San Bernardino National Forest     

Road Conditions

Road Conditions
Forest visitors should be prepared for changing weather conditions.  Before you leave on your trip remember to:

Check the weather forecast
Leave an itinerary of travel plans with a responsible person
Take along extra food, articles of clothing, blankets, tire chains, flashlights etc.

For Forest Service roads, contact the Ranger Station for the latest road conditions.  For Road Conditions on State Highways call 1-800-427-ROAD.

Caltrans - State Highways
San Bernardino County Roads
Riverside County Roads

Quick Highlights From Around the Forest

Mountaintop Ranger District (Crestline-Running Springs-Big Bear-Barton Flats)

Sledding and tobogganing are great fun and a popular pastime on the forest.   Always select safe locations for these activities, well away from roads and highways and without nearby obstructions like rocks and trees. Snow Play Information

Children's Forest Visitor Center is closed for the Winter season.

Barton Flats Visitor Center is closed for the Winter season

Butler 2 Fire & Slide Fire - Road, Trail and Recreational Facility Closures

Grass Valley Fire - Road Closures 

The San Bernardino National Forest will be reconstructing several roads near Big Bear Lake and Lake Arrowhead communities beginning Tuesday, September 8th and continuing through Spring 2010.  The following roads are scheduled for reconstruction and may be closed intermittently to public use at any time throughout this work:

In the Big Bear area:

Holcomb Valley Road; 3N16 from Belleville Meadows in Holcomb Valley west to the intersection of Omya Mine Road, 3N88, a distance of approximately 4.6 miles

Delamar Mountain Road; 3N12 entire length of the road from the intersection with Coxey Road, 3N14 (approximately 2 miles northwest of Fawnskin) to the intersection with Holcomb Valley Road, 3N16 in Holcomb Valley

Snow Slide Road; 2N13, from the intersection with Coxey Road, 3N14 (approximately 1.5 miles northwest of Fawnskin) to the end of reconstruction 2.3 miles west of 3N14

In the Arrowhead area:

As a result of the 2007 wildfires, some recreation sites were damaged and resulted in closures:

Gray's Peak Group Camp
Ironwood Group Camp
Little Bear Springs Camp (located on the Pacific Crest Trail)
Big Pine Flat Shooting sites

The following routes will remain closed due to fire damage:

Forest Road 2N13 from the Fawnskin area to Green Valley Lake.
Forest Road 3N14 remains closed from Hanna Flat Campground to Big Pine Flats

Front Country Ranger District (Lytle Creek-Cajon Pass-San Gorgonio Wilderness)

The Pacific Crest Trail is closed from State Highway 14 in Los Angeles to Interstate 15 in Cajon Pass due to the Station Fire on the Angeles National Forest, and the Sheep Fire on the San Bernardino National Forest.  Through hikers can use State Route 138 as an alternate.

Sheep Fire - Area and Road Closures

Applewhite Picnic Area is subject to closure during periods of significant rain.

Forest Road 1N34 (San Sevine Road) is open from Lytle Creek Road to Joe Elliott. However, it is subject to closure during the spring fawning season, during periods of significant rain or snow, and during red flag (extreme fire weather) conditions.  Closed

The section of road from Joe Elliott to Rancho Cucamonga was destroyed during storms after the Grand Prix fire in 2003 and remains closed due to public safety.

Barton Flats Visitor Center is closed for the Winter season.

Thurman Flats Picnic Area has undergone a major renovation and has reopened to the public.  The renovation project built new restrooms, repaved and improved the parking lot and added a cabana with additional picnic tables and bar-b-cue facilities.

The following roads are still closed due to damage from past storms and/or potential damage from upcoming winter storms:

1N09 from SR330 to Seven Oaks
1N12
1N16 at Greenspot Road Canyon
2N30 at SR18
2N49 at Palm Ave / Bailey Canyon to Lake Silverwood
2N47 at Cleghorn Road / I-15
3N21 at Cajon Junction
3N22 at SR138 Summit OHV Staging area.
3N06 at the end of the pavement on Lytle Creek Road
2N56 at  Lytle Creek Road
2N57 at Lytle Creek Road
2N79 at Lytle Creek Road
1N33 at Lytle Creek Road (impassable due to wash)
1N32 at Glen Helen Parkway
1N34 at Lytle Creek Road
3N29 and 3N31 at Lone Pine Canyon Road - not accessable due to Lone Pine Canyon Road closure

The following roads have been re-opened:
2N58 at Middle Fork Road
Applewhite Truck Trail

San Jacinto Ranger District (Idyllwild, San Jacinto Wilderness)

Fuels reduction projects are underway. For efficiency of these operations and to protect the public, visitors should be informed that heavy equipment, including helicopters, are working in the area.

Forest Road 5S11 (South Ridge Road)

Forest Road 4S01 (Black Mountain Road)

Storm related road closures

4S05 Mellor Ranch Road
4S06
4S10
4S19 Angelus Hill Road
4S21 Indian Truck Trail
5S06 Control Road
5S07 Bee Canyon
5S09 San Jacinto Truck Trail
5S10 Red Hill Truck Trail
7S02 Santa Rosa Mountain

Ranger Stations & Visitor Centers

General Forest Information

Bears
Keep your camping area clean. Campers are responsible for keeping their food properly stored. Never leave food out, or in vehicles as bears have demolished vehicles getting to the food left inside. Never approach a bear. bear safety page

Camping
While most campgrounds close for the winter, a number remain open year-around.  Many campgrounds offer reservations, restrooms and showers. For a list of campgrounds that are open, visit our camping page

Dispersed Camping
Is allowed on the National Forest.  You need to stay 1/4 mile from private property, campgrounds and picnic areas and state highways.   Overnight camping is not permitted within one mile of either side of Deep Creek.  Camp 100 feet from any water source and do not block any roadways. There is a maximum stay of 14 days on the San Bernardino National Forest per year.   Please pack out what you pack in.

Firewood Cutting
To cut and gather firewood in the Sierra National Forest you must obtain a woodcutting permit at a Forest Service Office. For more information please visitor our Wood Cutting Permits page

Fishing
All creeks and streams (some exceptions do apply)  are open for trout fishing  For more information on plant dates and site locations please visit the California Department of Fish and Game website 

Hiking Trails
For up-to-date information on forest hiking trails, please visit our trails page

Hunting
For more information about California hunting regulations please visit the California Department of Fish and Game website: www.dfg.ca.gov.

Off-Highway Vehicles
Most OHV routes are open with the exception of routes within the Slide/Butler2 and Grass Valley fire areas.  Routes are subject to weather conditions. All OHV routes are “Tread Lightly” trails – stay on designated routes.  Please pack out what you pack in and follow State and Federal OHV rules; spark arrestors, safety equipment. Green/Red Sticker required.  For additional information and maps about OHV recreation opportunities see our OHV Recreation Page. 

Picnic and Day Use Areas
All picnic and day use areas are open, visit our picnic page for more information.

Ski and Snowboarding
The three Ski/Snowboard Resorts and one Nordic cross-country ski area operate under special use permit on the forest.  Jump to Winter Sports Page

Snow Play
Forest visitors find the San Bernardino National Forest is a great getaway  for sledding and tobogganing.  Remember to select safe locations for these activities, well away from roads and highways and without nearby obstructions like rocks and trees. Jump to Snow Play Page

Web Cams - View live conditions
Bear Mountain
Snow Summit
Snow Valley

Wilderness
All Wilderness Areas except Santa Rosa and Bighorn Mountain, require a free Wilderness Permit for day hiking and camping.  The Permits can be reserved up to 3 months in advance.  Visitors to the San Gorgonio Wilderness, can complete an on-line application.  The number of people admitted to the Wilderness is limited-on some summer weekends Wilderness areas fill to capacity well in advance.  The best advice is to plan ahead.  Please contact the local Ranger Station for the area you plan to visit.          San Gorgonio Wilderness Trail Conditions    Jump to the Wilderness Page

Project Activity Level (PAL) and Sale Activity Level (SAL)
 

To obtain daily PAL/SAL Levels, call (909) 382-2600 and press "8", then "5" and then "2".

Project Activity Level Map PDF

SAL - Sale Activity Level*

1.  Minimum Required in Contract
2.  Furnish Fire Patrol if required in contract.
3.  After 1:00 PM no cutting dead trees, no operating of high speed rotary head equipment and no blasting.
4.  Shut Down. All operations prohibited except loading truck in landings, servicing equipment in landing and dust abatement.

PAL - Project Activity Level*

A.   Minimum Restriction
B.   Furnish Fire Patrol if required in contract.
C.   After 1:00 PM no cutting using power saw technology.
D.   Shut Down. All operations prohibited except loading trucks in landings, servicing equipment in landing and dust abatement.
Ev.  The following operations are prohibited: Blasting, Welding / cutting metal and Burning.
E. Same as Ev except site-specific conditions may warrant a variance permitting some operations.

* The information shown for activity levels is general. Contractors should refer to their contract for more detailed information on what activities are allowed or prohibited for each activity level.