Local Life · Recreation

Big Bear Recreation & Sports

Big Bear is a year-round playground — two ski resorts in winter, a high-altitude golf course and a bike park in summer, and a lake made for boating, fishing and paddling all season long.

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Play All Year

Sports & Recreation in Big Bear

Recreation is the whole point of Big Bear, and it's what keeps rental demand strong. Here's the year-round menu.

Skiing & Snowboarding

Snow Summit (about 240 acres of terrain for all levels) and Bear Mountain (home to award-winning terrain parks and the region's highest lift-served peak at 8,805 feet) sit two miles apart as Big Bear Mountain Resort — Southern California's premier ski and snowboard destination.

Golf & Summer on the Mountain

The Bear Mountain Golf Course is a nine-hole course at about 7,000 feet with big San Bernardino Mountain views, a driving range and lessons. In summer the resort runs a lift-served bike park with 60+ miles of trails, plus a climbing wall and zip line.

The Lake & the Trails

Big Bear Lake is the summer centerpiece — boating, trout and bass fishing, kayaking, paddleboarding and parasailing — while the surrounding San Bernardino National Forest offers 100+ miles of hiking and mountain-biking trails.

Snow Summit (~240 acres) & Bear Mountain (peak 8,805 ft, terrain parks)
Bear Mountain Golf Course — 9 holes at ~7,000 ft
Summer bike park — 60+ miles of lift-served trails
Lake: boating, fishing, kayaking, paddleboarding, parasailing

Recreation = Rental Demand

Big Bear's four-season sports scene is exactly what fills short-term rentals. Estimate STR income →

Find Your Big Bear Home

Search active listings across Big Bear Lake, Big Bear City, Sugarloaf & Fawnskin — updated live from the MLS.

Big Bear Recreation & Sports — Frequently Asked Questions

Straight answers from a local Big Bear Broker Associate. This is general information; verify time-sensitive details (hours, prices, schedules) with the venue or provider directly.

What ski resorts are in Big Bear?

Snow Summit and Bear Mountain, operated together as Big Bear Mountain Resort and located two miles apart. Snow Summit offers about 240 acres of all-level terrain, and Bear Mountain is known for its terrain parks and the region's highest lift-served peak at 8,805 feet.

Is there golf in Big Bear?

Yes — the Bear Mountain Golf Course is a nine-hole course at roughly 7,000 feet with mountain views, a driving range and lessons, open in the warmer months.

What can you do on Big Bear Lake?

Boating, trout and bass fishing, kayaking, paddleboarding and parasailing in summer, plus lakeside walking and biking on the Alpine Pedal Path. The lake is the centerpiece of Big Bear's warm-season recreation.

Is Big Bear good for mountain biking?

Very — in summer the resort runs a lift-served bike park with more than 60 miles of trails, and the surrounding national forest adds 100+ miles more of hiking and biking terrain.

Does the recreation scene help vacation-rental income?

It's the main driver. Big Bear's year-round sports — skiing in winter, the lake and bike park in summer — support strong short-term-rental demand. Estimate a home's potential with Rachael's free STR Calculator, then call or text 909.744.2190.

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