Lake Arrowhead,
California
(San Bernardino County)
Last Updated:
05/05/2023
Trail Information
Difficulty - Mandatory
6 -
DIFFICULT
Difficulty - Optional
9 -
EXTREME
Status
Open
Distance
3.05 mi
Duration (one-way)
About 3 hours
Highest Elevation
5748 ft
Shape of Trail
Straight Through
Typically Open
Year Round
Best Direction
East
Official Trail Name
3N34
Nearest Town
Lake Arrowhead
Nearest Services
Lake Arrowhead
Management Agency
San Bernardino Forest Service
District
Mountain Top District
Highlights
Altitude
Desert
Forest
Rock
Sand
Snow Wheeling
Dishpan Springs - 3N34 is a short, hardcore rock crawling trail that is a must-do for any off-road enthusiast! Nestled back in the mountain between Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead, this unique offroad trail isn't something to underestimate. Comprised of two extremely difficult waterfalls, this trail will put the best drivers and rigs to the test. Be ready...the top waterfall might leave a lasting mark on your vehicle, no matter if you are in a built 4x4, Rock Buddy Jeep, or over the top Toyota. This trail will make you wishing it will never end.
Trail Difficulty and Assessment
Recommended Vehicle:
Lightly Modified 4X4 (Small Lift and Larger Tires)
Concerns:
Summary:
The trail has several large waterfalls along the route that give this trail a 6 rating. The lower one is roughly 6 feet tall, while the upper large waterfall is a stack of several waterfalls put together totaling over 30 feet in elevation gain.
Community Consensus
0 votes
4 votes
0 votes
Easier
Spot On
Harder
The weighted average of your fellow members agreement of our trail
rating. As trail conditions change this helps us keep the community
aware of changes.
Mandatory
6 -
DIFFICULT
The hardest part of the trail that you
cannot bypass - you have to drive it.
Optional
9 -
EXTREME
The hardest part of the trail that is
purely optional - you can bypass it.
Rocky or undulated road surface. Potential rocks less than 36" tall and/or vertical ledges less than 36" tall and/or near vertical ledges or waterfalls less than 84" inches. Tire placement becomes more difficult. Can be steep and off-camber.Read More about our Rating System
3N34 or more commonly known as Dishpan Springs / Deep Creek and is a short but challenging rock crawling trail. On the trail, you will find mostly large granite rock climbs with lots of loose dirt on top, thus making for a very slippery challenge. The most challenging obstacle is in the second half of the trail when traveling east (commonly referred to as the Dishpan / Deep Creek Waterfall). This obstacle is responsible for the majority of rollovers in the SBNF trail system; however, there are multiple lines that can be used to get up it safely.
Recommended vehicle requirements would be 32" tires and rock sliders. At least one hard locker would make it much easier, but it is not necessary if the driver is well experienced in off-road.
1. Trailhead and Airdown Spot (0
mi)
From this point on, the trail gets much harder. But the good news is the spot is very large and provides plenty of space for a large group to stop here, air down, and disconnect the sway bars.
2. Bridge (0.4
mi)
Once a deep water crossing, this bridge was added around 2003 to keep the trail open. This is a popular gathering spot because of the ample open area around the bridge and areas you can swim in.
Pictures are of before and after the bridge was installed.
3. Lower Waterfall (0.5
mi)
Immediately after crossing the bridge, you will encounter the first waterfall. The line towards the center works well if you keep the vehicle angled uphill and towards the right. If you start sliding to the left, you better back down and try again or you will end up on your side quickly. There is a lot of traction so go slow, and you'll be fine. There is also a slightly less challenging route to the far left.
4. Upper Waterfall (2
mi)
After the first obstacle, you will go over a few small hills and some twisty sections but nothing to get hyped up about until you reach the main waterfall. Once you start your way up the long climb, you have two choices: a twisty rocky climb on the left or an easier-ish smoother route on the right. It doesn't matter though because once your up on top, your choices range from hard, harder, and dangerous. Get out and examine the trail at this point. If you take the far right line that goes directly up and over the waterfall, the risk of rolling over backwards is high. Immediately afterwards, traversing the off camber and extremely rutted center section is for lack of a better word, scary and has a high risk of rolling over onto the vehicles side. Don't attempt this line unless you have a low, wide, and stable 4x4 with a good roll cage. Your second choice is going around the waterfall and up the carved out center section. This route is tough with ruts so deep even vehicles with 37" tires might get high-centered on their axles. Recently, a new line has been created to the far left. This line is still very hard and requires at least one locker to make it through without a strap due to loose rock and dirt.
There is no ideal camping along this trail, but there is Crab Flats Campground not far from the east trailhead. That location has outhouses, tables, and fire rings.
The San Bernardino National Forest is a nearby oasis for millions of Southern Californians who want to escape for the weekend and go camping. The higher elevations of the forest mean that the summertime temperatures are cooler than the valleys below. And as an added bonus most campgrounds have shaded sites and some are near streams or lakes. Many campgrounds are adjacent to beautiful natural areas and you can find solitude on quiet wilderness trails. Some campgrounds are reserved campsites, and on weekends or holidays we definitely recommend making a reservation. To do this, visitors can go online to www.recreation.gov or call toll-free 1-877-444-6777. Most campgrounds can accommodate both tent campers and RV's. All campgrounds have picnic tables and restroom facilities, and some even have showers and other amenities. Most campsites accommodate up to 6 people and 2 tents. There may be an additional cost for more than one vehicle. The Forest Service describes camping as either "developed" (usually accessible by road and including facilities like picnic tables, restrooms and fire-rings) or "undeveloped/dispersed" (remote areas accessible only by dirt roads or trails, no facilities). During winter months some locations may be inaccessible due to snow or closed, check with the local Ranger Station for updated conditions. You are allowed to dispersed camp throughout the forest but you are not allowed to have any kind of open fire when not in a campsite. This includes a camp stoves, heaters, and anything with a flame. If you camp near any man made items, you will be required to display your adventure pass at all times.
More info can be found at: San Bernardino National Forest Camping
Starting Point
Lake Arrowhead, CA
***West Trailhead.***
From San Bernardino, take Highway 18 North heading towards Lake Arrowhead. Then catch Highway 173 on your left. After roughly 1.5 miles, follow Highway 173 to the right. Approximately 3 miles later, you will come up to Cedar Glen gas station and turn right onto Hook Creek Rd. After about another 3 miles down a windy road, you will turn right as soon as the pavement ends (At this fork you will see a large white sign with a map of the local forest roads).
***East Trailhead.***
From Green Valley near Running Springs, take 3N16 – Holcomb Creek Trail roughly 4 miles and stay west after you cross the bridge.
Attempted to take a group today, but there is a closed gate at Hook Creek road a little before the trail.
I noticed on my map afterward that Rouse Ranch Rd connects to Dishpan. Anybody know if it’s open from that way? I’d like to try it again.
This one was no joke! Fully open and had an absolute blast! A good spotter and more than one vehicle is a must to ensure a lack of body damage. Definitely recommend for those in the area and wanting more of a challenge
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
Great trail, lots of fun very little damage to Jeep's. Great local trail to test your skills, 2018 JK 2 1/2" lift 35" tires, no lockers , one busted shock( happened before we even hit the trail) Made it through just fine.
This trail is extremely demanding. I have a 17 JK with 2.5 inch lift and 35s. No lockers, stock gears and i had difficulty. The guys on 37s and 40s had no issues but id say mine was the height as lots of rocks scratched underneath and i bent my tie rod stabilzer (luckily it was an easy fix). All in all it was fun and worth it. Gave me motivation to get some more upgrades done :)
Awesome short trail. I ran this with Trail Militia on a Jeep XJ group run. Obstacles are passable with good spotting and patience. Body damage is likely, as it's easy to bang up against rocks if not careful or you lose traction. I was an inch away from taking out my rear passenger door playing on a hard-line at the upper waterfall (Waypoint 4). Sliders and skid plates did their job (a lot), and bumper corners took some hits.
My Jeep was locked front and rear with 33's and 5" lift. Most others had 35s. I didn't need to be pulled/winched and made the entire trail on my own power. 33's can still get the job done, even though 37's seem to be the norm nowadays.
Check my highlight video, I'm the all-white XJ. :)
Tough little trail in the Big Bear Lake area of So Cal. Rated 6-9/10, and felt every bit of it. Video does not do justice. It looks and feels worse, but is very doable. At no time did I feel like I would flop. There are harder lines that could result in flop, but the short wheelbase TJ allowed me more options as its very maneuverable. Ran with 3 very well equipped JK/JL on 37's. My TJ is on 35's with rear locker and front Tru-Trac, and did just fine. Had to take a few attempts at a few obstacles, but never got stuck. Will feel some rocks from time to time, and a good chance of pin striping as well throughout trail. Trail is significantly more different than in initial post/description at top. Running it now compared to 10 years ago is much different. Seems like everyone is on 37's and up these days, chewing up the trails and making it more difficult for those on 33's and 35's. Still doable, just pick your lines.
We ran up Dishpan Saturday with the club. I like this one a lot because its not Gold mtn/ john Bull/Holcomb like everyone else runs. I also think this trail is harder than Holcomb or John Bull. The optional hard line are hard and we had a couple Jeeps on 40's having a blast next to guys on 35's on the normal lines. Only bad part is the locked gate causes you to do 3n34 the entire way and it's a rough and boring few miles.
Ran this bad boy yesterday with a group of 10 Jeeps. I'm newer to offroading but have run trails like Gold Mountain and Heartbreak Ridge but this was definitely the most challenging run that I have done. Jeep has 3.5 lift and 35's but no lockers. Really didnt get stuck too much and made it thru with no damage or issues. We started on 2N17X (pilot rock) to 2N33 (willow springs) and ended at 3N16. It was a long day on the trails but we had a blast!
Hook Creek Rd gates are locked on both ends. However, you can get to the trail head from 3N34 Willow Creek Jeep Trail. The gate keeper and the trail in general are more challenging than last year, but great fun.
Trail in great shape and definitely the challenge you might be looking for. The 2007 Jeep JKU Sahara 2.5” lift over 35’s continued to perform well. Rock rails absolutely did their job and we did everything the 5.5” 37’s did in front of us. Every waterfall and rock crawl. Ran the trail West to East on the way to Holcomb Creek. I was very happy to meet up with the crew from Taxicos Off Road, great group and helped with the right lines. I slipped to the right on the first waterfall, and backing down got a little tipsy, the guys hung on a gave me confidence and was able to slip around and the tires eventually got traction and up we went, big smile and set the tone for the rest of the day.
Sounds like the gate is closed to the road below the trail. The trail is open and you can access the trail via the other trails in the area. Use the map feature above to find ways around the locked gate.
This trail is an amazing one for sure. One of the most-do's in the Big Bear Trail System. We did run it once during the pandemic, over the Memorial Day weekend. However, not sure as off today 12/16/2020, but not long after the last review on 07/18/2020, Riverside County locked the west gate access from Lake Arrowhead to prevent access down to Aztec Falls (Posted a sign on the info board right there, which is the same entry point) during COVID-19. We went to that trailhead on Thanksgiving Day and it was still locked up tight. It might be a good idea to contact the local Ranger Station before the next attempt. Happy Wheeling.
Ran the trail the other day to see how the winter was. I am happy to say the trail is a bit rougher but still at the same difficultly. There is a large rock right now at the bottom of the fall in the way to climb up it but you can get around it just barely. I actually cracked it coming down when i hit it with my front end. Overall the trail was nice but it was hot.
We went up and down the trail. I took my CJ because I wanted to try and cross the main falls by going straight. I ended up backing up because i didn't feel comfortable with the rear dropping down at the angle it was dropping at. The rear end keep sliding down the hill as the front was starting to push on the other side.
I will go back and try again again, but I will first try going from the top down to so I can feel not committed to how bad the lean will be at the bottom of the V-Notch.
Thinking about going up there in a few weeks and camping.
Great trail. Pretty hard, even on 37s. Didn't get stuck, but did have to pay attention. There are harder and easier lines, but some areas are challenging on either line. Continued on to Holcomb Creek and ended the day with Gold Mountain.
Tough trail. Went with a group and saw carnage at the lower waterfall. My 4runner equipped with 32s and a rear locker wasn’t enough for this tough trail so I turned back before the first waterfall.
I’ll be back when I’m set up better
Epic trail with a couple challenging parts. All have an easier line. Was raining during our run so made the trip more interesting. Awesome creek on the way in. 2 guys had open diffs never got stuck. off chamber on the gate keeper. Took the far left line spotter needed for less experienced and less built rigs.
This was my first time on the infamous Dishpan Springs trail. I've seen more videos of rigs flopped on their side here than anywhere in the San Bernardino mountains. The middle waterfall is where most of the carnage takes place, but you can take the easier line to the left (assuming you start at Deep Creek in Lake Arrowhead) near the tree. The trail is pretty short, but the two main obstacles provide a real challenge. The "9" rating seems to be on the high side, but then again, with all the rollovers that happen here I guess it makes sense. I think Holcomb Creek and John Bull are more difficult trails overall, but the main waterfall on Dishpan is probably more challenging than any single obstacle on either of those trails.
It was a beautiful day to be on an awesome trail. Very few were camping due to the cold weather. Dishpan continues to be one of the hardest trails in the San Bernardino mountains.
We ran Dishpan twice in two days. The first day we ran it from Deep Creek to Holcomb Valley. The second day we went back the way we came. Great trail. Running from Holcomb Valley to Deep Creek is a little more technical only because it seems more tippy. This is one of my favorite trails in the area.
Video conquering Dishpan Springs off-road trail (white knuckle, axle breaking excitement). What a wonderful day with my 'first ministry' (my wife), as well as friends, and new friends. This trip consisted of five Jeeps, and ten persons. Regretfully we only have video of 'some' of the critical obstacles. We winched one Jeep, and strapped another that was ‘wounded in action.’ The only carnage we had today, was one axle shaft-yolk that broke. I feel bad that I wasn't able to help them repair that Jeep, but I have medical restrictions (Lord willing only for a season). But I was able to distribute some Gospel tracts.
Just ran the trail and holy moly it has changed a lot in the last 6 months. The trail is very torn up and just getting to the main obstacle isn't easy at all. This trail could be the hardest trail on the mountain easily now.
Expect tons of V-notches, larges rocks ever where, and the main spot is so torn up that there is no mild way up or down anymore. It's now either hard or stupid...
From the Community
Be the first to ask a question!
Josh Noesser
Mapping Crew - California
Joshua Noesser grew up in Southern California but has lived in different parts of the country during his young adult life. Josh was first turned to four wheeling when he road with one of his friends dad up Surprise Canyon in the Panamint Valley at age14. After nearly 3 different roll overs later and a half dozen intense waterfalls, Josh was hooked. At 16 he purchased his first Jeep a CJ 7 and by 17 was putting his first locker in it.
Currently, Josh is the owner and CEO of Nybble, an IT Solutions Company based in Orange County, California. Nybble isn't your normal IT company where everyone stays in and plays video games. Nybble's average company trip is out on the trails since a good amount of his staff enjoy wheeling too. As Josh likes to say, he offers the only IT Company with the ability to provide services in extreme locations. "If you want a server at the top of The Hammers, we will take care of that for you."
Today you can find Josh out on the trail behind the wheel in one of his three different off-road vehicles. See the vehicles below for more information.
If you ever run into Josh, please say high, he is a very friendly person and is always happy to have a new person join the group.
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