After years of not being able to hike this trail (snow, ice, no parking, fires, etc.), I was…read morefinally able to do it! Huzzah for the new parking lot, which has quite a few parking spots, a bathroom, and easy access to the trailhead. Don't let the posted distance of the trailhead fool you - it's very easy to make this hike longer than anticipated. The trail markers are these caged rocks, and sometimes we lost track of them and had to guess. There are also a lot of places to scramble up rocks, which was so much fun. Once we found the sign for Castle Rock, my son (6 yo) and I took a look up, then climbed all the way to the top. The view from the top was amazing! Very much worth it. We took a different rock scrambling path to climb down, so there are options if you decide to climb up. With all of our meandering, scrambling, and just general shenanigans, we finished in about 3 hours feeling pretty accomplished.

This review is for Champion Lodgepole via Castle Rock Trail which was a ~4.8 miles round trip that…read moretook ~3 hours to complete. This was another stunning forest hike near Big Bear Lake, California. With the new parking lot, the beginning of the trail has changed. The first mile or so was a steep incline on dirt and some rocks. This part of the trail could be tricky to follow so try looking for the stack of rocks! After exiting Castle Rock Trail, it was mostly a flat dirt path that takes you to the Bluff Mesa Trail and then towards the Bluff Lake! On the way back down on Castle Rock Trail will reward you with some views of Big Bear Lake! There is now a new parking lot with at least 25 parking spaces available. No more street parking. Restroom available at the parking lot. Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/4a_Q0hZUk7k

This was a great trail to hike. Parking was easily accessible. No pass was required to park…read more The weather was nice and there was a breeze when we went a couple weeks ago. We did nearly nine miles. The trail connects to different trails which is how we covered that distance. The views were great and my puppy enjoyed running parts of the trail with me. It's a definitely a place where you can bring a light lunch to picnic with. I would come again and do different parts of the trail.

Nice moderate hike right outside the village. Some more strenuous switchbacks at the start, and…read morethen turns into more of a gradual uphill the rest of the way. Downhill almost the whole way back except for a few small stretches. Intermittent sunny and shaded areas. Some viewpoints of the lake and mountains but no real showstopper. Not much in the way of interesting vegetation in August, but lots of chipmunks, squirrels, birds, and lizards. Clearly marked with official trail signs, spray paint, and neon ties.

This was approximately a 5 mile round trip hike (+0.5 miles if you're walking from the Big Bear…read moreDiscovery Center parking lot). I wouldn't say it's an easy hike, but more moderate/intermediate with slight incline. Just my personal opinion, I don't think you have to walk further up to Bertha Peak for "better" views. The views at the top of Cougar Crest Trail are already quite spectacular.

Cougar? My kind of trail. We brought our bikes and did a nice route on here. You can tell who are…read morethe novice bikers on the road. Trail isnt that hard and was a nice treat while in town.

Loved this trail. Super convenient and right off the 18. Love how there is little educational stops…read morethat tell you the history of this location and all the wild life that can be seen. My kid loved it. This is definitely a family friendly trail for everyone.

Limited parking area near Big Bear Boulevard, shared with an IHOP. Good fall colors from the…read morewillows in the creek bed!

This was one of the most unique and incredible experiences…read more I found Selena on AirBnB Experiences and after reading the reviews knew I had to participate in Forest Bathing. We met at a public parking lot and she drove us in her SUV up into the mountains, to her secret spot in the forest. She provided lots of interesting, educational info along the 15 minute drive. Once we arrived, the experience started. She guided a moderate hike into the forest, showing us all of her favorite things. Fresh water brooks, waterfalls, unique, bold, and beautiful trees. The hike was fairly moderate, Indian Jones-esq at times, nothing too crazy, but not easy. As a plus size/not very active girl, I was able to do it. My 62 year old mom kept up fairly well too! Selena took lots of short breaks for us to catch our breath (elevation for flatlanders is rough!), gave us lots of educational info about what we were seeing, smelling, and hearing. She even provided us with a few edible plants along the way. The hike up to the fresh water source was truly spectacular. Once there we emptied our water bottles and filled them with the ice cold fresh water and guzzled it down. So crisp and clean and YUM! The hike back was just as refreshing. We then spent some time wind bathing, cutting chords, and energy healing, followed by 35 minutes of quiet time meandering the forest on our own. Afterwards we drank a fresh brewed tea Selena had made using ingredients she collected along our hike, and some healthy snacks and more fresh water, which she provided. It was 3 hours of really amazing, energizing, active, relaxing, healing Forest Bathing and for $40pp it was well worth it!

First, on a Sunday afternoon at the end of October, no parking by noon. My second reason for…read moreremoving a star is that the "female" restroom was out of order, the "male" restroom didn't have a trash can (which I understand, partly, being in the forest). But why have a girls and boys restroom, why not just two bathrooms. And the last reason I kept a star, only one trash reciprocal in the entire parking lot. I believe we should continue to encourage Visitors to "pack it in, pack it out" plus some. How do we do that if we expect then to put it in their car and take it with them? Trailhead has a very descriptive sign, provides lots of good information. Trail is 6.4 miles, 1,174 altitude gain (out/back), dogs allowed on lead, near Fawnskin. This trail offers AMAZING views of Big Bear Lake, bikes also share the trail. (Dog bags provided at trailhead, pls pick up after yourself, and your doggie;) There's so much to explore, get up, and get out there.

A nice escape, I think it's probably less-trafficked because it's on the North Shore (away from the…read moremain crowds) and a bit away from the Discovery Center. At the top is a rock outcropping where you can get a good view of the lake, albeit partially obstructed. I saw a cinnamon-furred black bear near the top the last time I hiked (June 27, 2017 around 6:15pm), so be on the lookout, keep your distance, and make your presence know (I stomped my feet, and he took notice and slowly went about his business in a different direction than where I was). July 13, 2017: did an evening hike and saw 2 deer, along with a pair of yellow eyes and green eyes (more deer?) at night, and three scorpions along the trail. You will need an Adventure Pass to park in the lot, but alternatively you can park along the road (a good spot is by the Eagle habitat warning sign).

Good, short trail near the city. Online reviews suggest that the trail has fall colors, but it does…read morenot. One end is on Clubview. The other end is at Poplar and Willow in a residential area with no parking; park on Clubview and walk along Willow to the trailhead

Trail is easy to access and easy to walk, no steep inclines, surroundings of course are beautiful.read more

The hike is so so so gorgeous! The Big Bear magazine labeled it as easy & I guess relatively…read morespeaking it is, but when it's 95-100 F it's not the easiest thing in the WORLD. Kids can do it though, so, fine, it's easy. Gorgeous wildflowers along the way. Many scenic moments to take photographs or stand & enjoy the scenery. Stunning trees & flowers. When we got to the actual lake (super ready in our bathing suits), it smelled like manure. Unsure why. So we didn't end up swimming, but we turned around & got to see more of the hike instead of missing out on the end of the hike by going back the same exact way (since we walked across the beach area). Definitely recommend, especially if you're pushing a stroller or have children! We saw many families and people getting exercise.

I have walked and ridden this bike path hundreds of times. Fun fact: if you walk from Big Bear…read moreShores resort to Stanfield and back you will have logged approximately 800 steps! Whether you stroll this path or ride it, you will witness nature at its pinnacle. From the gorgeous lake, towering pines, colorful wildflowers and snowcapped mountains, the Good Lord did not skimp when it comes to eye candy. Just this morning I caught a glimpse of three coyotes frolicking in the lake. I saw ducks, rabbits, chipmunks, squirrels, and a variety of birds all enjoying the beautiful lake they call home. These peaceful surroundings beckon me every time I visit Big Bear. Be sure to visit this glorious path!

We have a place at Snow Summit that backs right up to the trail. It's a beautiful way you can start…read morethe day and go into town for breakfast. At 8am on a Saturday in July it was very quiet and gorgeous views, not too hot yet. I saw just a handful of hikers. I had been warned about the number of bikers whizzing by. On my way back at 10:30 there were indeed loads of bikers headed to snow summit. I have to say though, without exception, they all were gracious and said good morning and alerted me they were approaching. In turn I politely stepped to the side. It's all about sharing the road or trail and maybe go out early to avoid bikes. On another visit my husband and I took our French Mastiff for an evening walk and had him off leash. BAD idea! First of all evening is feeding time for lots of wildlife. Second, we didn't have him on leash. At one point we couldn't see him and called out. From around a bush comes our dog flanked by two female wolves three inches taller than him. We were able to coerce him away and get him on leash but it was a super scary situation. If he had been a small dog I'm not sure what would have happened.

Easy access to this trail. We went from the end of Summit…read moreBlvd passing by the back of Snow Summit Townhouse Rentals. But from the other direction trailhead is at the junction of Forest Ranger Rd and 2N08 2.8 mile out and back. 300+ ft elevation. So little up/down hills. You can see Big Bear Lake at one point of the trail. Came during the fall after a small snowfall. Note: there may be some bikers on this trail as it converges with the bottom of a mountain biking only path.

The Stanfield Preserve Boardwalk is an easy-to-navigate trail located on the east end of Big Bear…read moreLake. This boardwalk stretches across a protected wetland area, providing a unique opportunity to experience the region's diverse flora and fauna up close. The boardwalk is relatively flat and well-maintained, making it accessible to visitors of all ages and fitness levels and it's dog friendly. Just be aware of bikers. The boardwalk is open from dawn to dusk and offers ample time to explore at your own pace. Parking is available nearby, and there are several access points to the boardwalk. We parked for free in a lot at the west end of the boardwalk.

I enjoy this trail! It's a flat walk along the lake with beautiful views, especially when the…read moreweather is nice! There is a parking lot here but it can get full, so many cars are usually park along the street. What I like about this place in particular is that all ages can do it & you can walk as far or little as you'd like. Great little treasure in Big Bear!