Big Bear Today Magazine November 2020

Page 16—November 2020
THE BACK PAGE
Fall colors, oaks create Pine Knot show
Aspen Grove, one of only two natural
occurring aspen stands south of the Sierras,
is open but the road to it is not, making
for difficult access. The other aspen
stand at Arrastre Creek is smaller and remote,
even harder to get to.
For my money you just can’t beat Pine
Knot Trail for fall colors, where there’s nice
Aspen Glen picnic area for trailhead and
lots of parking. The show unfolds each
year with hues of gold and yellow as abundant
oaks turn color, interspersed between
pine trees. As autumn progresses hikers
and bikers see acorns along the trail as a
further reminder of the season. Hike far
enough along Pine Knot Trail and you’ll
reach the ultimate sight, Grandview Point,
with sprawling 270-degree vistas of 11,502
ft. Mt. San Gorgonio and surrounding Wilderness
area.
The trek begins at Aspen Glen picnic
area—be sure to have an Adventure Pass
if you park—where a few oaks serve notice
of the show to come. A developed
trailhead with picnic tables, pit restrooms
and signage make for a great starting point.
The trail was rerouted a few years ago
up the picnic area’s southern ridge, a great
improvement from the previous barren,
dusty death march. A little over a half-mile
of trail was rebuilt, done entirely by Southern
California Mountains Foundation’s
Urban Conservation Crew. The reroute was
to protect the endangered Ash Grey Paint
Brush associated with Pebble Plain terrain.
As hikers climb the portal they
traverse with more gentle, gradual climbing,
punctuated by steeper sections. Along
the way Pine Knot joins with mountain
biker favorite Cabin 89 trail at a wellmarked
junction. One of the so-called “illegal”
trails lining the south shore network,
Cabin 89 also has seen rehabilitation as the
Forest Service seeks to bring such routes
up to its standards.
Usually there’s piles of acorns under
oaks along the way, a major food source
for native Serrano Indians in Big Bear Valley.
But on our late October outing acorns
were everywhere! Strewn up and down the
trail, we practically tripped over all the
acorns in different shapes and sizes,
crunching a few when we stepped on them.
Pine Knot continues across the ridge
to seamlessly connect with the old trail
above a seasonal stream. The trail skirts
neat places, like Alpine Slide and nowclosed
Snow Forest ski area with occasional
lake views. Yet the main view is the
bountiful color that occasionally serves as
canopy, creating amazing ambiance when
backlit.
After a couple miles the trail crosses
forest road 1N01, then continues up the
ridge another mile past Deer group camp—
great spot for a break with beautiful
meadow views underneath tall pine trees—
to Skyline Dr. and new worldclass
Big Bear Today
singletrack
trail of the
same name
open to hikers,
bikers and
equestrians.
Three
miles each
way plus a
half-mile spur
to Grandview
Point, Pine
Knot Trail is
practically sacred
ground
for mountain bikers. The site of many Team
Big Bear races through the years, going
up it has a nice sustainable climb and coming
down serves up top notch singletrack.
Yet on our trek we didn’t see one twowheeler.
Granted the resort Skychair is
closed for the season but still there’s usually
a few die-hards pedaling up or down.
—by Marcus Dietz
Call Discovery Center 909-866-3437.