Mountain Day Trips From the High Desert: 2026 Guide

From the High Desert, the San Bernardino Mountains and the east end of the San Gabriels are an easy day trip. Highway 18 climbs to Big Bear, Highway 138 leads to Silverwood Lake, Crestline and Lake Arrowhead, and Highway 138 to Highway 2 reaches Wrightwood. As of November 2026, all of these are reachable, but the Angeles Crest Highway is still closed west of Wrightwood, Silverwood Lake has no boating, and Lake Arrowhead's lake itself is private.

Quick reference: mountain day trips from Hesperia and Victorville

Which roads go up the mountain from the High Desert?

Highway 18 to Big Bear. From Apple Valley, Highway 18 runs east through Lucerne Valley and then climbs to the east end of Big Bear Valley. On October 17, 2026, Caltrans road information listed no restrictions on Highways 18, 38 or 330.

Highway 138 and Highway 173 to Silverwood, Crestline and Lake Arrowhead. Highway 138 leaves I-15 in the Cajon Pass and passes Silverwood Lake before meeting Highway 18 near Crestline. Highway 173 branches off toward Lake Arrowhead. After the 2025 Lake Fire closed Highway 138 near Silverwood, it reopened in July 2025.

Caltrans plans culvert work on Highway 138 near Silverwood and repaving on Highway 18 near Crestline, so expect future lane work. Skip the old unpaved stretch of Highway 173 between Hesperia and Deer Lodge Park. In a 2022 local report, Caltrans said it had no plan to reopen that section.

Highway 138 to Highway 2 for Wrightwood. Head west on Highway 138 from I-15, then turn south on Highway 2. As of October 30, 2026, Caltrans listed Highway 2 closed from Islip Saddle to Vincent Gulch, about 5.4 miles west of Big Pines. Caltrans says there is no timeline for reopening after winter storm damage. Wrightwood is open from the desert side, but you cannot drive through to the Los Angeles basin.

For any trip, check Caltrans QuickMap before you leave, or call 1-800-427-7623. Highway closures in the Cajon Pass are covered in our Cajon Pass I-15 update.

What do chain controls mean on mountain roads?

Caltrans posts three chain control levels:

• R1: A car or light truck (under 6,000 lbs) can skip chains if two drive wheels have snow tires. Everyone else chains up.
• R2: Only a 4WD or AWD vehicle with snow-tread tires on all four wheels can skip chains. Carry a set anyway.
• R3: No exemptions. Every vehicle needs chains.

Under chain control, you can go no faster than 25 or 30 mph. The county asks drivers to get all the way off the road before putting chains on, and to bring blankets, water and extra warm clothes.

Do you need an Adventure Pass?

Yes, at Forest Service day-use sites that post a fee. Both the San Bernardino and Angeles National Forests honor the same Adventure Pass. As of November 2026:

• Daily pass: $5
• Annual pass: $30
• Second-vehicle annual pass: $5

You can buy one at San Bernardino National Forest offices, from local vendors or online through MyScenicDrives.com. The forest also sells a digital day-use pass on Recreation.gov. Interagency passes such as America the Beautiful are accepted at fee sites like Meadow's Edge. Starting January 1, 2026, the annual America the Beautiful pass costs $80 for U.S. residents and $250 for nonresidents.

The Adventure Pass does not cover state or county parks like Silverwood Lake or Lake Gregory.

What can you do at Big Bear Lake?

The Big Bear Discovery Center, at 40971 North Shore Drive in Fawnskin, is the Forest Service visitor center on the north shore. It is open Thursday through Monday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the phone number is (909) 382-2790.

Some north shore picnic sites close for eagle season. Meadow's Edge Picnic Area, for example, shuts from December 1 to April 1, and sometimes sooner when it freezes. It is an Adventure Pass site.

Big Bear Mountain Resort runs the area's ski slopes, and Snow Valley sits on Highway 18 near Running Springs on the way up. For lift tickets, passes and opening dates, see our guide to ski resorts near the High Desert.

• Visit Big Bear, the local tourism site, points to public lots on Bartlett, Knickerbocker and Pennsylvania roads. Overnight parking in town is not free.
• Stay off the lake ice. The same page says county code bans going on it, with a $500 fine.

Can you visit Lake Arrowhead if the lake is private?

Yes, but not to swim, boat or fish on it. The lake is managed by the Arrowhead Lake Association, and at a 2023 board meeting a director said the lake "is a private lake and will remain private," according to The Alpine Mountaineer. The same report says renters of short-term rentals may not operate any watercraft on it.

You can still drive up Highway 173 or Highway 18 and see the lake from public roads. For water time, go to Lake Gregory in nearby Crestline.

What is open at Lake Gregory Regional Park?

Lake Gregory Regional Park is a county park at 24171 Lake Drive in Crestline. The county contracts its operation to Lake Gregory Recreation Company, and the county's All Parks pass does not cover it.

The swim beach, water slides and boathouse run Memorial Day to Labor Day. In 2026, a local report put beach access at $17 per day and an all-access pass at $32. Fishing, hiking and parking hours are sunrise to sunset. The same 2026 report says shore fishing stays open all year for $15 a day.

You pay for parking with the ParkMobile app in any of three lots. Vehicles with Disabled Veteran tags park free.

Is Silverwood Lake open after the Lake Fire?

Yes, with limits. Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area, at 13990 Sawpit Canyon Road, was open for day use and camping when State Parks last checked its page on October 18, 2026. Boating is closed: a windstorm wrecked the marina docks, and State Parks says the ramps cannot be reached safely. Invasive golden mussels turned up in the lake in 2025, so when boating resumes, every boat gets inspected on the way out.

• Hours: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. from October through March; 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. April through September.
• Day use: $10 per vehicle ($9 seniors). Summer weekends and holidays are $20.
• Swimming: Allowed in marked areas, but the lake has an algae caution advisory. Dogs may not go on the beach or into the water.

For more on the area, see our Silverwood Hesperia update and Hesperia community guide.

Is Wrightwood hiking open after the Bridge Fire?

Mostly, yes. The 2024 Bridge Fire led to a June 2025 Forest Service closure order covering several Pacific Crest Trail segments, including the Grassy Hollow and Inspiration Point stretches, plus roads and campgrounds on Blue Ridge. Its end date was May 22, 2026.

As of November 2026, neither the Angeles National Forest alerts page nor the PCT Association closure list shows a Bridge Fire closure. The Big Pines volunteers post that every trail is open again, and they urge extra care in burned areas.

• Grassy Hollow Visitor Center was lost in the fire, and no rebuild date is posted. The Big Pines Visitor Center came through and, per the volunteers' last update, opens on weekends and some holidays.
• Mountain High is the ski area on Highway 2 near Wrightwood. See the ski resorts guide for details.

Where can you play in the snow?

Stick to ski resorts and other designated winter recreation sites. The county bans snow play on the road and in front of private homes, and says violators can be fined $150 or more and towed.

Obey no-parking signs, keep your car off the road and the street right-of-way, and take all your trash home, broken sleds included.

For closer-to-home outings, see High Desert hotspots close to home and desert and Route 66 day trips.

How Pleasant Hill can help

Pleasant Hill Real Estate Group is based in Hesperia. If you are thinking about a move to the High Desert, you can search homes or get a free home valuation. Questions? Contact us or reach Nancy Navarro in Hesperia.

General information, not legal, tax or lending advice. Rules, fees and rates change; confirm with the agency linked above or ask us. Pleasant Hill Real Estate Group · CA DRE Corp. #01997374 · AZ Entity Lic. #LC694532000 · Equal Housing Opportunity.