Mentone is a Census Designated Place in San Bernardino County east of Redlands with a 2025 population of 9,954, and its zip code of 92359 is considered to encompass 6.25 square miles.  Mentone slopes uphill below the more-than -10,000' San Bernardino and San Gorgonio Mountains, which are snow-peaked in winter. The community was laid out in 1887  east of Redlands, continued up north through the Santa Ana River and eastward including Mill Creek, a tributary to the River, almost to what is now Yucaipa.  In the late 1800s Mentone was touted to railroad passengers as having a Mediterranean climate similar to that of Menton, France, where everything would grow in Mentone, which is home to many citrus and other trees and plants.  Mentone's downtown east-west streets were named after resorts such as Capri and Madeira; its downtown north-south streets were named after semi-precious stones such as turquoise and jasper.  In the late 1800s a large hotel was built, which later became a sanitarium; and Mentone had its own railroad station, both of which no longer exist.  Mentone's developers dug several wells, which still supply water but which Redlands now owns. 

The Zanja (Spanish for ditch), called "the Sankey" by locals, runs through Mentone; it was dug by the Indians in 1819-20 to provide water from Mill Creek to the Asistencia now located in Loma L inda, some 8-9 miles to the West.  Some people have, or have had, gold mines in Mill Creek.

From Mentone’s 1500' elevation, residents can look down on the lights of San Bernardino and Redlands at night. In summer Mentone is several degrees cooler. Mentone claims several villages:  Mentone Beach, Crafton, Mountain Home Village and Greenspot; its downtown area surrounds Highway 38 and is the gateway to the mountain communities.  "Mentone Beach" provides a chuckle until one learns that Mentone is laid out in a former river/creekbed.  Mentone has a very rural-feeling, with older downtown homes on large lots and some ranches; properties are generally priced lower than surrounding areas.  Mentone has several restaurants that are popular with customers from other areas, and its own County Library/Senior Center. 

San Bernardino County is the primary municipal service provider for Mentone - the county government center is 14 miles away in the City of San Bernardino.  At present most Mentone residents  prefer to form their own municipality or District and become self-governing. Beginning with Redlands' 1888 incorporation, Mentone has lived under the constant shadow of predatory annexation from the City of Redlands.  its activities are profiled in Mentone Matters, published occasionally since March 2018.