Green Valley Campground

Forest Service roads near this campground cater to gravel and mountain bikers. Or, head a bit further up the mountains to the Snow Valley and Snow Summit ski resorts, which offer lift-assisted downhill MTB riding in the summer.

When the weather just gets too hot, there’s no better place to take refuge than in the San Bernardino National Forest. There are several lakes, such as Lake Gregory, that offer boating opportunities. With a kayak launch, fishing equipment, and boating rentals ranging from paddle boards to sailboats, you can’t go wrong. Make sure to call the park for more information!

From May to August, Green Valley Lake is regularly stocked with trout. Just know a day fee applies for fishing at this private lake.

Hikers can head straight from Green Valley Campground up to Little Green Valley Road until it becomes the Little Green Valley Trail. Family-friendly hikes also dot the nearby Children’s National Forest.

Horseback riding is allowed on all National Forest trails-- that means you can venture through all of the wilderness areas, including the ones that lead into nearby Angeles National Forest. There are a handful of equestrian campgrounds where you can spend a night on your horseback journey. There is a list of horse trails here.

Get those wheels dirty and head on over to San Bernardino to get away from city traffic. Popular runs include John Bull, Holocomb Creek, and Deep Creek in the Big Bear region. There’s an incredibly long list right here. Make sure to pick up a map and take care out there, as many of these roads are shared!

Your opportunities for national forest fun are endless in the winter. You can find skiing, snowboarding, sledding, tubing, snowmobiling, cross country skiing, and snowshoeing in this wintry paradise. There are four resorts nestled inside the forest: Snow Summit, The Park at Bear Mountain, Rim Nordic Ski Area, and Snow Valley Mountain Resort. There are also snow play areas like Snowdrift Winter Playground, 2 snowmobile routes, and 3 XC-skiing and snowshoeing areas.

You can spot wildlife just about everywhere, with the usual raccoons and squirrels, woodland creatures left and right, along with the less common mountain lions and bears. If you’re lucky you’ll catch sight of one of the rare bighorn sheep living in the canyons! There are over 440 species, with more than 30 of them as endangered species. Birders can find bald eagles, red-tailed hawks, Stellar’s jays, and birds with crazy names like towhees, chickadees, and juncoes. You can find a small list of wildlife on Gorp.