more stats
3.5 miles
Distance
190 ft
Climb
-1,040 ft
Descent
00:46:20
Avg time
-850 ft
Altitude change
7,176 ft
Altitude min
8,179 ft
Altitude max
8,047 ft
Altitude start
7,198 ft
Altitude end
-4.6%
Grade
-31%
Grade max
23.4%
Grade min
3,812 ft
Distance climb
3 miles
Distance down
404 ft
Distance flat
00:46:20
Avg time

Bear Trap Basin Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Gravel Bike
    • Adaptive Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
    • Dirtbike/Moto
    • ATV/ORV/OHV
  • Riding Area
    Village Trails
    Bear Valley, California
  • Ref Number
    17EV485
  • Difficulty Rating
    Access Trail or Doubletrack Rate
  • Local Popularity
    70 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 5 in Trail Running
    • 85 in Hiking
    • 5 in Dirtbiking
    • 5 in ATVing/Offroading
  • Global Ranking
    #67668 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #54404 in Trail Running
    • #80017 in Hiking
  • Hiking SAC Scale
    T2 Mountain Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Dirt/Gravel Road
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC, Adaptive MTB, Gravel
  • Climb Difficulty
    Black Diamond
  • Physical Rating
    Hard
  • Trail Visibility
    Always easy to follow
  • Season
    Summer
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • Land Owner
    USFS
  • Vehicle Info
  • Max Width
    72 inches
  • License
    Required
  • Entrance Gate
    No

Bust out your enduro bike because for this ride you are going to need a bike that can descend the extremely rough terrain going into the basin, but also a bike that climbs well to get out. This is one of the more challenging rides in Bear Valley and NOT RECOMMENDED FOR BEGINNERS.

It heads along mostly doubletrack jeep roads, but going into the basin is a super rough, rocky, and rutted out doubletrack. About half way through this ride, you'll come across a cabin in a beautiful meadow owned by the USFS. You can stay the night here if you want to make it a pack in/pack out mountain bike adventure. The ride out is pretty steady doubletrack that turns left onto a singletrack. Follow it about a mile to connect to the Elusive Trail and Corral Hollow OHV Trail back to town.
Need to Know
Bring plenty of water and snacks. This is a backcountry ride that can take up to three hours to complete. A basic first aid kit is a good idea because this loop takes you pretty far out of town.

Trail Supporters

  • USFS
    Land Manager
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

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  • 0 rides
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6 Months
  • 0 rides
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All
  • 1 rides
  • Last: Oct 25, 2025
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Bear Trap Basin Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Oct 25, 2025 @ 6:37am (America/Los_Angeles)
Oct 25, 2025
 Damp packed dirt, still in great shape. Should last through mid Nov.
Jun 10, 2018 @ 8:29am
Jun 10, 2018
 On the single trail section at the end before joining Corral, after merging with Elusive, there are some trees down across the trail, can ride...
Apr 25, 2018 @ 6:04pm
Apr 25, 2018
 reporter Mostly snow covered until early May ???
Jun 30, 2017 @ 11:00am
Jun 30, 2017
Jun 6, 2017 @ 1:49pm
Jun 6, 2017
more »
Status:
on Oct 25, 2025
Variable
Avg: 3.74 (2 votes)
Your vote: 0

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  • Snow Groomed
  • Snow Packed
  • Snow Covered
  • Snow Cover Partial
  • Freeze/thaw Cycle
  • Icy
  • Prevalent Mud
  • Wet
  • Variable
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        Directions to bear-trap-basin trailhead (38.477620, -120.068150)
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        Routes with this trail

        5
        Corral Hollow OHV Trail
        ★ 5.0 • 14 miles • 2,023 ft • 3 •
        The popular corral hollow trail route.
        3.0 ★★★★★
        2 Ratings
        5 ★
        4 ★ 50%
        3 ★
        2 ★ 50%
        1 ★

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        Frequently Asked Questions About Bear Trap Basin

        ▼ Where is Bear Trap Basin located?
        Bear Trap Basin is located in Village Trails, Bear Valley, California, United States. It is part of the Village Trails trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 38.47762, -120.06815.
        ▼ What is the elevation gain for Bear Trap Basin?
        Bear Trap Basin has 190 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 1,040 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 7,176 ft to 8,179 ft.
        ▼ How long is Bear Trap Basin?
        Bear Trap Basin is 3.5 miles long. The trail type is dirt/gravel road.
        ▼ Are dogs allowed on Bear Trap Basin?
        Yes, dogs are allowed on Bear Trap Basin. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
        ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Bear Trap Basin?
        Bear Trap Basin is best visited during: Summer.
        ▼ How do I access Bear Trap Basin? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
        The closest parking and trailhead locations to Bear Trap Basin are: View all parking locations in the area.
        ▼ How long does it take to ride Bear Trap Basin?
        Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 28 minutes to ride Bear Trap Basin. The trail is 3.5 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
        ▼ How busy is Bear Trap Basin?
        Bear Trap Basin is a very popular trail. There have been 22 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 21 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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