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Big Bear
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Mountain · Moderate

Big Bear

An alpine lake town where the pines outnumber the people, just barely.

Big Bear sits 6,750 feet up in the San Bernardino Mountains — a long, narrow lake ringed by pine forest, ski runs, and a village that wears flannel year-round. This hunt threads the Village, the lakefront, and a few quiet ridges most weekenders drive past on their way to the chairlift.

The Map

Your route

Offline directionsOpen in Maps

Pinch to zoom. Tap a marker to see the stop name. The dashed line traces the suggested walking order.

The Hunt

Turn-by-turn stops

Each stop shows the walking distance and direction from the previous one, plus a tap-through to your phone's maps for step-by-step directions.

  1. 01

    The Village Bear

    "Begin where the wooden bear watches the alley. Read the year carved into his paw."

    34.2439, -116.9114Start walking here
  2. 3.1 mi~66 min walkhead W from stop 1
    02

    The Old Dam

    "Granite blocks fitted without mortar. Find the cornerstone with the date."

    34.2406, -116.9650Walk from stop 1
  3. 4.1 mi~89 min walkhead ENE from stop 2
    03

    Stanfield Cutoff

    "A causeway across the lake. Stop at the middle. Look both ways — the views differ by a hundred years."

    34.2528, -116.8939Walk from stop 2
  4. 1.6 mi~35 min walkhead WNW from stop 3
    04

    The Solar Observatory

    "A white tower on a pier. It only looks at one star."

    34.2583, -116.9214Walk from stop 3
  5. 1.1 mi~24 min walkhead SE from stop 4
    05

    Cinnamon Bear Path

    "A path between two cabins. Smell first, then look."

    34.2455, -116.9098Walk from stop 4
  6. 4.1 mi~88 min walkhead W from stop 5
    06

    Boulder Bay

    "Granite the size of houses. Find the boulder shaped like a sleeping turtle."

    34.2367, -116.9811Walk from stop 5
  7. 8.0 mi~171 min walkhead ENE from stop 6
    07

    The Old Mine

    "Up the ridge. A pile of tailings, a sealed shaft. Walk the contour, don't enter."

    34.2814, -116.8528Walk from stop 6
  8. 4.5 mi~97 min walkhead SW from stop 7
    08

    Pine Knot Trailhead

    "Where the path begins. Find the wooden marker with the elevation."

    34.2347, -116.9078Walk from stop 7
  9. 1.4 mi~30 min walkhead WNW from stop 8
    09

    The Alpine Slide

    "Concrete tracks that wind down the mountain. Don't ride — just count the turns."

    34.2447, -116.9289Walk from stop 8
  10. 5.6 mi~120 min walkhead E from stop 9
    10

    The Discovery Trail

    "A short interpretive loop. Find the sign that names the tree with the longest cones."

    34.2456, -116.8311Walk from stop 9
  11. 4.1 mi~89 min walkhead WNW from stop 10
    11

    The Bald Eagle Lookout

    "A bench facing west across the water. Bring binoculars if you have them."

    34.2614, -116.9011Walk from stop 10
  12. 2.4 mi~51 min walkhead SW from stop 11
    12

    Last Light at the Marina

    "End where the boats sleep. Stay for the alpenglow on the north shore."

    34.2422, -116.9358Walk from stop 11