This is a wonderful little arboretum with free admission just north of Skypark along Highway 18. Be aware, however, that parking in the designated lot adjacent to the highway does require the purchase of an Adventure Pass (a mere $5/day), but the booth only appears to be open for select weekend hours. This may necessitate a visit to a nearby ranger station or business for pass purchase - and not as many local businesses carry these passes as once did. Coming from Lake Arrowhead (where the Visitor Center was closed), we tried the Lake Arrowhead 7-11 and Cedar Glen Trading Post before finding passes available at Cedar Glen Fine Foods. The trail itself is well marked, mostly shaded, and a little less than a mile in length. It's also circular in design, so you don't need to backtrack with the same scenery coming and going. A brochure on the local vegetation and points of interest is available at the trailhead, as well as public restrooms. Many trees and plants along the trail are also identified by placards. Being a dirt path, the terrain is comparatively flat, and numerous benches have been placed along the route for rest or contemplation. There are only a few spots with noticeable increases (or drops) in elevation, so it's perfect for young children, older folks, or leashed pets. Even on a Thursday around 1:00 pm we encountered other visitors along the trail, several walking dogs. Another nice touch is the walking path in front of the arboretum entrance where the meandering cement walkway between information kiosks is stamped with the prints of local wildlife species ranging from our little feathered friends to the big furries you'd not want to encounter on a forest walk. This is a great place for a quick stroll for all ages, and it showcases the diversity of the San Bernardino mountains. If you've passed it by on the way up to Big Bear via Highway 18, pull over for a quick "leg-stretcher" and check it out. read more

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A really relaxing, short loop trail just off the Rim of the World Highway, slightly east of Lake Arrowhead. Parking is $5 but I find that they rarely check for this. It is especially beautiful during spring and summer, but we stopped in during late February. The trail itself takes about 30 minutes to get through and has 25 different viewpoints that are laid out on the map that you get at the front. The main highlights you will see are different types of trees, nesting boxes, small bridges, and just really tranquil, beautiful scenery, but my favorite was the giant sequoia trees. I would say that the sequoias are the highlight of the trail and were planted in the 1930s. It's a really peaceful walk where animals are allowed and we also saw many people jogging so it really is a multi use area. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a scenic stroll through the forest. read more

Heaps Peak Arboretum - signage - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Lake Arrowhead, California

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A nice nature walk. We were able to take my son's wheelchair all the way through with no issues.

Very lovely quick little trail. About 30 min if you really drag it out. Theres picnic tables and restrooms. Lots of parking. Really great to look at the changing tree leaves and just breathe some fresh air! read more

Heaps Peak Arboretum - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Lake Arrowhead, California

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A little sad during winter months, as there isn't much in bloom! The walk is about a mile around and the trail will take you in a loop, it was very easy, plenty of people out on the trail including those with kids and dogs. Glad we stopped by, would return in spring and summer when plants are likely to be a little more vibrant. There are bathrooms available and there was plenty of parking during our visit as well, be sure to pay the $5 fee online even if there are no rangers at the information booth. read more

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I had driven by this place in the past, but never stopped and I decided today it was the day. A fairly small park but filled with lots of informative labels along the trail to let you know what you're looking at, many local varieties of plants to see. Nice loop trail that's not too long but good for stretching the legs. As I was completing the loop trail I heard some music in the woods and found a quartet performing amongst the trees! A truly lovely surprise, and made my visit to the Arboretum a special experience. My only request was that they had a functional water fountain for the guests here... definitely a beautiful place that I look forward to visiting again. read more

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We came off season and it's a dry winter so it wasn't full of flowers but the trees were amazing and the nature was beautiful. It's worth a visit. The kids loved being free and walking around. I would come here again definitely. read more

Family friendly trail. It's one mile with an interactive map with trail highlights provided. Well marked trail and just a bit of hike up and down. Plenty of parking up front and a restroom. Day use parking pass $5 is needed - luckily there's a QR code you can scan and pay when you arrive. Or use the link here - https://www.recreation.gov/activitypass/AP21330 San Bernardino National Forest Day Use Pass Pass in California - Recreation.gov Great signs about local wildlife and flowers! Family enjoyed trying to spot and name the flowers. read more

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When I'm in the area I always make it a to go see and walk through heaps peak arboretum. Always a peaceful time. I've never really had a big crowd which makes it nice. The restrooms have always been nice and clean. If there is no one working the booth. When you get there you can always pick up a little map and it has a guide as you walk the path to tell you what you're looking at read more

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Beautiful! Only $5 to park for the day. Very very lovely path and views! Will come back here in the spring to see the flowers! read more

Heaps Peak Arboretum - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Lake Arrowhead, California

First time here and my babies loved it! February 2023 with snow it was beautiful. You can definitely enjoy some fun time with kids and take awesome pictures. Trail was a bit tricky (with snow/ice) - if coming here when there's snow WEAR GOOD SHOES! enjoyed every step we took here! Definitely thinking about coming back during spring :) read more

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Great spot for kiddos! Easier trail for toddlers and entertaining path with animal foot prints to identify- and beautiful spot for adults

THE PINECONE ON DISPLAY IS NO LONGER THE BIGGEST!! First time here today and I found about 4 dinosaurs left them for all to see read more

Heaps Peak Arboretum - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Lake Arrowhead, California

This was a nice stop on our way through the mountains from Lake Arrowhead to Crestline. The trail is short and sweet, about a 20 minute loop. Had a view great vistas and clear paths. The reason why I removed a couple stars is 1, the state of the restrooms. These may have been the nastiest restrooms I have ever encountered in all my travels. The smell was so bad it was impossible to even enter. So make sure to use the bathroom somewhere else before coming to hike here. The second reason is that we had to pay to park for a walk that was only 20 minutes round trip. Was overall worth the stop in the end, though. read more

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very short hike! it's more of a walk but it's so scenic and fun. The reason it's 4 stars it's because it's short and shouldn't have a Hike title to it read more

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This small and very easy hike is great for kids or for those who just want to stop and stretch their legs for a bit. We didn't pay for parking, and I don't think we had to even if someone was watching the parking lot (we had a National Forest pass from our Airbnb host). We went twice - Once while there was no snow on the ground, and then we went again when there was enough snow on the ground to see your footprints in it. Both times were magical! The trees were all red/orange/yellow, and when we went during the snow, the snow was falling from above, and the powder was sticking to the pine needles. The trail takes about 45 mins if you stop occasionally. There are also two bridges to crossover, but when we went there was no water. Don't forget to pick up one of the green pamphlets at the entrance - They have information about the different types of trees and pine cones on your hike. The numbers on the pamphlet will correspond to the numbers you come across on the trail. read more

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We recently went and doesn't seem to be maintained as it should. Its a small trial to enjoy with friends and your dogs. There is a lot of trees but that about it and the air is so fresh. The restroom are like portal potties but they well maintained and stocked. read more

This is definitely worth a stop when visiting and the loop being just about a mile and relatively flat makes it easy for young and old alike. read more

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Great park, loved the fresh air and all the great activities included with the park. Will definitely be coming back.

Running Spings, CA Final review of 2020. Visited in June, when clouds were enveloping the forest making for an unbelievable and ethereal experience I will cherish among my memories this year. This arboretum has the most beautiful walking trail and even the largest grove of Sequoia trees in the San Bernardino Forest. Spring to early Summer is a treat to visit due to blooms. I visited again, later in the Fall, and almost all of the pretty blooms were gone. The arobrtetum has a mile trail and allows for beautiful views and for taking time to just listen to the sounds of the forest and take in all of the beautiful fresh air and scenery. If I lived closer, this would be a regular spot for me to visit. Street parking when we visited due to no rangers on site. Free admission from what I can remember, there may have been a donation box. read more

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We swung by here to hike the sequoia trail this morning. Came early around 8:30am to avoid crowds. Bathrooms really stink. Saw one of the heaviest pine cones along the trail. A quick and easy trail and we had fun! Cool to see sequoia trees along the path too! Planted in the 1930s! read more

Heaps Peak Arboretum - Heaviest pine cone - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Lake Arrowhead, California

Heaps Peak Arboretum should be the first stop for any traveler new to the area. My wife and I haven't spent much time in California so many of the trees and flowers were new to us. Heaps Peak provides an overview of the trees and plants in Bernardino Mountains. When we first drove into the Bernardino National Forest, my wife kept seeing huge pinecones on the side of the road. "There's another one! As big as a basketball!" As I was driving and had to keep my eyes focused to handle the Rim of the World road, I never saw them and was skeptical of their size. The Heaps Peak Arboretum proved my wife correct. There were Coulter Pines that weigh as much as eight pounds and Sugar pines that grow as big as 22 inches in length. This was a fascinating introduction to our first time in the Southern California woods. read more

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Very cute, small, and simple arboretum off the highway with a nice walking trail. Pick up a Sequoia Trail guide at the head of the trail. It was so nice to learn about the trees in the area, how forest fires are beneficial, and a little history on the Serrano Native Americans. It was a nice start to unplugging from the city and plugging into nature. read more

Super easy and mellow trail. It is suitable for all ages and dog-friendly. The park is beautiful, you can see different trees and plants throughout a 1-mile loop trail. When you start the trail, there is a brochure to guide you through the trail with all the names and detail about the plant. Hiking/walking the whole trail and stops for pictures frequently took us about an hour to finish. The park requires a parking pass which is $5, not worth it to be honest. I recommend you go to this park and stops somewhere else to hike after, so you get the most use out of it. The center booth opens at 9 am, I think they might sell the parking pass. We got there before 9 am so we had to drive to the next town which is Lake Arrowhead to purchase the pass at a 7-11 store. There are public restrooms located near the front of the park. If it is dirty or close, there is a nearby town, Lake Arrowhead, which is 10-15 minutes away. You can use the bathroom from a fast-food restaurant, McDonald's. read more

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The sequoia (nature) trail was easy, although we passed some people had strollers and I'm not sure if they were able to complete the loop. We went in the summer, so it was hot. Our friends arrived after we finished and we did it again! Not the prettiest views (during the summer, at least), but a good way to stretch your legs with minimal incline in the mountains. There are numbers throughout the trail that correspond with fun facts on the brochure. $5 parking fee, but some people who arrived later than us lucked out because the worker left and said not to worry about paying. read more

Heaps Peak Arboretum - Flowers in front of the parking lot - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Lake Arrowhead, California

Great hike. Quite short look with some manageable up and downhill walking. Loved the signage everywhere on tree species. At steady pace it's about a 20-25 min hike. You do need to buy a parking pass online for the day ($5). I suggest doing so closer to a town with reception as it is extremely spotty at the open lot. No rangers present to buy in person. Open standard camp restroom tho. Nice start to the day on our way to Arrowhead read more

Love coming here for a nice hike and a beautiful view of the forest and mountains!!!!!!!!

This visit to Lake Arrowhead was for our 27th anniversary. We planned several outings, as this was our 4th time visiting. We like to do different things each time. We brought our terrier, Mr. Nibs, so outdoorsy was what we were looking for. A short drive from the Village, Heaps Peak was a nice, little hike. Very well marked trails, great for families and little ones as well as dogs. So glad we came across this new (for us) trail! read more

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Very cute little hiking trail especially for families. The trail is only about 30 minutes with a few stops. A lot of little places for pictures and we really enjoyed the brochure because it had a lot of information on some parts of the trail throughout the hike. read more

Second short hike on Saturday morning after doing the Will Abell Memorial Trail. This trail was also a loop and very easy to follow. However, some areas were icy so needed to be extra careful. Overall, it was a nice stroll through nature! read more

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Sweet, gentle trail with self-guided pamphlet tour. Great with a leashes dog and kids. A little less than a mile. Just as you've had enough (light hikers like me!) you're at the end. Very soothing. read more

My wife and I were up at Lake Arrowhead visiting from Orange County for a few days. We came here on a Monday morning at about 7:30 and just a few other people were there. It has a very nice and easy 1 mile nature trail loop that we enjoyed so much that we went again in the everything and only one other couple were there. The information both is supposed to be staffed by volunteers but it was closed all day. When we drove by midday on Sunday it was much more busy and the both was open. There was supposed to be a $5 charge for a day pass but no one was there to collect. They have a donation box and we left some money. We will come back again. read more

Heaps Peak Arboretum - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Lake Arrowhead, California

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Lovely, easy walk for families in the area. My friends and I followed the Sequoia path and went so far as to utilize the pamphlet to give us more information along the path about what we were seeing. This is a really easy, mostly flat(ish) path that is unpaved. There are parking spaces right off the road, and restrooms. We took an extremely leisurely pace, and finished in less than half an hour, so this is a good walk for kids read more

This was a perfect little beginner hike for our family with a dog and toddlers. The entire loop was about 45 minutes and that included stops along the way to explore and was age-appropriate for beginners. Beautiful scenery and not a soul in sight! read more

Heaps Peak Arboretum - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Lake Arrowhead, California

Heaps Peak is easy to get to, has lots of parking and has a lovely walking trail. Go there and check it out! The parking pass gives you 12 months of parking and supports the Arboretum. The free green map helps identify the different types of pine and the impact of fire on the terrain here as well as the only patch of Sequoias In San Bernadino. Picnic tables and restrooms available and dog friendly. It is so beautiful here; so glad I walked the trail. And don't forget to swing by Lou Eddies Pizza down the street after you leave. read more

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Nice easy loop hike. Make sure you grab the brochure so you can read the information at each marker along the trail. Well kept and very enjoyable! read more

Nice simple walk of .85 miles. Nothing spectacular but a nice break to get some fresh air. Make sure you have the Forest Adventure Pass which costs $5 for one day or $30 annually. They are available at this site on the weekends during open hours. Otherwise buy ahead at many places - the nearest being the Lake Arrowhead 7-11. One horrendous demerit - the restroom. I do not have a weak stomach but that has to be the filthiest restroom I have ever experienced. Literally gagging to get out as fast as possible. 2 star deduct for that cesspool of a restroom. read more

I ventured out to Heaps Peak Arboretum one day just to get out of the city, and I was pleasantly surprised! It is a very scenic little spot that would be perfect for a family trip or a solo adventure. My Garmin watch calculated the entire loop as ~0.8 miles. I wanted to get some trail running in, so I did a bunch of loops. The trail is not too difficult, with some elevation gain but nothing crazy or technical. The scenery is super beautiful, and you'll be surrounded by towering pine trees and lush greenery. There is also a wildflower garden/exhibit out front that you can take a quick stroll through as well. The garden was a bit overgrown but still nice to get your extra steps in. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the restrooms here are closed and locked up. Because of this, you do not need to display a Forest Pass to park here. When the facilities open back up, you will need a Forest Pass which you can buy at gas stations in the area. The parking lot is right off of the freeway and is pretty small. Overall, I think it's a fun activity if you're in the area or want to get out of the city for a little bit! Please wear a mask when you're out on the trails. read more

Get your adventure card ($5) for parking! The booth at the entrance will sale them until 3pm on weekends. If they're not there, the closest gas stations will have them too. Limited parking! Open 24/7 !! If you're coming up the 330 Highway to the 18, it'll be on your right hand side. Great hike, a little less than a mile trek. Easy for all levels hikers! The trail loops around, so take your pick left or right! I went towards the end of February 2018, and the trails were filled with fresh fallen snow! It was a gorgeous winter wonderland! Do be careful, some parts were icy and you might slip. There are some areas you can wander off the trail, and it's great for sledding or simply taking pictures. #doitforthegram. read more

Heaps Peak Arboretum - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Lake Arrowhead, California

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Definitely do this if you are in Lake Arrowhead. It was my favorite part of our trip. I went in not expecting much and it is actually an easy and entirely scenic 1 mile hike through the forest and mountains. I felt like I was on a real trek through nature but it was entirely manageable for everyone in our party including my dog who was living for it with her inner wild wolf coming out. I would highly recommend to anyone with kids or pets as it is a super manageable walk. There are tons of beautiful photo ops and my only regret was that it wasn't longer. You do need a forest pass to display on your car to park there and you should not expect there to be anyone on-site to sell it to you. They are $5/day. We picked ours up at the 7-11 near the village but they also sell them at the local gas stations. read more