CA-330 / CA-18 · CA
CA-330 and CA-18 from San Bernardino to Big Bear Lake: road conditions right now
San Bernardino, CA to Big Bear Lake, CA
The main road from the Los Angeles basin to Big Bear Lake leaves San Bernardino on State Route 330 from Highland to Running Springs, then follows State Route 18 past Snow Valley to Big Bear Lake. The whole climb is in NWS San Diego's San Bernardino County Mountains zone, where the office issued its first-ever Blizzard Warning in late February 2023.
Plan this drive for your departure timeConditions at Wed, 1:24 AM PST
Highest risk along CA-330 / CA-18: 1 of 5 (low), departing at that time.
- No active NWS alerts on this route.
The road authority linked below has the final word on closures and chain requirements.
Clear driving for the whole 3 h 37 min.
Conditions: Clear
Checkpoints along CA-330 / CA-18
| Where | You pass | Weather | Risk | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Bernardino, CA | Wed 2:00 AM | 57°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| CA-330 / CA-18 between San Bernardino, CA and Barstow, CA | Wed 2:30 AM – 3:00 AM | 54°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Barstow, CA | Wed 3:30 AM | 54°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Barstow Heights, CA | Wed 4:00 AM | 50°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Lucerne Valley, CA | Wed 4:30 AM – 5:00 AM | 46°F · gusts 25 | low | Nothing flagged |
| Big Bear Lake, CA | Wed 5:30 AM – 5:37 AM | 39°F | low | Sources differ on temperature: NWS 32°F vs 39°F |
Why this stretch is hard in winter
- In the February 28 to March 1, 2023 storm, NWS San Diego recorded 59 inches of snow at Snow Summit and 42 inches at Big Bear Lake, with measurable snow as low as Devore at 2,500 feet; ten-day totals reached 150 inches at Snow Summit and 100 inches at Crestline.
- Caltrans chain controls apply on both routes: R-1 means chains or snow tires, R-2 chains on everything except four-wheel drive with snow tires, R-3 chains on all vehicles. Current requirements are on Caltrans QuickMap and the SR-330 and SR-18 highway condition pages.
- During the February 2019 storms, San Bernardino County reported both roads between the San Bernardino valley and Big Bear closed, leaving SR-18 through the high desert from Lucerne Valley as the only way in. The county also said chains are required and law enforcement will enforce it.
- The road authority and the forecast office differ: Caltrans District 8 runs the highways, NWS San Diego forecasts them. Its March 22, 2023 storm count was 14 inches at Running Springs and 10 inches at Big Bear, a fraction of the 10-plus feet that fell in late February.
What this page checks
- Hourly forecast at every checkpoint for the time you would be there: temperature, precipitation type and rate, gusts, visibility.
- Active National Weather Service watches, warnings, and advisories on the route.
- Snow on the ground (NOAA SNODAS) and the Weather Prediction Center winter impact outlook.
- Pavement temperature and surface state from state DOT road sensors, when you are leaving within a few hours.
- Chain controls, closures, and winter road condition reports from state DOT feeds where they are published openly.
- Seasonal closures of mountain roads the router might otherwise use.
Official sources for this corridor
Questions drivers ask about CA-330 / CA-18
- Do I need chains to drive to Big Bear?
- In a storm, usually yes. Caltrans posts R-1, R-2 or R-3 chain controls on SR-330 and SR-18, and San Bernardino County says chains are required when posted and that officers enforce it. Caltrans-permitted chain installers work along the highways. This page shows active Caltrans chain controls on the route.
- What is the other way to Big Bear when SR-330 is closed?
- SR-38 from Redlands is the other valley route, but in February 2019 the county reported both valley roads closed at once; the remaining way in was SR-18 from the high desert through Lucerne Valley. Check QuickMap for all three before leaving.
- How much snow does Big Bear get in a big storm?
- NWS San Diego measured 42 inches at Big Bear Lake and 59 inches at Snow Summit in the two-day storm of February 28 to March 1, 2023, on top of a ten-day total of 150 inches at Snow Summit. That was an extreme event; most storms are smaller, and this page shows the forecast for the hour you will be on the road.
Conditions change by the hour. This page is a planning aid built on public forecasts and DOT feeds; the road authority linked above has the final word on closures and chain requirements.
Nearby corridors: I-10 through San Gorgonio Pass · I-15 over Cajon Pass · I-8 over Mountain Springs (In-Ko-Pah) · I-5 over the Grapevine (Tejon Pass) · CA-58 over Tehachapi Pass · US-50 over Echo Summit · all corridors