“You are not in the mountains. The mountains are in you.”

- John Muir

Areas in Big Bear

Big Bear has several different areas. You’d be surprised at how different it can be from spot to spot. Here we will attempt to summarize the different areas into

Big Bear Lake Dam Area, Boulder Bay, Bear Lake West, Bear Lake Central, Bear Lake East, Whispering Forest, Big Bear City, Sugarloaf, Meadowbrook Estates, Lake Williams, Erwin Lake,

The Big Bear Dam Area is the gateway to Big Bear. The Lake begins to show itself as you crest the windy Arctic Circle. The mix of relief from the excessive turns that Highways 330 and 18 provide and the vast lake view over the dam is quite welcoming. For our purposes, the Big Bear Dam area begins at the dam itself, and continues until Papoose Bay (covered in the Boulder Bay section below). It includes a small portion of North Shore (if you take a left at the Dam) as well as about 2 miles of Shoreline on the South Side fo the lake.

Nearly all of the homes located in this area are known as Government Lease Units (also known as Recreational Home). These are properties that can be purchased, but the land is not owned, and an annual fee is assessed to the government for the land. This fee can range from a thousand to several thousand depending on where the home is. This can be a great way to get an affordable lakefront - but it comes with a rash of restrictions from the land managers. See my blog post here to read more about government leases.

Read the history of the Big Bear Dam Area and see more photos here.

Boulder Bay is the most popular of all the bays in Big Bear. The housing is a mix of lakefront cabins along with older inland cabins. It’s extremely charming and full of character. Prices range from $300,000 on the very low end on up to several million for a nice lakefront. Castle Rock Hiking Trail is within Boulder Bay’s boundaries and is by far the most popular hiking trail in Big Bear. Another popular site in Boulder Bay is Boulder Bay Park. From here you can launch your kayak (rentals nearby), have a bite to eat, or go on a walk through the beautiful park.

Search Boulder Bay Real Estate Here.

Bear Lake Central’s main draw is Downtown Big Bear, or as we locals call it, The Village. The Village is about 4 streets long and is where the nightlife in Big Bear resides. There are several restaurants, pubs, bars, pizza and burger joints, a movie theater, and a night club. Winter in The Village is pretty special. The Public Works Department decorates the biggest tree on the corner of Village Drive and Pine Knot Avenue into a 30’ Christmas tree. The rest of the trees are decorated with lights and various decorations. You’ve got to see it when it snows! It is truly a magical place, especially after a day of skiing or snowboarding.

The homes in this area range from the mid 3’s to a few million. This is perhaps the most diverse area in terms of homes in Big Bear. You can get a lakefront or a humble cabin. There are tons of great rental opportunities in this section of Big Bear, or a quiet area to have a second home of your dreams.

Check out our blog posts to see posts about The Village and other areas of Bear Lake Central

Click here to see Bear Lake Central homes for sale

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.