Mt. Pinos Campground
Los Padres National Forest — lakeside
Location: Frazier Park, CA, CA
Price: From $30 per night
Rating: 4.3 out of 5 (72 reviews)
Season: May through October
Mount Pinos or in the Native American Chumash language, "Iwihinmu," was considered to be the center of the world, the point where everything was in balance. At 7,800 feet, the campground, bursting with views of mountains and valleys, is an ideal base for several biking and hiking trails. The dark and clear night skies make this a picture-perfect stargazing setting.This seasonal campground is open daily, May through November.
Cell coverage (FCC estimate): strong signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas. Best carrier: T-Mobile. Verizon 4G: 100%. AT&T 4G: 100%. T-Mobile 4G: 100%.
Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water, Dump Station, Electric Hookups
Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/mt-pinos-campground to be notified when sites open up.
At 7,800 feet elevation with stunning mountain and valley views, Mt. Pinos offers an ideal base for hiking and biking with exceptional stargazing due to dark, clear night skies. Google reviewers gave it 4.5/5 stars, praising the beautiful forest setting.
Wildlife alert: American Black Bear, Merriam's Chipmunk, Mt. Pinos Chipmunk, California Scrub-Jay, House Wren, American Goshawk, Spotted Towhee, Northern Rubber Boa, Kingsnakes, Milk Snakes, and Common Side-blotched Lizard documented within 8km.
Insider tips for Mt. Pinos Campground: Book early—this is a federal campground with high demand Bring a self-contained RV; most sites have no hookups despite dump station availability Camp May-October when the campground is open
Skip Mt. Pinos Campground if: You need RV hookups—only dump station available, no electric hookups at most sites. You prefer year-round camping—seasonal operations May-October only. You want level sites—Google reviewer noted site 12 required hiking 50 feet uphill to fire ring.
Best time to visit Mt. Pinos Campground: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.
Nearby campgrounds: Mcgill Campground And Group Campground (Frazier Park, CA), Campo Alto Campground (Pine Mountain Club, CA), Chuchupate Campground (Frazier Park, CA), Reyes Creek Campground (Maricopa, CA).
Cell Phone Coverage at Mt. Pinos Campground
Cell signal at Mt. Pinos Campground (Frazier Park, CA): strong overall signal based on FCC broadband data. Best carrier: T-Mobile.
- Verizon 4G LTE: 100% coverage
- AT&T 4G LTE: 100% coverage · AT&T 5G: 100%
- T-Mobile 4G LTE: 100% coverage · T-Mobile 5G: 100%
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.
Mount Pinos or in the Native American Chumash language, "Iwihinmu," was considered to be the center of the world, the point where everything was in balance. At 7,800 feet, the campground, bursting with views of mountains and valleys, is an ideal base for several biking and hiking trails. The dark and clear night skies make this a picture-perfect stargazing setting.This seasonal campground is open daily, May through November.
Verified facts
RIDB / Recreation.gov official databaseAmenities
RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verifiedStraight talk
CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reportsKnown issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.
Insider tips & when to go
CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entryBook early
this is a federal campground with high demand
Bring a self-contained RV; most sites have no hookups despite dump station availability
Camp May-October when the campground is open
Campground operates seasonally May through October only
Things to do nearby
RIDB /activities /recareas + intelConditions today
LiveCell signal
FCC BDC · quarterly datasetFCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal. Best carrier: T-Mobile.
Wildlife nearby
iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 kmLocation
Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Getting there →
Take I-5 north to Frazier Mountain Park Road exit. Go west on Frazier Mountain Park Road for 7 miles to the intersection of Lockwood Valley Rd. Keep right and proceed on Cuddy Valley Road. Continue 5 miles to the "Y" in the road and veer left. Proceed 7 more miles past the first snow and second snow gate past McGill Campground.
Campground entrance
Google Maps APICommunity
#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)Pro tips
- Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Los Padres National Forest fills fast in peak season.
- Check current road conditions at Los Padres National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.
Frequently asked questions
RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakableHow much does Mt. Pinos Campground cost per night?+
What season is Mt. Pinos Campground open?+
Does Mt. Pinos Campground have hookups?+
What is the maximum RV length at Mt. Pinos Campground?+
How do I make reservations at Mt. Pinos Campground?+
What is the cell service like at Mt. Pinos Campground?+
What season is Mt. Pinos Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
●Data sources on this page
CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.
Nearby Campgrounds
Own a campground nearby?
List free on CamperWatch — we take 5% only on bookings we send. No monthly fee.