California State Parks · California
Providence Mountains State Recreation Area
California State Parks · California, United States
- Drinking water
- No
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Showers
- No
- Dump station
- No
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 4,259 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile weak · AT&T weak · Verizon weak (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Nearest town
- Essex
- Address
- 38200 Essex Rd
- Phone
- (760) 928-2586
About
Providence Mountains State Recreation Area is a California State Park with real, current overnight camping in San Bernardino County, but no numeric site count is published by either California State Parks or ReserveCalifornia.
Fees
California State Parks (ReserveCalifornia.com) does not publish one statewide nightly rate schedule; its own Booking and Fees page states rates 'vary based on the accommodation type and the amenities available at that park' and are posted per-park at booking time. A non-refundable $8.25 reservation fee (also $8.25 to modify or cancel) applies per ReserveCalifornia transaction, on top of the site's nightly rate. Fees include entry for one vehicle and one legally towed vehicle/trailer; additional vehicles are charged per-night at the park. Yes: Dogs allowed only in the historic grounds, parking lot, and picnic area of the park. Dogs not allowed inside Mitchell Caverns, the visitor center, or on trails. Dogs can not be left unattended in vehicles or other areas of the park.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 55° | 37° | 25° | 68° | 5 of 11 |
| February | 57° | 38° | 23° | 73° | 7 of 11 |
| March | 61° | 42° | 27° | 88° | 4 of 11 |
| April | 71° | 47° | 33° | 85° | 0 of 11 |
| May | 80° | 57° | 40° | 89° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 92° | 67° | 48° | 103° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 96° | 73° | 63° | 106° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 92° | 73° | 62° | 103° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 86° | 65° | 50° | 97° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 75° | 54° | 38° | 87° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 65° | 47° | 30° | 75° | 3 of 10 |
| December | 56° | 38° | 25° | 70° | 4 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Hole-in-the-Wall Campground · National Park Service · 10 mi · 38 sites
- Black Canyon Group and Equestrian Campground · National Park Service · 10 mi · 2 sites
- Mid Hills Campground · National Park Service · 13 mi · 26 sites
- Afton Canyon Natural Area CG · Bureau of Land Management · 50 mi
- Big Bend of the Colorado State Recreation Area · Nevada State Parks · 50 mi · 32 sites
All public campgrounds in California · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-08-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.