Big Bear is the highest day ride within reach of Los Angeles, and the one where the altitude is the whole point. The classic loop climbs State Route 38 from Redlands through Angelus Oaks and Barton Flats to Onyx Summit at 8,443 feet (2,573 m), runs the south shore of Big Bear Lake, then drops back to the valley on State Route 18 or the shorter State Route 330. SR 38 alone is 59 miles (95 km) end to end, and the section from Big Bear Dam down to the forest boundary is part of the 107-mile (172 km) Rim of the World Scenic Byway. Ride it up and down in a day and you have covered more elevation change than anything else in Southern California.
Why SR 38 is the better way up
Most traffic uses SR 330 out of Highland because it is the fastest route to the lake. That is exactly why riders should not. SR 38 takes the long way round the southern face of the range and gets a far better road for it: a gradual climb out of Mentone through Mill Creek Canyon, a run of small-radius curves through Angelus Oaks, then the long high traverse through Barton Flats and along the upper Santa Ana River before topping out at Onyx Summit under 9,114-foot (2,778 m) Onyx Peak.
That summit makes SR 38 one of the highest roads in Southern California, and the ride up to it is the reason to come. Caltrans designates the stretch from a point east of South Fork Campground to the intersection with State Lane as a scenic highway, which is the pine-forest section rather than the exposed lower climb.
Route at a glance
| Climb route | State Route 38, 59 miles (95 km) from I-10 in Redlands to SR 18 at Big Bear |
| High point | Onyx Summit, 8,443 ft (2,573 m) |
| Descent options | SR 18 west along the rim, or SR 330 at 15 miles (25 km) to Highland |
| Byway | Rim of the World Scenic Byway, 107 miles (172 km) of SR 138, SR 18 and SR 38 |
| Distance from San Bernardino | Big Bear Lake is about 25 miles (40 km) northeast |
| Land manager | San Bernardino National Forest |
| Status as of August 2026 | Caltrans reported no restrictions on SR 38, SR 18 or SR 330 |
Open the loop in Google Maps — up SR 38 through Angelus Oaks, along the lake, back down through Running Springs, ready to send to your navigation.
The climb, section by section
Redlands to Angelus Oaks
SR 38 leaves I-10 in Redlands, runs west to east through Mentone as Mentone Boulevard, then becomes Mill Creek Road and enters the San Bernardino National Forest. The climb through Mill Creek Canyon is open and hot in summer, with the road working its way up the southern face of the range. Angelus Oaks, where the highway crosses the ridgeline of the highest peaks in the San Bernardinos, is the first real change in scenery and the last easy fuel stop before the summit.
The stretch either side of Angelus Oaks carries a lot of small-radius curves in quick succession. It is enjoyable riding, but it is also where the road surface varies most, and cold shaded corners in the morning behave nothing like the same corners in the afternoon sun.
Barton Flats to Onyx Summit
Past Angelus Oaks the highway settles into the high country. Barton Flats is campground country, then the road follows the upper Santa Ana River east with San Gorgonio Mountain, the highest peak in Southern California, off to the north. This is the calmest and prettiest riding of the day: pines, moderate corners, thin traffic on a weekday.
Onyx Summit at 8,443 feet is the top. The air is noticeably thinner, and a naturally aspirated engine feels it. Riders coming from sea level should expect their bike to feel flat here and their own reactions to be a little slower than usual.
Around the lake
From the summit the road drops into Big Bear City and joins the lake. SR 38 runs the north shore as North Shore Drive past Fawnskin and Minnelusa; SR 18 crosses Big Bear Dam and runs the south shore through the City of Big Bear Lake. The north shore is the quieter ride and the south shore has the town, the fuel and the food.
Be realistic about crowds. Big Bear Lake has a permanent population of roughly 5,000 people, and on a busy weekend the valley holds over 100,000. That is a resort town's worth of traffic on two-lane mountain roads, and it is the single strongest argument for riding this loop on a weekday.
Coming down
Two choices. SR 18 west along the rim through Running Springs, Lake Arrowhead and Crestline is the scenic option and the one that gives the Rim of the World Highway its name, with the whole San Bernardino Valley laid out below you for miles. SR 330 from Running Springs down to Highland is the fast option, 15 miles (25 km) of steep switchbacks that get you to the freeway quickly and get busy with weekend traffic doing the same.
Altitude, weather and winter
Temperature. The spread between Redlands and Onyx Summit is the biggest single factor on this ride. A jacket that is right at the bottom will not be right at the top, and the return descent reverses it. Layers you can shed at a lake stop beat guessing.
Snow. This is real snow country, not a dusting. The San Bernardino National Forest points riders and drivers at National Weather Service forecasts, National Avalanche Center forecasts and a regional snow depth map for a reason. From late autumn to spring, chain controls and ice on shaded corners are routine on SR 18 and SR 38, and neither is a motorcycle proposition.
Falling trees. The forest has a standing alert about dead trees coming down in many areas, a legacy of drought and bark beetle damage. That is a genuine hazard on windy days on forest roads and at campgrounds.
Road status. Check the Caltrans conditions page for SR 38 and the equivalent page for SR 18 the morning you ride. As of August 2026 both reported no restrictions in Southern California, but this range closes roads for snow, fire and slides several times a year.
Passes and stops
Riding through costs nothing. Parking at a Forest Service day-use site or trailhead generally requires an Adventure Pass, which the San Bernardino National Forest says covers more than 100 day-use sites across Southern California, or an America the Beautiful interagency pass. The forest also runs fee-free days each year. Details are on the San Bernardino National Forest passes page, and current closures and hazards are listed on its alerts page.
Gear notes for an 8,000-foot day
Altitude is what makes this ride different from every other day route out of Los Angeles, and it shows up in your tires before it shows up anywhere else. Climbing from the valley floor at Redlands to 8,443 feet at Onyx Summit, with air temperature falling the whole way, moves cold tire pressure enough to matter. Our piece on why tire pressure drops in cold weather covers the mechanism, and our TPMS comparison covers how to watch it live rather than checking at a gas station four hours later. A Bluetooth TPMS sensor is the cheapest way to add that.
The second thing is power. Big Bear is a long day with heated gear, a camera and a phone all drawing on the same battery, and cold conditions cut everything's runtime. A 100 W bi-directional charger covers a lake stop without hunting for an outlet. Before setting off, our pre-ride check is worth the five minutes given how much sustained descent this loop involves. If you want to pair Big Bear with the other mountain route north of the basin, see our guide to the Angeles Crest Highway and the wider Los Angeles day rides overview.
FAQ
Which road is best for motorcycles up to Big Bear?
State Route 38 from Redlands. It is longer than SR 330 and carries less traffic, and it delivers the best riding of the trip through Angelus Oaks and Barton Flats up to Onyx Summit. Use SR 18 or SR 330 for the return so you are not riding the same road twice.
How high is the Big Bear ride?
Onyx Summit on SR 38 is 8,443 feet (2,573 m), which makes it one of the highest highway points in Southern California. The lake sits high as well, so you spend the middle of the day at altitude rather than just touching it at one summit.
Can you ride to Big Bear in winter?
It is not sensible on a motorcycle for much of the season. Snow, ice on shaded corners and chain controls are normal on SR 18 and SR 38 from late autumn into spring. The Forest Service publishes weather, snow depth and avalanche resources precisely because conditions here change quickly.
Do I need an Adventure Pass?
Not to ride the highways. You need an Adventure Pass or America the Beautiful pass to park at most Forest Service day-use sites and trailheads in the San Bernardino National Forest.
When is the best time to ride the Big Bear loop?
Late spring through early autumn, on a weekday. Weekend crowds in the valley can swell the population past 100,000, which turns the lake roads into slow traffic. Start early in summer so the lower SR 38 climb out of Mentone is done before the heat builds.
