2N04 - Balky Horse Canyon

There is a new forest order overwriting the previous closures. Most trails, including this one, are open again. https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1105593.pdf

Unnecessary temporary closure of pretty much all of San Bernardino National forest. 🙄 Forest Order No. 05-12-00-23-03

snow def elevates this trail to 2-3 depending on vehicle broke a tie rod from carrying to much speed down a section not able to avoid it wich means take ur time..

Great trail with views galore. Trail rating should be more in line with a 2-2 due to the shelf roads and a bit of rock.

Nice trail to finish the day with. Had to move a large rock that had fallen near the narrow shelf portion but other than that it was a nice drive.

Great trail off Onyx Summit in Big Bear. We took it West to East so we were headed uphill and had the right away at the narrow section should we encounter any other vehicles. Narrow section wasn't too bad, minute 2:40, for Gladiator. Friend in full size Silverado was a little closer to the edge. No traffic on a Sunday afternoon. Beautiful views in the winter with snow capped mountains. Would rate at 2, not 1, as in some sections the road was rutted, and a low clearance SUV would have to be very careful/spotted. Opted to head to Burns Canyon, Rose Mine, and Erwin Ranch Road to Big Bear, instead of taking this one back around to Onyx Summit.

Trail is nice and easy. It's probably the fastest way to get back to the 38 highway after doing Heartbreak Ridge.

The San Bernardino National Forest has reopened.

The current forest-wide emergency closure order has been extended, for San Bernardino National Forest, through midnight on Sept. 22.

The Forest Service has temporary closed all of the National Forests in California. This closure will is from Aug. 31, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. through September 17, 2021 at 11:59 p.m.

Open as of 10/08/2020. https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/sbnf/alerts-notices

All California Forest trails are temporarily closed due to fire or risk of fire.

The trail is rated Forest Service Blue and probably about right. We took the opposite direction from the TOR map. Waypoint 6 called the shelf is very intimidating. Reading old reviews I noticed I was the last to review in 2018 and I agree, of course I agree with myself!. The trail at this point narrow road with a steep fall off. There is one section of the shelf in particular that has large bolder embedded in the road that requires you to drive over it tilting you towards the edge. On the shelf we used 4wd just to be extra safe but all the rest was 2wd. Other then the sheer drop at the shelf, the trail was fun drive and it was interesting to see the topography change from forest towards desert. Near the end there was confusion as roads marked by the latest Garmin map were obviously closed for a long time, blocked with boulders and overgrown. After a wrong turn we eventually got to Broom Flat. Ive included a view of that map showing the Garmin route in red and the actual travel in gray. Note the wrong turn and backtrack.

I nice ride just off the 38. Its rated only a 2 but the section called the shelf can be very intimidating and you are on a narrow road with a steep fall off on the west side of the road. There is one section of the shelf in particular that has large bolder embedded in the road that requires you to drive over it tilting you towards the edge. Other sections were very wet from recent thunderstorms leaving large soft mud pools. I tried on of these pools and almost got stuck. Its easy to avoid the pools or at least have 2 wheels on dry road. While we were there, a thunderstorm was building directly above use with darkening clouds and lighting. I would not want to drive the shelf in a thunderstorm so be sure to check the weather before your drive.

This is an easy, fun, short trail.