North Shore National Recreational Trail

The North Shore Campground is a rural camping site near Arrowhead Lake and Papoose Lake on the northern side of San Bernardino. With a natural feel and close proximity to the city, the campground is pretty popular, especially since it hosts the North Shore National Recreational Trail. The trail explores a nice area that surrounds the eastern half of the campground which reaches out into the San Bernardino National Forest.

The trail itself begins in the campground, along with the eastern side of the camping site. Parking for hikers is free, although campers will have to pay a fee for sites. There are flush toilets, water, trash bins, 28 camping sites, fire pits, and picnic tables to relax before hiking. Dogs do have to be on a leash while inside the campground, but can be taken off of it once you enter the trail. 

The path leads off an asphalt road, turning into a natural compacted soil trail with a 3-foot girth. The trail is completed shaded, surrounded by oak, conifer trees, and fledgling pines. Descending down from the mountaintop camping areas, the trail follows into the canyon that is made from the Little Bear Creek. Willows, ferns, buckwheat, and manzanita grow along the creek, with clearings that open up to grasslands and fields that showcase the surrounding mountains and forests beyond the fields. 

The thick woods are mostly filled with new trees, with traces of burnt and dead trees due to a wildfire from 2003. Despite this, plenty of wildlife still lives in the area, and hikers can see deer, elk, birds, foxes, squirrels, and groundhogs. The trail finishes at the dead end of a road named Hook Creek Road, which marks the turn back point for hikers to head back to the campground.

Close to the city, isolated forests with a small creek to play in, there's not much more you and Fido could want on this lovely and scenic hike.