Big Bear Lake (Lake)

Big Bear Lake is a snow and rain fed lake in the San Bernardino Mountains in San Bernardino County located at an elevation of 6,743 feet above sea level. The lake is about 7 miles long and 2.5 miles wide at its maximum point. Its average depth is 35 feet. The city of Big Bear Lake is located on its south shore. Big Bear City is located on the east shore of the lake.

Big Bear Lake (City)

Big Bear Lake is a small city located on the south shore of Big Bear Lake. The city is surrounded by the San Bernardino National Forest and is located just west of the unincorporated community of Big Bear City.

Big Bear City

Despite its name, Big Bear City is an unincorporated community on the east shore of Big Bear Lake. The town is surrounded by the San Bernardino National Forest and is immediately east of the incorporated city of Big Bear Lake. Big Bear City has a small private airport.

Big Bear City Airport

The Big Bear City Airport is a 117 acre public, general aviation airport with one paved runway. The airport operates 24 hours each day and has operated continuously since 1928. The airport has 142 hangar spaces located in 31 buildings.

Big Bear Valley

Big Bear Valley is a valley in the San Bernardino Mountains that include Big Bear Lake, Big Bear City, Fawnskin, Sugarloaf, Holcomb Valley, Baldwin Lake, Erwin Lake, Bluff Lake, and Lake Williams.

Big Bear Valley Historical Society

Big Bear Valley Historical Society is an organization dedicated to preserving the history of the Big Bear Valley. The organization hosts local tours, features knowledgeable speakers, and operates a Historical Museum that includes an extensive collection of local artifacts and photographs.

Barton Flats

Barton Flats is a small town and recreation area located in the San Bernardino National Forest just south of Big Bear Lake and Big Bear City.

Big Bear Ski Resorts

Big Bear has two first-class ski resorts, Bear Mountain and Snow Summit.

Bear Mountain Ski Resort

Whether you are a seasoned skier or beginner, Bear Mountain will accommodate you. It's been around since 1943 when it was known as Moonridge Ski Area. You will find an even mix of difficulty at Bear Mountain, with 30% of the terrain for beginners, 40% for intermediate skiers, and 30% for advanced skiers.

Snow Summit Ski Resort

Snow Summit has over 18 skiable miles across more than 240 acres of terrain and 31 trails spanning all ability levels. It enjoys the most consistent snow conditions in Southern California thanks to its snowmaking abilities, and has the most operating days per season in Southern California.

Big Bear Alpine Zoo

The Big Bear Alpine Zoo is one of only two Alpine zoos in the United States. It specializes in the rehabilitation and release of local Alpine animals and also has a group of animals that cannot be released without placing them at risk. These animals are provided with a home for life. Big Bear Alpine Zoo is located adjacent to Bear Mountain Ski Resort in Big Bear Lake. The more than 160 resident animals include black bears, grizzly bears, wolves, eagles, and cougars. Donations and memberships are welcome.

Big Bear Discovery Center

The Big Bear Discovery Center is located in Big Bear Valley within the San Bernardino National Forest on the north shore of the lake in Fawnskin. The center includes an excellent information center and natural history museum.

Fawnskin

Fawnskin is a small unincorporated community on the north side of Big Bear Lake. Fawnskin is a protective habitat for Golden and American Bald Eagles. The Big Bear Discovery Center is located in Fawnskin.

Sugarloaf

Sugarloaf is a small residential community located about eight miles from the eastern end of Big Bear Lake and about one mile south of Big Bear City. The name of the community came from Sugarloaf Mountain which is nearby.

Sugarloaf Mountain

Sugarloaf Mountain is a prominent peak in the San Bernardino Mountains in Southern California rising to 9,952 feet above sea level. The community of Sugarloaf is named after the spectacular mountain.

Baldwin Lake

Baldwin Lake is a natural, but intermittent lake in Big Bear Valley located just east of Big Bear Lake and Big Bear City. The lake is located within the 156 acre Baldwin Lake Ecological Reserve. During the winter, the lake is usually one mile or more wide and 25 feet deep. Baldwin Lake is within the watershed area of the Santa Ana River which follows a path to the Pacific Ocean.

Bluff Lake

Bluff Lake is located within the Bluff Lake Reserve which is just southwest of Big Bear Lake and Big Bear City in the San Bernardino Mountains. The lake averages about twenty acres.

Eye of God

The Eye of God is a quartz dome which is a landmark in the Baldwin Lake area near Big Bear City. The megalith is a sacred tribal landmark for the Serrano People who lived In the area for more than 2,000 years. The Serranos worshiped the dome which they referred to as the eye of their creator.

Bear Creek

Bear Creek is a 17 mile long tributary of the Santa Ana River in the San Bernardino Mountains and the San Bernardino Forest that begins near the community of Woodlands and flows north into Baldwin Lake in the eastern Big Bear Valley. From there it flows west past Big Bear City and the city of Big Bear Lake into Big Bear Lake.

Cedar Lake

Cedar Lake is a small 3 acre lake located just south of Big Bear Lake. The lake is referred to as the centerpiece of Cedar Lake Camp, a private retreat which is a nonprofit organization.

Running Springs

Running Springs is a residential community in the San Bernardino Mountains and the San Bernardino National Forest located 17 miles west of the city of Big Bear Lake. Snow Valley Mountain Resort was established in Running Springs in the 1920s. It is the oldest continuously operating ski resort in Southern California and is one of four ski resorts in the San Bernardino National Forest. Running Springs is a major gateway to Lake Arrowhead, Arrowbear, Green Valley Lake, and Big Bear.

Green Valley Lake

Green Valley Lake is a small unincorporated residential community in the San Bernardino Mountains near Running Springs and Arrowbear Lake. The 9 acre Green Valley Lake was created in 1926 with the construction of the Green Valley Dam which is fed by rain, snow, and underground streams. Fishing is permitted with a California state fishing license.

Holcomb Valley

Holcomb Valley, the site of the largest number of gold mines in Southern California, is located about five miles north of Big Bear Lake. Gold was discovered in Holcomb Valley in 1860.

The Lake Arrowhead Region of California is adjacent to the Big Bear Region of California.

 

 

 

Historical Timeline for Big Bear Region

Three Differences Between Big Bear Lake and Lake Arrowhead