Lake Hemet Forest Picnic Area

A quiet Forest Service day-use area on the shore of Lake Hemet, a mountain reservoir at around 1,300 m elevation in the San Bernardino National Forest — a welcome cool-air contrast to the desert floor along the Palms to Pines Highway. The picnic area offers lakeside tables and shore access with views across the water to the pine-covered slopes of the San Jacinto Mountains.

Facilities are deliberately basic: picnic tables, vault toilets, and parking loops — no potable water, so bring your own. The lake is popular for shore fishing (rainbow trout are stocked regularly), and bald eagles are frequently spotted here, especially in the cooler months. Swimming is not permitted.

An Adventure Pass ($5/day) is required for parking; a card-only fee machine sits in the first parking loop, or buy one at the Lake Hemet Market on Hwy 74. Note this free-spirited Forest Service area is separate from the private Lake Hemet Campground next door, which charges a much higher day-use fee.