Forest Falls, California Short-Term Rental Market
The San Bernardino Mountains area STR market near Forest Falls averaged $288/night at 40% occupancy in June 2026.
Quick Answer: Forest Falls, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Big Bear market area is 40%. average monthly revenue in the Big Bear market area is $2,980. average daily rate in the Big Bear market area is $288.
Market data reflects the Big Bear regional market, which includes Forest Falls. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Forest Falls.
Market Overview
Forest Falls is a small unincorporated mountain community in the San Bernardino Mountains, about 5,700 feet in elevation and 75 miles east of Los Angeles, serving as a gateway to the San Gorgonio Wilderness and San Bernardino National Forest. It draws primarily day-trip outdoor recreationists from the greater Los Angeles and Inland Empire region, hikers, waterfall-seekers, backpackers and campers headed for Mt. San Gorgonio (11,503 feet), Southern California’s highest peak south of the Sierra Nevada. Big Falls, the tallest year-round waterfall in Southern California at roughly 500 feet over five tiers, is the community’s marquee attraction and is busiest April through November, with winter bringing snow-play visitors.
StaySTRA tracks Forest Falls’ short-term rental data at the San Bernardino Mountains regional level, shared with Angelus Oaks, Green Valley Lake, and Skyforest, so the figures below describe that regional mountain market rather than Forest Falls alone. Listing-type and bedroom-count data are tracked at that same shared regional level, so this profile omits a breakdown by unit type or bedroom count, and housing-market data (typical home value, sale prices) is not published for this area either.
The San Bernardino Mountains area averaged a $288 ADR and 39.5% occupancy in June 2026, producing $114 RevPAR and $2,980 in average monthly revenue. Year over year, occupancy is up 4.2% and revenue is up 3.6%, even as ADR fell 7.1%, a pattern of more bookings at a lower average rate.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 44% |
| Feb | 43% |
| Mar | 32% |
| Apr | 30% |
| May | 33% |
| Jun | 41% |
| Jul | 47% |
| Aug | 40% |
| Sep | 28% |
| Oct | 34% |
| Nov | 40% |
| Dec | 53% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Forest Falls are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Booking Insights
Booking-window and length-of-stay analysis for Forest Falls — how far ahead guests book and how to price around it — is available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Forest Falls is unincorporated, so short-term rentals are governed by San Bernardino County, not a city. STRs are legal and require a county Short-Term Residential Rental Unit Permit, obtained only through the county’s EZ Online Permitting portal. As of July 1, 2025, a new application costs roughly $1,144 (a $600 application fee, $285 permit fee, and $259 surrounding-property-owner notification fee); renewals run about $550 with no changes, more if there are physical or occupancy changes. A one-time $150 credit is available for installing an outdoor noise-monitoring device.
A Code Enforcement officer conducts an exterior inspection to verify parking capacity and compliance, and owners must self-certify interior safety via an Interior Checklist. Permits renew annually. Operators must also register for and collect the county’s 7% Transient Occupancy Tax.
There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement and no annual cap on rental nights, though each stay must be 30 days or less. Owners must provide a 24/7 complaint phone line; the county also runs its own 24-hour hotline and enforces noise standards with penalties up to $1,000. Enforcement is rated moderate, complaint-driven but active.
Market Comparison
The San Bernardino Mountains area STR market’s June 2026 occupancy of 39.5% ran well below the commonly cited US STR median of roughly 55%, while its $288 ADR ran well above the roughly $220 national median, a combination typical of a niche, higher-end mountain-getaway market that competes on rate rather than fill rate, and where June specifically sits in a seasonal trough rather than the market’s December peak.
Top property manager data (which operators lead the market, their listing counts and reviews) is not published for this area, so this profile omits operator rankings rather than guessing. Investors researching who manages properties in Forest Falls should review individual listing pages directly.
Frequently Asked Questions About Forest Falls, California
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