# Big Bear, Ca



## Airboss (Jul 14, 2007)

Well...the kids are back in school and the campsites should be empty. At least that's what we're hoping for.

We are headed to Big Bear Lake, CA - Serrano campsite on the North Shore. We will be there Aug 19-21. If there are any OBers there I'll gladly buy you the first beer!

Cheers!


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## 4ME (Sep 11, 2006)

Sounds like fun!
Big Bear is a favorite of my bro/sis in-law. We may make it there someday.


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## skippershe (May 22, 2006)

I have always wanted to camp at Serrano! I understand that they have just one or two sites with a view of the lake and are very popular.

I'm looking forward to your review of this campground, as well as a report on the road conditions to get there...

Please take lots of photos to share and have a great time


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Wow...your kids sure back to school early. Hope you have a great trip.


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## Morgueman (Dec 3, 2006)

Would love to hear about your trip to Serrano...what you liked and disliked, etc. We're thinking of going there, and we're considering the two private campgrounds as well. Any pics would be great too!







Thanks!


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## raynardo (Jun 8, 2007)

We camped at Serrano for the first time over Memorial Day 2005. DW and I hadn't been tent camping in a number of years, so we bought all new equipment. We were supposed to stay three nights, but we only made it through two. That's when we decided that tent camping wasn't for us anymore, especially when it got into the 30's a night, and having to get up in the cold and trekking to the restroom was no joy. That's when I seriously began looking at travel trailers. We really liked the campground, though.

Over Memorial Day 2006 we showed up with our 19' Thor hybrid travel trailer. That was when we decided that that trailer was too small for us. So the next weekend I purchased our 2006 Outback RKS. We didn't make it there this year because we had just spent time in Moab, Utah just before Memorial Day.

Both campsites we used were fairly close to each other, and both had a limited view of the lake - which is across a bike trail, a road, and a high end RV resort. Neither of these sites had any hook-ups, so I learned about drycamping quickly, and how long 12v batteries last (I am now a 6v battery convert). Fortunately I had purchased a Honda 2000 watt generator a week previously, otherwise we would have been miserable. Serrano does have a few sites with water and electricity, but no sewer - that's available at a dumpsite near the entrance to the campground.

The bike trail runs through and around the campground and goes to the Discovery Center, it's a great bike trail, and the center offers a mini-museum, information about the area, and campfire programs at night.

We really enjoy four-wheeling on the forest roads in the area, visiting both Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead. But we thought the cutest place was Green Valley Lake, which has a no-hookup campground. There's a great forest road that runs between Fawnskin and Green Valley Lake.

There's plenty to do in the area, and the campground is great - at least the sites I had both times. Enjoy!


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## Morgueman (Dec 3, 2006)

raynardo said:


> We camped at Serrano for the first time over Memorial Day 2005. DW and I hadn't been tent camping in a number of years, so we bought all new equipment. We were supposed to stay three nights, but we only made it through two. That's when we decided that tent camping wasn't for us anymore, especially when it got into the 30's a night, and having to get up in the cold and trekking to the restroom was no joy. That's when I seriously began looking at travel trailers. We really liked the campground, though.
> 
> Over Memorial Day 2006 we showed up with our 19' Thor hybrid travel trailer. That was when we decided that that trailer was too small for us. So the next weekend I purchased our 2006 Outback RKS. We didn't make it there this year because we had just spent time in Moab, Utah just before Memorial Day.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the information! Few more questions...
Is the campground really woodsy?
How are the site sizes?
Is there adequate space between sites?


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## raynardo (Jun 8, 2007)

Morgueman said:


> Is the campground really woodsy?
> How are the site sizes?
> Is there adequate space between sites?


I'd say at least 65% of the sites are in the trees, the rest are mostly in open space.
The sites are some of largest I've camped in, with good space between them. This isn't some slab city.
The area is also constantly patrolled.
Here's a link to my 2005 visit, before trailers.


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## skippershe (May 22, 2006)

raynardo said:


> Is the campground really woodsy?
> How are the site sizes?
> Is there adequate space between sites?


I'd say at least 65% of the sites are in the trees, the rest are mostly in open space.
The sites are some of largest I've camped in, with good space between them. This isn't some slab city.
The area is also constantly patrolled.
Here's a link to my 2005 visit, before trailers.
[/quote]
Great photos Rainer! Howcome there are none of you?? lol!

What road would you take up there, and do you think our 28krs would be a problem? I know there are some tight steep turns on the front road...and the back road would be really out of the way wouldn't it??


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## Airboss (Jul 14, 2007)

Uh...oops! I forgot to get back to this post. We decided to go to Lake Isabella instead of Big Bear for that weekend. This was our first trip out in the OB and we knew that there would be a 5 mile stretch of road with an 11% grade that we just weren't comfortable with for our first trip.

We have been to Big Bear on other occasions and we have always enjoyed the scenery. We even drove through Serrano once and liked its proximity to the lake. The sites are a little tight and they are all back-in sites. Sorry I can't offer any more info.

The campground at Lake Isabelle was really nice and I plan on posting a review soon in a separate thread.


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## h2oman (Nov 17, 2005)

How was the Kern flowing?


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## Airboss (Jul 14, 2007)

h2oman said:


> How was the Kern flowing?


Not very well. The river was so low that tubing down the river was futile. No fish either. Lake Isabella was very low as well, but there were a few boaters still on the water. Fortunately for us, we weren't interested in those activities this time. We simply wanted to shake down the new TT and start making our list for future improvements - which is starting to get long.


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## raynardo (Jun 8, 2007)

skippershe said:


> What road would you take up there, and do you think our 28krs would be a problem? I know there are some tight steep turns on the front road...and the back road would be really out of the way wouldn't it??


From Highland we take SR330 to SR18 to SR38. With a diesel it shouldn't be a problem pulling up the hill. Driving ability/skill on the twisties/switchbacks might be another issue.









I'm not bragging







, but last summer I showed up at the east entrance of Zion National Park. The ranger at the entrance came out of his little hut, proceeded to measure our truck and trailer, and informed us that we were with 1/2" of the maximum length and width limits allowed through that awesome tunnel. And then he asked me how comfortable I was driving the rig since these were supposed to be some of the gnarliest switchbacks around. I said "no problem", paid the additional $15 I had to pay because I needed to go through that tunnel one-way -- with no traffic coming from the opposite direction. I loosened my swaybar and off we went. No problems, but, again, you do have to know what you're doing.


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