Description
Best Times: Spring or Fall, Guide Book: BackCountry Adventures Southern California, 2002 edition, SC14
Guide to Southern California Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails
This is day trip. Bring a lunch.
Rattlesnake Canyon is a popular route that heads up the mountains from Johnson Valley and ends up halfway up the East side of Big Bear. The trail is constantly changing but usually stays in the ratings of 2-4. There is a couple rock patches, mud, sand, Joshua Trees, and water along the trail. The trail does drive through a live cattle ranch so please be polite the entire time on the trail and do not honk or mess with the cattle. Trail dead ends into Burns Canyon Road 2N02. Once here, you can go either left or right. Left takes you to Pioneer Town and right takes you up to the east side of Big Bear City.
Rutted and/or rocky road but an easy trail. No shelves but rocks to 9". Water crossings usually less than hub deep. Passable mud. Grades moderate, up to 15 degrees. Side hill moderate up to 15 degrees.
Location
Rendezvous @ Trailhead/Campsite
Take I-15 to Victorville and exit the freeway at Bear Valley. Take Bear Valley Road east to Hwy18 . Continue east to Hwy 247.Old Woman Springs Road. Take 247 east and meet at the Trailhead - Rattlesnake Canyon Road and Hwy 247 at 9 AM. It's 42 miles from I-15 to Rattlesnake Canyon Road.