons: Not a lot of shade during the day so go hang at the lake instead, it's only a 15 - 20 minute drive away Red ants were all over the place at our site during the day The inner loop sites aren't as good as the outer loops Next time we want to do a southern loop near the meadow The northern loops get road noise from 38, but it's barely noticeable or disruptive We had a really great time at Heart Bar and hope to return sooner than later! read more

Heart Bar Campground - Campsite #3, Sugarloaf Loop - Campgrounds Near Me - San Bernardino, California

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Loved this place ! Only a 4 due to dry camping. A definite return place. Great host and respectable neighbors. Yes it was a few weeks before they closed and kinda cold. We use a canapy and propane fire pit. read more

Just a gorgeous, clean wonderful campground. People are respectful and we had lots of privacy. Lots of trails nearby so you can hike all day and fall asleep under the trees & stars. Dog friendly. Couldn't be better! read more

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Fun fact about Camp Heart Bar. This camp used to be a juvenile Probation boot camp style program for the county of San Bernardino. I worked overtime shifts here from 2001-2004. They had two barracks (Able and Bravo) it was open all year round. The juveniles, while being supervised by the probation correction officers, attended onsite classes and maintained local Big Bear camps and trails. I forget what year the county shut down the program, but I was amused to see that it went back to a campground for the public. It is a very nice beautiful campground. I won't tell you all the ghost stories we used to tell the juveniles. Happy camping. read more

Heart Bar Campground - Fun fact - Campgrounds Near Me - San Bernardino, California

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Great campground located in the San Bernadino mountains! Got into the area during sunset and the hosts were out around the grounds. The stopped by our site to welcome us and to complete the necessary paperwork. We booked site 08/09 (double site) in the Sugarloaf Loop. It was double the cost of a normal site; however well worth it, especially if you are sharing the site with friends. It is like a corner spot so neighbors are a decent distance away. Bar Heart is a great find... The bathrooms were kept clean, neighbors were mindful and the night skies were amazing. Recommend this place for a nice weekend getaway - only couple hours away from downtown San Diego! read more

Heart Bar Campground - Sugarloaf Loop, Site 08/09 - Campgrounds Near Me - San Bernardino, California

This was my first time camping in the San Bernardino Mountains and Heart Bar was an excellent choice for the weekend. The camp itself is easy to miss on Highway 38, but can easily be found by simply watching the mile markers along the highway. When you see the 33.5 mile marker - you're there. Once you turn off the highway, the camp will be on your right. If the pavement stops and it becomes a dirt road, you've gone too far. Heart Bar is a pretty large camp which accepts reservations and also keeps some first come-first served sites available. The fees are extremely reasonable and there is also a $5 per vehicle charge for extra cars/trucks. They're very pet-friendly here, which is awesome! The camp has numerous large, mature pines along with a few spruce and cedar trees. The campsites are large enough to accommodate several tents with flat sites and adequate space between everyone. There is also potable water spigots scattered throughout the park and improved pit toilets, which are kept nice and clean - however they do not have lights or skylights, so you will need a flashlight, even in the daytime. The park is divided into four areas, and I couldn't really say one was truly better than another. The areas on the North side are slightly closer to the highway, and we did hear some very minor traffic noise at night, but it wasn't bad at all. The areas on the South side are closer to the head of the Santa Ana River, which at this point is virtually dry. The sites in the center portions of the loops have the water and bathrooms, so you may encounter campers crossing these places to get to the facilities. Something to think about. We stayed in site 12, which had the least amount of trees in the entire park, but it was also one of the largest sites, with space to pitch a dozen tents. The lack of trees at site 12 may be bad news for some, however for stargazers, this is the site you want. It had a gorgeous, open view of the night sky, which at altitude was spectacular. You also had great views of the surrounding mountains and it was close enough to the host site to prevent any noisy Nellies from ruining your camping experience. Since Heart Bar is at the 7000 foot level, it can get pretty chilly here, even in the summer, so make sure you bring a good tent with full fly, your winter bag and possibly a heater. There's no creek or river here, and a pretty decent breeze blows which means there are almost no insects. The only insects we saw were a couple flies and some yellow jackets who were attracted to our food. The camp hosts were excellent! Very friendly and helpful and they will even sell you bundles of firewood from the back of their truck. Nice little touch... Because Heart Bar is advertised as a "family campground" and is pretty nice for kids, you will see a lot of children at this park as well as a few RV queens with loud generators - so consider that if you're looking for a more quiet, intimate setting. Finally, the NPS website states that there's a two-night minimum at this park, but when you're redirected to the reservation site, you can in fact reserve for only one weekend night. That can save you a lot of money. And like most campgrounds, the hosts will waive the $5 per extra vehicle charge if it's a motorcycle - which is nice. Last thing to keep in mind is that this campground is literally 20 miles from civilization, so it's no short trip to town if you need supplies like ice or food. Make sure you bring everything you need the first time. Have fun and enjoy! read more

Heart Bar Campground - Site 12 - Stargazer's Rejoice! - Campgrounds Near Me - San Bernardino, California

A great place to unwind and relax that is not too far from the city! Friendly and very accommodating staff. Definitely looking forward to coming back. read more

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Had a great time here this past weekend! Came in on a Sunday and almost had the whole Santa Ana Loop (non-reservation) section to ourselves! -The restrooms are clean (enough for being in woods) and surprisingly scented very nicely. -The camp host (I didn't catch her name) was very sweet and cracked a little joke about how crucial ice is....for margaritas! Haha truee thatt -We had campsite 88. Slight noise from the street came our way, but you only notice it when there's a good amount of cars driving up/down the hwy. Not too bad tho. Each campsite has it's own picnic table, fire pit, and good amount of trees to just sit n watch jays and squirrels scurry about Even tho the drive into town isn't too far away, the campgrounds payment type is CASH or CHECK ONLY just so ya know! Pack the car and don't be scared of Heart Bar - this was my first time camping and I can only wait for many more times to come :] read more

Heart Bar Campground - Campgrounds Near Me - San Bernardino, California

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Our first time here was mid May 2019. We fell in Love right away. Sites are spread far enough for quiet and privacy. We woke up Sunday to snow and sleet so we stayed an extra night. We have been there every month since. No hookups, clean vault toilets and water close to every site. read more

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I wanted to love this campground because its local. When we went by ourselves family of 3 on a Monday it was nice the host was welcoming and her name was Kathy. When we returned with family 9 of us for the weekend it was another story. It was almost like we were experiencing minor racism by the other two hosts. When I went to buy some wood from them because they never came to check us in I went to the host and bought wood I nicely asked what time was to late to come and the older man had told me until the lights go out and when he went into his RV turned the light off. Then the other guy as I was driving back to the site followed me all the way to my campsite to tell me I was driving too fast in the dark while others were driving very fast and were not told a thing. Next we were just chilling and it was sunset time and we have yet another interruption about our music being too loud and that we had to turn it down, while our neighbors had their music blasting all night long but were not told to bring it down. Lastly, we were leaving early around ten I was not aware check out time was noon and this guy comes again to our site takes our reservation paper off and almost crumbles it in our face as we were packing. It almost felt like we were getting kicked out. We were nice to the guy so I do not know why they were picking on us basically idk if it was because we were brown people of Mexican, and Central American decent, but I'm American just not white. We still enjoyed our time here despite minor interruptions , but I doubt we will be returning because my partner did not appreciate the experience. read more

The valley behind is very pretty with a little stream running next to it. Campsite has running water and vault toilet. Grounds are clean and not crowded. Nearby San Gorgonio and Barton Flats have shower and dump station. read more

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Ruuuuuuuuude hosts, specifically the women. Within our first interaction they didn't introduce themselves or say hi, they made their assumptions about our camping group. Would not stop coming to our site to tell us to quiet down and be respectful, totally micromanaging. We were not louder than some of the other campsites believe me. Only difference is we weren't playing country music... There's a way to speak to people and these women need to take an interpersonal communications class. I'm going to be blunt, if you're white and quiet as a chipmunk, you're going to love this place. read more

What a perfect place...Seriously, can't think of one flaw.. The location, the host and hostess, the place itself... the trails, the gorgeous meadow and mts.. Cant wait to go back ...neither can my furry friend read more

Heart Bar Campground - Campgrounds Near Me - San Bernardino, California

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Really beautiful campground tucked away far enough between towns to feel wilderness-y. Depending on the site, views can be amazing, and I like that you can hike up the dirt road to Coon Creek jump-off for an incredible view of the Coachella Valley on a clear day. Heart bar is easy to find, easy to get to in a flatlander's car, and easy to enjoy. read more

Heart Bar Campground - Campgrounds Near Me - San Bernardino, California

This place is great, its only 4 stars for 2 reasons: 1. There is no place to wash dishes. The spigots are marked with pretty firm restrictions so it makes cleaning a bit difficult. (Bring a couple buckets) 2. Each campsite, including group sites, only allows for 2 vehicles. Each addtl car is 10 bucks. There is free parking at the street entrance. *The spots fit 6 to 7 cars tho if u park tight like we did. No mosquitos and no coons or bears, it was great! 20 min drive into Big Bear and there are plenty of spots around the lake to post up and go swimming. Dogs are allowed (we even brought a pig!). No showers or flush toilets. Each site has a campfire ring with 1/3 covered with a grill grate and at least one wooden table with benches. Its not tricky to find off hwy 38, its right around mile marker 33. Great shade cover and friendly camp hosts. As long as u turn ur music off at 10 and pay for parking, ur all good for a great camping trip! read more

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This is a great family camp ground. Lots of trees. Bathrooms were clean. Camp host was nice. We will be going back

It is so beautiful at this campsite. It was our first time camping without hook ups, so it was an experience. But the sites are big, the hosts are very nice, and the other campers all seemed nice also. There is water available throughout the park, and there are restrooms as well. We will be back to this campground for sure. It was a very relaxing couple of days and no tv or phone is good for everyone now and then... read more

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We have 15 people, three tents, two dogs, four cars and a 26ft travel trailer. We stayed in site 63 in Aspen loop and it was PERFECTION. It's a perfect spot for pull through trailer parking. It's flat with TONS of shade. There is a bathroom close by and right across the way is a water spicket. We filled up on potable water at Barton Flats campground which is about 5 miles south of Heart Bar, heading up the 38. Cost - $10. We also went there on our way home to dump. Easy access. There is NO potable water or dump station in Heart Bar. The camp host at Barton Flats told us HB had just recently failed a water test of some sort so he advised us to drink his potable water and use the spicket water at HB for dishes, etc. There are tons of trees. We hung our hammocks and totally relaxed. The spots are big and spaced out. The campground was full the weekend we were there and it felt empty. So quiet and clean. The camp hosts were amazing. Very friendly, organized and on top of things. Generators off at 10pm. Quiet time after 10pm. For the most part, everyone complied. It was an incredible weekend and we will absolutely return. read more

When my boyfriend and friends decided to go camping, we wanted to stay at Barton Flats because they have showers and flush toilets. However, they were all booked up. So, we ended up booking at Heart Bar Campgrounds (no sinks, showers, or flush toilets, just vault toilets (think permanent porta potty)) and I'm glad we got the chance to stay here! Campsite 14: When I was booking our campsite, I was told to stay away from the spigots, waste dump sites, and bathrooms. Spigots - mostly because everyone goes here to wash their pots/pans, hands, brush their teeth...etc. Despite all the signs that tell people to take the water back to their campsite to do these chores, everyone does it at the spigot. Beware, some campsites are worst than others, if you get a campsite with the spigot, plan for lots of people milling around your campsite. At campsite 14, the spigot was right across the road and was not too intrusive at all. The dump site wasn't a huge issue. It is usually one dumpster that is pretty isolated. Do not worry about picking a campsite near the dump site. Bathrooms..same thing. At least on the Sugarloaf loop. They didn't stink. However, if you are on the inner loop of Sugarloaf loop, plan to have everyone on the outer loop trample their way through your campsite to get to the bathroom. I choose campsite 14 because it was away from the spigots, bathroom and dump site and located on the outer loop. This campsite, in my opinion, was one of the best because a giant cliff was behind it which prevented anyone from wandering from the Santa Ana Loop over to the Sugarloaf loop. This campsite was really more isolated than most. Besides the awesome view, this campsite also had a ton of space. Some of the other campsites were smaller, but this one was pretty big. Amenities: All the campsites have the standard picnic table, fire pit, and a log for people to sit on. I still recommend bringing your own chairs. The bathrooms weren't as bad as I thought it was going to be. They didn't really smell from outside and they provided toilet paper. They have solar motion detector lights at night, but you need flashlight inside the stalls. Camp hosts and rangers: They seem really nice. You sign in when you arrive and they drive around and check you in later on. They seem really laid back. They do bring firewood around. Its $7 a bundle. Trails near by: We only stayed here for one night and we were not interested in a hard hike. According to the camp host, the San Gorgonio meadow was nearby (off the Aspen loop of HeartBar campgrounds). They told us we would find a trailhead on this loop. We couldn't find the trailhead so around campsite 76(?) we wandered off behind it and found the meadow. See my attached pictures...it was beautiful! I have no idea where the trailhead was... we never found it. But we got some good pictures (see the picture section). I really liked the campsites on Aspen loop because they have a beautiful view of the meadow. If we stay here again, I'll pick a site on the outer loop (end only because of the sides don't have views) of Aspen Loop. Other tid bits you might find interesting: They didn't charge us $5 for an extra car which was nice. Weather in August (late august when we went) was really nice. 80's in the day, and 50's in the evening. Bring lots of blankets, it will be nippy at night! There is plenty of tree cover during the day which helped us stay cool. Surprisingly, we did not have ANY problems with bugs. I'm a magnet for mosquitoes and I didn't even get one bite. No bugs flying near our food either. Yes, you can hear cars on the 38 from our campsite...but it wasn't too bad. They do allow dogs at this campsite. :) read more

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Okay this place is absolutely beautiful!! Most definitely one of my new favorite places to go camping. My boyfriend and I went here a few weeks ago and we loved every minute of it. Hiking through the meadow is stunning, the hosts at the campgrounds are so wonderful. We forgot Graham crackers for s'mores and we asked them if there was a place to buy some and they just had some left over from when there grandkids were in town camping. It's so incredibly peaceful here. The only thing I will say is the bathroom definitely get gross by the end of the weekend but that can be completely looked over because it was such an amazing experience. We will be back in 3 short weeks! Can't wait!! read more

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Clean and quiet. Great location, has showers and bathroom facilites that were all suprisingly clean. They do have quiet hours and employees on site throughout the campground. There are bike and walking trails as well, very family and group friendly location. read more

Heart Bar Campground is probably one of the most beautiful campgrounds I have ever been to. We decided to go on an overnight camping trip just to get out of town. The sites are very large so you aren't camping on top of you neighbor. Wood fires are also allowed, which is a great thing. Most of the time when we go camping,we have to use a propane fire pit. If you are looking for a campground with creature comforts, Heart Bar is not for you. The only running water is from the spigots that you can use to get water do do dishes, etc. However, there are signs posted to not wash your dishes or bathe with the water. Believe me, if you can bathe using those the spigots, more power to you. That being said, bring hand sanitizer so you can wash your hand after using the out house. I say out house because that is exactly what they are. The bathrooms were probably the worst part of Heart Bar. They are basically a hole in thr ground with a toilet seat attached. Also, there are NO LIGHTS in the bathrooms, so make sure you take a flashlight or lantern and DON'T look into the hole. Also, the bathrooms smell pretty bad in the heat of the day. The camp hosts were very nice and there were no issues with other campers. Overall, a good experience. I would be back, but probably for only about two days due to their being no showers. read more

Last weekend for the 4th of July, we had our usual great experience at Heart Bar Campground in the San Bernardino Mountains. If you enjoy primitive camping in the woods, this campground is one to check out. The trees are tall and dense and the campsites are spaced further apart than many campgrounds. The elevation is somewhere around 6,000 ft., which seems to mean less flying bugs. We didn't see a single mosquito. As for the condition of the campground, all of the roads are nicely paved. There were water faucets throughout the park, making it easy to fill water jugs or give the dog water while walking around the park. We were asked to use the potable water filling station at Barton Flats (a few miles away) for filling the camper holding tanks and this is also where the dump station for the entire area is located. The restrooms were hole-in-the-ground toilets, but well-kept and clean. Since last season, solar powered motion sensor lights had been installed at the restrooms, which made it convenient at night. You could tell from the attitude of the camp hosts (Kathy and Bob) that they enjoyed working at the park and enjoyed life. They would drive a golf cart around checking on everyone and saying hello a few times a day. They even had fire wood available for sale and would bring it to your campsite. Each of the posts at the end of the campsites had a red, white and blue ribbon on it for the 4th of July. We're not sure if this was done by the park service or the park hosts - but we guess it was the hosts. It was nice to celebrate our Great Country in a National Forest with family and friends. We'll be back to Heart Bar the next chance we get. read more

I didn't like Big Bear Lake very much (where do you swim!?), but I did like Heart Bar. After trying five or so other full campgrounds (this was the weekend before July 4, so I incorrectly assumed the masses would wait until the following week to arrive), we found Heart Bar. It was nicer than the other campsites, so I feel lucky we got a spot. The best part about this campground is the hosts and the worst part is the lack of showers. I'm a lazy camper- I like a water spigot on my site and a bathroom with a hot shower nearby. I want to set up my tent, then crack a beer or seventeen and relax. If campsites around Big Bear hadn't been so hard to find when we were there I probably wouldn't have given this place a chance. That would have been my mistake, because it's a wonderful, peaceful place to be. There are clean toilets stocked with TP but they're not lit up at night, and there was a spigot by our campsite but it was shared. Brushing my teeth out of a solo cup in the dark was a challenge, but I'm stronger now. The camp hosts were very helpful (we had never been to the area before) and even delivered some firewood. The campsites were large and clean. My dog was welcomed and our neighbors were friendly. I did notice lots of red ants, and when we got home I realized a few of them had taken a bite out of my tough little chihuahua. Keep an eye out for your furry friends. Another safety tip: beware the little knee-high wooden posts used as site markers/parking designators. I walked right into one in the dead of night and was still healing two weeks later. read more

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Much better than expected. Stayed at site 53 - nice one - not very close to other sites- although all the sites seemed pretty spread out. Some shade everywhere- beautiful pines around. People around us were very nice in terms of not being obnoxious or loud, and no noisy generators. I had stayed at Barton Flats before but this seemed even better. After you turn in the entrance, it's on the right just after the sign (tough to see at night if you get in late like we did) - the sign has no arrows that we could see so we drove straight and realized as the road got gnarlier and rougher we were headed the wrong way. Host drove by in the morning but gave us plenty of privacy - and very friendly when we left, giving us a big wave goodbye. definitely a good site if you're headed to the Big Bear area. read more

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We went this passed weekend for Father's Day and stayed two nights- Saturday 6/18 and Sunday 6/19 at a standard tent site in the aspen loop. It came equipped with a bear safe food box, picnic table and fire pit. There were also dumpsters, water spouts and vault bathrooms on site and the camp hosts would come around selling firewood occasionally. We turned in, found our spot really easily and started unloading when a camp host came over and checked us in. Saturday night the camp was packed, someone was playing smash mouth at three am which was more laughable than anything. Sunday night it was completely dead, there was no one around us for at least 20 sites or so. Both nights were really nice and both days the camp host stopped by regularly to check on us. Overall, this was my first time here and definitely won't be my last. Our camp host Bob was awesome and all of his stories really made the trip all that much more special. SUPPLIES: -The closest store on the mountain is at the 20 mile marker and Heart Bar is at the 33 mark so make sure you bring everything you're gonna need. -Buy your wood when the camp host checks you in. You don't know when they'll come around again with more. CAMP SITES: -The lots were large and decently spaced. We had plenty of level ground to put our tents and area around to explore. -Some spots are shadier than others, ours was marked as partially shaded online and it was perfect. HIKING TRAILS: -There's a hill that leads down to a meadow surrounded by mountains at the back of the aspen loop (it was right behind our campsite). PETS: -Pets are to be on a leash at ""all times"" but we found the lots big enough that we could let our dog run around a bit. -The camp hosts and the campground itself is very pet friendly. Our chihuahua terrier mix made the hike down to the meadow and back twice easily. CONS: -the bathroom had no light -sign for the actual campsite is relatively small read more

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This is the fourth of a series of neighboring public campgrounds on Highway38 in the San Bernardino Mountains (South Fork, San Gorgonio, and Barton Flats precede it). It was my last shot at getting a campground for the night as the previous three were booked solid. Lucky for me, it did not disappoint. Heart Bar Campground is a large (87 sites), well-maintained, and super-clean. The camp was staffed by helpful hosts who were able to guide me in the right direction. The best part of my stay was being right in the middle of the forest and feeling the magnitude of the impressive San Bernardino mountains. The views are spectacular, and you'll be able to smell the aroma of the pine trees. The campsites are pristine, and come with a fire ring & picnic table. Only drawbacks about this campground were the lack of showers and the absence of a clear entrance sign. But these are minor inconveniences considering the great location of this campground. Heart Bar Campground was an awesome experience! read more

This is a very clean, quiet, campground where you can connect with nature. I just spend 3 days here and had a great time. The camp hosts were very professional and helpful. The camp sites are well laid out with plenty of space. No electric or showers here, only outhouse type toilets. The hosts gave me great recommendations for hiking trails that were easy to find. read more

Heart Bar Campground - Sunset at Heart Bar - Campgrounds Near Me - San Bernardino, California

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