Big Bear

From the high desert floor flush with Joshua trees, Yucca, and crisp blue skies to the green forest of Big Bear, Burns Canyon, also known as Arrastre Creek, is an odyssey waiting for you in Southern California. Rich with history, particularly if you start at the south end and take in Pioneertown, travel through the famous Rose Mine, and find the rare Redwood trees, this trail makes for a great gateway for an epic overland trip close to home. This is the perfect get-away for a day or days when combined with the other amazing trails this area has to offer.

Holcomb Valley Road, also known as 3N16, is the backbone of Big Bear’s off-road country. It is a 26-mile route winding through pine forests, open meadows, and the storied remains of Southern California’s gold rush. Running west to east across the San Bernardino Mountains, it follows the same paths once traveled by 19th-century miners and settlers. Today, it’s a family-friendly dirt road that invites exploration, with countless opportunities to stop and connect with Big Bear’s rugged backcountry heritage. Along the way, you’ll pass relics of the old Belleville mining district, shady forest campsites, and panoramic overlooks where the air smells of pine and the horizon glows at sunset. More than just a scenic drive, 3N16 links some of the region’s most iconic trails, serving as both an adventure in itself and a gateway to Big Bear’s legendary four-wheel playground.

Gold Mountain Trail, 3N69, is one of those names all Southern California offroaders know. For many, it was their first rock crawling trail. For others, it is their next ambitious goal. Located in the San Bernardino National Forest, near Big Bear Lake, this easily accessed rock crawling trail takes you up and into the mountain range of SoCal, cresting over 8,000 feet above sea level before dropping you near the history-rich Holcomb Valley. Along this scenic wonderland, the trail offers fantastic views of Big Bear Lake, the bustling mountain village below, and the towering San Gorgonio Mountain.

The trail was established in the 1860s during the Big Bear gold rush to facilitate mining operations. Today, the obstacles bring people to this historic trail. With two waterfalls, a rock garden, and several hard corners, this trail tests driver skills and vehicle capability. There is no doubt why Jeep picked this trail as one of its legendary Jeep Badge Of Honor Trails.

One of the must-do offroad trails in Southern California and maybe even the United States, 3N10 - John Bull is a legendary trail in the offroad community and offers an amazing rock-crawling experience to all users. Often used as a trial run for larger trips such as to the Rubicon or the Dusy-Ershim, this Jeep Badge of Honor trail will test a vehicle to its breaking point. John Bull features large boulders over 36 inches round, loose rocks that love to bend sheet metal, and big trees that seem to jump out of nowhere and kiss your vehicle, leaving behind body damage scars that make for epic campfire stories. If looking for a unique and challenging trail within Big Bear's Holcomb Valley, John Bull will certainly fill the void.

Comfortably nestled in the San Bernardino National Forest, Holcomb Creek is a challenging rock-crawling trail that has attracted visitors for decades. It is a Jeep Badge of Honor Trail, and for good reason. It is one of the most demanding trails in the Big Bear Mountain range and provides perhaps the best rock crawling of them all. While traveling the trail, expect everything from water crossings to extensive rock gardens with rocks the size of small cars. You can also expect challenging hill climbs and fantastic views of Holcomb Creek and the Pacific Crest Hiking Trail. Over the years, this trail has claimed many vehicles and should not be underestimated. People often exit this trail with their hopes and vehicles destroyed. If you think you and your vehicle have what it takes to complete this epic 4x4 adventure, then air down your tires, engage those lockers, and be prepared to make unforgettable memories while earning your badge!

Leave the sunbaked Mojave Desert near Hesperia behind and begin an unforgettable journey into the towering forests, cool mountain air, and sparkling blue waters of Big Bear Lake. 3N14 Coxey Road is more than just a scenic dirt road. It is a gateway to adventure, carrying explorers through a dramatically changing landscape where rugged desert terrain and scattered junipers slowly give way to pinyon pines, dense mountain forests, and towering Jeffrey pines as the trail climbs higher into the San Bernardino Mountains.

For those looking for a quick escape, Coxey Road can be traveled from bottom to top in roughly two hours, creating an incredible desert-to-mountain adventure that feels worlds away from where it began. But slow down, pack the camping gear, and the same trail can become the backbone of an unforgettable multi-day overland journey. Numerous camping opportunities along and near the route allow explorers to leave civilization behind, search for a secluded campsite beneath the trees, gather around a crackling campfire, and spend the night beneath a brilliant mountain sky filled with stars. With miles of connecting forest roads and trails waiting to be explored, a simple drive along Coxey Road can easily grow into an entire weekend of backcountry adventure.

When winter arrives, the adventure transforms once again as snow blankets the towering pines, covers the surrounding mountains, and turns this normally relaxing backcountry drive into an entirely different four-wheel-drive experience. Whether you are chasing panoramic desert views, watching the landscape transform from arid Mojave vegetation into lush mountain forests, searching for the perfect campsite,

Tucked into the rugged east side of Big Bear in Southern California, 2N61Y, better known as Heartbreak Ridge, is a remote, challenging 4x4 trail in the San Bernardino National Forest. It’s a trail for drivers who want a true backcountry challenge away from the busier, more popular routes in the area.

Heartbreak Ridge is technical and demanding, with jagged rock gardens, tight canyon squeezes, and off-camber shelf-road sections that require careful tire placement and steady focus. Along the way, you’ll catch wide mountain views and pass scattered remnants of old mining activity that add a gritty, historic feel to the drive.

Dishpan Springs 3N34 is a short but brutally hardcore rock crawling trail that has become a must-run destination for serious offroad enthusiasts, rock crawlers, and extreme 4x4 drivers. Hidden deep in the San Bernardino Mountains between Big Bear Lake and Lake Arrowhead, this legendary Southern California off-road trail delivers nonstop technical challenges and is not something to underestimate. Known for its steep granite climbs, loose dirt, and high-consequence obstacles, Dishpan Springs is designed to test driver skill, vehicle setup, and mental focus from start to finish.

The trail is defined by two massive, highly technical waterfalls that rank among the most intimidating obstacles in the area. These near-vertical rock faces demand precise tire placement, controlled throttle, and confident line choice. The upper waterfall in particular is notorious for body damage and rollovers, and it has no regard for whether you are driving a fully built 4x4, a rock buggy, a heavily armored Jeep, or an over-the-top Toyota build. With constant traction challenges, extreme rock crawling lines, and heart-pounding climbs, Dishpan Springs delivers pure adrenaline and is the kind of offroad trail that leaves drivers exhausted, grinning, and wishing it would never end.

Located deep within the San Bernardino Nation Forest and providing legendary views of the High Desert, 3N17 White Mountain is a lightly traveled yet prominent trail within the Big Bear Lake area, known to be a favorite among locals. Perched at nearly 7,800 feet above sea level, the views from this ridge-running trail are awe-inspiring. While traveling the northern mountain range spine, users are rewarded with views of Johnson Valley, Lucerne Valley, Cougar Buttes, Apple Valley, Barstow, Mojave Road, and even Calico off in the distance. If those views aren't appealing enough, wait for dark and visit one of the two twin peaks on a clear night, where the glamourous lights of Las Vegas can be seen in the distance. If you are looking for something new and scenic that you will want to come back to again and again, look no further than White Mountain.

Clarks Grade is a 4x4 off-road trail in the San Bernardino National Forest. Driving this trail is a journey through several ecosystems, starting at the lowest elevation at the Santa Ana River and continuing to the ridgeline south of Big Bear Lake. The lushness of the canyon bottom gives way to the semi-aridness of mesquite, sage, and scrub oak. Finally, towards the end, you reach groves of conifer and an open-air ridgeline. Rumor has it that this trail was cut in one week as an alternate way off the mountain when, in 1949, the storm of the century blocked all access in and out of Big Bear Lake/Snow Summit. A sign at the north end explains that the trail has been in place since well before 1949. Harland Clark always told the story his way; it looks like his brother Hiram made the improvements.

2N10 Mill Creek is in the 823,000-acre San Bernardino National Forest just south of Big Bear Lake and travels through some of the most beautiful parts of the Big Bear Mountains. Mill Creek has many spots to pull over and enjoy the peaceful solitude of this lush forest. The entire road length is enclosed by a conifer forest with tall Ponderosa Pine sheltering the way and accented by the unusual granite formations for which Big Bear is known. This well-marked road provides access to several other driving trails and numerous hiking and biking trails to explore.

Tucked deep in the pine-covered hills of Holcomb Valley, The Squeeze Trail or 3N07A is a short but thrilling offroad adventure that combines rugged terrain, alpine beauty, and heart-pounding excitement. Twisting and winding beneath the jagged granite spires of the Big Bear Pinnacles, this route offers more than just a drive. It delivers a front-row seat to some of the most striking geology in the San Bernardino Mountains. These towering rock formations pierce the skyline, making the area a favorite for climbers and photographers chasing golden-hour light. The sense of wilderness here is real and raw, with sweeping views, thick tree cover, and a feeling of remoteness that adds to the adventure.

But the real showstopper is the trail’s namesake obstacle at Coyote Crag. Known simply as The Squeeze, this narrow rock corridor tests both your driving skills and your nerve. Threading your rig between two massive boulders with barely enough room to spare will get your pulse racing. One wrong move and you’re adding new trail scars to your rig. Fold in your mirrors, trust your spotter, and take a deep breath. This is the moment that makes the trail unforgettable.

2N93 Wildhorse Meadow is in the beautiful San Bernardino National Forest, southeast of Big Bear Lake. This trail has designated camping, with two yellow post sites on 2N93F Wildhorse. Also on this trail is a designated shooting site at 2N93G Lightning Gulch. It's obvious where Wildhorse Meadow gets its name when you drive between Waypoints 7 and 10. The meadow is lush green, bordered by pine, oak, cedar, and elm. Bring your family, picnic lunch, and camera for a day of 4WD offroad fun.

Smarts Ranch Road travels through an interesting mix of Pine and Joshua trees, providing several locations along the way for camping, hanging a hammock, or just pulling over into a clearing and enjoying the quiet forest solitude. The last three miles at the southeastern end of the trail provide a driving challenge over rough, exposed rock outcroppings for those wanting to test their offroad driving skills.

Front Line Road is in the 823,000-acre San Bernardino National Forest just south of Big Bear Lake. It provides a casual meandering adventure alongside a shallow canyon formed by the 8,000-foot San Bernardino Mountain Range to the north and the 10,000-foot San Gorgonio Wilderness mountains to the south. There are numerous places to pull over for lunch or to take in the many commanding views of the mountains and tall pines that guide your way.

2N06X, aka Lower Larga Flat, is a short offroad connection generally used to bypass the middle rock garden on Holcomb Creek. But don't think this trail isn't hard because it is considered a bypass. 2N06X offers intense rocky hill climbs, large boulder rock gardens, and crazy off-camber spots that will make you think twice. Many people find this to be a fun trail for intermediate drivers ready to make the next step up in difficulty.