. There is a large flatscreen TV and internet provided to stream your own device. Route 330 has short stretches with passing lanes. drive for about 17 minutes. Numerous motorists have been stranded for days or weeks on Bear Camp Road or one of the many gravel roads that branch off from it. Hope that helps, and have fun! You can come the front way, very safe and clear right now, just might take more time with traffic. Hwy 18 through Running Springs is normally the fastest route to Big Bear, however this route is typically more congested on weekends and busy holidays - view Route Details with a map Hwy 38 through Redlands is a beautiful scenic route and is typically the least congested. Any suggestions on best time of day (early morning? When arriving or leaving Big Bear during a snow storm or peak visitation periods, consider these: Caltrans Says I Need Tire ChainsNow What? Highway 38 from Redlands, CA But, we are supposed to get some snow/weather this week. It is the windy and wet that scares me. There are also a couple of shopping centers, nothing to get really excited over - Home Depot, Staples, Best Buy, Costco. We have front wheel drive and chains. When travelling to the mountains in the winter months, you are required to carry chains even if it isn't snowing at the time (if Highway Patrol stops you and you dont have chains you will be asked to turn around and purchase them before you return). Hi! And were coming from Los Angeles. and roads to & from Big Bear are bad. Plan on leaving extra early to manage heavy/slow traffic. Have a great time! I dont know for sure on what the weather will do, but Id plan to have some flexible timing, go slow, and you should be fine. He lived about 1 or 2 miles from Hospitality Lane and when we visited him we would go for lunch in Lake Arrowhead or Big Bear regularly. I know where will be snow today & tomorrow please advise. A few questions as my family are heading up to Big Bear on Nov 19-Nov 23. I want a place where I can just sled with my kids and make a snowman. I think snow is forecasted and we have chains do they still have people you can pay yo put them on for you? . The drive encompasses portions of California Highway138 (Cajon Pass to Crestline), California Highway 18 (from Crestline to Big Bear Dam) and California Highway 38 (from Big Bear Dam . Be sure to have chains if you do come, but Id recommend monitoring the weather sites to see how much snow we are expecting before making the call on that. Tippecanoe seems worse and there is construction at the freeway (looks like there is a new and better off ramp being built) . Mammoth_Teach6623 2 yr. ago I am very terrified of heights and cliffy roads as well. What do you advice? Stretch your legs at pretty Big Bear Lake, where plenty of hiking trails offer water views with a backdrop of mountains. There should be plenty of people out there looking to make a buck by installing chains. CA-38 usually has less traffic, but the CA-330 is quicker. Dropping down to Lucerne is interesting, but then as you head west, its desert suburbia with lots of stoplights and strip malls. Anyone who pops in who does not stay there are professional types. We took 38 coming down and it was a more pleasant ride for me although it did take a little longer. I got the answers I needed from your previous responses. We know this town. Thanks. The roads should be totally clear in two weeks. Hwy 38 is a bit longer, less cliffs. Theres a major storm warning this Tuesday through Saturday. hourly forecast. Get onto the I-105 East from S Sepulveda Blvd. With it being a holiday everything is booked for the weekend. Someone with more driving experiences in the mountains will know more than I . These highlights of Beartooth Highway, from our trip in late September, will inspire you to put the Beartooth Pass (as it's also known . Just to be more clear for those not as aware, 18 to Crestline/Arrowhead area is closed due to road failure after the bad weather. We are coming up this Tuesday, and I know Big Bear just got 12-14 inches of snow from the last storm. Do trash can lids work for kids sliding in the snow? We have a Subaru wrx thats 4 wheel drive but we also have a eclipse cross suv that is front wheel drive. Hwy 330 will be the most busy however, with the 38 less busy. Here are some recommended sites to check on road conditions & chain requirements. Just need a place to crash for the night, and then take off early the next day. Once you reach Big Bear Lake Dam, continue straight onto Hwy 18/Big Bear Blvd OR turn left and take Hwy 38 to Fawnskin. Even though you might not change your hiking outfit too much for a walk in slightly breezy conditions, when the wind starts to blow, you'll need to dress accordingly. Or, come up through Santa Clarita and take the Pear Blossom Hwy. You will often save many hours by taking the Lucerne highway 18 route. To be honest, I have never driven in the snow before. Thanks for the recommendation. I took 330 going up. It'll be hard to avoid a windy road going up the mountain, but once you're up there the 18 will get you to big bear pretty smoothly. Do you recommend we rent an SUV with rear wheel drive instead? Should I go? The local news stations really pump it up, and that is great. How heavy is the traffic on a Friday afternoon in June? Get your FREE Big Bear Lake Visitor Guide Today. Are there places along the way where people will put the tire chains on for you? Drive: 114 miles, 2 h 12 min depending on traffic. Depending on the snow amount, 1-2 feet is expected from Friday night thru Sat., and if the roads are cleared, will answer your question. City: round-trip one-way. I would recommend at least a front wheel drive car, but an SUV with all-wheel or 4-wheel drive is better. Yeah, Jack Russells are a unique breed! 18 thru the east end of town has the least amount of mountain driving and should be the safest, with least amount of traffic. They are either trying to put chains on, looking for a spot to go sledding, or whatever else. There is also "mile high" Oak Glen, an apple farming community in the lower mountain area of Yucaipa, east of Redlands. Entering the cottage you are greated with the cozy family room, with a comfy leather pull out sofa and a wood burning fireplace. Sign up to receive our newsletter and stay informed about Big Bear Lake! This is probably the safest bet to eliminate traffic and less mountain driving. But, mainly people driving in Big Bear during snowy conditions with lower clearance cars. or 3.5 miles to Bear Mountain Resort via Moonridge Rd or Club View Dr. See tabs at the top of this page for directions from California cities and out-of-state locations. I am planning on going to Big Bear this weekend. Where are you coming from? Where are you staying? That route will add about 20-30 minutes of driving, though with all the traffic coming up the other 2 ways, it might be about the same amount of time. Windy, as in weather with strong winds, is spelled the same. Be sure to check before leaving, and maybe even give your real estate agent, or local friend or contact, a call before heading up. If the roads are clear, the front way thru Hwy 330 or back way thru Hwy 38 (Redlands) will be fine. There are surface streets you can take to get to Redlands if that is the way you need to go, rather than the freeway, beginning by going north on either of those streets. I will be driving up to (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? We will be staying at the Apples Bed and Breakfast. This can result in a number of symptoms such as muscle fatigue, insomnia, mild headaches or slight shortness of breath. Weekends are typically the worst, especially after a good snow storm. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-76300191', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Big Bear Lake & City to get to Sugarloaf. In the morning rush hour, which direction(s) is the rush hour traffic on I-10, I-215, and Highway 210? Thanks. There are not that many cliffs and the traffic should be less. Most people are familiar and use what we call the front way up to Big Bear. From Los Angeles, most of the drive towards Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear Lake is pretty much a straight road. I will be driving with Acura TL, which also has very low ground clearance. What is the difference between Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear? Snow Summit's Bear Bottom Beginner Area without Lift Ticket, Holiday Inn Resort the Lodge at Big Bear Lake, an IHG Hotel. Is it safe to drive to Big Bear in the snow? If we are expecting snow, Id really consider how much you want to come up. Grey Squirrel Resort. The other route is through the high desert, Victorville and Lucerne Valley area, from Hwy. Fall often brings colorfull changes to the trees in Oak Glen. If you drive up on 330 to Big Bear, is there a guard rail on the passenger side or are you hugging the mountain on the right side? Thanks so much for your advice. Visit During Off Seasons To avoid the crowds, head to Big Bear during the low tourist seasons. Heres a good site to track the weather as well https://www.bensweather.com/. Hi Tyler! For zero experience snow drivers the snow is definitely a concern getting there but also getting out. <