Big Bear Lake, CA, transforms into a snowy winter paradise for outdoor lovers, offering a breathtakingly beautiful and immensely fun experience with snowshoeing. Nestled in the middle of the San Bernardino National Forest, Big Bear is a peaceful destination year-round. The quiet and picturesque snow that covers the landscape during the cold season make activities like Big Bear snowshoeing a breathtakingly beautiful and immensely fun experience.
One of the best ways to experience the outdoors during the winter is snowshoeing in Big Bear. Strap on your shoes, then begin exploring! Snowshoeing in Big Bear also enables you to access trails that skiers and snowboarders can’t, as well as get your heart pumping while enjoying the great outdoors in an intense but scenic workout.
If you can hike, you can snowshoe. No experience needed! Bring your dog too- Unlike skiing and snowboarding, snowshoeing is a dog-friendly experience for the whole family; Even those with paws!
Why Choose Big Bear for Snowshoeing?
Why drive hours to Mammoth Lakes or Lake Tahoe when Big Bear Lake snowshoeing is so close to Los Angeles? There are miles of hidden snowshoe trails beneath the pines of Big Bear Lake. Enjoy the beauty of the winter solitude amongst the Jeffrey and Ponderosa pine trees surrounded by snow-capped Big Bear, CA Mountains.
Take a break from skiing or snowboarding and explore the beauty of the forest and snow-dusted pine trees in solitude. Leave the busy trails of the ski resorts behind and breathe in the fresh mountain air. Walk through the fresh, fallen snow and look out for animal tracks.
Read also: Snowshoeing Guide: Traverse City
Beginner-Friendly Snowshoeing Trails in Big Bear
Here are some trails that are popular for hiking in the summer can also be great for snowshoeing in the winter:
Pine Knot Trail
Pine Knot Trail is an easy to moderate snowshoe trail with easy parking and trail access. Park at Aspen Glen Picnic Area. Follow the signs to the trailhead. This trail, also known as 1E01 can take you all the way to Grand View point, a round trip of six miles.
Town Trail
Town Trail has easy access from just behind the Townhouses at Snow Summit. Park at Snow Summit, walk to the trailhead where you can put on your snowshoes. Town Trail is less than three miles round trip and is fairly flat, though there are some short ups and downs.
Grandview Point
Grandview Point begins where Pine Knot /1E01 ends. The two mile round trip trail takes you to a view point that is nearly unmatched.
Pacific Crest Trail
The Pacific Crest Trail is a favorite spot for snowshoeing in Big Bear. During the summer, many flock to this area for hiking and mountain biking. In the winter, snow brings many snowshoes and cross-country skiers. You can find challenging mountain trails or easy valleys to cross through here.
Read also: Explore White Pass
Rim Nordic
Rim Nordic has more than 13 miles of trails. In the summer, they’re used for mountain biking, but in the winter, they’re perfect for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in Big Bear.
Forest Service Roads
From Lake Arrowhead, east toward Fawnskin, on the banks of Big Bear Lake, Blue Diamonds mark routes that are part of the Forest Service road system. This means they are closed to vehicles during the winter season, and thus make for a great snowshoe experience if you prefer wider paths free of underbrush and trees.
San Gorgonio Wilderness
The San Gorgonio Wilderness lends itself well to snowshoe trekking, and for ease of access, it’s hard to beat the well-marked trails on the north side of Highway 38.
Snowshoeing Tips and Resources
If you’re looking to snowshoe on your own, you will most likely need to know where to find snowshoe rentals in Big Bear! Tour guides, trail maps, and snowshoe rentals can all be found at places like Goldsmiths Sports, Bear Valley Bikes, and Open Air Big Bear as well. They have a variety of snowshoes and poles, so you can choose the perfect type depending on what you plan on doing. Each has been intricately designed for different types of snowshoeing in Big Bear, from mountain hiking to trail walking.
You can pick up a guidebook on animal tracks from the Big Bear Discovery Center on the north shore of Big Bear Lake.
Read also: Unforgettable snowshoeing adventures
One secret about Big Bear Lake is that you cannot park on city streets during the snow season.
Guided Snowshoe Tours
National Forest Association - Snowshoeing in Big Bear
If you’re new to the sport or you would just like to explore with an experienced guide, consider joining a trek with Action Tours Big Bear. Action Snowshoe offers three-hour snowshoe tours. Tours are open to everyone over the age of 10 and are suitable for all experience levels. Snowshoes and poles are provided, and a guide will lead you through the pine trees and snow-capped mountains. Tours can be customized based on the skill levels in your group, and in total you will usually get 2 - 2 ½ hours on the trail.
Open Air Big Bear offers a wide range of snowshoe treks that take visitors to Snow Summit, Pine Knot Trail, and Grandview Point. They also offer moonlight Big Bear snowshoe treks, which are timed so that headlamps aren’t needed under the bright light of the full moon illuminating the pure white snow. There’s not much better than enjoying a quiet snowshoe under a full moon so bright that you don’t need a headlamp. Moonbeams light your way as shadows darken the stark white snow.
Snowshoeing Safety
Snowshoeing is easy to learn, but winter hiking comes with risks. Safety & Expert Tips - Snowshoeing is easy to learn, but winter hiking comes with risks.
Other Winter Activities in Big Bear
Big Bear Mountain Resort offers various winter activities. Plan your outdoor adventure with Big Bear Mountain Resort trail maps below. To explore trails in the winter, just click on the upper-right icon of the maps to access the legend. From there you can choose to view lifts, terrain parks, and trails by rating type. In effort to reduce carbon footprint, printed paper trail maps are not available. Download the BBMR Mobile App to access the trail maps digitally. Snow Valley trail map magnets are available to purchase online.
Snow Valley is home to the oldest continually operating ski resort in Southern California and during the summer months, turns into a lift served bike haven. From mountain biking to hiking with breathtaking views, Snow Valley offers beginner, intermediate, and advanced downhill terrain for riders of all ages and ability levels.
Snow Summit is home to Southern California’s premier lift-served, gravity fed bike park, with trails and terrain for riders of all ages and ability levels. Featuring beginner, intermediate, and advanced downhill trails, Skill Builder Park with Jump, Pro, and Pump lines, and access to miles of cross-country trails.
Home to award winning terrain parks and 748 permitted acres, Bear Mountain is Southern California’s epicenter for progression and development in snow sports. Bear is also home to the largest learning area in SoCal.
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