Tag: Holcomb Valley

Holcomb Valley, located in the San Bernardino Mountains of Southern California, is a picturesque region known for its rich history and natural beauty. Once a bustling hub during the California Gold Rush in the 1860s, the valley now offers a serene escape with its expansive meadows, lush forests, and diverse wildlife. Visitors can explore remnants of its mining past, including abandoned mines and historical landmarks, while enjoying recreational activities such as hiking, camping, and off-roading. Holcomb Valley’s scenic landscapes and historical significance make it a popular destination for nature enthusiasts and history buffs alike.

Two Gun Bill’s Saloon

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Located at stop 3 along the Gold Fever Off Road trail is the supposed location of Two Gun Bill’s Saloon in Holcomb Valley, California. The Gold Fever Off Road Trail is a back country drive by some historical sites in Holcomb Valley, in the San Bernardino Mountains. Holcomb Valley located just west of Big Bear, California is the site of the largest gold rush in Southern California.

The trail head for Two Gun Bill's Saloon along the Gold Fever Off Road Trail in Holcomb Valley, San Bernardino County, California
The trail head for Two Gun Bill’s Saloon along the Gold Fever Off Road Trail in Holcomb Valley, San Bernardino County, California

Two Gun Bill’s Saloon was a famous saloon, dance hall and bordello which offered a place to relax and unwind in the Holcomb Valley during the gold rush. The saloon exists off the wages from a population of about 2000 people during its hey day. The trailhead starts a very short 100 yard hike to the location of a very large cabin which is known to be occupied as late as the 1930s.

The “white lie” which is explained the Gold Fever Trail self guided auto tour pamphlet, is that the cabin at the destination of this hike is not the actual site of the notorious saloon. The actual site of the saloon is found about 1.5 miles to the west, if the south east corner of the junction of 3N16 and 3N12.

Summary

NameTwo Gun Bill’s Saloon
LocationHolcomb Valley, San Bernardino County, California
Latitude, Longitude34.3055, -116.8970
Gold Fever Orr Road Trail Marker3

Trail Map

Jonathon Tibbets Grasshopper Quartz Mill

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Stop number four along the Gold Fever Off Road Trail is Holcomb Valley, is Jonathon Tibbets Grasshopper Quartz Mill. The Gold Fever Off Road Trail is a back country drive by some historical sites in Holcomb Valley, in the San Bernardino Mountains. Holcomb Valley located just west of Big Bear, California is the site of the largest gold rush in Southern California.

Jonathon Tibbets Grasshopper Quartz Mill is stop number four on the Gold Fever Off Road Trail in Holcomb Valley, California.
Jonathon Tibbets Grasshopper Quartz Mill is stop number four on the Gold Fever Off Road Trail in Holcomb Valley, California.

The location marker is the start of a short hike of about 300 yards past mounds of sand and the remains of a water pump. There is nothing remaining of the mill itself.

Located in the “center of activity” was a high piece of ground known as “Chinamen’s Knoll” in Holcomb Valley. Here Tibbetts operated a Pico Steam Engine powered stamp mill. Heavy iron heads rose and fell pulverizing ore from John Bull’s seven mammoth ledges of honeycombed quartz. The sand mound are old tailings from processing of gold ore by the mill.

Grasshopper Quartz Mill Summary

NameJonathon Tibbets Grasshopper Quartz Mill
LocationHolcomb Valley, San Bernardino County, California
Latitude, Longitude34.3041, -116.8924
Gold Fever Off Road Trail Marker4

Trail Map

References

Gold Fever Off Road Trail

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The Gold Fever Off Road Trail is a back country drive by some historical sites in Holcomb Valley, in the San Bernardino Mountains. The trail departs highway 38 along the western edge of Big Bear Lake, near the discovery center.

The cabin at the Belleville California townsite along the Gold Fever Off Road Trail is not original but moved to the location to represent the style of the structures of the town.
The cabin at the Belleville California townsite is not original but moved to the location to represent the style of the structures of the town.

The trail departs highway 38 along the western edge of Big Bear Lake, near the discovery center. The route follows Polique Canyon Road up the a junction with 3N16 near the Holcomb Valley Ranch. Climbing up about 3.9 miles along Polique Canyon Road, you will pass the first two of ten sites, which are the Holcomb Valley View and Last Chance Placer.

From Last Chance Placer, the trail turns east on to the Holcomb Valley Road, 3N16. Following 3N16 for about one half mile, the trail insects and turns to the left on to Gold Fever Road. Gold Fever Road is a quick side trail from 3N16 and allows access to Two Gun Bills Saloon, Grasshopper Quartz Mill and the Hangman’s Tree. Gold Fever Road again connects to the Holcomb Valley Road and quickly the sites of the Original Gold Diggings, Bellville and Arrastres come into view situated around a large meadow.

From the Bellville townsite, the trail winds around Gold Mountain and drops back down to Big Bear near Baldwin lake. This last leg of the trail brings the sites of Ross’s Grave, Pygmy Cabin, Metzger Mine and Lucky Baldwin Mine into play.

Overall, the gentle tail offers probably the best one day tour of Holcomb Valley. The tour is well defined and markers along the way offer history lessons for the explorer. Our biggest issue with the route, is that two of the locations are not the actual locations that supposed events happened. For example, Two Gun Bill’s Saloon is just an old large cabin site. The actual location of the Saloon is the the southeast corner of 3N16 and 3N12. The could have added this actual site along the route and kept the current site as a large cabin site.

Trail Markers

1Holcomb View Trail3.2 Miles
2Last Chance Placer4.8 Miles
3Two Gun Bill’s Saloon5.8 Miles
4Jonathon Tibbets’ Grasshopper Quartz Mill6.3 Miles
5Hangman’s Tree6.5 Miles
6Original Gold Diggings6.8 Miles
7Belleville7.1 Miles
8Arrastres (Gold Ore Grinders)7.1 Miles
9Ross’ Grave7.3 Miles
10Pygmy Cabin Site7.3 Miles
11Metzger Mines9.0 Miles
12Gold Mountain also known as “Lucky Baldwin” Mine10.8 Miles

Trail Summary

NameGold Fever Off Road Trail
LocationBig Bear, Holcomb Valley
San Bernardino Mountains, California
Latitude, Longitude34.2662, -116.9205
DifficultyEasy, pending conditions
Length11.5 Miles

Gold Fever Off Road Trail Map

Points of Interest

The remains of an Arrastres located in Belleville, San Bernardino, CA

Arrastres – Gold Fever Trail

The Arrastres is a point of interest found along the Gold Fever Off Road Trail in Holcomb Valley in the San Bernardino Mountains. The remains…
The cabin at the Belleville California townsite is not original but moved to the location to represent the style of the structures of the town.

Belleville California – San Bernardino County Ghost Town

The cabin at the Belleville California townsite is not original but moved to the location to represent the style of the structures of the town.…
The remains of Gold Mountain Mine, "Lucky Baldwin Mine" overlook the townsite of Doble and Baldwin Lake.

Gold Mountain Mine – Gold Fever Trail

Located about 10.8 miles from the start of the Gold Fever Off Road Trail, the Gold Mountain mine is an abandoned mine site which overlooks…
The Hangman's Tree found along the Gold Fever Off Road Trail in Holcomb Valley, California

Hangman’s Tree – Gold Fever Trail

The Hangman’s Tree is a point of interest found along the Gold Fever Off Road Trail in Holcomb Valley in the San Bernardino Mountains. The…
Jonathon Tibbets Grasshopper Quartz Mill is stop number four on the Gold Fever Off Road Trail in Holcomb Valley, California.

Jonathon Tibbets Grasshopper Quartz Mill

Stop number four along the Gold Fever Off Road Trail is Holcomb Valley, is Jonathon Tibbets Grasshopper Quartz Mill. The Gold Fever Off Road Trail…
The trail head for Two Gun Bill's Saloon along the Gold Fever Off Road Trail in Holcomb Valley, San Bernardino County, California

Two Gun Bill’s Saloon

Located at stop 3 along the Gold Fever Off Road trail is the supposed location of Two Gun Bill's Saloon in Holcomb Valley, California. The…

Arrastres – Gold Fever Trail

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The Arrastres is a point of interest found along the Gold Fever Off Road Trail in Holcomb Valley in the San Bernardino Mountains.

The remains of an Arrastres located in Belleville, San Bernardino, CA
The remains of an Arrastres located in Belleville, San Bernardino, CA

The device is the oldest tool for recovering gold from rock and employed by Mexican miners. The device consists of a low concrete wall surrounding a level flat concrete floor. In the center is a post around which a horizonal beam and pulled by a mule or donkey. Hanging from the beam using chain would be a large boulder which would pulverize gold ore, facilitating gold extraction. This is a very slow process and inefficient process and the team would circle the site for hours while the heavy boulder performed its task. A single pile of ore could take four hours to process.

The Arrastres site in Holcomb Valley is a wonderful example of early gold mining technology locate en situ near the Bellville Townsite. The site is a very short hike (150 feet ) from the one remaining building at the site and well worth the walk. At tone time, it is estimate that over 100 arrastres located within Holbcomb Valley.

Point of Interest Summary

NameArrastres – Point of Interest
LocationGold Fever Off Road Trail, Holcomb Valley
San Bernardino County, California
Latitude, Longitude34.3014, -116.8863
Gold Fever Trail Marker8

Arrastres Trail Map

Resources

Wilbur’s Grave

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Charles Wilbur’s Grave is a point of interest located in Holcomb Valley near the Holcomb Valley Campground, San Bernardino, California.

Charles Wilbur's Grave located in Holcomb Valley, San Bernardino, California
Charles Wilbur’s Grave located in Holcomb Valley, San Bernardino, California

In 1859, prospecting in Holcomb valley lead to the discovery of gold and one of the largest deposits in southern California. Charles Wilbur was a placer gold miner in Holcomb Valley in the who moved into the area in the 1880’s. Trusted and liked by his fellow miners, he was elected to establish boundaries so that the gold claims could be accurately established in the valley. Later, Wilbur was elected to the first tax assessor in San Bernardino County.

Prior to his death, he let it be known that he wanted to be buried next to his favorite location in the San Bernardino Mountains. Located across the road from Wilbur’s pond is the marker for Wilbur’s grave. Wilburs pond is a settling pond for gold miners and may have been the site of several placer claims. It should be noted that he is buried in the area and not at the specific location of the marker. The location is a well marked popular destination and local landmark to back-road explorers, hikers, mountain bikers, trail runners and geocachers alike.

Wilbur’s Grave Summary

NameWilbur’s Grave
LocationHolcomb Valley, San Bernardino, California
Latitude, Longitude34.3062, -116.9003

Point of Interest Map

Wilbur’s grave is located along the 3N07 just off the Holcomb Valley Road, 3N16. The Grave is located near Wilburs pond, which is seasonal.

References