California Trails

Cougar Buttes

5/5 (9 reviews)

Lucerne Valley, California (San Bernardino County)

Last Updated: 09/26/2022

Trail Information

Highlights

Altitude

Camping

Desert

Iconic

Rock

Sand

Scenic

Wash

Cougar Buttes is one of the great off-road areas of Southern California that has yet to be discovered by the main stream off-road community. Just minutes from Big Bear and Johnson Valley, this small area is easy to miss with its few rock pile hills, it almost looks like it could be someone's backyard. But don't let this fool you, Cougar Buttes has everything Johnson Valley has but in a much smaller and more accessible area. Everything from high speed sandy roads to some of the most extreme rock crawling and Jeeping in all of the United States. Whether you are into rock crawling, some 4x4'ing, pre-running dirt roads, overlanding, or simply just want to take a short vacation. Cougar Buttes should be your place on your next trip.

Trail Difficulty and Assessment

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Josh Noesser

Official Crew

Trail Navigation

Cougar Buttes, has everything Johnson Valley has but in just a fraction of the area. The area has everything from high speed sand roads and geocaches to rock crawling ranging from simple to extreme. What makes this area different from most others is there aren't many official trails, but just an area you can try to explore and see how far you can make it. The best example of the area would be to think of desert rocky terrain you would see in Star Trek. Cougar Buttes would be something like that. There are several named trails in the area. Even though the trails are named, they are very hard to follow due to the lack of signage or obvious paths. Those trails are; Hammer Down, Bull Frog, Cake Walk, Split Fingers, and The Skull.

1. Turn off Camp Rock Road Onto Cambria Road ( mi)

Cougar Buttes - Waypoint 1: Turn off Camp Rock Road Onto Cambria Road

Cambria is one of the many roads that head out to Cougar Buttes. Most of the dirt roads on the east side of Camp Rock Road will take you to this popular destination.

2. Example of Camping Area ( mi)

Cougar Buttes - Waypoint 2: Example of Camping Area

This is a good example of one of the popular camping areas in Cougar Buttes. Many off-road enthusiasts like to camp against the rock hills to stay out of the wind and also be away from the traffic.

3. Steep Hill with Turn ( mi)

Cougar Buttes - Waypoint 3: Steep Hill with Turn

One of the many examples of the terrain features in the area. This steep hill climb with an off-camber turn at the top is something that can get most people thinking twice about.

4. Hammer Down ( mi)

Hammer Down Trail is full of large boulders, rock ledges, short patches of sand, and tight squeezes. You will work your way over one rock, just to find you have to back up and work your way around another, over another, and make tight off camber turns. You will climb ledges, turn tightly, and drop back down just to meet another rock garden. The Sluice, at Waypoint 10, includes a rock scattered ledge to work your way over while trying to keep your tires on the ground. Deep notches in large rock faces need to be carefully navigated through while making downward, off camber turns. This trail is no joke! Be ready for potential vehicle damage or do not try this trail. For more information on Hammer Down, please click on the hyperlink.

5. Chicken Rock - Bull Frog Trailhead ( mi)

Cougar Buttes - Waypoint 5: Chicken Rock - Bull Frog Trailhead

There are only a few named obstacles in the area. One of these is Chicken Rock. The reason it got its name is people constantly chicken out from trying to climb up this steep 40-foot rock. The rock itself has two paths up. The center route has a nice 3-foot ledge at the bottom while the left route is more suitable for lesser-equipped 4x4's. This is also the trailhead for Bull Frog, the trail continues southeast after this points. For more information on Bull Frog, please click on the hyperlink.

6. Waterfall - Bull Frog ( mi)

Cougar Buttes - Waypoint 6: Waterfall - Bull Frog

There aren't many trails out in this area, and even for the few trails, they are nearly impossible to follow due to the absence of any clear markings. At this point, Cake Walk and Bull Frog trail start to split apart. The water fall is a great spot to give you an idea what is expected ahead.

7. V-Notch - Cake Walk ( mi)

Cougar Buttes - Waypoint 7: V-Notch - Cake Walk

V-Notches are a rare thing in California so when you see one you almost have to run it. This V-Notch is part of Cake Walk Trail.

8. Notch Slide ( mi)

Another one of the many obstacles in the area.

9. Split Finger Trailhead ( mi)

Cougar Buttes - Waypoint 9: Split Finger Trailhead

Another one of the many obstacles in the area. Some a little harder than others. It is also the trailhead for Split Finger.

10. Skull ( mi)

On the west side of the rock hill is this treasure of the desert. Someone painted this skull in a way that looks real, but if you are trying to find it, be warned, it can only be seen if you are against the hill looking away. For more information on The Skull Rock of Johnson Valley, please click on the hyperlink.

Trail Reviews

5/5 (9)

Bob Justus

2100

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 05/14/2023

Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

Hit this area on a whim and had a great time. There were some great camp areas that motorhomes and trailers couldd get too. It was definitely a scavenger hunt finding the obstacles and did most of the challenge routes forward and backward just because we got turned arround. Finally started to use the GPS with the app had an easier nav, but still was off trail 50%. There were some areas with no Tire Marks and some pretty hairy boulders, but with the right rig, looked like a blast. The 07 JK on 35's with 2 1/12" lift used the rock rails and had a few hard bumps, but it handled it with perfection. As a bonus there are a few GEO cashes hidden in the rocks that made fun side quests.

Matt

6050

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 03/12/2023

This place is amazing and such a great place to go with a few other rigs and push your limits. Here’s a little recap video of our trip there last week!

JT Carey

Official Crew

4100

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 02/19/2023

Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

Went here with a large group, we mostly did bullfrog but there are so many different bypasses and optional obstacles that it's hard to tell what trail you are on. It's a super fun area, I definitely will be back.

George Deyarmond

4700

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 04/03/2022

Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

This is a choose your own adventure trail. There are dozens of parallel paths cut in the landscape to make your way toward the rock formations. The formations are very cool to see up close.

Josh Noesser

Official Crew

121550

Temporary Closure

Visited: 04/27/2021

This is the weekend for Military use... Make other plans if you are going to be in the shared use area https://www.29palms.marines.mil/Staff-Offices/Government-and-External-Affairs/Johnson-Valley/fbclid/IwAR1P9xPv9BFcI9_RKJwPoHIlYTZCVZ70xbytUkGJjlQ83Za02vLDud2Px5M/

Cougar Buttes

Trail Information

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Trail Difficulty and Assessment

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Trail Navigation

1. Turn off Camp Rock Road Onto Cambria Road ( mi)

2. Example of Camping Area ( mi)

3. Steep Hill with Turn ( mi)

4. Hammer Down ( mi)

5. Chicken Rock - Bull Frog Trailhead ( mi)

6. Waterfall - Bull Frog ( mi)

7. V-Notch - Cake Walk ( mi)

8. Notch Slide ( mi)

9. Split Finger Trailhead ( mi)

10. Skull ( mi)

Trail Reviews

From the Community

Josh Noesser

Cougar Buttes

Trail Information

Highlights

Trail Difficulty and Assessment

Recommended Vehicle:

Concerns:

Summary:

Community Consensus

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3 votes

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Trail Navigation

1. Turn off Camp Rock Road Onto Cambria Road ( mi)

2. Example of Camping Area ( mi)

3. Steep Hill with Turn ( mi)

4. Hammer Down ( mi)

5. Chicken Rock - Bull Frog Trailhead ( mi)

6. Waterfall - Bull Frog ( mi)

7. V-Notch - Cake Walk ( mi)

8. Notch Slide ( mi)

9. Split Finger Trailhead ( mi)

10. Skull ( mi)

Trail Reviews

From the Community

Josh Noesser

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