Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Whitewater, California

This is an easy trail that most stock vehicles could tackle. There are some really beautiful views, and the high point is the lookout, which gives a breathtaking view of the sunset. There are 5…
Learn more about Black Mountain Road

This well-maintained fire road takes you up to boulder basin group campsite. On the way there, you'll see some turn-outs for rock climbing and overlanding. During the winter months, trails may be impassable due to…
Learn more about Black Mountain

This is a level 2-rated full-width road back to Highway 243. This is the fastest and safest way back up to Highway 243. The route through Bee Canyon is currently closed. 2 areas had a…
Learn more about East Indian Canyon 4S10

San Jacinto Ridge is a two-way trail running East to West between the Banning-Idyllwild Panoramic Highway (SR 243) and Bee Canyon Road (FS 5S07) in the San Bernardino National Forest. Comprised of mostly hard-pack dirt,…
Learn more about San Jacinto Ridge Trail (FS 5S09)

Beautiful trail overlooking the neighboring town of Banning and the surrounding mountains. The deserted mountainscape is chock-full of secluded camp spots with some wind cover and appears to be used for shooting occasionally. The trail…
Learn more about Idyllwild Mountain Road

5S06 Idyllwild Control is a 6-mile point-to-point trail rated 3 of 10 located within the San Bernardino National Forest, San Jacinto Ranger District. 5S06 climbs from Highway 74 nearly 3,000 feet, ending at the intersection…
Learn more about 5S06 Idyllwild Control

2N93 Wildhorse Meadow is in the San Bernardino National Forest, southeast of Big Bear Lake. This trail has designated camping, with two yellow post sites on 2N93F. It's obvious where Wildhorse Meadow gets its name…
Learn more about Wildhorse Meadow - 2N93

Rouse Hill Road is for street-legal vehicles only; no green stickers or OHV vehicles. Full-size vehicles are at home here, as the trail is a single track with plenty of room. The beginning of this…
Learn more about Rouse Hill Road

Rouse Hill is a ridgeline trail with tremendous west and east views. This trail is predominately hard-packed dirt with a loose top layer. It can be a bit sandy in some sections but that will…
Learn more about Rouse Hill

Front Line Road is in the San Bernardino National Forest just south of Big Bear Lake. It provides a casual meandering trail run alongside a shallow canyon formed by the 8,000-foot San Bernardino Mountain Range…
Learn more about Radford Frontline Road - FS 104

This is mostly a graded forest road with sections of varying degrees of obstacles such as ruts, shale, and washes. You will come across pine trees to cacti. There is potential snow in the winter…
Learn more about NF 2NO1 Broom Flats

Rouse Ridge via Cottonwood is a trail that scales Rouse Ridge/Thomas Mountain using Cottonwood (6S18) and Thomas Mountain Rd (6S13). This trail offers stunning views in all directions as you ascend and descend the mountain.…
Learn more about Rouse Ridge via Cottonwood

Sleepy Hollow spur, an out-and-back trail in the San Bernardino National Forest, offers an outstanding spot to find quiet dispersed camping after a day of rough off-roading on Heartbreak Ridge and surrounding trails. A terrific…
Learn more about Sleepy Hollow

This trail connects the Rouse Ridge via Cottonwood trail to the Thomas Mountain Campground via the western end of Thomas Mountain Road. During dry months, the trail is an easily passable dirt road, requiring only…
Learn more about Thomas Mountain West Approach

Uneven, rutted dirt trail with loose rocks and sand. Muddy conditions should be expected during the rainy season. The trail is primarily one vehicle wide with some portions wide enough for passing oncoming traffic. Steep…
Learn more about 6S13 - Thomas Mountain Road

Sand Canyon (FS 2N27) is primarily a hard-packed sand and rocky gravel road. It is an easy ride in the summer months; however, there is no winter maintenance. During times of rain, snow, and ice,…
Learn more about Sand Canyon - FS 2N27

This trail is an easy dirt road trail that gives access to a few Forest Service cabins, but like any trail, if it has rained recently, it can have a few deep puddles. While on…
Learn more about Hill Ranch

Roadrunner Rut is an easy dirt road that climbs into the jumbo boulder gardens and skirts along Black Lava Butte. It changes its name to BLM S1421 as it crosses into BLM lands and descends…
Learn more about Roadrunner Rut - BLM S1421

This is a less often traveled trail close to Burns Canyon and 18. Although there are not any vistas, there are a few points to stop and enjoy the solitude. The section closest to Burns…
Learn more about Smarts Ranch 3N03

Closed until 12/31/24 per Forest Closure Order 05-12-52-24-02, Radford Fire Closure Area. FS 2N06 - Radford Truck Trail is a winding fire road in the San Bernardino National Forest just south of Big Bear Lake.…
Learn more about Radford Truck Trail - FS 2N06

Nestled within the 823,000-acre San Bernardino National Forest, Mill Creek Road (FS 2N10) is one of Big Bear's classic connector trails -- a scenic mountain route that links many of the area's most popular off-road…
Learn more about Mill Creek - FS 2N10

New Dixie Mine Road runs West from Hwy 247 at Flamingo Heights into an unnamed valley that splits two separate sections of the Bighorn Mountain Wilderness. This 8.5-mile road is generally an easy drive with…
Learn more about New Dixie Mine Road - BLM C2330

Beautiful views of the valley below and mountains above. There are lots of switchbacks and about 600 feet of elevation gain in just a few miles of driving. The second half of the trail was…
Learn more about Red Mountain OHV Trail

This trail takes you to Eureka Peak, which is a mountain top viewpoint allowing you to have a 360-degree view of the area from a high elevation. There are hiking trails throughout this area and…
Learn more about Eureka Peak

This short dead-end spur accesses an overlook that provides territorial views into the valley below and the Bighorn Mountains Wilderness on both sides of the New Dixie Mine Road. It starts out as an easy…
Learn more about Spur - BLM C2317

This 50-inch trail network offers some great, varied terrain in the Cactus Flats area. The trails are well-marked, easy to follow, and are fun on bikes and ATVs of all sizes. This network consists of…
Learn more about Pinyon & Vista Trail Loop - FS 2E20

This short, sandy 1-mile spur road is broken into two separate numbered segments - BLM C2319 AND BLM C2352. It accesses a small parking area at the Bighorn Mountain Wilderness boundary and a single remote…
Learn more about Spur Roads - BLM C2319 - C2352

A long overland trail with plenty of recreational activities such as site-specific shooting areas, yellow post campsites and creek crossings. This is a well-maintained dirt road with some minor ruts, rocks and shallow creek crossings.…
Learn more about 1N09 City Creek Trail

Clarks Grade is an off-road trail in the San Bernardino National Forest. Driving this trail is a journey back to the origins of the Big Bear Lake area since this was one of the first…
Learn more about Clark's Grade - FS 1N54

Running through the San Bernardino National Forest just south of Big Bear Lake, Knickerbocker Road (FS 2N08) is a scenic, easy-going forest route that follows Knickerbocker Creek up the slopes toward the high ridges that…
Learn more about Knickerbocker - FS 2N08