LGHT

I'll be at a conference at the UCLA conference center in Lake Arrowhead in June. I'll have a few half days open and was hoping to get some time in on the saddle. I did a search and everything is specific to getting TO arrowhead, but not much info on trails / paths once your there. Anyone ride the North shore area? Seems like they have a flagged bike trails, but it doesn't look like they are paved after looking at them on Google.

Anyone know of any good routes leaving from North shore area or if it would be safe just driving on the roads and trying to stay close to the shoulder area??

Lesper4

I don't know the area that well but I would say go to Big Bear and ride the North shore up to Onyx Summit and back.

bikeme

I brought my bike to a conference up there and did some recon in my car before biking. What I found? It's dang scary up there on the roads leading to and around the lake. Crazy-fast locals and distracted tourists, not to mention no shoulder for bikes on the mostly curvy roads. I passed on it. There is some great mtb'ing to be had around AH and in Big Bear. The Onyx ride mentioned sounds good for a road ride. I've never done it myself but know many who have. I'm guessing it gets a lot less traffic than around Arrowhead.

mwandaw

My experience in the area is limited. However, the small amount of time I have spent scouting for road bike routes leads me to suggest that you skip Arrowhead and go to Big Bear. In fact, an LBS in the Arrowhead area told me the same thing.

It's been a couple of years, but my wife and I rode with the Big Bear Cycling Association one Saturday and had a great time. I think they have rides during the week, too. However, the calendar on their website seems to be out of date.

LGHT

Thanks everyone for the tips. I didn't see a lot of road bike friendly routes either. I checked strava and found a route called "Arrowhead backside short loop".

12 miles with 1000' of incline. Looks like it breaks off away from the lake and goes north up into the hills on a small local road. No bike lane, but doesn't seem like a road tourist would use much. However it only takes 1 local to buzz you before you go over the side never to be found again. Driving to big bear may be an option, but only if I leave early Sunday and I doubt that will happen as it gets pretty festive Saturday night.

Rick@OCRR

I've ridden in the Big Bear area a lot and yes, not much shoulder, certainly no bike lanes, but the drivers give me plenty of room and for sure I have never been "buzzed" by any motorist.

I've ridden by Arrowhead for several years during Ride Around the Bear (OCW Century) on both Hwy 330 and Hwy 18 and it's bascially the same situation regarding the roadway and motorists.

My wife and I have a cabin up in Big Bear and for sure the ride up to Onyx is a good one. We usually go North Shore Drive (Hwy 18), around Baldwin Lake, then up to Zaca road to access Hwy 39 up to Onyx. If you have the time, Big Bear to Onyx to Angelus Oaks (lunch at the cafe there) and back (taking in Jenks Lake Loop) gives you about 80 miles with 8,000 feet of climbing.

Here's a photo from Onyx summit.

Rick / OCRR

LGHT

Thanks for the tips. If I do end up in BB I'll probably do the Onyx ride. I've fished Jenks lake a few times and the area is just amazing.

TGT1

I've fished Jenks lake a few times and the area is just amazing.



I have a photo of my dad building the dam there circa 49 or 50 when he was the F.S. foreman at Seven Oaks. I'll see if I can shrink the image enough to post.

LGHT

Wow what a bit of history. It's pretty cool how "people" used to make things not so long ago.

jimxyz

We too have a place in Big Bear and my experience has been that many locals are not fond of cyclists. I have found that it is best to ride very early and avoid cars as much as possible. Spring and Summer are good for that, this time of year it is crazy cold and dark in the morning (riding the mountain roads in the dark and I get freaked out waiting for Big Foot to jump out of the bushes). There are times when I have had no incidents, and others when it has been too close for comfort. Which is pretty true for most rides, but the last few rides in BB had enough close calls that I have decided to wait for Spring to start riding up there again

LGHT

Ok the event just got moved back to September and I'm really thinking it may be too cold to ride during that time of year. The road I have mapped out seems to be a small local only road and if I do ride it will be fairly early in the morning so there shouldn't be much traffic. However I don't have much along the lines of "winter gear" and if it's colder than 50 I may not even bother.

Antartico

September is fine, if I were looking for something epic, I would ride the 18 to Big Bear (north shore of the lake) and climb Keller Peak on the way back, amazing views form the top.
Something shorter: ride the 18 to Keller Peak and back.
(I like Keller Peak)

LGHT

Looks nice, but driving to big bear would essentially add 2 hours to my commute and I was just hoping to get a quick ride in before leaving on Sunday. That would be something I would have to plan a specific trip for and based on that pic may be worthwhile!

jeepseahawk

Honestly, if not a planned function it is not safe. I lived up in that area, not safe at all, the locals drive insane and the roads have no shoulder for cyclists. Extremely unsafe in my observation, to many blind curves. The best bet is Onyx summit, little traffic from Big Bear to summit.