Onyx Peak to Big Bear — San Bernardino Mountains Crest Road

Forest Road 2N93 climbs from the north side of Big Bear Lake up through dense stands of white fir and lodgepole pine to the flanks of Onyx Peak — at 9,093 feet one of the higher summit approaches in the San Bernardino National Forest accessible by vehicle. The road gets narrow fast, with shelf sections carved into the granite ridge and loose rock scattered across the tread where seasonal runoff has done its work. At the upper elevations the trees thin and the world opens up on both sides — on a clear winter day you can see the Salton Sea glittering to the southeast and the coastal haze above the Pacific to the southwest. The descent back toward Big Bear drops through several switchbacks that demand slow, controlled driving on the way down.

Stock 4WD with decent clearance handles this in dry summer conditions, but the upper crest sections above 8,500 feet collect snow early and hold it late — October storms can close this route overnight with zero warning. Check with San Bernardino National Forest before committing, especially in shoulder seasons. An Adventure Pass is required for parking at trailheads accessed from this road. Fuel and services in Big Bear Lake town. No reliable water on route. This is a half-day run best combined with a campsite at Bluff Lake or one of the Big Bear dispersed zones — don’t rush it when the air is that thin and that clear.