Cajon Pass — Sullivan's Curve overlook

Safety: cautionoverlook

San Bernardino, CA

BNSFUnion Pacific

Access & safety

Public access

Public overlook on the National Forest side of the pass. Walk-in from the unpaved pullout off Cleghorn Road. Sullivan's Curve is the long S-curve visible from the rim.

Safety notes

STAY ABOVE THE TRACKS on the National Forest land. The ROW below is BNSF and UP property — trespassing is prosecuted. No climbing down to track level. Cliff edges are unmarked; mind footing especially with camera gear.

Parking

Dirt pullouts off Cleghorn Road (exit I-15 at Cleghorn). 4WD not required but the road is unpaved and washboarded; clearance helps after rain.

Best time of day

Morning light favors westbound (downhill) trains; afternoon/evening light favors eastbound climbers and is the classic photo angle.

Train frequency

Very high — BNSF Transcon main + UP traffic. 60-100+ trains per day, often multiple in sight at once during peak.

Nearby

No services at the spot. Gas + food at the I-15 Cleghorn exit and Cajon Junction (Mormon Rocks).

Log a sighting here

Plan your visit

Hotels and rail experiences nearby. Links earn us a small referral — we only surface partners we'd use ourselves.

Rail tours and experiences

Our curated picks on Viator — museums, heritage rides, scenic rail trips, depot tours.

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Gear up

The starter kit serious railfans wish they'd bought day one. Each link earns us a small Amazon Associates referral — we only list gear we'd actually carry.

High-visibility safety vest

Class 2 reflective vest. Not for trespassing — for legitimate trackside viewing on public sidewalks and parking lots near busy lines, so the engineer sees you and you don't get a friendly 'move along' from BNSF police. Looks the part too. ($10-$20)

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Baofeng UV-5R dual-band radio

Budget gateway scanner — under $30. Program the 97 AAR channels yourself (CHIRP software is free) and you have a real working scanner for the price of dinner. Most railfans owned one before they upgraded. ($25-$35)

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10x42 binoculars for reading loco numbers

Reading a CSX road number off a passing unit at half a mile = magic. 10x42 is the railfan sweet spot — enough power, still light enough to hold steady. Nikon Prostaff and Bushnell Trophy both punch above their price. ($80-$150)

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Recent sightings here (last 24 hours)

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