Big Bear Lake

A collection of personal photos from my visits to Big Bear Lake across the seasons. Click any image to view it full size.

Snow Plant (Sarcodes sanguinea) — a parasitic wildflower with no chlorophyll, protected by California law

Wat Buddhapradeep Thai Buddhist Temple in Fawnskin — not open to the public

The changing of the leaves. My favorite season, Autumn. My handsome son.

Along the trails

San Bernardino National Forest

Big Bear in summer

Hitting the slopes

Taking a moment to catch the view and breathe in the air

Holcomb Valley — wild burros are abundant in Big Bear

High desert pine forest

The beautiful views are endless

My view of the lake everyday on my way to work

Silvery Lupine (Lupinus argenteus) lining the trail

Me taking in a vista

Oktoberfest with my son

Big Bear Mountain Resort operates two ski areas — Snow Summit and Snow Valley — with a combined 55 runs, eight lifts, and terrain for every level from first-timers to double-black enthusiasts. Winter weekends fill up fast, so if you are planning a ski trip, book your lift tickets and lodging early. The season typically runs December through March, though good snow years can extend well into April.

But the moment the snow melts, Big Bear transforms. Snow Summit's ski runs become one of the best mountain bike parks in Southern California, with lift-accessed downhill trails, flow trails, and jump lines that draw riders from across the region. Summer brings hiking on dozens of trails ranging from easy lakeside walks to strenuous ridge climbs with views that stretch to the Pacific on a clear day. Fall turns the aspens gold. And through it all, the lake sits there — calm and cold and impossibly blue — waiting for you to get out on it.

Big Bear Lake is a 3,000-acre reservoir sitting at the heart of everything, and getting out on it is one of the best things you can do here. In summer, the lake buzzes with pontoon boats, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, jet skis, and fishing charters. In spring and fall, it quiets down to something more serene — perfect for a slow paddle along the shoreline with the mountains reflected in the water.

Out on Big Bear Lake — summer paddling with ducks for company

Tip: The Big Bear Lake Pedal Path is a paved, mostly flat trail that runs along the south shore — perfect for a leisurely bike ride between water stops.

Big Bear's trail system is extensive and well-maintained, running through pine and cedar forest with views that open up unexpectedly as you climb. The Castle Rock Trail is a local favorite — a 2.5-mile out-and-back that ends at a granite outcrop with a panoramic view of the lake and valley. The Cougar Crest Trail connects to the Pacific Crest Trail and offers one of the best ridge walks in the San Bernardinos. And if you want a genuine summit — the kind where you earn the view — Sugarloaf Mountain is it. At 9,952 feet, it is the highest peak in the Big Bear area, and the trail rewards you with a 360-degree panorama that stretches all the way to the desert floor. I have stood at the top, and I can tell you: it is worth every step. For something gentler, the lakeside path is flat, paved, and gorgeous at any pace.

Summit of Sugarloaf Mountain at 9,952 ft — the view stretches all the way to the desert floor

Mountain biking in Big Bear is world-class. Snow Summit's bike park runs lift-accessed downhill trails from June through October, and the surrounding national forest has miles of cross-country singletrack. Several shops in town rent everything from cruisers to full-suspension downhill rigs.

Just north of Big Bear Lake, accessible by a dirt road that climbs into the high desert, lies Holcomb Valley — one of Southern California's most underrated destinations. In the 1860s, this remote valley was the site of the largest gold rush in California history outside of the Sierra Nevada. Today, remnants of that era remain scattered across the landscape: old mining equipment, stone foundations, and interpretive signs along the self-guided Holcomb Valley Pioneer Trail.

The valley is a favorite for off-road enthusiasts, with miles of 4WD and OHV trails winding through chaparral, pinyon pine, and open meadows. But you do not need a lifted truck to enjoy it — many visitors come simply to hike, explore the ruins, and take in the wide-open silence that is impossible to find closer to the city.

And then there are the wild burros. Descendants of pack animals left behind by gold miners more than a century ago, these small, shaggy, remarkably unbothered animals roam freely through the area. Spotting a group of them — completely indifferent to your presence — is one of those genuinely unexpected California moments that stays with you. They are protected, and as a former local I choose not to disclose their exact location. If you are meant to find them, you will. Admire them from a respectful distance and please do not feed them, however charming they may be.

Flooded meadow in early spring, Holcomb Valley

Gold Rush-era log cabin on the Pioneer Trail

Taking in the valley from the rocks above

Scrambling through the granite boulders

Living my best Holcomb Valley life

The wild burros — their location is not disclosed, for their protection

The Pacific Crest Trail — the 2,650-mile footpath running from the Mexican border at Campo, California all the way to Manning Park in British Columbia — passes directly through the Big Bear area, and it is one of the most accessible stretches of the entire trail for day hikers and weekend backpackers. You do not need to be a thru-hiker to walk one of the most iconic trails in the world. You just need a good pair of boots and a few hours.

At the Wildhorse & Sugarloaf Trail junction — Big Bear's trail system runs deep into the San Bernardino National Forest.

The PCT enters the Big Bear Valley from the west via the Cougar Crest Trail — a 4.4-mile out-and-back from the trailhead on Highway 18, just west of Big Bear Lake. The Cougar Crest Trail climbs steadily through open chaparral and pine forest before joining the PCT at the ridge, where the views open up dramatically in both directions: the lake and valley to the south, the high San Bernardino Mountains to the north. The junction sits at roughly 8,000 feet, and on a clear day you can see for miles.

From the PCT junction, you can turn east toward Bertha Peak (9,175 ft) — a short additional climb that delivers one of the finest 360-degree panoramas in the entire San Bernardino range. Or turn west and follow the trail along the ridge toward Van Dusen Canyon, where the terrain shifts into a quieter, more remote stretch of high desert forest. Either direction, the trail is well-marked, well-maintained, and genuinely beautiful.

For those who want to walk a longer stretch of the PCT, the trail continues east from Big Bear through the San Gorgonio Wilderness and eventually descends toward Cabazon and the desert. Thru-hikers heading northbound typically pass through Big Bear in late April and May — and the town has become a beloved trail town for PCT hikers, with several hostels, resupply options, and restaurants that welcome hikers with open arms. If you happen to be in Big Bear during that window, you will almost certainly encounter a few.

If you have spent any time on the internet in the past few years, you may already know about Jackie and Shadow. The pair of bald eagles — who nest in a tall pine tree on the north shore of Big Bear Lake — have become genuine celebrities, thanks to a live nest camera operated by the Friends of Big Bear Valley that streams their every move to hundreds of thousands of viewers around the world.

In early April 2026, Jackie and Shadow welcomed two new eaglets — their latest clutch of chicks, who hatched within days of each other and are already eating fish, sleeping in the nest, and doing what siblings do. The cam runs live, year-round, free of charge on the FOBBV YouTube channel. Watching an eagle feed her chicks at 6,000 feet above sea level is the kind of thing that recalibrates your entire sense of what matters.

Big Bear is also excellent for birding beyond the eagles. The lake and surrounding forest attract osprey, great blue herons, western grebes, Clark's nutcrackers, and a rotating cast of migratory species depending on the season. Spring and fall are the best times to bring binoculars.

Big Bear Village is the kind of mountain town that manages to feel genuinely charming without being precious about it. The main drag is lined with independent shops, ice cream parlors, outfitters, and restaurants that range from casual après-ski to proper sit-down dining. It is the kind of place where you can spend an afternoon just wandering — ducking into a bookshop, stopping for a coffee, watching people come off the mountain still in their ski boots.

My favorite restaurant in the Village — and one I return to every single time I come to Big Bear — is Oakside. Located at 40701 Village Drive, Oakside is the kind of place that earns its reputation not through hype but through consistency: a genuinely excellent menu, craft cocktails, 17 taps, over 100 whiskeys, and a wine list that holds its own. The atmosphere is warm and unpretentious, the service is attentive without being intrusive, and the food is the kind that makes you want to linger. Open daily from 11am. If you only eat one meal in Big Bear, make it here.