California State Route 38
Encyclopedia
State Route 38 is a mostly rural
and scenic road in the U.S. state
of California
. Despite the orientation of its alignment, SR 38 is assigned in a west–east direction.
and is eligible for the State Scenic Highway System
. However, it is only a scenic highway between a point east of the South Fork Campground and the intersection with State Lane.
SR 38 begins at its west junction with State Route 18
adjacent to the westernmost point of Big Bear Lake
near the City of Big Bear Lake
. Bordering the north shore of the lake, it traverses North Shore Drive as it passes Fawnskin
then Minnelusa. After it passes Big Bear City Airport, it reaches its northeast junction with State Route 18 at Greenway Drive in Big Bear City
. Route 38 then turns south, sharing Greenway Drive with Route 18. Both route signs continue on Greenway Drive to its intersection with Big Bear Boulevard. At the intersection, Route 18 turns west and Route 38 turns east onto Big Bear Boulevard. Route 38 continues easterly on Big Bear Boulevard to its intersection with Greenspot Boulevard.
The route then turns southeast onto Greenspot Boulevard, then briefly onto Oak Drive. SR 38 leaves Big Bear City, and ascends southeasterly reaching Onyx Summit at 8443 ft (2,573.4 m) near 9114 ft (2,777.9 m) Onyx Peak; in the vicinity of this location, Route 38 is one of the highest roads in southern California. After the summit, the highway turns briefly southerly and then southwesterly starting its slow descent as it continues along Cienaga Seca Creek until it is just west of the forest road to Heart Bar Campground and to one of the many trails to San Gorgonio Mountain
, the highest land elevation in southern California. It then continues northwesterly along the upper Santa Ana River
and then, after briefly crossing undulating terrain, westerly through the Barton Flats area, home to many campgrounds. After leaving the Barton Flats area, encountering many small-radius curves, it continues southwesterly through undulating terrain to Angelus Oaks, where Route 38 crosses ridgeline of the highest peaks in the San Bernardino Mountains
.
After leaving Angelus Oaks, the highway continues briefly to the south including many curves; then the highway descends more rapidly as it turns southeasterly and then briefly southerly and southwesterly along the southern face of the San Bernardino Mountains to its intersection with Valley of the Falls Drive, the access road to the community of Forest Falls and to the shortest and steepest trail to San Gorgonio Mountain. Now known as Mill Creek Road, Route 38 turns slightly north of west past the north side of Mountain Home Village and then southwesterly through and adjacent to Mill Creek Canyon before leaving the San Bernardino National Forest
and entering Mentone
. Upon entering Mentone, the route continues due west becoming Mentone Boulevard. As one enters Redlands
from Mentone, SR 38 becomes Lugonia Avenue before turning south on Orange Street and terminating at Interstate 10 in Redlands east of the State Route 210 interchange.
The entire route is in San Bernardino County
.
{| class=wikitable
!Location
!Postmile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=3|Redlands
|0.00
|Orange Street
|Continuation beyond I-10
|-
|0.00
|
|Interchange
|-
|0.57
|Orange Street, Lugonia Avenue
|
|-
|
|8.53
|Bryant Street – Yucaipa
, Oak Glen
|
|-
|rowspan=3|Big Bear City
|48.16
|Shay Road, Greenspot Road
|
|-bgcolor=#ddffdd
|49.52
53.92Indicates that the postmile represents the distance along SR 18 rather than SR 38.
|
|West end of SR 18 overlap
|-bgcolor=#ddffdd
|54.54
49.53
|
|East end of SR 18 overlap
|-
|Big Bear Dam
|59.40
|
|
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
and scenic road in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Despite the orientation of its alignment, SR 38 is assigned in a west–east direction.
Route description
This route is part of the California Freeway and Expressway SystemCalifornia Freeway and Expressway System
The California Freeway and Expressway System is a system of existing or planned freeways and expressways in the U.S. state of California. It is defined by the Streets and Highways Code.-List of roads in the system:*State Route 1 *State Route 2...
and is eligible for the State Scenic Highway System
State Scenic Highway System (California)
The State Scenic Highway System is a list of highways, mainly state highways, that have been designated by the California Department of Transportation as scenic highways. The California State Legislature, primarily through Section 263 of the Streets and Highways Code, makes highways eligible for...
. However, it is only a scenic highway between a point east of the South Fork Campground and the intersection with State Lane.
SR 38 begins at its west junction with State Route 18
State Route 18 (California)
State Route 18 in the U.S. state of California runs from State Route 210 in San Bernardino to State Route 138 near Adelanto. It is the primary route into the San Bernardino Mountains and has two discontinunities: one in Big Bear Lake, the other in Victorville.-Route description:SR 18 is part of...
adjacent to the westernmost point of Big Bear Lake
Big Bear Lake
Big Bear Lake is a reservoir in the San Bernardino Mountains, in San Bernardino County, California, United States. At a surface elevation of , it has an east-west length of approximately 7 miles and is approximately 2.5 miles at its widest measurement, though the lake's width mostly averages a...
near the City of Big Bear Lake
Big Bear Lake, California
Big Bear Lake is a city in San Bernardino County, California along the south shore of Big Bear Lake, located northeast of the city of San Bernardino. The population was 5,019 at the 2010 census, down from 5,438 at the 2000 census...
. Bordering the north shore of the lake, it traverses North Shore Drive as it passes Fawnskin
Fawnskin, California
Fawnskin is an unincorporated community in San Bernardino County, California, United States. Its altitude is 6,827 feet . The community has a post office, which was established on 18 May 1918.-History:...
then Minnelusa. After it passes Big Bear City Airport, it reaches its northeast junction with State Route 18 at Greenway Drive in Big Bear City
Big Bear City, California
Big Bear City is an unincorporated, census-designated place in San Bernardino County, California immediately east of Big Bear Lake. The population was 12,304 at the 2010 census, up from 5,779 at the 2000 census...
. Route 38 then turns south, sharing Greenway Drive with Route 18. Both route signs continue on Greenway Drive to its intersection with Big Bear Boulevard. At the intersection, Route 18 turns west and Route 38 turns east onto Big Bear Boulevard. Route 38 continues easterly on Big Bear Boulevard to its intersection with Greenspot Boulevard.
The route then turns southeast onto Greenspot Boulevard, then briefly onto Oak Drive. SR 38 leaves Big Bear City, and ascends southeasterly reaching Onyx Summit at 8443 ft (2,573.4 m) near 9114 ft (2,777.9 m) Onyx Peak; in the vicinity of this location, Route 38 is one of the highest roads in southern California. After the summit, the highway turns briefly southerly and then southwesterly starting its slow descent as it continues along Cienaga Seca Creek until it is just west of the forest road to Heart Bar Campground and to one of the many trails to San Gorgonio Mountain
San Gorgonio Mountain
San Gorgonio Mountain, also known locally as Mount San Gorgonio, or Old Greyback, is the highest peak in Southern California at . It is in the San Bernardino Mountains, east of the city of San Bernardino and north-northeast of San Gorgonio Pass. It lies within the San Gorgonio Wilderness, part of...
, the highest land elevation in southern California. It then continues northwesterly along the upper Santa Ana River
Santa Ana River
The Santa Ana River is the largest river of Southern California in the United States. Its drainage basin spans four counties. It rises in the San Bernardino Mountains and flows past the cities of San Bernardino and Riverside, before cutting through the northern tip of the Santa Ana Mountains and...
and then, after briefly crossing undulating terrain, westerly through the Barton Flats area, home to many campgrounds. After leaving the Barton Flats area, encountering many small-radius curves, it continues southwesterly through undulating terrain to Angelus Oaks, where Route 38 crosses ridgeline of the highest peaks in the San Bernardino Mountains
San Bernardino Mountains
The San Bernardino Mountains are a short transverse mountain range north and east of San Bernardino in Southern California in the United States. The mountains run for approximately 60 miles east-west on the southern edge of the Mojave Desert in southwestern San Bernardino County, north of the...
.
After leaving Angelus Oaks, the highway continues briefly to the south including many curves; then the highway descends more rapidly as it turns southeasterly and then briefly southerly and southwesterly along the southern face of the San Bernardino Mountains to its intersection with Valley of the Falls Drive, the access road to the community of Forest Falls and to the shortest and steepest trail to San Gorgonio Mountain. Now known as Mill Creek Road, Route 38 turns slightly north of west past the north side of Mountain Home Village and then southwesterly through and adjacent to Mill Creek Canyon before leaving the San Bernardino National Forest
San Bernardino National Forest
San Bernardino National Forest is a federally-managed forest covering more than 800,000 acres . There are two main divisions which are the San Bernardino Mountains on the easternmost of the Transverse Range, and the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa Mountains on the northernmost of the Peninsular...
and entering Mentone
Mentone, California
Mentone is a census-designated place in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 8,720 at the 2010 census, up from 7,803 at the 2000 census. It is located at ....
. Upon entering Mentone, the route continues due west becoming Mentone Boulevard. As one enters Redlands
Redlands, California
Redlands is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 68,747, up from 63,591 at the 2000 census. The city is located east of downtown San Bernardino.- History :...
from Mentone, SR 38 becomes Lugonia Avenue before turning south on Orange Street and terminating at Interstate 10 in Redlands east of the State Route 210 interchange.
Major intersections
- Note: Except where prefixed with a letter, postmiles were measured in 1964, based on the alignment as it existed at that time, and do not necessarily reflect current mileage.
The entire route is in San Bernardino County
San Bernardino County, California
San Bernardino County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 2,035,210, up from 1,709,434 as of the 2000 census...
.
{| class=wikitable
!Location
!Postmile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=3|Redlands
Redlands, California
Redlands is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 68,747, up from 63,591 at the 2000 census. The city is located east of downtown San Bernardino.- History :...
|0.00
|Orange Street
|Continuation beyond I-10
|-
|0.00
|
|Interchange
|-
|0.57
|Orange Street, Lugonia Avenue
|
|-
|
|8.53
|Bryant Street – Yucaipa
Yucaipa, California
Yucaipa is a city located east of San Bernardino, in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 51,367 at the 2010 census, up from 41,207 at the 2000 census...
, Oak Glen
|
|-
|rowspan=3|Big Bear City
Big Bear City, California
Big Bear City is an unincorporated, census-designated place in San Bernardino County, California immediately east of Big Bear Lake. The population was 12,304 at the 2010 census, up from 5,779 at the 2000 census...
|48.16
|Shay Road, Greenspot Road
|
|-bgcolor=#ddffdd
|49.52
53.92Indicates that the postmile represents the distance along SR 18 rather than SR 38.
|
|West end of SR 18 overlap
|-bgcolor=#ddffdd
|54.54
49.53
|
|East end of SR 18 overlap
|-
|Big Bear Dam
|59.40
|
|