DSH - Patton: About the Area

Department of State Hospitals - Patton is located at the base of the San Bernardino Mountains, 60 miles east of Los Angeles and 60 miles west of the low desert Palm Springs resort area. A diversity of attractions characterizes San Bernardino, seat of the largest land mass county in the United States.

The City of San Bernardino houses the California Theater of Performing Arts, a civic light opera, the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra, diverse outdoor recreation and major air transportation access.

Housing costs in San Bernardino are substantially lower than those of many other Southern California urban areas.

Year-round mountain recreation is only thirty minutes away in the 11,000 foot high San Bernardino range which includes the popular ski resorts of Mt. Baldy, Big Bear, and Wrightwood. Lake Arrowhead offers year-round recreation and aquatic sports, blending the quaint charm of this mountain village with a modern entertainment and shopping complex.

To the northeast is the serenely beautiful California high desert, the Mojave, with Las Vegas less than a four-hour drive.

Within easy commute of Department of State Hospitals - Patton are major university campuses including CSU San Bernardino, Loma Linda University, and the University of Redlands. Within the area are the medical schools of the University of California, Los Angeles; University of Southern California; University of California, Irvine, and Loma Linda University. Teaching affiliations are available to qualified physicians at these institutions.

Typical of Southern California's gentle climate, winters are mild and summers are typified by hot, dry days and pleasant, balmy evenings. The area enjoys a Mediterranean-type climate with an average temperature of 67 degrees, and an average of 312 days of sunshine. Average annual rainfall is 15 inches.