Monte Cristo Campground

General Camping Info: Find helpful guidance and tips for an enjoyable trip to the forest!

Know Fire & Other Restrictions Before You Go!: These conditions can affect your entire trip. For example, Extreme and Critical fire use restrictions mean no campfires and no portable cooking systems/stoves. Bring cold food and no S'mores.

Be Bear Aware!: Bear safety is critical, for the safety of your group and/or you, as well as our bears. Help keep bears wild by following these tips.

Overview of Site

3600' elevation
19 campsites with picnic tables, vault toilets, and piped water.
Campsites are first-come-first-served. $12 per site per night. No reserving or holding of campsites allowed. Check-in/Check-out is at 11 a.m.
RV's allowed up to 30' - No Hookups
Vault toilets

What to Expect

Monte Cristo Campground is located towards the backside of the San Gabriel Mountains in a high-desert climate making the epic views seem endless. It is one of Angeles National Forest's lesser-used spots to pitch a tent. With 19 large, spacious and accessible sites, grab a friend (or two or three) and spend the weekend telling stories around the campfire, taking a short drive to hike Granite Mountain, or dip in the cool waters of postcard-worthy Switzer Falls.

Camp site features

Services within 25 miles · OpenStreetMap

Nearest dump station: 5.3 mi · Messenger Flats

Nearest water fill: 11.8 mi

Fees

Monte Cristo Campground recently underwent a complete renovation. All campsites in the campground were totally revamped during the renovation. There are now 19 individual camp sites with sites #6 and #7 as double sites. In order to ensure fee compliance site #6 was designated as #6A and #6B; and site #7 was designated as #7A and #7B. This is to inform the public if both A and B sites are occupied at #6 and #7, campers will be required to pay double to occupy the double sites.

Rules

Fees are due within 30 minutes upon occupying the camp site. Occupancy is on a first come, first served basis. Campsites must be occupied the first 24 hours. Reserving or holding of campsites is not allowed. 8 people, 2 vehicles maximum per campsite. Quiet hours are 10:00 pm - 6:00 am. Check out/Change of day time is 11:00 am. Pets must be confined or on a leash. See current fire restrictions.

Directions

Location: From Interstate 210 in Pasadena, exit the Angeles Crest Highway (Hwy. 2) and drive north for 9 miles. Turn left onto the Angeles Forest Highway (County Rd. N3) and drive about 9 miles to the campground. May also be reached from the Sunland area by taking Big Tujunga Canyon Rd. and turning left at the Angeles Forest Highway, or taking the Angeles Forest Highway from the Palmdale area.