Bear Valley Road

Bear Valley Road is a moderate difficulty trail, 45 minutes from San Diego, with rewarding southern views down to Mexico. It is popular with offroad enthusiasts as it is open to Off-Highway Vehicles (OHV). After the initial 2.5-mile climb to the ridge, the trail widens and has ample opportunities to stop, get out, take in the views, or have a snack. Bear Valley Road is great for anyone looking for mountain views while traversing something more aggressive than a dirt road.

This is an out-and-back trail for anything with 4 wheels (7 miles each way) with no access to Buckman Springs Road. The trail terminates at a locked gate 0.3 miles from the intersection with Long Valley Loop. However, continuing down Long Valley Loop and returning, it can become a 19-mile, almost 3-hour trek round-trip.

Difficulty

The trail is rough dirt and rock in good conditions, but when wet, deep mud bogs may form that could challenge even well-equipped vehicles. The first (northern) 2.5 miles contains over a dozen erosion control berms requiring high clearance. In addition to the erosion control, there are 3-4, roughly 20-foot sections with a climb/descent that may briefly encounter a 20° pitch or 15° camber.

Camping

There are at least 2 sites along the side of the trail, which can be used for camping in a pinch, but do not provide a lot of privacy. Camping does require a dispersed camping permit from the Descanso Ranger District.

Access

Use the Pine Valley exit off of I-8. The staging area is roughly 100 feet south of the freeway off-ramp. Parking within the fence requires a pass, but parking outside the fence is free. Parking may be busy due to the trail's popularity, with weekend mornings typically being the busiest.