Wildhorse Family Equestrian Campground

The sweeping Santa Ana River Valley draws adventurers of all types—the hiking, mountain biking, and climbing opportunities to explore could keep one occupied indefinitely. And that’s not to mention nearby San Gorgonio Wilderness, which is just an hour’s drive away from Wildhorse Family Equestrian Campground.

After much deliberation and years of conflict surrounding the area, and to the great disappointment of developers, the area surrounding the towering, bald mass of San Gorgonio Mountain was named an official wilderness area. Much of the success of its establishment centers on the Wilderness Act that sailed through congress in 1964 and was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson.

Thanks to this act, the thickly forested northern slopes, plentiful wildlife population, and more than 100 miles of trail are protected and draw adventurous crowds from nearby Los Angeles and beyond.

Because mountain bikes are not allowed in the wilderness area, arguably one of the best ways to explore is on horseback. Wildhorse Family Equestrian Campground is the perfect base camp and offers plenty of amenities for animals and humans alike. The campsites are spacious, there’s plenty of potable water, showers are available, and the vault toilets are well maintained. That’s not to mention that there are over two dozen horse stalls around the campground.

You must have a horse to stay at this site, which generally reduces traffic, though note that there are no community troughs. Wildhorse Family Equestrian Campground is typically open from mid-May through the end of September. For specific seasonal dates, call San Bernardino National Forest Headquarters at 909.382.2600.