Big Bear Aspen Grove Trail Hike

In This Guide	Video and Turn by Turn Directions for the Aspen Grove Trail Permits & Parking Information What to Expect on the Hike
Total Distance (?)	4.8 miles (7.7 km)
Other Options	1 mile roundtrip to the first grove
Hike Time	2-3 Hours (Total)
Difficulty (?)	Moderate
Total Ascent (?)	770 feet (235m)
Highest Elevation	8,000 feet (2438m)
Fees & Permits	Parking Fee & Occasional Permit
Dogs Allowed	Leashed
Alerts & Closures (?)	San Bernardino National Forest
Park Phone	909-382-2682

Hidden in a remote valley in the mountains around Big Bear, the Aspen Grove Trail offers a rare glimpse into one of the two aspen groves in Southern California. The leaves turn orange and yellow in the fall, and the area feels more like the Sierra Nevada than Big Bear. The Aspen Grove Trail was destroyed in the 2015 Lake Fire, and while the big pine trees are no longer there, the aspens have grown back nicely. If you’re looking for fall colors, this hike is a great option.

Where Is the Aspen Grove Trail by Big Bear?

Just getting to the remote trailhead for the Aspen Grove Trail is an adventure. Ideally, you’ll have a high-clearance vehicle with 4×4 to navigate the last 1.5 miles up a windy and rutted dirt road. If you don’t have that option, you can drive to where the road’s bad part starts and walk the 1.5 miles (about 30 minutes) to the trailhead. If you do end up walking the last stretch, the good news is that you can see aspen trees at the beginning of the hike; you don’t necessarily have to hike the Aspen Grove Trail to the end (more on that later in the guide).

In the winter, the road to Fish Creek can be closed. Check the “alerts” link above before you go.

To get to the trailhead, use this address:
Aspen Grove Trail 2E05, Angelus Oaks, CA 92305

Aspen Grove Trail Directions 1 — The main part of the dirt road is flat and smooth. You can do it with a low-clearance vehicle, just don’t go too fast.

Aspen Grove Trail Directions 2 — Turn right towards Fish Creek.

Shortly after that last image the road starts to go uphill. If you have a low-clearance vehicle, park around the intersection sign and walk. I’ve marked the trail map (in a following section) with the alternate parking location.

Aspen Grove Trail Directions 7 — The last part of the dirt road to the trailhead is steep and rutted in places.

Aspen Grove Trail Directions 3 — The parking lot is small, but given the tough drive to the trailhead, usually has at least some space available.

Permits For the Hike

Occasionally you need a permit to hike the Aspen Grove Trail. Whether you do or not is often dependent on the fire conditions and traffic. Check the San Gorgonio Wilderness Associate website before you go. You can arrange for a permit online and it’s free.

Gear Recommendations

Although the hike isn’t long, it’s definitely in the backcountry, and you should be prepared. Bring at least 1L of water and a satellite communicator if you have it. The trail is overgrown in spots; having long pants and trekking poles will help save your legs.

Aspen Grove Trail Directions 6 — This is what happens when you wear shorts on this hike.

Altra Lone Peak 5
For most people, the Altra Lone Peak is a solid choice that will leave your feet feeling great at the end of any hike. The feel is cushy and light, and if it had a car equivalent, this would be a Cadillac or Mercedes Sedan. The grip is great and they’re reasonably durable for this type of trail runner, which I think is better in most conditions than a hiking boot, and here’s why. The downside of this shoe is that it won’t last as long as something like the Moab 2 (see alternate footwear choices at the bottom of my gear page). I’ve been using mine for many miles and my feet always feel great. Watch my video explaining why they are a great shoe here.
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Latest Price on Women’s Shoe – REI | Amazon
Latest Price on Men’s Shoe – REI | Amazon

Stay Safe Out of Cell Phone Range
If you’re not familiar with the Garmin InReach technology, it allows you to send and receive text messages where you don’t have cell phone signals. You can also get weather reports and trigger an SOS to emergency responders. Even if you don’t have an emergency, sending a quick message telling a loved one that you’re okay or are running late is well worth the cost. The Garmin InReach Mini (REI | Amazon | My Review) fits in your palm and weighs next to nothing.

Gaia GPS Mapping App
Smartphones are not backcountry instruments, but almost everyone has one today. And they all have GPS onboard. So I recommend getting a good GPS hiking app like Gaia GPS that supports offline maps. Just make sure to put your phone in airplane mode so the battery doesn’t drain. GaiaGPS not only has smartphone and tablet apps, but also an online planning tool. You can drag the GPX hike tracks from my (or any) guides into the online map and they will sync to your phone. You can also check for wildfires, weather, snow, and choose from dozens of map types with a premium membership (HikingGuy readers get up to 40% off here). Note that I also carry a paper map with me in case the phone dies or gets smashed.

Here’s my complete gear list that I personally use, have tested, and recommend, updated May 2021.

My May 2021 Top Gear Picks

No company pays me to promote or push a product, all the gear you see here is gear I use and recommend. If you click an a link and buy gear, I get a small commission that helps keep the website ad and promotion free. There is no cost to you.

Aspen Grove Trail Maps

This trail is very easy to follow from the trailhead to the first aspen grove at Fish Creek, and then it gets a little more challenging as you hike to the end of the trail. Tise area was leveled in the 2015 Lake Fire, and the trail also fell victim. If you have a GPS and know how to load the GPX track (below), it will be helpful. That said, although overgrown in places, there are very well defined sections at regular intervals. If you’ve been hiking for 10 minutes and you haven’t seen a well-defined trail, you’ve lost the trail.

Also of note is the OSM map track, which shows the trail running on the east side of Fish Creek. If this was the trail at one point, it’s not the trail anymore. The GPX file I have available here, along with the images and video, show the current trail.

Explore Map on CalTopo View a Printable PDF Hike Map Download the Hike GPX File

If you try to download the GPX file and your browser adds a “.txt” or “.xml” extension to it, simply rename it as a “.gpx” file.

How are you going to navigate this hike?
To start, you should always have a paper map and compass. And it helps to print this guide out or save it on your phone. I highly recommend a GPS as well. I use the Garmin Fenix 6 Smart GPS watch ( REI | Amazon | My Review) with maps (or the more affordable Garmin Instinct). The GPS smartwatch is nice because it’s rugged, works if your phone dies, and also has a billion other features like sleep tracking, workout recording, etc.

Elevation Profile

Aspen Grove Elevation — After an initial downhill, the trail gradually climbs until its end. There are no steep climbs, just a gentle uphill.

3D Map

Hike Brief

Lake Fire Aspen Grove — This is what the Aspen Grove Trail area looked like before the Lake Fire of 2015. Today all the big pines are gone, but the aspens have started to grow back. Photo Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times

Aspens are an “aggressive pioneer species” that often colonize wildfire areas. So on this hike, even after the 2015 fire, you can see new growth aspens.
The aspen is one of the most common trees in North America, but Southern California is generally too hot and dry for them. A few isolated areas like this support groves.
There are several species of aspens, and these are called “quaking aspens,” also known as golden aspen, trembling aspen, American aspen, and mountain aspen. The words “quaking” and “trembling” describes when the wind blows through the leaves; the trees look as if they are shaking. If you want to learn more, the Forest Service has a few pages devoted to aspen trees.
The area to the west of the trail (I’ll point it out in the directions) is a popular spot for hunters. If it’s hunting season they can be active here, and it’s not very fun. And of course, hunting season is in the fall, when the leaves change color. The good news is that most hunters here are used to hikers. Go to Walmart and invest in a cheap orange hat or vest. You can also make lots of noise by talking loudly or singing a song. It helps to scare away animals, and also let hunters know that a human is close. It might also be the only circumstance in which playing music through a Bluetooth speaker is acceptable.
This guide brings you to the end of the Aspen Grove Trail. The area is remote and beautiful, but the aspens fizzle out as you climb up the canyon. If you don’t want to go all the way, simply turn around and go back whenever you feel like it.

Aspen Grove Trail Hike Directions

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Video Directions

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Turn by Turn Directions

Aspen Grove Trail Directions 4 — There’s a Sand to Snow National Monument trailhead sign at the parking area. The trail starts right behind the sign.

Aspen Grove Trail Directions 5 — The trail heads downhill towards Fish Creek.

Aspen Grove Trail Directions 8 — As the trail twists around to the east you’ll start to see the dead trees and barren hills.

Aspen Grove Trail Directions 9 — But look down into the valley and you’ll see your first grove of aspen trees!

Aspen Grove Trail Directions 10 — When the trail reaches Fish Creek, cross over.

Aspen Grove Trail Directions 11 — On the other side of the creek there’s a sign letting you know that you’re entering the San Gorgonio Wilderness. Make the left after the sign.

If you just wanted to see that first grove of aspens, you can turn around here. You can also explore the trail to the right at the San Gorgonio Wilderness sign, but note that the area to the right is popular with hunters (in hunting season).