Camping is GREAT, very clean, lots of space and shade. Rangers and employees very happy and friendly, unlike Perris Lake. Perris Lake is like camping in a parking lot. Silverwood lake is very nice and lots of great fishing. The LAKE IS EASY TO GET ON AND OFF. The lake has nice DOCKS and Slips to can rent. Unlike PERRIS LAKE. PERRIS LAKE HAS NO SLIPS TO RENT. IF you are looking for a great time and fun go to Silverwood Lake NOT Perris Lake. read more

Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area - Silverwood Lake - Parks Near Me - Hesperia, California

$20 dollars for entry in San Bernardino is wild... I was disappointed lots of trash everywhere! Even floating in the lake. Much algae as well and bees! Trash on tables. Have to get there early to get a good spot as the area is overcrowded. read more

I wrote a wonderful review several years ago before the Flotation Nazis took control of the rulebook. The place isn't fun anymore.

I have to update my review because I've been here so many times, and it's improved vastly since my first impression. As I reread my previous review I realized that I had only seen a portion of the lake. In reality, the lake is huge. It extends towards 173 and allows for fishing and boating. A great way to spend time outdoors. I believe they sell California fishing licenses, fishing and boating supplies, and even boat rentals! There are separate parking lots for docking/boating and regular day parking. There are bathroom building facilities available. There are numerous trails, including part of Section C of the PCT runs through the Silverwood Lake SRA. There are many camping spaces and group camping available as well. In the times when I've camped here the ranger station has always been kind and knowledgeable, answering my many questions. I've only been to the marina store once or twice, but the staff was friendly and accommodating. I went to the Silverwood Lake SRA office for the first time recently and parked there while hiking part of the PCT. The lady there was very nice and helped me find my way. The peace officers are very nice and knowledgeable. I recently did some exploring and got lost. LOL. Shout Out to Officer Bakke for going above and beyond and helping me find the PCT on my birthday. That was the best birthday present. Thank you to the helpful men and women at California State Parks for keeping us safe. I would definitely recommend this park for hiking, camping, or boating. It's not safe to drink the water due to algae bloom. I wouldn't fish here either, but some people do it. No swimming during algae bloom as it can cause illness. Hiking: Depending on the trail you may or may not have shade, stay hydrated. Camping: Some campers like to play their music loud. So unfortunately, there's that. So glad this park is here in the area. read more

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The park is clean and it's nice but... There are a gazillion flies per person. It feels like. Even my dog was pissed off about the flies.

We arrived at our reserved campsite late in the day but before sunset. The site had trash everywhere and we spent a long time cleaning it up and taking the trash away. We didn't get to buy firewood before they closed. Incessant music from a nearby campsite. I don't get people who come to enjoy nature, leave trash everywhere and make a ton of noise. read more

First time camping trip, we stood five days. Our location was pretty clean and quiet until the weekend. Beautiful views, love that we can take a short hike to the lake. We went with a group of 6 families and very much enjoyed our experience, though we did have a bear come up to our site and take one of our family's food and cooler. All in all I would definitely recommend and be back. read more

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Less crowded, great place for camping, very well organized campgrounds. And not even mentioned the big lake, if you like fishing and hanging out with friends or family, you may stay at some sand beach along the lake, it also has a cool bike trail! Hikers are better not miss this place too! read more

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Kind of soulless as a park and the lake is currently full of algae so no swimming allowed. Campground facilities were pretty clean though there was a lot of garbage scattered around the park generally. Nature Center was small but a nice addition. Not much in terms of hiking etc. read more

Clean & beautiful. a nice environment in the winter! Loved to hike on little paths with our son & dog

Just came back from Silverwood Lake State Park and I genuinely enjoyed my time there. My friends and I had reserved about 4-5 sites and had bout 40 people are so. We utilized the middle section as our hangout and the rest of the area we went ahead and pitched our individual and group tents. There was ample of parking around the area and the campsites had grills available as well as tables for campers to use. It looks like reservations are needed prior so once we got to the area, we told them the name the reservation was under and luckily the car was already paid for. As soon as we got there Friday evening, we noticed other campers had already set up around us which is a good thing since we heard that there were black bears on the premises. Only thing they asked us to do is to put the food in our cars at night so that the bears wouldn't rummage through our things. I will admit, I was okay the first night and slept through all the car alarms (apparently triggered from the black bears trying to get into the food) but the second night I was a bit paranoid. Luckily, they will give you a refund if you decide to leave because of the bears, but everything was fine. They do have showers and a working bathroom which are cleaned and fully stocked with toilet paper every day. A special thanks to the wonderful rangers who maintain it for us campers! I didn't use the showers but I heard it takes quarters. Only downside too is that the showers are cold. So unless if you enjoys cold showers, this might not be for you. Luckily I brought hand wipes to wipe all my stink away until the end of our trip. The trail to Lake Silverwood was quite lovely. Our group left a bit late-about 10 AM or so--it gets hot so I highly recommend earlier than we did. The first maybe 30 minutes had no shade, but as we neared the actual trail, there were trees above use and it was shady. Absolutely loved the views. Next morning I went on another hike called the Pacific Crest Trail with a few friends and as we got further along the trail, the view behind us where Lake Silverwood looked absolutely magnificent. Although we wanted to continue forward, randomly there were a swarm of flies! Absolutely in our faces and our group decided to turn around because of it. Guys, these flies were massive and just talking made you scared they would fly in your mouth. Great trail, I just recommend bringing bug spray. Overall, a great spot to be out in nature. Far enough from civilization to feel you are free, but also near it in case of an emergency. It's a cute getaway for the weekend and I'm glad I got to enjoy my time here. Thank you rangers for making it a clean and safe place for us campers! Can't wait to come back someday! read more

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Here on 8/31/25 at the scenic overlook. Huge parking lot. Had the paletero man Weather was windy. Beautiful place to capture a picture read more

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We love Silverwood! It's just far enough from home to feel like a change of pace. The water was super clear and our campsite was clean. The fire pit had a nice grate over it that worked well for my fiancé to grill steaks the first night. Weekdays are perfect, lots of empty sites. We brought some quarters for the showers but be aware it's $2.00 for 4 minutes and on up to 15 minutes so come with a piggy bank. read more

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Silverwood lake was amazing. It was very clean and beautiful. There were plenty of parking spaces, restrooms and benches everywhere. A nice place to visit for a walk or picnic. Also very dog friendly. read more

Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area - Parks Near Me - Hesperia, California

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Muy buen lugar para pasarla en familia muy divertido áreas para bañarse hacer carne asada caminar mucha vigilancia debería haber más opciones para comprar comida un buen restauran pero vale la pena visitar read more

Peace be still. Love this feeling and I love this camp ground. This is my 3rd time coming and it's always an adventure. You can swim, fish, camp, rent boats and other water equipment and cook on the pits while spending quality time with friends and family. read more

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Had nothing to do on a Saturday . So we decided to take the kids for a nice drive . I decided to take them to Silverwood . The drive was beautiful going through the Rim of the world scenic route down the 138! We decided to pull off at one of the cut outs and take some pictures and enjoy the beautiful view . We didn't drive all the way in and pay . But took advantage of the nice views with the family . Will definetly come a little more prepared next time and bring lunch and walk the trails . Great family fun for only $20 of gas . Come out and enjoy the beauty this desert has to offer . #PoorDadRichLiving read more

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I Love It there with family!! Just make sure u go real early to grab a good spot. Fun lake and refreshing for the kids . Summer spot to go to for sure. read more

Beautiful park, unfortunate that people are dirty. Please pick up after yourselves, it's sad to see these trails being clean one day, then get trashed overnight, then witnessing that cycle repeat itself. read more

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This review is for the Black Oak Picnic Area To Jamajab Point trail at Silverwood Lake. This was a 4.5 mile total hike near the south side of the lake which took about 2 hours. There's also a $10 entry fee! Recommend bringing bug spray; plenty of annoying flies! The trail was on a concrete road and about 50% of the time you will have views of the lake. The last 0.25 mile or so was overgrown so I stopped at the dock. There were a few people fishing and kayaking in the morning! read more

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I'll start by saying I'm not much of a camper and have only camped a handful of times yet I really enjoyed our stay here. Checking in was such an amazing process as I accidentally booked the wrong night for a specific spot. Rosie and Dillion were so helpful and amazing in helping me figure out solutions together. They were so positive and patient. Honestly this stay could have started out completely opposite without the help of their positive attitudes and I'm so appreciative of them for that. read more

Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area - Parks Near Me - Hesperia, California

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Camped here a couple of years ago in the summer. Staff was nice and the grounds were super spacious and clean. We stayed at old Mesa 27 and 28. 27 had a really cool almost private like area. Got to drive to the lake and relax a bit. Restroom was very clean and always stocked with toilet paper. If you want to rent kayaks or boats etc, get to the lake early, they get sold out very quickly. read more

Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area - Parks Near Me - Hesperia, California

Took the family out today as we have done many times and had some trouble with our vessel to where we got stranded. Officer Dogherra and Aiden Gallegos lifeguard paired with him did such a great job of helping out especially because we had a big group of kids. They both were so attentive to just making everyone feel safe and taken care of. They brought us back to shore and were the best of team effort and communication between them they really are the A-team. Once again guys we really appreciate you and all the staff that keep us all safe! Will definitely come back. read more

The campsite fire pits suck so much. You have to stand over it to get any warmth. It has a a double metal layer so no heat will extend anyway but up. So although quiet at night except for the cats and trucks on the nearby highway, it is hard to stay warm on a cold night. Bring 3 times the firewood you think you need. 5/10. Maybe a 6/10 camping site. Campground was empty as it was so cold but we were prepared and had a decent night despite the horrible fire pitc. read more

THIS REVIEW IS FOR YOU IF YOU PLAN TO LAUNCH A BOAT: If the lake reaches max capacity for the day, don't expect to get in for hours - EVEN IF you have seen several boats already leave the park. THEY DON'T DO A ONE FOR ONE EXIT/ENTRY. YOU HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THEY "FEEL LIKE" DOING A BOAT CHECK AROUND THE LAKE. According to the employees, they do it every 2 hours, however, we were turned away at 11 and told to check back at 2. We are paying customers!!! You'd think a STATE PARK would want our money and be more consistent with their checks to get more people in when they can. Anyways, get there early. read more

I didn't know that the city of Hesperia has a reservoir/recreational area, but I'm sure glad that I visited it. My family and I decided to make a stop here after we had lunch in the area, and it was a great way to walk around and catch a breather. The admission price for parking and visitation is $10, which is totally worth it because there is a lot to see. There is a huge lake where visitors can go boating, fishing, and swimming. I can see why this area can get crowded during the summer. There is also a lot of forestry and vegetation, and plenty of picnic tables. Despite the natural beauty of the reservoir and its surrounding mountains, there was some trash laying around, especially near the waters. I hope that the recreation officials/staff are vigilant in cleaning up the waste because it is very harmful to the beautiful but vulnerable environment. read more

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It could have been a nice visit if there was such a thing as a park ranger during the evening. At 11:30pm, a very large group pulled into the spot two places over and started setting up. They were loud, and I don't just mean slightly loud, I mean stereo on 10 loud. There were 6 hispanic males around the firepit from 11:30pm until 4:30am who yelled, cursed, and played the stereo as loud as it could possibly go. I turned on the AC in the trailer to try and drown out the noise, but even though it sounds like a small jet plane taking off, it couldn't cover all of their obnoxious BS. Tried to contact the rangers but no joy. I enjoy partying as much as the next person, (often more), but I do it with respect for my neighbors, these guys had no respect for anyone or anything. read more

Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area - Parks Near Me - Hesperia, California

The camping experience is tailgating, large parties, loud people and club music - entitled arrogant people. Rangers roam the beach for alcohol, cool, but the weed and jerks that leave trash on the beach...is off the charts. Having camped all over the states, and being from CA, I can say many CA people embarrass the rest of us legit campers, just here to enjoy nature and bonding family time. Will never stay here again....it always just takes a few a---holes to ruin it for others. Turn the music OFF - know time and place!!! read more

5/9/2020 - covid 19 ( shelter in place ) The night before I read on their website - parking lot is closed to cars- only accessible by foot or bicycles. Since our first time here we thought we'll take our chances and see how far we can drive until we find parking spot. As soon we enter the park we saw a few cars already parked across the streets from the Information center. We continue to venture on foot towards one of the groups campsites and scope out the area for maybe future camping. We noticed each sites has their own bathroom and showers and at this group sites I noticed it has a sink to hand wash clothes. Some hiking trails are paved and many into the forests are not paved. It's rugged, rocky . Some areas had some nice shade. But mostly are opened and sunny . So make sure to pack plenty of water and wide brimmed hat. I would suggest wearing long pants if you plan to hike in the more rugged trails. Many fuzzy cattails grass Can rub against your bare legs. So far this has been a great hike with my kids . read more

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$10 for a day pass. The sand has ants, so make sure you bring something to sit on. The beach part was clean and had easy access from the parking lot. I didn't visit the other side. There are clam shells and snail shells at the edge of the water if you're lucky. I gave 3 stars because my child came out of the water with leeches on her feet. I also had some on mine as well. I brought it up to the park staff at check out and she said "we do recommend you rinse off after being in the lake". Well that's great, but where are the showers by the beach to rinse off and why wasn't I notified beforehand? read more

Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area - Clean beach - Parks Near Me - Hesperia, California

Personnel at Rangers check in office would not allow me to scout for picnic area wanted to charge me $20 to check for handicap area and nice area for group picnic of 10 or more, I ask just for 15 minutes. Now I will take my group else where for Memorial Day. Ranger personnel has no trust I guess! read more

Very nice family friendly State Park. On the State Park scale of beauty, its more of a glorified Regional Park but then again calling it just that would belittle it. Beautiful picturesque setting on a very large lake with plenty to fish for. The camp grounds I stayed at were Old Mesa (Tent) Campgrounds. Large enough for a good size fun rig but small enough to not disappear in. The amenities are nice! Boat rentals / jet skis. Showers! Which are huge for the PCT hikers. Clean toilets and clean camps. Enough bush and trees to provide privacy but small if you are near a trail or bathroom/shower making it uncomfortable. If your neighbors are loud you'll notice right away which stinks but that can happen at any camp ground let alone one smack dab in the IE / SBNF area. Very obtainable and reachable for many who enjoy nature or are just horsing around. Sadly we had a few of those. The day use areas are fun. A small beach with a sandy to rocky water entrance is great for the kids. Tons of iron BBQs and shade. Very nice! Sadly again people are pigs and make it worse. Overall an excellent nearby getaway on what feels like a oversized regional park in beginning slopes of the SBNF. Great for families, fun can be had of all kinds (hiking, fishing, bird watching, boating, kayaking, swimming, etc). Great place to teach the youngins how to outdoors it before going further out to more pristine beauty up the 395. Bring coins for showers and cash for the fire wood. If you miss anything, check out the snack shack! They have coals too and floaties! read more

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Booked our reservation online which was at $45 (about $52.99 with fees included) a night to camp in a tent. Pulled up to the booth. Checked in under our name. Allowed 1 car and/or 1 trailer per reservation - additional fees for more than one car. Each campsite has a bbq pit and picnic table. Beautiful lake to go fishing or boating. Bring coins to use for the showers in the bathroom. Quiet time is before 8am after 10pm. Check in is at 2pm and check out is before 12pm. read more

Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area - Campsite - Parks Near Me - Hesperia, California

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My wife and I visited this place on July 5, 2021, a day after the 4th of July celebration and it was a day off for most people. It was extremely crowded, but this is not the point. It was crowded with people who littered trash everywhere. The place stank with the smell of garbage and dog poop, not to mention the flies that were buzzing around. There was also the smell of animal carcasses somewhere in the area. This place could have been a paradise if not for the kind of people who were there and treated the place with utter disrespect. It was a horrible experience and we left right away not minding the $10 fees we paid for parking. We will never go back again. read more

Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area - Litter everywhere! - Parks Near Me - Hesperia, California

Took my family camping here 9/27-9/29 New mesa campground site 110. The camp sites are small. We were worried our tent wouldn't fit. It kind of overflowed to the neighboring site. Luckily they were rv camping and they were fine with our tent set up . Would recommend reading the amenities for each site for the pad lengths, which I did and site 110 is what was best for my tent size. Bathrooms and showers were clean. The shower heads however were terrible. They need to be replaced. Site 110 is right next to the restrooms which we liked since we had small children with us. Made bathroom trips quick and easy. Very quiet campground and it was packed with campers. Very clean. Staff never came to our site (at some camp grounds they do) but we did see them making their rounds to clean the restrooms. We can't wait to go back! read more

Been here a few times! Showers never work! Used camp host outlet for my coffee maker to make a cup of coffee before I left. Ranger complained and turned power off!!! Camp sites were almost empty! Pretty shitty attitude after two days of camping! Showers took my money again and this is three for three camping there! Front gate told me I get senior discount but nothing on my receipt! Like this place but becoming a little picky about small crap! Fix your dam showers!!!!!!!!! Maybe the rangers drive thru needs to be more concerned about bigger issues! read more

Awful place! Hot, tons of bugs, very rude staff (at the boat rental hut). We had to park FAR away from the lake. The beach was crowded! The visitor center was closed on a Saturday!! Better camping elsewhere like Idyllwild. read more

Great area for a hike!! I travelled to Silverwood Lake State Park last year in the fall after a recommendation from a business colleague​ who lives in the area. It was late afternoon and I wanted to get a couple of hours of hiking before nightfall. I certainly went to the right place. The Park Ranger gave me a good overview of where to hike. I decided to hike the trail leading to Serrano Beach. It took a few hours, but it was worth it. There were great views of the lake, the trail is well maintained, and I saw a few people on the trail. I got to the beach and was able to make it back to my parking spot before sundown. The trail is fairly easy to walk and people of all ages can use the trail. I will go back someday, and start earlier and try another trail. This State Park is great for families and solo hikers. read more

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Came here to go camping this weekend June 21-23. Wanted to rent a boat for my family . Went into the boat rental office and ask the manager if we could rent boats at about 11am. The manager said all the boats are rented out, but there might be one or two coming back in and it was first come first serve. We went to the boat launch area and the representative. They told us that there were a couple boats becoming available but we had to go back to the office and wait for them to be checked back in. we went back to the office and there were three or four people wanting to rent boats at that time. The manager got frustrated and told everyone there were no more boats available for rent even though there were some available that day. Two grandkids who were really looking forward to getting a boat and were left crying . Absolutely terrible management , terrible customer service. Do not recommend this place at all --Zero stars!! in fact, -10 stars. Place was very overcrowded as well . Go boating and fishing somewhere else. Edit - note to owner: buy some walkie talkies for your team so the office/store can quickly communicate with the boat launch guys. Hire a new manager. Be more efficient, more friendly, and won't force your customers to walk back and forth getting irritated. Three other families wanted to rent boats today. Due to poor management , facility lost out on $1500 to $3000 in additional revenue today. Easy fixes -in my opinion read more

It was a little confusing to get here but I drove up for a work event so I didn't really have a choice. Parking is $10 and it's pretty easy to find your way once you get to the payment booth. If you come with the right group of people I could see this be be a good time. I personally wasn't a fan of the drive but the lake was a cute view. read more

Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area - Parks Near Me - Hesperia, California