The Big Bear valley boasts a beautiful alpine lake in the heart of a scenic mountain valley.
Big Bear offers a variety of recreation activities including picnic areas, scenic viewpoints, water skiing, snow skiing/snowboarding, tobogganing and snow play, hiking, fishing, boating, bird watching (Bald Eagles can be spotted here every winter), dancing, car shows, shopping and the best 4th of July fireworks in Southern California (over the lake!).
Big Bear Lake is about 7 miles long and averages ½ mile wide. The lake itself sits at about 6700 feet and is surrounded by pine covered mountains, the tallest of which is Sugarloaf Mountain at a height of 9957 feet. There are over 500 miles of hiking trails in the San Bernardino Mountains some of the best of which are located right here in the Big Bear area, including portions of the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail and there are trails to match anyone's ability. If mountain biking is your thing then Snow Summit is the place for you, with world-class mountain bike trails traversing the mountain. Or if ridding down the mountain on a board or a pair of skis is your idea of fun, than wait for the snow to fly and head up to Snow Summit or Bear Mountain. There are a number of marinas in the valley where you can rent a boat for skiing, fishing or just cruising around the lake.
Thing to do while in Big Bear: