Spent the weekend riding in the SB Mtns and it reminded me what a great resource we have here!! Call the Discovery Center in Big Bear (909)866-3437 and they will mail you a set of maps. Remember there is a "Closed Unless Posted Open" policy, so you have to stay on the designated roads and trails. The area is divided into three main areas. Cajon Pass on the West end is mostly easy fire roads, but access is easy. Cactus flats on the East end is a mix of some trails and fire roads. The center section, extends from Silverwood Lake to Big Pine Flats Campground.

The center section has three areas. From Silverwood Lake to Pinnacles Staging Area is mostly fire roads, with a great view of the high desert and lake. From Pinnacles to Deep Creek is my favorite. This is mostly SINGLE TRACK TRAILS (something which is all to rare around here!) and some of it can get fairly technical. From Deep Creek to Big Pine Flat is fire roads and some trails. You can camp at Crab Flats or Big Pine Flats and RIDE RIGHT FORM YOUR CAMPSITE! There is another area to the North which was closed because of the Willow Fire. I have not been there this year so I am not sure it has been reopened (anybody know??).

The road between Deep Creek and Crab Flats is the most TECHNICAL section. I would recommend a 4X4 here! A light 2X4 Utility (like the Recon) is OK if you are in a group and can just carry the thing across the bad sections. I would not recomend a sport bike at all. You'll ding up your rims and it's no fun having to deal with a manual clutch in technical stuff anyway! The other areas are all rideable on a sport bike, but I would recommend full skid plates.

Sometimes I am reluctant to recommend a riding area because then a bunch of people show up. But the more we use an area like this, the more the Forest Service managers will realize we users are also VOTERS. Maybe, this can translate into some political clout to keep these areas open!!

 

Riding in Big Bear is great but watch out for the info you get from the discovery center. The last time I went up there I called and the Old Ladies at the Discovery center told me Crab Flats was closed for maintenience. I went to Big Pines which is the worse of the two campsites. On the first ride of the day we went by Crab Flats and it was full of people. I talked to a Ranger latter and he told me the folks at the discovery center always give out bad information in regards to campsites. They don't take the time to check with the forest service.

Woodo

 

Hi Yzguy,

It just so happens I've spent a bit of time on the phone today trying to get info about 4 wheeling in the Big Bear or Arrowhead areas. I wasn't terribly successful. I'm coming out to visit my son real soon and he, his girlfriend and I would love to go on the trails up there. He lives in Costa Mesa and has visited the area before. He told me it's a "must see" the next time I come out from Ohio. While I'm an experienced rider, I won't be bringing my own ride. I can't seem to find anyone who rents out atvs up there. (I tried Big Bear, Arrowhead and San Bernardino.) I talked to a woman in Palm Springs who runs an outfit that rents out atvs to run on 30 acres of sand dunes there. She told me all the forest lands where closed to atvs because of the Sierra Club. She recommended I go up to Pismo Beach. Since I'm coming all the way from Ohio, I'd really appreciate the advice of a CA atver. Can yopu help?

Cher
Kodiak00
KingQuad

 

the old days were the best belive me ... 1970 on up big bear was a nice rideing area.