You’re standing in the heat of the Inland Empire, looking up at those granite peaks, and thinking it’s just a quick hop up the hill. It looks close. On a clear day, the San Bernardino Mountains loom over the city like a massive, jagged wall. But the drive from San Bernardino to Big Bear is a beast. It’s a 40-mile vertical scramble that eats brakes, overheats transmissions, and turns flatlanders into nervous wrecks.
Most people just punch "Big Bear Lake" into Google Maps and mindlessly follow the blue line. That is a mistake.
Depending on the time of day, the season, and your tolerance for hair-raising switchbacks, there are actually three distinct ways to get up there. If you take the wrong one on a Friday night in January, you might spend five hours staring at the taillights of a Subaru with bald tires. Or worse, you’ll end up on the "Rim of the World" highway during a fog bank so thick you can't see your own hood ornament.
The Three Routes: Choosing Your Poison
Let's get real about the geography here. You are climbing from an elevation of about 1,000 feet in the valley to nearly 7,000 feet at the lake. That is a massive gain in a very short distance.
Highway 330 to Highway 18 (The Standard)
This is the "main" way. You hop on the 330 in Highland and start climbing immediately. It’s fast. It’s direct. It also turns into a parking lot the second a single snowflake hits the pavement. Local commuters use this, but so do the weekend warriors who don't know how to use turnouts. If you’re heading from San Bernardino to Big Bear on a random Tuesday morning, this is your best bet. It merges into the 18 at Running Springs, and from there, it's a scenic cruise along the ridge.
Highway 18 via Waterman Ave (The Classic)
This is the old-school way. You take Waterman Avenue straight north out of San Bernardino. This route is technically the "Rim of the World Scenic Byway." Honestly? It’s gorgeous, but the switchbacks are brutal. If you or your passengers get motion sickness, stay away from the lower section of the 18. However, it’s often less crowded than the 330 because people are intimidated by the sheer number of turns.
Highway 38 through Redlands (The Long Way)
Ask any local "mountain person" how they get home when the 330 is jammed. They'll tell you the 38. You head east toward Redlands and Mentone, then wind through the San Bernardino National Forest. It’s longer—maybe 15 or 20 minutes more—but it’s a much more gradual climb. It’s wider. It’s less "stabby" with the turns. It tops out at Onyx Summit (at a staggering 8,443 feet) before dropping down into the Big Bear City side of the valley. It’s the smart play during peak holiday weekends.
The Reality of Mountain Weather
People forget that San Bernardino can be 80 degrees while Big Bear is a literal tundra.
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I’ve seen it happen a dozen times. Someone leaves the valley in shorts and a tank top, gets halfway up the 330, and suddenly they're caught in a whiteout. California Highway Patrol (CHP) does not mess around. When "R-2" conditions are in effect, you are putting chains on your tires. Period. Even if you have an AWD Tesla or a lifted Jeep, you are legally required to carry those chains in your trunk from November through April.
The fog is the other silent killer. The "marine layer" often gets trapped against the mountains. You’ll be driving at 4,000 feet and suddenly enter a cloud. Visibility drops to ten feet. In those moments, the white line on the right side of the road is your only friend. Don't use your high beams; they just reflect off the moisture and blind you. Keep it in low gear and follow the "fog line."
Brake Fade and the "Stink"
If you're driving from San Bernardino to Big Bear, you eventually have to come back down. This is where the amateur moves happen.
Coming down the 330, you’ll start to smell something like burning hair and hot metal. That’s the guy in front of you riding his brakes for twenty miles straight. By the time he hits the bottom, his brake fluid is boiling and his pads are glazed. Basically, he has no stopping power left.
Shift your car into "L" or use the paddle shifters to downshift. Let the engine do the work. If your RPMs go up, that’s fine—the engine is designed to handle it. Your brakes are not designed to be held down for 45 minutes of continuous descent.
Hidden Gems Along the Way
It isn't just about the destination. If you take the Highway 18 route, stop at Keller Peak Fire Lookout. You have to drive a bit off the main path near Running Springs, but on a clear day, you can see all the way to the Pacific Ocean and even Catalina Island. It’s one of the few places in the world where you can see the desert, the ocean, and a snowy peak simultaneously.
Then there’s Heaps Peak Arboretum. It’s a tiny little loop trail right off the highway. It’s perfect for stretching your legs if the kids are starting to get cranky from the curves. It’s quiet, filled with native sequoias and pines, and feels a world away from the smog of the valley below.
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Why Everyone Gets the Timing Wrong
Google Maps says the trip from San Bernardino to Big Bear takes an hour and ten minutes.
That is a lie.
On a Friday afternoon in the winter, it takes three hours. On a Sunday afternoon when everyone is leaving the mountain, it can take four. The bottleneck at the 330/18 merge in Running Springs is legendary for all the wrong reasons. If you can, leave the valley before 2:00 PM on a Friday or wait until after 8:00 PM.
Also, watch your gas gauge. There are no gas stations on the 330 climb. If you're idling in bumper-to-bumper traffic for two hours with your heater blasting, that "quarter tank" you thought was plenty will disappear fast. Fill up in San Bernardino or Highland before you start the ascent.
The Wildlife Factor
Once you pass the 4,000-foot mark, you are in deer country. Specifically, Mule Deer. They love to hang out on the shoulders of the 18 and 38 at dusk. They aren't scared of your car. They will jump out in front of you without a second thought.
Keep an eye out for the "eyeshine" in your headlights. If you see one deer, assume there are three more right behind it. They travel in groups. Hit a deer at 45 mph on a narrow mountain road and your trip to the lake is over before it really started.
Actionable Steps for the Drive
If you are planning this trek, do not just wing it. Follow these specific steps to ensure you actually make it to the village in one piece.
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Check the "Big Bear Grizzly" or Caltrans QuickMap.
Before you even leave your driveway in San Bernardino, check the road conditions. If Highway 18 is closed due to a rockslide (which happens more often than you'd think), you need to know before you get stuck in the detour.
Buy chains in the valley.
Do not wait until you get to the "Chain Control" sign. The roadside vendors will charge you double or triple what you’d pay at a Pep Boys or AutoZone in San Bernardino. Practice putting them on in your driveway once. Doing it for the first time in the dark, in the snow, with freezing fingers is a nightmare you don't want.
The "Turnout" Rule.
If there are five or more cars behind you, California law says you must pull into a turnout and let them pass. It doesn't matter if you're going the speed limit. If you’re holding up a line of locals who drive this road every day, pull over. It reduces road rage and makes the mountain safer for everyone.
Pack an "Emergency Bag."
Since this route is prone to sudden closures, keep a blanket, some water, and a portable phone charger in the car. If the road gets shut down due to an accident, you might be sitting in your car for a while.
Switch to the 38 if the 330 is red on the map.
If you see heavy traffic on the 330, just go through Redlands. It feels like you're going out of your way, but the steady flow of traffic on the 38 is almost always faster than the stop-and-go misery of the 330 during peak hours.
The drive from San Bernardino to Big Bear is one of the most beautiful transitions in Southern California. You go from palm trees to sub-alpine forest in less than fifty miles. It’s a privilege to have this kind of access, but the mountain demands respect. Treat the road like the high-altitude challenge it is, and you’ll spend your weekend on the slopes or the lake instead of waiting for a tow truck on the side of a cliff.