San Bernardino Couty, CA is one of the largest counties in the county and home to a wealth of history and places to explore. The County offers a lot of diversity in biomes and geography which range from the high peaks of San Jacinto and San Gorgonio, which reaches heights of 11,499 feet in elevation, down to the low desert elevations. The county is huge at 20,105 square miles and with a low population of just over 2 million people, offers a lot of abilty to explore and get away from it all. The bulk of this population is centered around the San Bernardino Mountains.
San Bernardino County hosts a variety of national protected areas, and also includes the Mojave Nations Preserve, Joshua Tree National Park and part of Death Valley National Park.
All campfires and gas stove fires on public lands in California require a California Camp Fire permit which is free and available online at http://www.preventwildfireca.org/Campfire-Permit/
Areas of Interest
Big Bear, CA
Big Bear, CA is a mountain year round resort community in the San Bernardino Mountains. The cute little town is a which offers skiing in the cold winter months and lots of fishing, boating and 4×4 opportunities the rest of the year. They also have a pretty nice little Oktoberfest for those so inclined.
Mojave National Preserve
Trail Map
4×4 Trails
Achy-BreakyAchy-Breaky is a very difficult, trail which circumnavigates Watkins Peak in San Bernardino County, California. This trail is one of many on the Stoddard Wells… |
 Clarks Grade 1N54Clarks Grade 1N54 is a steep and scenic descent from the top of Skyline drive and Snow Summit down to Angeles Oaks from Big Bear.… |
 Cleghorn Ridge 2N47Cleghorn located outside of Big Bear, CA Cleghorn Ridge is a 4x4 trail which leads from the I-15 at the Cleghorn exit to Silverlake State… |
 Dish Pan Springs 3N34Also known as the Deep Creek Trail, Dish Pan Springs offers a short but hardcore trail in Big Bear. Dishpan springs trail contains large boulders… |
 Gold Mountain 3N69Gold Mountain Trail Head The Gold Mountain 3N69 Trail can be found in the San Bernardino National Forest near Big Bear Lake. The favored direction… |
 Henry Wade Escape RouteThe Henry Wade Escape Route is an easy 4x4 trail suitable for almost any vehicle and connects highway 127 to Badwater Road. The route is… |
 Holcomb Valley Road 3N14Holcomb Valley Road 3N14 takes you through scenic Holcomb Valley Holcomb Valley Road 3N14, is a main artery in the road system above and behind… |
 Jacoby Canyon 3N61Jacoby Canyon 3N61 Trail head Jacoby Canyon 3N61 is a trail which can be found in the San Bernardino National Forest near Big Bear Lake.… |
John Bull Trail 3N10The John Bull Trail 3N10 has the solid reputation as one of the toughest and most challenging trails in the Big Bear mountains of San Bernardino… |
 Kokoweef MineThe Kokoweef Mine and in fact all of the trails and mines located in the Ivanpah / Mountain Pass area represent exactly why I started… |
 Morning Star MineLocated in the Ivanpah Mountains, the Morning Star Mine is a gold / silver mine located near to California / Nevada border near Mountain Pass.… |
 Old Mojave RoadThe Old Mojave Road (Government Road) is an east-west route that enters the Mojave National Preserve off the highway 95 in Nevada, and Afton Canyon… |
 Silver Star MineThe Silver Star Mine is a small mine site located off of the Zinc Mountain Road in San Bernardino County, California. |
Skyline Drive 2N10Skyline Drive 2N10 is the unofficial name for USFS Road 2N10 that begins just west of Big Bear village off Mill Creek road, and heads… |
Snow Slide Trail 2N13Snow Slide Trail (2N13) connects Green Valley Lake to Fawnskin, in San Bernardino, California. The Green Valley Lake trail head is located by the campground… |
Sugarpine Mountain 2N49Sugarpine Mountain trail is moderately difficult and starts at the edge of San Bernardino and finishes in the Silverlake State Park. The trail is designated… |
Willow Creek Road 3N34Willow Creek road is an easy gentle ride located near Big Bear, California. The easy trail runs from Hooks Creek Road to Highway 173 and… |
Points of Interest
 Bert Smith’s CabinBert Smith's Cabin overlooks Camp Rock Springs Located deep in the Mojave National Reserve exists a small stone building, known as Bert Smith's Cabin, which… |
 Camp Rock SpringsA small oasis and valuable water supply along the Old Mojave Road, Camp Rock Springs was the site of a military outpost established on December… |
 Evening Star MineThe Evening Star Mine first came to our attention in the winter of 2014, while researching the mining history of the Mountain Pass, CA. |
 Frank “Shorty” HarrisFrank Harris was a prospector, desert rat and perhaps the best known character in western mining history. He looked the part, often travelling the desert… |
 Goffs CaliforniaOriginally known as Blake, Goffs, California is a small unincorporated community located off of Route 66 in the Mojave desert near the Piute Mountains. Originally… |
 Goldome MillThe heavily vandalized Goldome Mill outside of Ivanpah, California The Goldome Mill is an abandoned modern mill site in the New York mountains of San… |
Government HolesThe tale of the the Old Mojave Road is the story of water, the more important resource in the desert. Along the Old Mojave Road… |
 Kelso DepotThe story of the westward expansion is the story of the railroads. Beginning in 1862, the Union Pacific Railroad sought expansion opportunities along the western… |
Kokoweef MineThe Kokoweef Mine and in fact all of the trails and mines located in the Ivanpah / Mountain Pass area represent exactly why I started… |
 Mojave GoldfishOver Presidents day weekend, my wife and I were travelling back from Big Bear, CA to our house after a visit with family towards our… |
Morning Star MineLocated in the Ivanpah Mountains, the Morning Star Mine is a gold / silver mine located near to California / Nevada border near Mountain Pass.… |
Silver Star MineThe Silver Star Mine is a small mine site located off of the Zinc Mountain Road in San Bernardino County, California. |
 The Hole in the Wall Ring TrailThe Hole in the Wall Ring Trail is a short is a 1.5 miles loop trail around a hill top and through a slot canyon… |
 Travelers MonumentWhen travelling the Old Mojave Road, there is a tradition to pick and carry a rock, and carry the rock to the Travelers Monument. The… |
 Ubehebe CraterUbehebe Crater is a volcanic crater located near Grapevine Canyon in Death Valley National Park in California. The crater is approximately 600 deep and one… |
 Vanderbilt CaliforniaA metal headframe marks a vertical shaft in the mining district outside of Vanderbilt California. Located in the New York Mountains, Vanderbilt California was an… |
 Zzyzx Road – Soda springsLocated south of Baker, CA on the edge of a large soda dry lake bed in the Mojave, Zzyzx Road is a short road which… |
San Bernardino Campgrounds
 Mid Hills Campground, Mojave National PreserveLocated in deep in the heart of the Mojave National Preserve there is an abundance of campsites to suit everyone. The Mid Hills campground was… |
 Hole in the Wall CampgroundHole in the Wall campground is found deep in the Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. The Campground is a popular location for… |
 Camp Phallus – New York MountainsLocated in Caruther's Canyons of the New York Mountains, Camp Phallus is named for a "unique" rock formation visible from the campsite. The campsite offers… |
 Afton Canyon CampgroundThe Afton Canyon Campground offer amazing access and camping for the Old Mojave Road, surroundings areas of the Mojave. The dry, desert campground is found… |