# Riding to Big Bear Lake - which route to take?



## aclinjury

I'm thinking of riding to Big Bear Lake. Would like to do a 100 miles round trip. Right now as I look at google map, I see 2 options to get to Big Bear Lake.

1) Take Hwy 38 all the way up to Big Bear Lake
2) Take Hwy 18, to 138, to 173 Big Bear Lake.

I would like to know: 

a) which is a safer route, meaning, less traffice and roads have a wide shoulder for bicyclist friendly

b) is there water stop along the way (I would think both route would have water stops since these are pretty popular routes for the ski & camping folks right?

Route #2 seems like it would be fun because we get to pass Arrowhead Lakes too.

I'm not too familiar with these roads so please chime in your option if you know them.


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## allroy71

I am surprised no one has chimed in. Anyways, I have never ridden up to BB. But I have driven up the 330 and 38. They both have some shoulder, but I would be freaked out riding up there, especially on a weekend. I bet you could do okay riding in the morning up the 38. I think most traffic would be coming down the hill to work. 
Other areas in SoCal seem less travelled, like Mt Baldy, Glendora Mountain road.


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## ChrisNguyen

Have you tried google maps using their bicycle lane feature? its very accurate!


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## Accordion

I would recommend against riding those rodes. I drive up them a couple of times a year and it's a nightmare even in a car. Sometimes you poke through the clouds or fog and it's even worse.

There isn't a good time to do it, either. If you go early in the morning the locals will take those turns at twice the speed since they know there's no traffic.


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## terbennett

I would take the 18. In fact I have. It's not so bad. The 330 doesn't always have a shoulder and I've never been up the 38. The 18 is the longest of the three, but IMO, the safest ( at least compared to the 330). It evens out somewhat with "rolling hills" and the view is awesome- especially before Rim Forest. I would love to do this myself in the early morning. Definitely worth doing!!!


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## lesper4

Waterman is two lanes but much longer. 330
30 is not what I would call bike freindly.
the back way may be your best option, also the longest. 38


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## aclinjury

I've seen riders go up the 38 too. I guess 38 is probably best.


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## DanTourino

I ride the "RIde around the Bear" yearly and have always enjoyed that route... 330-18-38


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## Rustyrus

No way no how I would ride up to Big Bear....There is a small shoulder but people drive way to fast up there. Good luck if you brave it but I would stay far away.


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## offroadrules15

The 38 is the common route


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## jeff262

I've ridden all of the routes. The 38 is by far the safest. It looks a little sketchy but the curvy road makes the motorists pay attention to the road instead of their texting. The other routes tend to generate more speed. The 38 has a few blind corners but you just need to pay attention. Also pay attention to rock fall along the roadside, especially when descending into the South Fork of the Santa Ana after Barton Flats.


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## 1stmh

I live Crestline, and have ridden up to Big Bear many times. I have done it going up the 38 into Angelus Oaks many times too. Personally, I think this is a better way up, and then descending the 330 into Highland. 
But if you want to do the 18, get off the 18 at Crestline, go into town and ride up Lake drive so you miss the narrows. The 4-5 miles from Crestline on the 18 are not good. No space at all, and bad drivers. It gets better from Arrowhead. So ride downtown Crestline, up Lake, Turn left onto North road into twin peaks, following that into Blue Jay, and then go up Kuffel Canyon back onto the 18. The climb up Kuffel Canyon road is tough, but worth it. Then take the 18 all the way to Big Bear, and descend the 38.


Another great ride is to go up to Keller Peak near Running springs. It is a fire road to a look out, and tops out at 8,000 ft. 6 mile climb from the 18, but you will have done plenty before.

Or ride up the Cajon pass, then onto the 138 into crestline and down the 18. Descending the 18 is great. Two lanes on both sides, and you fly at 40 miles per hour without peddling.


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## 1stmh

But do take the advice to not ride up in the fog. You don't want to do that!


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## jegesq

A group of five of us did the ride up to Big Bear about 15 years ago, the week after the Ride Around the Bear and it was a lot of fun, but not easy. We started near Fontana, and then somehow made our way over to 330 and took that up the mountain; we turned right and headed east where 330 meets up with 18, then took that all the way to the lake (the road splts at the dam; we stayed to the right and went across the south shore of the lake), stopping for lunch in the town of Big Bear Lake. We then continued east on the 18, and took that to where the 18 splits into Hwy 38, which goes over Onyx Summit and then continues with a really long descent down into Redlands. The Onyx Summit climb was pretty tough, and it can be brutal in the middle of the summer, but the downhill is long and smooth. I do remember the air pollution down the mountain in Redlands being awful, but the air quality on the way up and at the lake was excellent. 

I don't recall there being a lot of traffic anywhere on the ride, but that may just be my faulty memory after all these years. What traffic I do recall was on Hwy 330, and that's only because it's a very twisty, narrow road at most points (two-lanes with no divider), but I don't recall anything like any "close calls" with bad drivers. All I remember is a relentless climb, mile after mile, and I guess I was just in a zone, so I don't recall much about the way up, I do recall that one of my riding buddies complained that he was getting buzzed by some rude drivers (mostly kids) and he also said that he got hit with a soda or beer can thrown from a vehicle. I had no such experiences on that ride. 

If you do this ride, and you do it in summer or spring, be sure to take plenty of water, since there's really nowhere to stop before you hit the lake in the summer. There's nothing on 330, and all the ski areas are closed on 18 until you get to Big Bear. Oh, also be sure to bring lots of cannisters and at least one or two extra tubes "just in case." I flatted three times early on the climb up 330, and had to stuff a dollar bill into a cut in my tire (which is why I kept flatting). Thankfully there was a nice bike shop right before you get to Big Bear, and after a new tire and buying some replacement tubes, we were on our way. 

I agree with the others, and I wouldn't do this ride when there is fog anywhere on the mountain. But summer or early fall isn't all that bad if you do it during the middle of the week and avoid weekends. And there is no way I would ride the 18 up the mountain to Crestline. I've driven that road hundreds of times on the way up and down from Lake Arrowhead, and it's like a freeway and beyond that when it turns into a two-lane road, there is no shoulder, long drop-offs and crazy drivers. Caveat emptor if you take this route. 

If I was going to do this ride again (not likely for me), I would think about doing it in reverse, going up 38 to 18 and then down the 330. I don't really care for the back way, but there is very little traffic on that route, but if you run into trouble, you're pretty much in the middle of nowhere taking the 18 out to or from the desert in Victor Valley.


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