Monte Cristo Campground

Federal campground in Angeles National Forest

Location: CA, CA

Price: From $20 per night

Price range: $20–$40 per night

Rating: 4 out of 5 (0 reviews)

Season: Year-round

Monte Cristo Campground is a small, developed campground located off the Angeles Forest Highway (County Road N3) in the Angeles National Forest and is part of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. Positioned at about 3,600 feet elevation, it’s one of the closer forest camping options to the Los Angeles area, offering scenic mountain and high-desert views. The campground includes 19 first-come, first-serve campsites suitable for tents, trailers, and RVs up to approximately 30 feet, with a

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

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

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

Monte Cristo Campground is one of the closest forest camping options to Los Angeles (approximately 25-minute drive from the city) at 3,600 feet elevation in the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, offering scenic mountain and high-desert views with basic amenities.

Wildlife alert: Mountain lions, American black bears, southern California ringtails, and multiple snake species (coast mountain kingsnake, California striped racer, two-striped garter snake) documented in the area.

Insider tips for Monte Cristo Campground: Book early—this is a federal campground with only 19 first-come, first-serve sites and high demand Bring cash for self check-in Plan water needs carefully as creek can dry seasonally

Skip Monte Cristo Campground if: You need hookups—no hookups available at most sites. You are sensitive to road noise—campground is directly off Angeles Forest Highway with regular vehicle and motorcycle traffic. You require modern restroom facilities—vault toilets may need maintenance.

Best time to visit Monte Cristo Campground: Year-round — Campground operates year-round; however, water availability may vary seasonally (creek reported dry in October)..

Nearby campgrounds: Lightning Point Group Campground (SAN FERNANDO, CA), Meadow Group Campground (Acton, CA), Bandido Group Campground (Acton, CA), Deer Group Camp (Big Bear Lake, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Monte Cristo Campground

Cell signal at Monte Cristo Campground (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.

CamperWatch
CamperWatch›CA›Monte Cristo Campground
Monte Cristo Campground — photo 1
Monte Cristo Campground — photo 2
Monte Cristo Campground — photo 3
Federal campground in Angeles National ForestLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Monte Cristo Campground

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CA, CA★ 4 (0 reviews)From $20/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Monte Cristo Campground is a small, developed campground located off the Angeles Forest Highway (County Road N3) in the Angeles National Forest and is part of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. Positioned at about 3,600 feet elevation, it’s one of the closer forest camping options to the Los Angeles area, offering scenic mountain and high-desert views. The campground includes 19 first-come, first-serve campsites suitable for tents, trailers, and RVs up to approximately 30 feet, with a few larger double sites available.

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

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonYear-round
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic Tables
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 need hookups—no hookups available at most sites✕ You are sensitive to road noise—campground is directly off Angeles Forest Highway with regular vehicle and motorcycle traffic✕ You require modern restroom facilities—vault toilets may need maintenance

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with only 19 first-come, first-serve sites and high demand

Bring cash for self check-in

Plan water needs carefully as creek can dry seasonally

Best: Year-round

Campground operates year-round; however, water availability may vary seasonally (creek reported dry in October).

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: Mountain lions, American black bears, southern California ringtails, and multiple snake species (coast mountain kingsnake, California striped racer, two-striped garter snake) documented in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
661-269-2808· Angeles National Forest

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 — Angeles National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Angeles National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Monte Cristo Campground cost per night?+
Monte Cristo Campground costs $20–$40 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Monte Cristo Campground open?+
Monte Cristo Campground is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Monte Cristo Campground have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Monte Cristo Campground?+
Monte Cristo Campground is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Monte Cristo Campground?+
Monte Cristo Campground 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 Monte Cristo Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Monte Cristo Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Monte Cristo Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Monte Cristo Campground is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
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.

$20 /night★ 4 (0)
SeasonYear-round
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Monte Cristo Campground cost per night?+
What season is Monte Cristo Campground open?+
Does Monte Cristo Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Lightning Point Group Campground

SAN FERNANDO, CA

From $20/night

Meadow Group Campground

Acton, CA

From $36/night

Bandido Group Campground

Acton, CA

From $24/night

Deer Group Camp

Big Bear Lake, CA

From $149/night

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