Recent snow and rain have caused many trails to be temporarily closed. Please check with the local agencies for the most up-to-date information.

1N09 - City Creek

4.8/5 (62 reviews)
Redlands, California (San Bernardino County)
Last Updated: 03/18/2023

Trail Information

Highlights

Whether you are into overlanding, 4x4'ing, or rock crawling, the mountains of the San Bernardino Nation Forest are a common area for people to seek adventure and memories. On the front side of Big Bear, is an off-road route that is still barely known, even though it is right off Highway 330, which is the main highway up to Big Bear. 1N09, or City Creek Road as it's also known is a magical scenic drive that can easily be made into a day trip or weekend adventure. The path itself is not that hard, but as you travel east among the dense forests, you are pleasantly surprised by the many water crossings the trail has. So the next time you are going up to Big Bear to do a little wheeling, instead of doing a little overlanding on 3N16 again, check out 1N09 City Creek Road for a taste of the mountains lush past and tranquil beauty.

Trail Difficulty and Assessment

Trail Navigation

Trail Reviews

4.8/5 (62)
Official Crew
110750
Temporary Closure
Visited: 03/18/2023

The forest service has deemed the San Bernardino Forest unsafe for public off-roaders to use until June 30th. For more information on this: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1095216.pdf If you disagree with the complete forest closure, please call (909) 382-2682 and ask to speak to the head ranger. You can also contact the head office in Washington,DC, and voice your concern there. (202) 912-7055 Another person you could contact your senator and express your feeling - (949) 598-5850 (Alex Padilla) or (202) 224-3121 (DC switch board) If you are unhappy with this at all, please make sure you sign up for the local off-road collations (Cal4wheel, and Corva). Feel free to reach out to them and ask what you can do. Cal4Wheel - (916) 381-8300 CORVA - 916-710-1950
Temporary Closure
Visited: 03/18/2023

Visited the trail again and today upon arrival there was a Forest Ranger who we spoke to and he said this trail, as well as many other trails in the San Bernardino National Forest, are closed until Jun 30th for public safety due to recent weather and incidents of people getting stuck. ***As per Forest Ranger; CLOSED until Jun 30th***
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 03/12/2023
Difficulty Accuracy: Harder

Ran this in my 2011 JKU Sport on 4” lift, 35 MT’s, and 5.13 gears, along with my dad in his 2015 JKU Rubi on a 3” lift with 35 MT’s. Did some shooting before we explored the trail, ended up only doing about 1/4 due to it being completely blown out from the storm that recently came through SoCal and we didn’t have time anyways. Lots of deep trenches from water run off and thick mud as well as several water crossings. We also ran into a downed tree which hadn’t been completely clear so I used my handsaw to clear the rest of the tree from the path. I rated this trail as harder simply because the state it is in right now is not an easy rating and I would not personally try to drive this in a stock vehicle, although you could probably make it. Bring some sort of saw and shovel if you do plan on attempting this trail all the way through just in case you need it.
Open
Rated 4/5
Visited: 01/28/2023
Difficulty Accuracy: Harder

First time taking this trail with family on board, my wife and kids plus dog. Definitely not as easy as mentioned in the rating and description. Not sure a 2wd can make it all the way through any more. There are several large ruts along the way. Possibly due to recent rains from early January 2023 or could be even prior to that. I would probably say this is more like a 4 now, more like Moderate. I have a 04 Jeep Grand Cherokee with a 7" lift so I had enough clearance and solid axles front a back made a big difference with articulation. The Jeep is built to handle this trail but we definitely expected the trail to be easier. There were a few spots that were sketchy to say the least. Also, I felt uneasy when passing the folks shooting as I could hear ricochet as we drove by. The trail feels long but that's most likely due to taking my time to go through it, nice and easy. Definitely some nice spots and views along the way. And yes there are several water crossings. When you get to pin point 19 by the camping spots its smooth sailing after that. The road is more maintained passing pin point 20. Overall, I recommend the trail if you have the right equipment to traverse it.
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 11/28/2022
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

long voyage so have your snacks ready, also if you're taking it to get to big bear make sure the other trails are open, routes to big bear are usually closed during winter. Be prepared for amazing views

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