But looks like a big storm and my husband has to drive back Fri morning (day after Thanksgiving) to go to work. Thanks for the helpful info. 18 is called Rim of the World Highway and has nice views.The drive from Big Bear to Redlands goes thru some really nice forest. MLS# PW22022497. I just wanted to comment my thanks for you maintaining this thread for over 10 years! Im a big baby when it comes to heights and cliffy roads. Is there a location to purchase or rent chains? Thanks so much for your advice. Continue on I-105 East and then take the I-605 North to the CA-210 East. It is the windy and wet that scares me. Hospitality Lane area is a very good area to stay in. Hello, please I want to know if there is any transportation/shuttle to go to big bear from Los Angeles o San Bernardino; i have no experience driving in snow and I want to avoid it. How do I get from Las Vegas to Palm Springs through the Mojave National Preserve? Always check the road conditions before your trip, and be sure to have chains with you for the car. I really appreciate your input and amazing article!! Please help out, oh and we would be coming from Encino Ca. The only time there is a problem is if there is an accident on the road. It is winding, but the drive was not too bad. Other views are picture perfect with layers of mountains that look amazingly like a background in a Da Vinci painting. We decided to spend a weekend in Idyllwild to escape the chaos of Los Angeles and to get in some relaxation time before an upcoming long road trip north to Washington. Taking Hwy. The area is next to the 10 freeway, which is heavily traveled during the time you would like to leave. On busy weekends and during snow storms CA-38 may be a better choice. Hi tyler how are you? Ive seeing some on Ebay that are pretty inexpensive but some are actual chains and some are belts. Distance: 1.5 miles Difficulty level: Easy Time needed: 1 hour Elevation gain: 226 feet Route type: Loop When to go: The trail is doable throughout the year - the fall and winter months see fewer crowds, and it's a great place to go hiking or cross-country skiing when there is snow! From Ventura, the 101 to the 210 East all the way to the 330 up to Running Springs and the 18 to Big Bear. Also it depends on what part of Big Bear you're going to as far as difference in drive time; the likely answer is that the 330 is quicker by about 15 mins or so. 2. And then on the way back out, I can take Highway 38 or Highway 18 north to Lucerne Valley (then over to Interstate 15) back to San Bernardino. Southern California is known for its sandy beaches, warm weather and sprawling suburban cities. Theres just one problem. Will our Sentra drive through that? When visiting Lake Arrowhead in winter, the snow chains are required. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-75894640', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');car. To go this way, take the CA-18 to Lucerne and then go west towards Hesperia until you reach Bear Valley Road. Take the Bear Valley Road until you reach the 1-15 South. The best route from Los Angeles to Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear Lake spans a distance of just over 100 miles and takes 2 hours and 20 minutes of non-stop driving to reach the final lake. Hi, we play to go to big Bear from Rancho Cucamonga 1/1-1/4, there will be rain and snow starting today; what will be the safest way to and from big Bear. Do you need chains in Big Bear If you have 44? It was extremely windy in Playa del Carmen every day on our last trip. We watched a you tube channel of how to put them on, but is there anywhere they put on chains for you before you go up the mountain? <>. Merry Christmas to you and your family and crew! Driving up the back way thru the high desert, taking 15 freeway to Victorville (Bear Valley Rd. Its going to be a busy weekend with 3-5 feet of snow expected, starting on Wed. evening thru Monday. Bear Mountain. The mountains encompassing the area are world-famous for skiing, snowboarding, hiking, and horseback riding, and have been for almost 100 years. We are supposed to get a lot of snow this weekend, not sure about the 27th. Are there places along the way where people will put the tire chains on for you? Tourism tapers off again between September November, with the exception of the Oktoberfest crowd. Search for RV campgrounds. There is some confusion about the CA-18 which starts at Running Springs and continues into Big Bear Lake. Id practice putting on the chains before you leave. Which one would be safer to take? City: round-trip one-way. A first aid kit, along with some rope for towing would be good to carry as well. You dont want your first experience to be in the cold, snowy, conditions with cars around etc. Drive time . During these off peak seasons, there are still plenty of events and things to do in Big Bear. We want to go for two nights (Friday and Saturday night), but we can only stay for one night if we go up Saturday morning. Were going up from Orange County on Saturday. Very few winding curves (unless you drive all the way up and over to Cherry Valley rather than coming back down the same way). Once you've checked the weather and selected your route, it's time to prepare yourself for your windy weather trek. This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity. From Beverly Hills it is approximately a 2 hour, 20 minute drive and from the City of San Bernardino (29 miles) - depending on traffic it is a 40 to 45 minute drive up the mountain. That said, it could be difficult with a lower clearance car. Entering the cottage you are greated with the cozy family room, with a comfy leather pull out sofa and a wood burning fireplace. I know you said big bear is notorious for not getting the snow expected; do you think this apply for this week? Visit During Off Seasons To avoid the crowds, head to Big Bear during the low tourist seasons. 15 to Hwy. According to Google Maps, it should take about 3 hours to do the drive, if I do either of these two options (Copy and paste the links below): San Bernardino-->Lake Arrowhead-->Big Bear Lake-->San Bernardino via Lucerne Valley-, San Bernardino-->Lake Arrowhead-->Big Bear Lake-->San Bernardino via Highway 38-. Fall often brings colorfull changes to the trees in Oak Glen. Hwy. On the way down the passenger is next to the guardrail. Anyone who pops in who does not stay there are professional types. Hello, we are going to big Bear this Tues before Thanksgiving. I will be staying near the Hospitality area. The other route is through the high desert, Victorville and Lucerne Valley area, from Hwy. i am coming from redondo beach whats the safest way to get there to big bear do i need chains?i am coming march27 staying 4 days what else should i bring hate the snow i love to surf but gf wants to go lol thank you anyway great comments realy appreciate your kindness replying to all this people best wishes. , Im so grateful for all the advice. Its supposed to snow on Friday. Since you will be driving up the mountains where the conditions can vary drastically from day to day, it is a small investment you must pay to stay safe. Thanks for your recommendation. Or you could take the 38 up, it'll be more direct if you're coming from that side - might be a good idea to take IE highways and roads to that side of the mountain. After the first three curves you may think you have it under control but the highway is full of windy, sudden and sharp turns. 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