Location

Nestled around the jewel of Lake Gregory, at an altitude of 4700' above sea level, surrounded by magnificent forests of pine, oak and cedar, you will find Crestline, California. Located just 90 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, Crestline is within a two-hour drive of a population of 15 million people.

The Crestline Resorts are located on privately owned acres totally enclosed within the 812,O00 acre San Bernardino National Forest. Lake Gregory, a man made lake, was created in the early 1930's. For almost one hundred years, Crestline has long been recognized as the perfect family oriented mountain resort and vacation destination. Access from the San Bernardino Valley is via State highway 18, a nationally designated scenic byway know as "Rim of the World Highway". All of the twenty minute drive is over a well maintained four lane road providing magnificent views ranging on clear days to the Pacific Ocean, with Catalina Island visible in the distance.

Estimates are that about 50% of the employed people who live in Crestline and the surrounding areas commute down the mountain on a daily basis. Major employers in the area can be divided into two categories:

Real Estate activities in the area are quite significant with membership in the Rim of the World Board of Realtors being about 350. Home construction in the area is about 150 units per year. This, along with a significant repair and remodel business generates employment for about 200.
A partial listing of retail establishments in the area includes 12 restaurants, a growing collection of retail stores, plus numerous antique and gift stores. There is one large supermarket, convenience stores, three gas stations, one full service lumberyard and two full service banks. Thirty minutes away, at the base of the mountain, are two regional malls; most auto dealerships and all major warehouses, and home improvement stores. A Major Airport is within 50 miles of Crestline.

Water activities on Lake Gregory include free lake fishing in the well-stocked waters, swimming, sun bathing, and boating. Visitors and guests are welcome to enjoy the facilities, which include a full service beach, paddleboat and boards and water slide facility.

Opportunities in the nearby National Forrest include hiking, stream fishing, off road and equestrian trails, Hang Gliding and camping. Alpine and cross-country skiing are just minutes away.

Camp Switzerland, located just across from Lake Gregory, in a Shady canyon beside a bubbling stream, offers forty camp and trailer sites for visitors.

Crestline supports a movie theatre, bowling center, public tennis courts and sports bars.

The Rim of the World Park and Recreation District sponsors a craft and self-improvement class program as well as adult and youth sports leagues and programs. The district also provides childcare facilities.

Organized youth sports available in the area include Little League, Pop Warner Football, and AYSO soccer.

For seniors, there are two active Senior Centers in the San Moritz area.

Each year, the Crestline Resorts Chamber of commerce, as well as local community service organizations, host a myriad of special events to entertain the community while raising funds for community projects. For a list of special events, call the Chamber office at (909) 338-2706 and request an up to date schedule.

You can always count on a spectacular 4th of July fireworks show, accompanied by Crestline Jamboree Days. A fun packed event filled weekend with something for everyone.

The San Bernardino mountains are also home to the Mountain Skies Astronomical Society, a 1500 member organization. This group is presently operating a temporary facility while working on the construction of a 1.8 million-dollar, 6,500 sq. ft. facility that will house a premier astronomical instrument and a science education center on a three-acre site along the Rim of the World Highway. Skywatching is a wonderful passtime for visitors and local residents alike.

Paramedics serve the Crestline area and hospitals are available in Lake Arrowhead and San Bernardino. Full medical services, including a physician, chiropractor, dentist, podiatrist, optometrist and pharmacy are available locally.

Crestline Village is the center of community activities with a wide variety of lodging, dining and shopping opportunities for visitors as well as permanent and second homeowners. The area has over 50 group camps as well as being the gateway for camping and recreation in the San Bernardino National Forest.

Almost all of the private land surrounding Lake Gregory, located in the heart of Crestline, has been sub-divided into residential lots providing homes for approximately 11,000 full time residents. The location and easy access make it an ideal mountain retreat for the entire Southland. Many residences are used as second homes on weekends, holidays and in the summer. On a summer or holiday weekend, the location population swells by thousands.

The permanent population has shown constant growth, and ultimate build-out is difficult to project at this time due to the many acres of build-able property available.

The demographics of the Crestline area are not well documented. There are a number of retired residents but probably not more than 30% of the population. The local school attendance continues to grow and it is estimated that 50% of the permanent households have children in grades K-12. Income and education levels are consistent with those of surrounding communities.

Crestline has a unique climate for Southern California; it has four distinct seasons. In the summer, it is about twenty degrees cooler than the Valley floor with summer highs generally in the 80 to 90's. In the winter, nighttime temperatures regularly dip below freezing but are usually above freezing by 9 A.M., with an average winter high in the 50's. Average rainfall is 50 inches a year, which is three to four times typical rainfall in the Southern California area. Average snowfall is 60 inches a year starting in late November and ending in March with a surprise Mother's Day Spring storm from time to time.

The area receives 310 annual days of sunshine being above the marine layer that covers the Los Angeles Basin during much of the year. Air quality is generally good due to the elevation being above the valley's inversion layer.

Tourism is a primary economic generator for the area contributing hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, and providing full time as well as part time jobs for local residents. The entire resort area of the San Bernardino mountains, from Crestline to Big Bear plays host to over five million visitors per year, primarily part time vacation homeowners, their friends and guests, and travelers from the Southern California area.
The area offers a good selection of guest accommodations for overnight visitors as well as many individual cabin rental and property management agencies. Ski packages, Weddings and Eco-Tourism are major sources of visitor growth. The area is also popular for business conferences and inter-city cultural and educational exchanges.

Accommodation occupancy during most of the year is average with a distinct growth on holidays and weekends. Summer is the most popular tourist season with winter usage on the upswing.

There are virtually no research and development, manufacturing, wholesaling or distribution employers in the area. These businesses are located in the Valley below.

Principal road access to the Crestline area and among the surrounding communities is State Highway 18, 138 and 189. Caltrans maintains one road maintenance facility in the area. San Bernardino County maintains the balance of the public road network and has a maintenance facility in the area.

A fixed route bus system operates between the Mountain communities and connects Crestline to Lake Arrowhead, Running Springs, and Big Bear. Public transportation down the hill is available through MARTA, (Mountain Area Rural Transit Authority) also direct linking with Metrolink.

The new Ontario and San Bernardino International Airports, just forty five minutes from Crestline, are serviced by most major domestic carriers as well as being serviced by Southwest Airlines.

Crestline is an unincorporated area governed by the County of San Bernardino. A County building in Twin Peaks houses building and safety. The County also provides a Public Library in the area. The California Highway Patrol operates a facility in Running Springs. Fire protection and Paramedic services are provided by the Crest Forest Fire District. In addition, the Forest Service and California Division of Forestry provide fire protection facilities, equipment and personnel in the area.

Crestline Sanitation District and Crestline-Lake Arrowhead Water Agency provide water and sewer service. The Rim of the World School District area of influence covers from Crestline to Running Springs. The single high school and Junior high school are located in the Arrowhead area. Two of the districts five elementary schools are located in the Crestline and Valley of Enchantment area, and a new school has recently been constructed at the east-end of Lake Gregory. Several Universities are located within commuter distance from Crestline.

The US Postal Service maintains four post offices in the area, Crestline, Cedar Pines Park, Valley of Enchantment, and Twin Peaks. All mail pickup is post office box, with no local delivery system.

The Crestline Courier newspaper is published weekly covering the Crestline, Lake Gregory, Valley of Enchantment, Cedar Pines Park, and Twin Peaks areas. Cable television is provided by Falcon Cable, Cellular phone service is provided by L.A. Cellular while GTE provides regular phone service. Natural gas provided by Southern California Gas Company, and electricity by Southern California Edison covers the mountains. Crestline Disposal Company provides optional refuse disposal. United Parcel Service, POBA, and Federal Express service the community for messenger and delivery services.

Lake Gregory Regional Park is part of the San Bernardino Regional Park system, featuring a picturesque 86 acre lake offering excellent trout, catfish and bass fishing. The facilities include white sandy beaches, a 300' two flume water slide, two sand volleyball courts, rowboats, aqua cycles, competition horseshoe areas and paddleboats. Sabot sailboats and sailboard rentals are also available during the season. The beautiful San Moritz Lodge and open areas are available for special events and weddings. Information about the Lake Gregory Regional Park may be obtained by calling the Lake directly at (909) 338-2233.