San Bernardino National Forest

Covering an area of 823,816 acres across the Southern California landscape, the San Bernardino National Forest is a rugged expanse of mountains, desert, and woodlands that are the perfect playground for outdoor enthusiasts of varying types. When the conversation around National Forests began in the 1800s, San Bernardino was earmarked as a potential conservation area and was eventually established in 1907. The region is home to several mountain ranges such as the San Bernardino, San Gabriel, San Jacinto, and Santa Rosa mountains, and is also home to two of the highest peaks in Southern California, San Gorgonio Mountain (3506.0mi) and Mount San Jacinto (3302.0mi).

With the well-known Pacific Crest Trail passing through the area and hundreds of miles of other trails easily accessible, hiking is arguably the most popular outdoor recreation activity in San Bernardino National Forest, although there is no shortage of fun things to do. Other pastimes here include camping, water sports, horseback riding, fishing, cycling, and some of the best off-road vehicle trails in the state. If you are interested in setting out on a fantastic California adventure, then the wild expanse of the San Bernardino National Forest should certainly be near the top of your list of places to explore.