Deer Group Camp

San Bernardino National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: Big Bear Lake, CA, CA

Price: From $149 per night

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 (6 reviews)

Season: May through October

Deer Group Campground is a great place to bring an extended family or large group. Its convenient location provides access to all of the area’s greatest recreation opportunities and lets campers relax and enjoy nature in the pine-covered mountains of Southern California.A variety of hiking and mountain biking trails can be accessed from the campground, including the Seven Oaks Trail, which is located west of the Big Bear Lake Village. The 30-year-old trail is overgrown in some areas, but leads t

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water, Fishing

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/deer-group-camp to be notified when sites open up.

Deer Group Camp offers a secluded, spacious group setting in the pine-covered mountains of Southern California with access to hiking, mountain biking, and fishing. Campers praise the beautiful scenery, impressive stargazing, and plenty of space for groups up to 40 people.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear, Gray Fox, Flammulated Owl, White-headed Woodpecker, Common Raven, Clark's Nutcracker, Coast Mountain Kingsnake, San Bernardino Ringneck Snake, San Diego Alligator Lizard

Insider tips for Deer Group Camp: Only 1 group site available — book early as a federal campground High-clearance vehicle recommended for the difficult dirt access road Bring your own bear boxes; only 3 available for groups up to 40 people

Skip Deer Group Camp if: You have a low-clearance vehicle; access road is treacherous. You need RV hookups; none available. You prefer year-round camping; seasonal May-October only.

Best time to visit Deer Group Camp: May-October — Official operating season for the campground.

Nearby campgrounds: Crystal Lake (Azusa, CA), Jackson Flats (Azusa, CA), Mountain Oak (WRIGHTWOOD, CA), Lake Campground (WRIGHTWOOD, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Deer Group Camp

Cell signal at Deer Group Camp (Big Bear Lake, CA): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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San Bernardino National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Deer Group Camp

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Big Bear Lake, CA, CA★ 4.3 (6 reviews)From $149/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Deer Group Campground is a great place to bring an extended family or large group. Its convenient location provides access to all of the area’s greatest recreation opportunities and lets campers relax and enjoy nature in the pine-covered mountains of Southern California.A variety of hiking and mountain biking trails can be accessed from the campground, including the Seven Oaks Trail, which is located west of the Big Bear Lake Village. The 30-year-old trail is overgrown in some areas, but leads to spectacular views of San Gorgonio Peak, the highest point in Southern California.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersFamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV30 ft
HookupsNo hookups.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic TablesFishing
Family & Pets
Vault Toilets

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You have a low-clearance vehicle; access road is treacherous✕ You need RV hookups; none available✕ You prefer year-round camping; seasonal May-October only

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Only 1 group site available

book early as a federal campground

High-clearance vehicle recommended for the difficult dirt access road

Bring your own bear boxes; only 3 available for groups up to 40 people

Best: May-October

Official operating season for the campground

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: American Black Bear, Gray Fox, Flammulated Owl, White-headed Woodpecker, Common Raven, Clark's Nutcracker, Coast Mountain Kingsnake, San Bernardino Ringneck Snake, San Diego Alligator Lizard

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
909-866-8550· San Bernardino National Forest
Getting there →

Travel I-10 east (State Highway 330) to Running Springs. Turn onto State Highway 18 and continue to Big Bear Lake Dam. Continue 3 miles on State Highway 18 and turn right on Tulip Lane. Turn right onto Mill Creek Road (Forest Route 2N10) for 1.6 miles, turn left on 2N17 for 2 miles then go straight onto 2N08 for .2 miles, then turn left onto 2N45Y to campground.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — San Bernardino National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at San Bernardino National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Deer Group Camp cost per night?+
Deer Group Camp costs $149 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Deer Group Camp open?+
Deer Group Camp is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Deer Group Camp have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Deer Group Camp?+
Deer Group Camp can accommodate RVs up to 30 feet.
How do I make reservations at Deer Group Camp?+
Deer Group Camp is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Deer Group Camp?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Deer Group Camp is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Deer Group Camp open, and what are check-in times?+
Deer Group Camp is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Print Facility MapForest Service Concessionaire
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$149 /night★ 4.3 (6)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Deer Group Camp cost per night?+
What season is Deer Group Camp open?+
Does Deer Group Camp have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Crystal Lake

Azusa, CA

From $20/night

Jackson Flats

Azusa, CA

From $180/night

Mountain Oak

WRIGHTWOOD, CA

From $30/night

Lake Campground

WRIGHTWOOD, CA

From $30/night

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