Loch Leven Camp and Retreat Center is ready to meet your group's needs. Whether a big event or a small gathering, we are here to serve our guests to the best of our ability. Loch Leven is an intentionally accessible and hospitable place for all people, as a place to create new and deepen existing relationships and find oneself renewed.
Loch Leven is located in the San Bernardino mountains on a beautiful 160 acre stretch of land, just 75 miles from Los Angeles at 3900 feet elevation. Our facility is only four miles up the mountain and although it feels remote, it is a very easy drive to our doorstep!
The natural richness of the San Bernardino National Forest and the San Gorgonio Wilderness Area offers an abundance of wildlife, an impressive variety of vegetation and spectacular views. Mountain Home and Skinner creeks weave a silvery thread throughout the center and the clear night sky is truly dazzling!
CONTACT US: (626) 296-0385 or info@lochleven.org
PHYSICAL ADDRESS: 8171 Mountain Home Creek Road, Mentone, CA 92359
MAILING ADDRESS: 36910 Mill Creek Road, Mentone, CA 92359
COVID UPDATE: Loch Leven is currently closed to all groups until further notice.
DONATIONS can be made by credit card or by mailing a check (payable to “Loch Leven”) to Disciples of Christ PSWR, 115 E. Wilshire Avenue, Fullerton, CA 92832
We have a variety of overnight accommodations, day use, and meeting spaces for up to 150 people. All accommodations are heated and have restrooms with shower facilities. Contact us at (626) 296-0385 or info@lochleven.org to discuss your next retreat or event.
CAMPBELL LODGE
Campbell Lodge sleeps up to 34 people and features 6 bedrooms (2 dorms, 1 suite and 3 semi-private) and 6 bathrooms plus additional stall restrooms. A full kitchen dining room can be sectioned off for meeting space, and the spacious great room includes a fireplace, integrated A/V unit, private phone line, wifi access, and forced heat.
Campbell Lodge (named for Disciples' founders Thomas and Alexander Campbell) is the aesthetic and historic heart of our camp and it served the same function in 1928. Built in 1928 and restored in 2014, Campbell combines early 19th century architecture with modern ammenities. It is the only remaining redwood lodge in the San Bernardino National Forest.
Dorm-style room in Campbell Lodge
lower camp Dorms: Alder, ares and maus
Each of our dorm-style buildings sleep 12 people on each side and feature six traditional wood bunk beds, wall to wall carpeting, a wall heater, and ceiling fans. Each side includes an interior bathroom with a shower and toilet.
Maus Cabin, built in 1974, was named for Cynthia Pearl Maus, the first National Youth Director for Disciples of Christ and the founder of the Youth Camp and Conference program.
Ares Cabin, built in 1974, was named for Ralph Ares, a dedicated lay person in the Pacific South West Region.
Alder Cabin, built in 1961, was named for the Alder trees that shade Mountain Home Creek and has a slightly different layout than Ares and Maus. Alder bathrooms were renovated in 2011.
Ross Hoose
Ross Hoose is a two-story building with accommodations for 33 people in community style semi-private rooms upstairs and additional accommodations for 10 people downstairs. Upstairs: 15 traditional wood bunk beds plus 3 single beds, with two residential style bathrooms (toilet, shower and sink) and one community bathroom (2 toilets, showers and sinks). Downstairs: 5 cubby-style bunk beds and one residential-style bathroom (toilet, shower and sink). Beds are all traditional wood bunks with updated 5” mattresses. There is also a meeting room with a wood burning stove downstairs, and a large concrete patio outside for group barbecues and recreational activities.
Ross Hoose was built in the late 1920s and was originally used as a horse barn, with staff quarters upstairs.
Ross Hoose
Cole Hospitality Rooms
Ten motel-style rooms in Cole feature two twin beds and a wall heater, with a shared residential-style restroom in-between two rooms. Rooms in Cole are available only when reserved in combination with other lodging. Rooms are conveniently located next to Stone Lodge. Cole 1 doubles as a Health Care Center and is ADA accessible. Odd numbered rooms have easy access to the parking lot, while even numbered rooms overlook Mountain Home Creek.
Cole rooms are available for individual personal retreats in the off-season as well as for group retreats. The number of rooms available to reserve is based on the size of your retreat. Groups with a contract minimum of 85 or more full-time campers will be entitled to the use of two Cole rooms at no charge.
Cole was constructed in 1978 and dedicated and opened for use in February 1979. They are named for Rev. Clifford Cole Sr.
Pavilions and Tent Camping
The grounds along Mountain Home Creek are peppered with pavilions and open areas for tent camping. The pavilions are ideal for small group meetings, providing plenty of shade and privacy when it is needed.
Overnight retreats for church groups, corporate teams, fraternities/sororities, and organizations of any kind
Day meetings or events for your committees, staff or group
Family reunions or family getaways
Weddings and other special events
Loch Leven offers a variety of settings for your group retreat, organizational meetings or special event. Our facilities provide overnight accommodations, day use, and meeting spaces for up to 150 people. Meeting rooms are assigned to overnight groups based on size of group. For additional meeting rooms, break-out spaces or day use only events, please contact us at (626) 296-0385 or info@lochleven.org for availability and prices.
Business Center & Lounge
Beneath the dining hall is our business center and Lounge. There is a desk with a phone, a printer/fax machine, a full-size refrigerator, coffee service, couches, and wifi access available to all groups on site. Loch Leven is happy to provide some basic tools to help facilitate your retreat free of charge. Large volumes of copies, stamps, flip charts, etc. may result in an extra fee.
food services
Loch Leven offers full service breakfast, lunch and dinner for your group, and can accommodate dietary restrictions. Breakfast includes a fruit and cereal bar and juice, in addition to hot food; Lunch and Dinner include punch or lemonade and salad bar. Milk and milk substitutes are available at all meals. Other options include: snacks, s’mores, a juice bar, and a hot chocolate/capucino machine.
Guests in Campbell Lodge have access to a full kitchen and can work with the Loch Leven staff to prepare and serve their own meals. All guests (in upper and lower camp) are welcome to bring their own snacks. Avoid a lot of candy, cookies and pastries which make people feel overstuffed and sluggish, and often lead to upset stomachs. Light snacks like pretzels and popcorn are recommended. There are guest refrigerators and microwaves available 24 hours in both upper and lower camp.
COMPLIMENTARY RETREAT RESOURCES:
Make the most of your retreat with outdoor experiences and team-building activities at Loch Leven. Our low and high ropes elements are designed to focus on problem solving, communication, leadership, and faith-building. Trained facilitators will work with you to follow your theme and advance your group’s mission. All programs can be modified to fit your needs. Contact us at (626) 296-0385 or info@lochleven.org for additional details.
Adventure Tree Climbing
Low Ropes Elements and Vertical Play Pen
Hiking to Inspiration Point, Sam’s Peak or to the Waterfall
Archery
Swimming & Log Rolling
Campfire and Outdoor Barbecue Areas
Theme Building and Leadership Programs
Summer and winter camps are organized by the Camps Ministry Committee of the Disciples of Christ Pacific Southwest Region and implemented entirely by dedicated volunteers made up of former campers, pastors, parents and young adults from around the Region. This program invites campers to explore, learn, and have adventures in Loch Leven's sunny 160 acres filled with streams, meadows, gardens, hiking trails, and wildlife.
In the summer, week-long residential camp sessions are offered at Loch Leven for ages 3 through 18 (recent high school graduates). The winter season features weekend camps for Chi Rho/middle school (grades 6-8) and CYF/high school (grades 9-12). Please visit our Camp Ministry page or contact us at (626) 296-0385 or info@lochleven.org for more information.
OUR HISTORY
Loch Leven was purchased Oct. 23, 1956 by the Pacific Southwest Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), but the property has had a long and varied life. Its first commercial enterprise was in 1928 as the "Dolly Varden Angling Club." Dolly Varden might sound like the name of the glamorous hostess/proprietor and, in a way it is...it's a variety of trout! A fish hatchery on the premises supplied the angling club's ponds with trout for the guests to catch. Those same ponds were used by our church camp groups for fishing until 1969 when a major flood filled all the ponds with sand and rock. Their excavation has been the focus of several work camps over the past few decades.
Folklore and stories at Loch Leven are bountiful. Considering that Mountain Home Creek Road was once part of the main "Highway 38," the lodge now known as Campbell Lodge was a main stopping point for hunters, fisherman and other "sports" enthusiasts. Though gambling was illegal, it did not seem to stop them from arranging a poker room upstairs in Campbell Lodge's Room 5, where the acoustical wall board helped soundproof the room. And the closets in Room 4 once hid slot machines. Campbell Lodge (named for Disciples' founders Thomas and Alexander Campbell) is a classic example the architectural style from the early 19th century, and is the only remaining redwood lodge in the San Bernardino National Forest. It continues to be the aesthetic and historic heart of camp as it was nearly 100 years ago.
Ross Hoose and the current staff buildings were also built in the late 1920s. Ross Hoose was originally used as a horse barn, with staff quarters upstairs. Lower camp buildings, including Alder, Ares, Maus, Cole and Stone Lodge, were built in the 1960s and 1970s for the purpose of enhancing the camp and conference center facility.
In the summer of 1957, churches began summer camp programs at Loch Leven. Presently the facility is used year-round for retreats, conferences, film locations, reunions, meetings, events, service projects, classes and youth camps.
Rules for employment, acceptance, and participation in our programs and/or facilities rental are the same for everyone without regard to ability, national origin, creed, color, age, gender, sexual orientation, or marital status providing that program requirements are met.
OUR MISSION
Our Mission is to be an intentionally accessible and hospitable meeting place where all guests can enjoy fellowship and spiritual renewal. We actively promote conservation, preservation and appreciation of Loch Leven's unique environmental and historical resources.
For the members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Loch Leven exists to further the mission of the Pacific Southwest Region by providing facilities and programming which provide a place of wholeness of church, a place to deepen ones relationship with God, to renew oneself, and create new relationships.
the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Loch Leven is owned and operated by the Pacific Southwest Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), where all are welcome. Rules for employment, acceptance, and participation in Loch Leven programs and/or facilities rental are the same for everyone without regard to ability, national origin, creed, color, age, gender, sexual orientation, or marital status providing that program requirements are met.
THE VISION OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH:
To be a faithful, growing church, that demonstrates true community, deep Christian spirituality and a passion for justice. (Micah 6:8)
THE MISSION OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH:
To be and to share the Good News of Jesus Christ, witnessing, loving and serving from our doorsteps "to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8)
The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), while founded on American soil in the early 1800s, is uniquely equipped to live up to its identity that it is a "movement for wholeness in a fragmented world." The denomination was born in the 1800s, and continues to be influenced by its founding ideals of our unity in Christ with openness and diversity in practice and belief.
The Disciples Vision, Mission, Imperative and Covenant statement calls the communion to be a faithful, growing church that demonstrates true community, deep Christian spirituality and a passion for justice.
The church is identified with the Protestant “mainstream” and is widely involved in social and other concerns. Disciples have supported vigorously world and national programs of education, agricultural assistance, racial reconciliation, care of the developmentally disabled and aid to victims of war and calamity.
The denomination now counts about 700,000 members in the United States and Canada in about 3,700 congregations. Numerically, the strength of the Disciples of Christ runs in a broad arc that sweeps from Ohio and Kentucky through the Midwest and down into Oklahoma and Texas.