California Trails

Gold Fever Trail

4.6/5 (27 reviews)

Big Bear Lake, California (San Bernardino County)

Last Updated: 05/05/2023

Trail Information

Highlights

Altitude

Desert

Forest

Ghost Town

Iconic

Mine

Mud

Overland

Sand

Snow Wheeling

Take an unexpected adventure through the history of Holcomb Valley's gold rush and the history behind it. During this trip, you will see abandon mines, dig sites, grave sites, pygmy cabins, and much more. So pack up the family and explore the history of Holcomb Valley.

Trail Difficulty and Assessment

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Josh Noesser

Official Crew

Trail Navigation

Welcome to the historic gold country of San Bernardino National Forest. This overland route takes you through the now tranquil Holcomb Valley that was once thriving with activity during the gold rush of the 1860's. At 12 selected markers you will live the history of there area. Please keep your vehicles on the designated roads and use the parking areas at numbered stops. When walking to the historical sites off the road, please stay on the trial. William F. Holcomb left Iowa in 1850 and went west to seek his fortune in the mining camps of Northern California. Discouraged by poor luck, he drifted southward. Intrigued by rumors of a small gold discovery in the San Bernardino Mountains, Holcomb left Los Angeles in November of 1859, joining up with others, and camped in the aptly named Starvation Flats. The section behind Holcomb Campground 3N05 closes for the winter.

1. Big Bear Discovery Center (0 mi)

Gold Fever Trail - Waypoint 1: Big Bear Discovery Center

Big Bear Discovery Center 40971 North Shore Drive/ Hwy 38, Fawnskin, CA 92333 www.mountainsfoundation.org

2. Holcomb View Trail (3.2 mi)

Gold Fever Trail - Waypoint 2: Holcomb View Trail

Bill Holcomb was hired by other prospectors to hunt bear in the hills. On a hunting trip up Polique Canyon, he first saw Holcomb Valley off to the North just 2 miles away. The group back at Starvation Flats later named this area Holcomb's Valley. The following day, Bill and Ben Choteau (Cherokee Indian), wounded a "Monster Grizzly." The blood trail lead them to a quartz ledge which caught Bills attention. While up there, they took some large pieces of the quartz where they planned on taking back to town to test it and while washing the rock off in the stream they discovered abundant amount of gold lying in the stream bed. The news spread quickly and by July 1860 the valley was swarming with prospectors. (Park and follow the Pacific Crest Trail 250 feet east to the view of Holcomb Valley)

3. Last Chance Placer (4.8 mi)

Gold Fever Trail - Waypoint 3: Last Chance Placer

Placer mining is a simple technique where gold is separated from sand or gravel with water. The miners worked this area so heavily that they worked it all the way to the bedrock. When the black sand was found (pay dirt), they transported it by horse and cart to be sluiced in the rockers. These sluices were built near common run off areas where water was plentiful with the snow melt. The mounds of tailings are from the mines after it was worked for gold. To this date, the mother load has never been found. (Drive in 200 feet to the split rail fence around a mining pit)

4. Two Gun Bill's Saloon (5.8 mi)

Gold Fever Trail - Waypoint 4: Two Gun Bill's Saloon

A white lie, this site was believed to be the site of the famous saloon, dance hall, and bordello. The story was told so much that even the locals believed it. The truth is the real famous saloon was 1.5 miles to the southeast at the corner of 3N16 and 3N12. The remains are of a very large cabin that was occupied as late as the 1930's. Unfortunately the area has been picked over by visitors over the last 10 years and has almost completely removed all resemblance of the Cabin. (Walk in 300 feet to the scattered remnants of this historic log structure)

5. Jonathan Tibbetts' Grasshopper Quartz Mill (6.3 mi)

Gold Fever Trail - Waypoint 5: Jonathan Tibbetts' Grasshopper Quartz Mill

"Chinamen's Knoll" the center of activity was a high piece of ground in the area. In this spot Tibbetts operated a 5-stamp mill powered by Pico Steam Engine. The heavy iron heads rhythmically pulverized the gold ore from the John Bull Mines. The sand mounds are tailings from the mining. (Walk 900 feet past the sand mounds to the remains of the water pump)

6. Hangman's Tree (6.5 mi)

Gold Fever Trail - Waypoint 6: Hangman's Tree

Where money can be found, so can crime. As the miners and prospectors found their fortunes, outlaws, claim jumpers, gamblers, and other trouble makers followed close behind. In August 1861, the valley was attacked by house thieves from Salt Lake City, known as the Button's Gang. It was estimated that 50 murders were committed in the first 2 years of the valley. For those outlaws who were unable to avoid the law, they found themselves at the end of a rope on this tree. The real hangmen's tree was burnt down by careless visitors not so long ago by the Belleville Cabin, after this happened they renamed this trail the hangmen's tree because of its scary looks. (The trail is just to the east of the trail, you can't miss it)

7. Original Gold Diggings (6.8 mi)

Gold Fever Trail - Waypoint 7: Original Gold Diggings

The spot where Bill Holcomb made his famous discovery. The stream is hard to see. Some of the purest gold that was ever discovered in California was discovered in this area along the river with panning and digging. IN 1861 and 1862, thousands of claims were staked throughout the valley. (Look in the meadow (the stream is not usually visible)

8. Belleville (7.1 mi)

Gold Fever Trail - Waypoint 8: Belleville

On the outskirts of the haphazard town, earthen dugouts and hastily built shacks were thrown together by the miners. These include a brewery and the infamous "Octagon House," an 8 sided saloon and dance hall, where glittered girls entertained. In 1861, at the peak of the rush, 1500 people lived in Holcomb Valley, in which Belleville missed taking the county seat from the San Bernardino by a mere 2 votes. The population was typical of a mining town, with good men and industrious works, balanced by degenerates and professional lawbreakers. (A lone log cabin sits in the meadow on the left, just no longer there)

9. Arrastres (Gold Ore Grinder) (7.2 mi)

Gold Fever Trail - Waypoint 9: Arrastres (Gold Ore Grinder)

The oldest tool for recovering gold from rocks. The arrastre wheel was introduced my Mexican miners. The early arrastres consisted of a low rock wall banked around large, flat and fairly level stones. In a hole in the center was an upright post, and on this pivoted a long horizontal beam. A donkey or mule harnessed to the end of the beam provided the power by walking in an endless circle. The ore was crushed between the stones then slowly tendius process of grinding a single pile of ore took about four hours. Over 100 gold grinding quartz arrastres once dotted Holcomb Valley. (150 feet to the west of the Belleville Cabin.)

10. Ross' Grave (7.3 mi)

Gold Fever Trail - Waypoint 10: Ross' Grave

Little is known of Ross except he was accidently killed while cutting down a tree. Like most other items in the Valley, people have stolen parts of the grave including the hand carved picket fence. To save what was left, the SBNF Rangers relocated some of the fence to the Big Bear Discover Center. (A 500 foot trail leads to the gravesite)

11. Pygmy Cabin Site (7.3 mi)

Gold Fever Trail - Waypoint 11: Pygmy Cabin Site

The original cabin was burned down in November 1983. The forest service rebuilt the cabin to represent what it was once before. The original cabin only had 4 foot tall walls and at the highest point in the roof was from the ground to ceiling 6 foot. (Across the road from Stop #9, a winding 900 foot trail leas to the original cabin remains.)

12. Metzger Mine (9 mi)

Gold Fever Trail - Waypoint 12: Metzger Mine

After most of the placer sites were staked, gold-bearing quartz veins were discovered in the hills to the north and down through Jacoby Gulch to the east. The vein the miners followed when they dug this underground horizontal passage is still visible above the main entrance. Lode claims could not be worked without heavy machinery, so a wagon road became essential. The miners pledged $1500 and a road was cut by Jed Van Dusen down through Lower Holcomb connecting with the "New" toll road in Cajon Pass. Soon after, a wagon hauled in a four-ton boiler to power the first quartz mill. The trip took 27 days from Los Angeles to Holcomb Valley. (800 foot trail to the mine entrance)

13. Gold Mountain (Also known as "Lucky Baldwin" Mine (10.8 mi)

Gold Fever Trail - Waypoint 13: Gold Mountain (Also known as "Lucky Baldwin" Mine

The last major gold discovery occurred in 1873 when Barney and Charley Carter were enroute to the Ross Mine. While camped for the night along the North Shore of Baldwin Lake, Barney went to inspect the "Shiny Stuff" in the quartz ledge immediately above their camp. His brief exploration led to the a mountain of gold ore. Elais J. "Lucky" Baldwin purchased "Carters' Quartz Hill" for $30,000. By 1876, Baldwin had 180 men working his mine and a 40 stamp mill was in place. The concrete footings can be seen to the west. The site of the large mill and cyanide processing plant was added in 1899. The mill was in operation as late as 1923. (Watch for the wooden structure on the right / south side of the road. This was once a Ore Bin, built in 1945.)

Trail Reviews

4.6/5 (27)

josh

100

Open

Rated 4/5

Visited: 09/24/2023

Difficulty Accuracy: Harder

Mostly a level 1 all day, with the exception of some large ruts due to the amount of rain and snow runoff from this last winter. The backside of the trail overlooking Johnson Valley is very very rocky and patience and good judgment is needed if you’re not running big tires and a lift.

Darren

2400

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 07/15/2023

Difficulty Accuracy: Harder

Love the history that goes along with the trail. I thought the eastern end of the trail rated a 2/3.

Alex

800

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 07/03/2023

Difficulty Accuracy: Easier

Trail is a breeze. As of July 2023 the signs explaining each landmark are gone. 2wd and minimal ground clearance needed.

Cherry Garcia

300

Open

Rated 3/5

Visited: 07/01/2023

Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

Popular trail all year round, which is good if you’re starting out but that also means you get a lot of yahoos who drive way to fast around bends, I’ve seen 2 wrecks and 1 abandoned vehicle smack dab in the middle of the trail since January and I only made it on gold fever 6 times so far in 2023. Lots of traffic means your not alone but it also means you have a lot of people to watch out for, use this road for learning your vehicle, practice, or just a quick jaunt to get off some pavement but keep your eyes peeled! -Spotty cell service -Most of trail is wide enough for 2 vehicles -Well maintained and flat -Nice scenery -Spots along trail to stop and have lunch

800

Open

Rated 4/5

Visited: 06/10/2023

Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

Very easy to get out to the Holcomb Pinnacles area. Saw lots of minivans and sedans. Avoid the east side of this trail as it’s excessively rocky.