As seen in the Nobody Hikes in L.A. Guidebook!
Pacific Dogwoods in the Heap's Peak Arboretum
Text and photography copyright 2010 by David W. Lockeretz, all rights reserved. Information and opinions provided are kept current to the best of the author’s ability. All readers hike at their own risk, and should be aware of the possible dangers of hiking, walking and other outdoor activities. The author does not take any responsibility for injuries sustained during hikes or walks on the routes described here. Check the informational links provided for up to date trail condition information.
Heap’s Peak Arboretum
- Location: San Bernardino National Forest between Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear Lake. From the San Bernardino area, take highway 330 to Running Springs, head west on highway 18 for 4.5 miles and the arboretum will be on the right. From Lake Arrowhead, take highway 18 for 2 miles and the arboretum will be on the left. A National Forest Service adventure pass ($5 for a day or $30 for the year) is required for parking. Click here to purchase.
- Agency: Rim of the World Interpretive Association
- Distance: 0.8 miles
- Elevation gain: 100 feet
- Difficulty Rating: G
- Suggested time: 30 minutes
- Best season: March – November
- USGS topo map: Harrison Mountain
- More information: here
- Rating: 5
If you are driving to Lake Arrowhead or Big Bear and need to get out to stretch your legs, or if you are planning a big hike in the area and want to do a shorter warmup to acclimate to the altitude, this short, wheelchair-accessible trail is the place to be. It gives visitors a nice, up-close view of some of the trees in the San Bernardino Mountains. A pamphlet, for which donations are optional, explains some of the trees found in the park, including incense cedars, giant sequoias and Coulter pines. Some of the flowers you’ll see are the purple iris and the red columbine.
Starting at just over six thousand feet in elevation, the loop can be hiked in either direction. To follow the order of the numbers on the pamphlet, head right from the parking lot to make a counter-clockwise loop. The trail makes its way through the forest, occasionally passing by openings in the stands of trees, giving views of the western peaks of the San Bernardino Mountains. A lot of this area has been fire damaged, but it is starting to rebuild itself, a process described on some of the interpretive plaques along the trail.
After passing through the sequoia grove, the trail returns to the parking lot to complete the loop. If you enjoyed this hike, make sure you check out some of the longer trips in the Arrowhead/Big Bear area such as Gray’s Peak and Bertha Peak.
