California · Hiking · Near Lucerne Valley

Bristlecone

BristleconePhoto: miheco, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
1.2 mi
round trip
33 ft
climb
6,988 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Bristlecone open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Mountaintop Ranger District. It doesn't name Bristlecone, so check the source for the area it covers.

As of · Source: USFS · Mountaintop Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Bristlecone is an easy, short out-and-back hike of about 1.2 miles in the Mountaintop Ranger District of San Bernardino National Forest in California. The trail rises just 33 feet from its low point at about 6,948 feet to a high point of about 6,988 feet, making it a gentle walk that is also accessible. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Big Bear Lake show July highs around 80°F with lows near 50°F, while winter highs stay around 46°F with lows in the mid-20s. The station sits about 235 feet below the trail's high point, so temperatures on the higher part of the route run a little cooler. Several other spots lie close by. Fall Line, a mountain biking route, is about 0.3 miles away, and the Skyline Trail is about 0.5 miles off. Buttercup Group Camp is about 0.8 miles away, and Big Bear Lake Recreation Area, a lake fishing spot, is about 3 miles away.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Buttercup Group Camp

    Campground

    Campground · 0.8 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Geronimo's Outpost

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 1 mi
  • If it rainsBeyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    Deep Creek Hot Springs

    Hot spring

    Hot spring · 19 mi from Lucerne Valley

    Natural hot springs located in San Bernardino National Forest, California, United States

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0 (commons)

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