Big Bear in Winter
Big Bear offers the best skiing and snowboarding experiences in Southern California at Snow Summit and Bear Mountain ski resorts. These local mountains offer over 400 acres of terrain ranging from beginner to expert. Skiers and riders can enjoy 19 lifts to access over 55 runs dedicated to both groomed areas and terrain parks. Let your winter adventure begin!
Outdoor Winter Activities for Non-Skiers & Non-Snowboarders
Snow Tubing Parks
Not a skier or snowboarder? Enjoy the snowy slopes on an inner tube instead! The Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain, Big Bear Snow Play and Grizzly Ridge Tube Park operate year-round with seasonal snow tubing offered each winter. Tubing parks allow guests to enjoy snow sliding in a safe and controlled environment away from cars and traffic.
Glow Tubing
Experience the magic of snow tubing at night at both Alpine Slide and Big Bear Snow Play! When the sun goes down, the neon lights come on sweeping the slopes with color and an ultra-cool vibe. It's much colder at night so dress in layers for warmth. Glow Tubing offered on Fridays, Saturdays, and Holidays.
Action Zipline
Action Tours offers year-round zipline experiences, allowing guests to soar through forests and over snow-covered towns during winter. Additionally, when snow conditions are favourable, they provide snowshoe tours, including all necessary equipment.
Scavenger Hunts
Big Bear features two outdoor scavenger hunt games, Riddle Route and Urban Adventure Quest. These interactive experiences require just a smartphone to access clues, guiding participants around The Village in an educational tour of the town.
Shopping
Shop till you drop in The Village and around town. Big Bear offers a variety of finds from clothing, skincare, fine art, souvenirs, home goods, and so much more.
Zoo
The Big Bear Alpine Zoo serves as a sanctuary for injured and imprinted animals unable to return to the wild, educating visitors on wildlife sustainability while showcasing alpine animals. Meanwhile, Baldwin Lake Stables offers a petting zoo on weekends during winter, where guests can interact with goats, pigs, turkeys, and other animals, making for a perfect photo opportunity.
Horseback Riding
Explore the Big Bear outback on a guided horseback tour of the Valley. Baldwin Lake Stables also features a petting zoo for your littles to get up close and personal with the farm animals.
Free Big Bear Trolley
Free Big Bear Trolley offers convenient and reliable public transportation in the Big Bear Valley and helps mitigate traffic congestion and car pollution.
Heavy traffic and limited parking are significant issues in Big Bear during the busy winter and summer seasons. We encourage visitors and locals alike to leave their vehicles at their accommodations and hop on the Free Big Bear Trolley to get around town.
Three Trolley routes make getting to restaurants, grocery stores, shops, ski resorts, snow play areas, parks and work easy and efficient.
The Free Big Bear Trolley is operated by Mountain Transit. Download the Trolley App to see the Trolley schedule and route map, and to use the live tracker to see the next trolley headed to your stop.