United StatesCalifornia Hwy 330
Hwy 330 Bike Climb - PJAMM Cycling

30.4
PDI
22.1 mi
DISTANCE
5,850 ft
GAINED
4.9 %
AVG. GRADE
FULL CLIMB STATS
MORE

INTRO

Highway 330 is the long way up to the Rim of the World: 22.1 miles from the edge of Highland at 1,461' to 7,155' on SR-18 beyond Snow Valley, gaining 5,850' at a 4.9% average grade. The first 14.5 miles follow SR-330 (City Creek Road) up the face of the San Bernardino Mountains to Running Springs at a remarkably steady 6%, with views back down toward the valley. From there the route turns east on SR-18, rolls through Arrowbear Lake, and climbs gently through pine forest past Snow Valley Mountain Resort to the finish.

The catch is traffic. SR-330 is one of the main roads from the valley to Running Springs, Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear, and it carries a steady stream of fast-moving cars with a shoulder that comes and goes. This was one of the first climbs we documented back in 2014, and we still don't recommend it to anyone even slightly traffic-averse. Local riders we've heard from agree it's rideable at off-peak hours - early on a late-spring or summer weekend morning, outside ski season - and say drivers are mostly respectful, but it's no place for a nervous rider.

SR-330 also runs through the 2024 Line Fire burn scar, and in February 2025 a storm-driven debris flow closed the highway between Highland and Running Springs. Heavy rain can still trigger closures, so check conditions before you go. The climb currently ranks #316 in the world on our list.

PLAN YOUR ROUTE

We've partnered with Sherpa-Map.com to bring you the best route planning tool. With a PRO Membership you can use this climb as a reference when creating your route.
Hwy 330 climbs 22.1 miles at an average grade of 4.9%, gaining 5,850' from 1,461' at Highland Avenue to a 7,155' finish on SR-18.

The steepest part comes right away: the steepest quarter-mile (9.7%) and steepest mile (7.8%) are both at the very beginning of the climb. After that, SR-330 settles into a long, steady grind - the first 14.5 miles to Running Springs average 6.0%. The next 3 miles on SR-18 through Arrowbear Lake are nearly flat, with a short descent. The final 4.5 miles, past Snow Valley, climb at a gentle 3.6%.
Roadway:  Two-lane state highway, paved throughout and generally in good condition, with a shoulder along much - but not all - of the route; several stretches have little or no room outside the white line. The lower half of SR-330 passes through the 2024 Line Fire burn scar, where storm-driven debris flows closed the road in February 2025, and repair work can bring flagging and one-lane control. Check Caltrans QuickMap before you go, especially after rain.

Traffic:  Heavy and fast - this is the reason we don't recommend the climb. SR-330 is a main route to Running Springs, Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear, busiest on weekends, holidays and during ski season. If you ride it, go at sunrise on a late-spring or summer weekend. Traffic on SR-18 beyond Running Springs is lighter but still steady.

Parking:  The shopping center just west of the start on Highland Avenue (Walmart Supercenter, ALDI, Starbucks) has large parking lots - Map;  Street View. Follow any posted parking rules.
Provisions:  The Chevron and Starbucks at the start are your last stop for 14 miles. Running Springs, around mile 14, has Jensen's market, gas stations and a few cafés and restaurants on SR-18, and there's another gas station at Arrowbear Lake around mile 16.

Gear:  Bright clothing and front and rear lights are strongly recommended given the traffic. The start is hot in summer, while the finish, at more than 7,000', is often around 20 degrees cooler - carry a layer for the long, fast descent.
Before heading out on any cycling adventure check out our Things to Bring on a Cycling Trip and use our interactive check list to ensure you don't forget anything.
Leave at sunrise during late spring or summer (not ski season) to avoid as much traffic as possible. If you're looking for a quieter way up to the Rim of the World, consider Hwy 18 - Old Waterman Canyon to the west or Hwy 38 - Valley of the Falls to the southeast.

If you've made it to the top, Keller Peak, a short climb off SR-18 near Arrowbear Lake to a historic fire lookout, makes a worthwhile add-on. See other climbs nearby, or build a custom route from here, with our Routes in the Area tool.

ROUTE MAP

MEMBER RATING

Difficulty: Strenuous
5/5
Road
3/5
Traffic
3/5
Scenery

CURRENT WEATHER

PJAMM TRIPS ADVENTURE STARTER BUNDLES

Check out PJAMM Adventure's prepackaged (self-guided) cycling trips. They will help you plan, document and conquer your next adventure.
ALL TRIPS
Browse all of our prepackaged trips and find your next adventure!
San Gabriel Mountains
United States (CA)
38 ROUTES
43 POIs
ROUTE STATS (TOTAL)
677.5
mi
DISTANCE
80,483
ft
ELEV. GAIN

NEARBY CLIMBS (0) RADIAL PROXIMITY

FROM
No Climbs Found

MEMBER REVIEWS & COMMENTS

Let us know what you thought of this climb. Signup for our FREE membership to write a review or post a comment.
Already have an account?
LOG IN HERE
Apr 21, 2026
difficulty: Strenuous
scenery: 3
traffic: 3
road: 5
Apr 21, 2026
scenery: 3
traffic: 3
road: 5
The 330 climb is to running springs and then you can go left to Lake Arrowhead as I did yesterday or right to Big Bear. As noted, the road is a little too busy without much of a shoulder to recommend. It’s never really unsafe but having to focus on traffic for a large climb is kind of annoying. 330 makes a nice loop with route 18, but both of these climbs are a large step behind the other epic climbs in the San Gabriel mountains
ROUTE MAP
PROFILE TOOL
Route Data
S.G. (%)
hide
Segment Data
hide
CLIMB SUMMARY

IMG_1635.JPG

Cycling Hwy 330 - this is one of the more dangerous Top 100 US Bike Climbs

Ride 21.7  miles gaining 6,657’ to elevation 7,111 at 5% average grade.

Hwy 330 is a fairly gradual climb along a very, very busy highway with minimal shoulder.  

At mile 14,  we enter the quiet town of Running Springs where provisions can be acquired.  

IMG_1642.JPG

Running Springs (pop. 4,862; 2010)


I do not recommend this ride because of the narrow shoulder and fast moving highway traffic.    One caveat to this warning is that this was one of the first climbs I documented in 2014 when I started this website and at that time I was more sensitive to highway traffic - I am now almost fully desensitized to highway traffic so I may not feel as strongly about the hazard level of the roadway now as then.

Strava member Steve Mooney - Jenson, USA writes in response to my inquiry about why he referred to Hwy 330 as “treacherous” in a Strava post:


John, I’ve lived here since 1970. Hwy 330 is two lanes at 6% grade for 10+ miles. There is not much shoulder and cars are traveling fast to get up the hill. One should ride it at off-peak hours. The descent on a Sunday morning is a blast! Perhaps treacherous was a bit of hyperbole for a seasoned rider—perhaps it was the endorphins stimulated by the mere mention of it😀. If I’m heading up the hill, I prefer the 138. Again, off-peak hours are the smarter choice.


Strava member Evan Turner writes:

Very little space for a cyclist! Cars are extremely respectful though. Traffic was light on this sat afternoon. All around safety rating of 5/10.

Strava member John Franklin writes:


Traffic was busy in places, especially for early in a Sunday. Narrow in places and generally cars waited but I also had the only experience of someone slowing down to shout at me even though I was about 1ft from the ditch. Feltike there were less passing places than other climbs but they could have been my imagination as there was just more traffic. I'd do it again though!

Top 100 rides in 50 mile radius are #47 Hwy 18,  6.4 miles northeast,  #85 Hwy 38/Valley of the Falls 8.9 miles southeast,  #19 Mt. Baldy 31 miles west.

Steepest ¼ and mile are at the very beginning of the climb (9.7% and 7.6% respectively)