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 is Pine Knot 1E01. We loved everything about it. Super easy to find. Parking lot at base of…read moretrail. QR code to pay a $5 parking fee. You'll feel a slight climb occasionally but the trail expertly has switchbacks that alleviate a steep ascent. Before reaching Camp 89 (on map) there is a gorgeous vista of Big Bear Lake and the pine covered mountains. Another plus, very shaded throughout the whole hike. You'll meet bikers and dogs along the trail and everyone is enjoying the path. Highly recommend!

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.

Love the Maple Lane trails. The group(s) responsible, along with the dedicated volunteers have…read moredone a fantastic job on creating these over the last few years. Recently, July 2024 I've noticed dirt bikes tearing up the trails, on which NO motorized vehicles are allowed. Could not locate any contact info so attempted to create a trail account to report this illegal use before the trails get even worse, but creating & signing in was a joke as it came back with log-in suspicious?? Really? Anyway, the trails here are great. Take a great hike, with your family, friends & dog before they get all screwed up.

No parking and couldn't find the entrance. Very deserted area near a school. I was looking for a…read moretrail with snow for the scenery but the entrance it led me to was completely gated off with no where to park, just go to the park near by.

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!

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

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!

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 best way to see what's left of Belleville is the Gold Fever Trail, so stop by the Big Bear…read moreDiscovery Center first and pick up this yellow pamphlet. Please be warned that when it says "dirt roads" they mean it!! We were not prepared for how VERY rocky it is in most sections. The worst starts around stops 9 & 10, and the rest of the road has the biggest rocks you have to maneuver around. We were super lucky in my Toyota Corolla to make it out unscathed by driving VERY slowly and carefully, but it took a LONG time and we were so stressed. If you have a jeep, truck, or other off-roading vehicle you'll probably be ok. But any other vehicle I would NOT recommend (not even an SUV), or turn around after stop 10 at the latest! The scale of the map in the pamphlet is a bit misleading, because the stops are decently father apart than they seem. I had maps open on my phone to constantly compare with the paper map. Most of the stops along the way are marked with a sign post and number, so look out for those. We came in April when there was no snow or rain, good weather for hiking around. If you're into Gold Rush history, it's interesting to see the few ruins of the town. But most of the stops along the Trail require a bit of imagination (there's not a lot to see). Overall, it was kinda fun for the first half, but the second half of the drive was lowkey hell :)

roads aren't maintained well which is fine. AWD is recommended, especially after rains. pretty…read morequiet place with benches at some spots to chill and hang out, lots of mountain bikes to watch out from. overall pretty nice place to relax and enjoy the view, the self guided car tour is cool too if you grab a pamphlet from the Big Bear Discovery Center beforehand.

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).