Unplanned trips are getting to be a habit. It seems that I
never know when I can get away for a little wheelin', and that when I do get
away, I never end up where I started out to go.
I was originally thinking of going via 3N16 and a couple
of other roads in the San
Bernardino National Forest to Holcomb
Valley and Big Bear Lake from Green Valley Lake, but then this other way
looked sorta interesting?
The start of this trip was from Green Valley Lake Road.
You can reach Green Valley Lake Road by ascending from either the western end of
San Bernardino on Waterman Canyon Road to Rim of the World Drive (California
18), or from the eastern end of San Bernardino on City Creek Road (California
330). On either route, pass through Running Springs on the way towards Big Bear
Lake, and in Arrowbear you'll find a left (north) turn for Green Valley Lake
Road. Some ways down the road is another left (to the north-northwest) onto Crab
Flats Road (3N16).
From there, the table below list way-points and mileage,
and the occasional brief note.
Miles between points
Total Mileage
Notes
3N16 0.0
0.0
Start of 3N16 (street legal vehicles only) at Green Valley Lake Road.
1.8
1.8
2N12X and 2N54 on right. This is a designated ATV staging area. 2N12X is restricted to ATV (50" width limit) and motorcycles only.
0.7
2.5
3N160 on left.
1.2
3.7
3N16 continues to
Big Pine Flats Campground (8 miles). 3N34 heads left to Crab Flats Campground (1/4 mile) and Tent Peg Campground (1 mile) ultimately to Deep Creek's T6 crossing which will return you to Lake Arrowhead via Cedar Glen. See Deep Creek Wild Trout Area for notes on the T6 crossing.
3.0
6.7
3N93 is on the right. This is a boulder strewn out-wash, labeled by the Forest Service as "Most Difficult." It's motorcycles and 4WD only, and looks like it might make a nice run for people equipped for rock-crawling. It ultimately connects to 3N14 southeast of Big Pine Flats.
2.2
8.9
2N06X on the right, 4WD only.
3.3
Left turn onto 3N14
12.2
I turn left (west) onto 3N14 at Big Pine Flats Campground. There's a number of roads that meet here, and there's even a very short paved section. 3N14 (street legal vehicles only) crosses 3N16 from the west turning southeast. 3N11, open to all motorcycles, 4WD and ATVs continues to the northeast. 1W17 is a brief distance to the west down 3N14 and is for ATV (50" width limit) and motorcycle use. Also nearby are 3N04Y, 3N92 and 3N97.
3N14 2.7
14.9
3N41 on left. The beginning of a burn recovery area. This marks the beginning of the "desert" portion of the trip.
1.7
16.6
An old cattle pen on the left.
0.9
17.5
3N96 on left.
0.2
Left fork
17.7
I take the left fork (west) staying on 3N14. 4N16 on the right continues to the Lucerne Valley (12 miles) via Horse Springs Campground. 3N14 continues to Apple Valley (15 miles).
2.2
Left fork onto 3N59
19.9
I take the left fork (west) onto 3N59. 3N14 (right fork) continues to Apple Valley. 3N59
is not designated as "Difficult", but will quickly connect to 3N59A which is rated as "Difficult". See the next note about 3N59.
3N59 0.9
Bear right onto 3N59A
20.8
Bearing right, I turn onto 3N59A. Continuing on 3N59 will eventually cause you to have to
reverse course in a 4WD vehicle. It eventually connects to 2W01 a motorcycle only (24" width limit) route to Devil's Hole Crossing on Deep Creek, and the other connecting roads are currently closed to all motorized vehicles.
3N59A 1.5
22.3
Beginning of BLM land. There's a road (unmarked as far as I could tell) on the right.
2.5
24.8
What at first appears to be an unmarked fork actually has a marker (look sharp and you'll
find it) for 3N59A. 3N59A continues to the left. The road to the right is undesignated as far as I could see. 3N59A is now designated as "Easy".
0.2
25.0
Deep Creek Hot Springs. Left will continue on 3N59A, again designated as "Difficult", and eventually (about 6 more miles) to Deep Creek Road
in Hesperia. There really are hot springs here, and I am told it's not a bad place to stop. Wish I had time that day. A right will place you on a private road that leads to the Bowen Ranch. Be advised that you could be charged $3 per person. Believe it or not, this is California's oldest continually operated Toll Road (serving their
campground) and has been in existence since 1924. (You can guess which way I went, right? I missed the marker?)
Deep Creek Hot Springs
On public land
No glass containers
No campfires
No camping at the springs
1.7
26.7
The Bowen Ranch 6221 Bowen Ranch Road Apple Valley CA 92308
"Gateway to Deep Creek Hot
Springs"
Thanks to Mike Castro for the info sheet
and the conversation!
Rates and Rules
Ranch speed limit is 5MPH
$3 per person per day (day trips)
$4 per person per day for overnight
camping.
Bring good hiking shoes
Bring any food you'll want
Bring water (this is a dry
campground, there's no water available
Bring a trash bag to carry out your trash
No fireworks
No guns
No tan lines?
5.2
31.9
Bowen's Ranch Road out to Roundup Way (county road) in Apple Valley. Left on Roundup Way is the shortest way back to Interstate 15, via Hesperia.
Off-road distance
Approx. 32 miles
Elapsed time (off-road)
About 4 hours (with
no hot springs stop)
Thomas Guide
SB County (1996) pp. 519, 4658, 4660, 4568, 4567 and 4478
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