If you've never heard of Lake Gregory, you're not alone — and that's part of what makes it so good. While the rest of Southern California queues up for Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead, Crestline's 78-acre centerpiece lake sits quietly at 4,600 feet in the San Bernardino Mountains, doing everything a mountain lake should do, without the crowds.
- Location
- Crestline, CA 92325 · San Bernardino Mountains
- Size
- ~78 acres
- Elevation
- ~4,600 ft
- Managed by
- San Bernardino County Regional Parks
- Summer
- Swimming · inflatable water park · kayaking · paddleboarding · fishing
- Winter
- Ice skating (seasonal) · lakeside walks · fishing
- Dogs
- Leashed dogs welcome on perimeter path · off-leash dog park on-site
- From Maple & Pine
- 5-minute walk
What is Lake Gregory?
Lake Gregory is a reservoir and regional park managed by San Bernardino County, sitting at the center of the mountain town of Crestline, California. It's surrounded by pine forest, with the San Bernardino National Forest rising on all sides. The lake is open to the public year-round, with park entry required for most activities during the summer season.
It is not a resort lake. It's a genuine community park — accessible, well-maintained, and genuinely pleasant in a way that doesn't come with resort pricing or attitude.
Things to do at Lake Gregory
The inflatable water park (summer)
The main attraction from late spring through summer is the inflatable water park — San Bernardino County's largest. It's anchored in the lake and includes waterslides, climbing walls, jumping platforms, and floating obstacle courses. Kids from about age 5 and up can tackle it, and adults do too. It's one of those things that's more fun than it sounds, and it's the primary reason families specifically seek out Lake Gregory over other Southern California lakes.
Swimming
Designated swimming areas with lifeguards on duty during peak summer hours. The water is cool (being a mountain reservoir), which makes it especially welcome when you've driven up from a valley floor baking at 100°F.
Kayaking and paddleboarding
The lake is calm, protected from wind by the surrounding mountains, and well-suited for flatwater paddling. Rentals are available at the park. Early mornings before the water park opens are the best time — the surface is glassy, the light is low and golden, and the pines reflect perfectly in the water. It's genuinely one of the more beautiful paddling experiences available within 90 minutes of Los Angeles.
Fishing
Lake Gregory is stocked by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife — primarily with rainbow trout in winter and spring, and catfish in warmer months. A California fishing license is required, available online through the CDFW or at local sporting goods stores. The lake perimeter has multiple accessible fishing spots, and the park is family-friendly for kids learning to fish.
The perimeter path
A roughly two-mile path circles the lake, mostly flat and shaded by pine and oak. Leashed dogs are welcome the whole way. It's one of the easier and more pleasant lake loops in the San Bernardino Mountains — accessible to young kids, older guests, and short-legged dogs. Many Maple & Pine guests do it first thing in the morning before the park opens for the day.
Off-leash dog park
Lake Gregory has a fenced off-leash dog park with separate areas for large and small dogs, about a five-minute walk from Maple & Pine. If you're driving up with a dog who's been in the car for 75 minutes, this is the first stop.
From Maple & Pine: The cabin is a five-minute walk from Lake Gregory's main park entrance. Most guests walk down in the morning, spend the day at the lake or water park, and walk back up in the evening. No driving, no parking, no logistics.
When to visit Lake Gregory
Annual events at Lake Gregory
- Fireworks over Lake Gregory — July 4th (Jamboree Days): Part of Crestline's annual Independence Day celebration, including a town parade. The fireworks launch over the lake, which creates a reflection effect that's hard to find elsewhere in Southern California. Book the cabin well ahead for this one — it fills up.
- Water Lantern Festival: Participants float illuminated lanterns across the lake at night. Best experienced from the shoreline as it gets dark.
- Ice Skating (winter, weather-dependent): When temperatures are cold enough, the lake surface is used for skating. A genuine small-town tradition.
- Corks & Hops (June–October, monthly): A monthly craft beer and wine walk through Crestline village that often spills into the lakeside area. Combines tastings with live music and shopping.
Where to stay to get the most out of Lake Gregory
The best way to experience Lake Gregory is staying close enough to walk to it — not commuting 45 minutes from a hotel in the valley below. Maple & Pine is a newly renovated three-bedroom cabin five minutes from the lake entrance, sleeping up to 8 guests. It has a full game room, chef's kitchen, wood-burning fireplace, gas BBQ, forest-view balconies, and a pet-friendly policy.
Rated 4.78★ as an Airbnb Guest Favorite with 72 reviews, and 10/10 "Exceptional" on VRBO. Book direct at mapleandpine.net for the best rate.
