Big Bear Lake

Trinity Alps
Elevation: 3000-5800 ft
Distance: 8 miles
Surface: Dirt
Vegetation: Forest
Post of route hiked in July 2015

Big Bear Lake

Big Bear Lake isn't technically in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, but it's nearby.  For those of us who grew up with trees, this route (and the Trinity Alps in general) is a nice change from the sparse vegetation of the Sierras.  With almost 3,000 feet of climb, this route is no light walk in the park, but at just 5,000 feet Big Bear lake makes a great alpine destination for anyone preferring a bit more oxygen than at the higher summits.

Getting there:

From Reading, take Hwy 299 west to Douglas City, then Hwy 3 north past Trinity Lake about 10 miles until you come to Bear Creek Loop.  On google maps it appeared to us that you could pull onto Bear Creek Loop south of the trailhead, but the road does not make it across the creek, so you'll have to keep going north on 3 until you hit the north end of the loop, then drive back south to the trailhead.

The Route:

The trail is a straightforward climb up to the lake, sometimes along the stream, sometimes a bit above it to the north.

The trail was a bit overgrown in July, but never fear, it does go through

The wildflowers were great. I especially liked the orange "jellyfish" variety. Turns out I didn't know what tiger lilies look like.

After a long, hot climb, the lake was the perfect temperature for a dip

After a refreshing swim and lunch by the lake, some thunderclouds peeked over the mountains ringing the lake.  Time to go!