Gold Mountain trail, starting right outside of the town of Big Bear California, immediately climbs 1,400 feet to a field of rocky scree below the peak, but to get started you'll have to drive over the man-made gatekeeper obstacle of large rocks. Gold Mountain is one of the Jeep Badge of Honor trails and is in good company with John Bull and Holcomb Creek also nearby.
I had a great stay in Big Bear in late November and enjoyed all three trails before a winter storm swept through. Gold Mountain was the easiest trail, but the rock field (also known as the "Boneyard") is a unique feature that you won't want to miss. Unfortunately, the route out of Gold Mountain takes you past the local dump and is a bit of a letdown after the beautiful mountain scenery.