Bluff Mesa Group Camp
Campground
Campground · 1.1 mi from the trail
California · Hiking · Near Lucerne Valley
Castle Rock
Photo: sergei.gussev, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- 2.5 mi
- round trip
- 756 ft
- climb
- 7,605 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May–Oct
- best months
Is Castle Rock open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Mountaintop Ranger District. It doesn't name Castle Rock, so check the source for the area it covers.
Radford Fire Closure Area
Agency closure covering Mountaintop Ranger District · Order 05-12-52-24-06 · USFS · Mountaintop Ranger District
Safety Alert - Falling Rocks at Bonita Falls
Agency alert covering San Bernardino National Forest · USFS · San Bernardino National Forest
Fire Restrictions
Agency alert covering San Bernardino National Forest · Order 05-12-00-26-05 · USFS · San Bernardino National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Mountaintop Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Castle Rock is an easy out-and-back hike in the Mountaintop Ranger District of San Bernardino National Forest in California, about 2.5 miles long with a one-way elevation gain of 756 feet. The trail starts at a low point of about 6,835 feet and climbs to a high point of about 7,605 feet. The route is accessible, and its natural surface makes it a straightforward walk for most visitors. The climb is steady rather than steep, and the trail is short enough to fit into a day spent exploring the surrounding area. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Big Bear Lake show July highs around 80°F with lows near 50°F, while winter highs sit in the mid-40s. That station sits roughly 850 feet lower than the high point, so temperatures on the summit run cooler. Climbers will find Castle Rock Slab and its West Face about 0.3 miles away. Big Bear Lake is about 0.9 miles off, and Bluff Mesa Group Camp is about 1.1 miles away.
Around this trail
Add any of these when you start a tripSleep close Eat after Blanca and Pierre's
Restaurant
On your way back · 1 mi
If it rainsBeyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsDeep Creek Hot Springs
Hot spring
Hot spring · 14 mi from Lucerne ValleyNatural hot springs located in San Bernardino National Forest, California, United States
Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0 (commons)
More in Lucerne Valley
Castle Rock SlabRock climbingPhoto: sergei.gussev, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)0.3 mi
Castle Rock Slab (West Face)Rock climbingPhoto: sergei.gussev, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)0.3 mi- Big Bear LakeLake fishing0.9 mi
Cedar Lake ConnectorHikingPhoto: sergei.gussev, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)0.9 mi- Bluff Mesa Group CampCamping1.1 mi
Bluff Mesa Loop TrailHikingPhoto: evan.mcclain, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)1.1 mi- Boulder Group CampCamping1.5 mi
- Big Bear Lake Recreation AreaLake fishing3.7 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
- Cedar Lake ConnectorHiking · ~2 min drivePhoto: sergei.gussev, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
- Siberia CreekHiking · ~2 min drivePhoto: evan.mcclain, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
GRAYS PEAKHiking · ~4 min drivePhoto: stevelyon, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)- Bluff Mesa Loop TrailHiking · ~2 min drivePhoto: evan.mcclain, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
- Grays PeakHiking · ~3 min drivePhoto: stevelyon, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
Cougar CrestHiking · ~6 min drivePhoto: pproenxa, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- Bluff Mesa TrailHiking · ~2 min drivePhoto: evan.mcclain, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Clark's RanchHiking · ~7 min drivePhoto: Michael Dorausch from Venice, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
WestridgeHiking · ~7 min drivePhoto: Moo.The.Cow, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
PlantationHiking · ~3 min drivePhoto: inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +), CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Best time to visit Castle Rock
Best months: May–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
46° / 24°
6 wet
Feb
46° / 24°
6 wet
Mar
51° / 27°
6 wet
Apr
57° / 31°
4 wet
May
66° / 37°
2 wet
Jun
75° / 43°
1 wet
Jul
80° / 50°
2 wet
Aug
79° / 49°
3 wet
Sep
73° / 44°
2 wet
Oct
63° / 35°
2 wet
Nov
53° / 28°
3 wet
Dec
46° / 24°
6 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Big Bear Lake, CA, 2.6 mi away at 6,753 ft. The station sits about 900 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Route details
- Distance
- 2.5 mi round trip
- Climbing
- About 756 ft
- Summit
- 7,420 ft
- Difficulty
- Easy
Questions about this route
How long is the Castle Rock on Castle Rock?
About 2.5 mi round trip.
How much elevation gain is on the Castle Rock?
About 756 ft of climbing round trip.
How hard is the Castle Rock?
It is rated easy.
Conditions and forecast on Castle Rock
Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at the summit and route start for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.
