Pine Knot Trailhead (Aspen Glen)
One of Big Bear's lower-stress trailheads. Pine Knot Trail starts from the Aspen Glen Picnic Area on Mill Creek Road: 20–30 spaces, Adventure Pass required, vault toilet, picnic tables and BBQ grills on site. Unlike Castle Rock or Cougar Crest, this lot rarely fills before 9am — arrive at a civilized hour and you're fine most days.
The facts
- Trail served
- Pine Knot Trail to Grand View Point (7.1 mi RT)
- Cost / pass
- Adventure Pass ($5/day, $30/yr) or Interagency pass
- Lot size
- 20–30 spaces
- When it fills
- Rarely before 9am; busiest midday summer weekends
- Overflow option
- Usually unnecessary; picnic-area spaces turn over
- Tow / citation risk
- Low — it's a proper day-use lot; display the pass
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Road to the lot
- Paved: Mill Creek Rd ~2.5 mi south of Hwy 18, at ~7,000 ft
- Busy season
- Late spring–fall; snow lingers on the upper trail
Getting there
40105 Mill Creek Road, Big Bear Lake, CA 92315
Get directions →The civilized trailhead
Pine Knot's trailhead doubles as the Aspen Glen Picnic Area, and it shows: a real day-use lot with 20–30 spaces, vault toilet, picnic tables, BBQ grills, and a community fire ring under the Jeffrey pines at about 7,000 feet. An Adventure Pass goes on the dash — this one is a proper fee site.
The good news is the demand curve: this lot rarely fills before 9am, even on summer weekends, making it the reliable choice when Castle Rock's lot has already burned you. The payoff at the top — Grand View Point's panorama of the San Bernardino high country — is in the full Pine Knot Trail guide on our sister site.
Frequently asked questions
Where do you park for the Pine Knot Trail?
At the Aspen Glen Picnic Area, 40105 Mill Creek Road, about 2.5 miles south of Highway 18. It has 20–30 spaces and requires an Adventure Pass.
Does the Pine Knot lot fill up?
Rarely before 9am, even on summer weekends — it's one of Big Bear's more forgiving trailheads. Midday summer weekends are the busiest window.
Facts on this page last verified July 18, 2026. Fees, hours, and access rules change seasonally — confirm with the official source before a long drive.