Best Hiking Trails in Big Bear, CA: A Local (Guide)

The Alpine Pedal Path is the easiest way to hike Big Bear with kids, strollers, or bikes. This paved multi-use trail runs along the north shore of the lake, and it is famous for bald eagle sightings in winter.

Because it stays flat and smooth, it also works for wheelchairs and first-time visitors. You can turn around whenever you like, so it never feels like a forced march. If your kids have never seen an eagle in the wild, start here.

Happy Hills is a short paved loop that suits toddlers and older guests who still want to get outside. It starts near Big Bear City Hall and winds past picnic tables, so a slow stroll works fine. You can bring leashed dogs, too.

For a first taste of the mountains without any elevation, this one is hard to beat. If you are brand new to hiking, an easy paved warmup like this builds confidence before you tackle the dirt .

Castle Rock is the most popular moderate hike near the lake, and it earns the crowds. The route runs about 2.7 miles round trip with roughly 500 to 800 feet of gain, but nearly all of that climb hits in the first half mile.

So your legs will burn early, then the grade eases as you reach a giant granite formation with sweeping lake views. Adventurous hikers scramble to the top of the rock, though you do not have to. Because the climb front-loads the work, sturdy shoes and a slow pace help a lot.

If a steep, rocky first stretch sounds rough on your feet, it helps to know how to keep hot spots and blisters at bay before a trail like this.

Cougar Crest is the classic north-shore climb, and it links up to the Pacific Crest Trail on a high ridge. The main trail runs about 5 miles round trip with around 800 feet of gain, which most moderate hikers handle comfortably.

However, if you push on to Bertha Peak, expect about 7.3 miles and roughly 1,350 feet of gain, with the steepest, rockiest stretch saved for the last mile.

From the top you get panoramic views across Big Bear Lake toward the ski resorts and the Mojave beyond. The Pacific Crest Trail section up here has loose footing, so watch your step near the ledges.

Since the terrain turns rocky and steep at the end, whether trekking poles are worth carrying is a fair question, and on this one they earn their keep.

Pine Knot to Grand View Point is my pick when I want forest, wildflowers, and a payoff view in one outing. The trail runs about 7 miles round trip with roughly 1,200 feet of gain, starting from the Aspen Glen Picnic Area on the south shore.

It climbs through shaded fir and Jeffrey pine on gentle switchbacks, then opens at Grand View Point (7,784 feet). From there you look straight at San Gorgonio, and on a clear day you can even pick out Catalina Island off the coast.

Because Aspen Glen has restrooms and picnic tables, it charges a fee, so bring an Adventure Pass. Fall turns the oaks gold here, which makes late October my favorite window.

Butler Peak crowns one of the highest points between Big Bear Lake and Lake Arrowhead at 8,537 feet, and it is one of the few spots where you can see both lakes at once.

The lookout tower celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2026, and volunteers usually staff it from Memorial Day through Labor Day. If the gate on Forest Road 2N13 is open and you have a high-clearance vehicle, you can drive most of the way up.

Otherwise plan on a long dirt-road hike, often around 9 miles round trip with roughly 1,500 feet of gain. There is no Adventure Pass needed at the lookout itself, which is a nice bonus.

Bluff Lake is a quiet alpine basin that most visitors never find, tucked in the pines above the south shore. It sits inside a Wildlands Conservancy preserve, so it stays peaceful and undeveloped.

My favorite way in climbs past Castle Rock and follows a fainter trail up to the meadow and lake, though a gentler approach uses Bluff Lake Road.

Either way, the reward is stillness and old 1890s resort ruins scattered near the water. For a low-key afternoon with the family, few places beat it.