Big Bear Lake
A high-mountain lake town in Southern California's San Bernardino Mountains and the closest ski area to Los Angeles — a cool lakeside escape in summer and snow play in winter, popular with Chinese-American weekenders.
Big Bear Lake lies in Southern California's San Bernardino Mountains at about 2,060 m (6,750 ft), stretching some 11 km (7 mi) east to west. It is the closest mountain resort to Los Angeles, about 160 km (100 mi) and a 2.5–3-hour drive from downtown. The city of Big Bear Lake on the south shore is the hub, with The Village packed with restaurants, cabin-style shops and boat docks; to the east are Big Bear City and two ski areas — Snow Summit and Bear Mountain — which share a single lift ticket; the north shore is home to the U.S. Forest Service Discovery Center, a bike path and scenic trails. Winter (Dec–Mar) brings skiing and snow play, though natural snowfall is unreliable and supplemented by snowmaking; summers are cool and ideal for boating, fishing, kayaking, hiking and mountain biking; October brings scattered fall color and Oktoberfest. You'll need a car to get there, driving up via CA-330/CA-18 (the Rim of the World Highway) or the gentler CA-38; chains are often required in winter storms, so check Caltrans road conditions before you go. Plan on 2–3 days and stay in a lakeside cabin; prices rise and traffic jams up on weekends and holidays. Lake Arrowhead Village, about 26 km (16 mi) to the west, makes an easy side trip. Note that UV is strong at altitude and temperatures swing widely between day and night, and some trailheads in the national forest require an Adventure Pass for parking.
Top sights
- Big Bear Lake – A high-mountain reservoir lake above 2,000 meters, ringed by pine forests. It is the heart of the resort area, with boating and fishing in…
- The Village at Big Bear Lake – The center of the mountain town on the south shore of the lake, with cabin-style shops, restaurants, and bars. You can walk the whole area…
- Snow Summit – The ski resort closest to the Village at Big Bear Lake. Its runs are mostly intermediate and family-friendly, and in summer you can ride a…
- Bear Mountain – The largest terrain park ski resort in Southern California, with jumps, rails, and half-pipes. It is the top choice for snowboarders.
- Castle Rock Trail – The most popular short hike on the southwest shore of the lake, climbing a giant rock for a view over all of Big Bear Lake.
- Big Bear Alpine Zoo – A mountain zoo that rescues injured wildlife, where you can see grizzly bears, black bears, wolves and snow leopards up close.
- Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain – A family amusement park on the west side of Big Bear Lake. Riders take a chairlift up the hill and then coast down a track on a sled, with…
- Big Bear Snow Play – A snow tubing park where you can have fun in the snow without skiing. It has a tow lift, which suits families seeing snow for the first tim…
- Boulder Bay Park – A small park on the southwest shore of the lake, where granite boulders in the water and pine reflections make Big Bear's most photogenic s…
- Cougar Crest Trail – A classic intermediate trail on the north shore that connects to the Pacific Crest Trail, with wide lake views and distant views of San Gor…
- Big Bear Discovery Center – A national forest visitor center on the north shore, with free nature exhibits, trail information, and a place to buy Adventure Passes.
- Alpine Pedal Path – A flat, paved path along the north shore of the lake, about 4 km long, suitable for cycling, walking and pushing strollers.
- Holcomb Valley & Gold Fever Trail – The site of the 1860s Southern California gold rush. A dirt road of about 32 km can be driven, passing mines, old cabins and the “Hanging T…
- Butler Peak Fire Lookout – A wooden fire lookout built in the 1930s on a granite peak, with 360-degree views over Big Bear Lake and the San Bernardino Mountains.
- Lake Arrowhead Village – A lakeside town about 26 km west of Big Bear Lake, with a shopping village and the Arrowhead Queen paddle-wheel boat, an easy stop along th…
- SkyPark at Santa's Village – A Christmas-themed outdoor park in Skyforest, with reindeer, Santa's cabins, mountain biking, and rock climbing.
- Snow Valley Mountain Resort – A long-established ski area on the Rim of the World Highway, with fewer crowds and lower prices than the two main ski resorts at Big Bear L…
Where to eat
- Grizzly Manor Cafe – Big Bear Lake's best-known breakfast spot, with pancakes the size of dinner plates. Weekend lines are common.
- Tropicali Hawaiian Poke – A tiki-style poke shop rated five stars by Time Out, now relocated to a larger lakeside location on Big Bear Boulevard.
- Peppercorn Grille – A longtime dinner restaurant in Big Bear's Village district, known for its clam chowder and peppercorn steak. Ideal for…
- The Pines Lakefront – A steak and seafood restaurant right on the shore of Big Bear Lake, with window seats for watching the sunset over the…