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 Reporter |
Summary: Big Bear is awesome! I can't say that enough. The sheer number of small to moderate size hikes in the area is amazing. The scenery is very Sierra-like with the towering lodgepoles and granite boulders. When you spy the far reaching vistas of the San Gorgonios, you can almost imagine yourself away from the hustle and bustle of So Cal. This hike has it all, wonderful forest, medium altitude, a peak, lake views, and opportunities for spotting wildlife. It is a pretty easy hike, and if you take it slow, you will find it very enjoyable as an all day outing, or if you are like me and get up here after work - you can have the trail all to yourself in the middle of the week, and make it a two hour jaunt. The bummer side of the trail is that there are no sweeping views of the lake, this is also its silver lining; you are on the backside of the lake and you do not hear the cars or the boaters. You are steeped in the silence of the wild. It thundered and rained on me. Trailhead: Take the 330 North to the 38 and follow it to Big Bear Dam, continue along the North Shore on the 38. Just before the town of Fawnskin, you will see the trailhead parking lot. Parking here is limited, but you can park at Grout's Bay picnic area across the highway if you need to. If you are traveling along the 38 westbound, the trail parking is just after the town of Fawnskin. The trail is well graded and maintained. Only the last 150 feet to the top is unmaintained. The trail is closed during spring and winter due to Bald Eagles nesting in the area, please do not disturb their habitat. The route to the top is easy to find, take the right fork at both road intersections on the trail. You follow the first road for a bit, and the second only for a moment. (Lat:34.26111 Lon:-116.97131) Trail Guides for Grays Peak: Best Hikes With Dogs - Southern California by Allen Riedel (Mountaineers books) San Bernardino Mountain Trails - 100 Hikes in Southern California by John W. Robinson (Wilderness Press) Best Seasons: Fall, Summer, User Groups: Hikers, Dogs, Bikes, Horses, Ranger Contact: SBNF (909)884-6634 Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Allen Riedel, who has posted 123 other hikes on this site. To visit this reporters web site, click here. Trail Reviews Page 1 of 2 Submit your own review 
Reviewed by BreaBonnie on 11/5/2010 Fall color is at its peak in Big Bear. I hiked this today for the first time all the way to the top. The orange-brown and orange-yellow among the green had very little leaf loss and yet were in total full color. The cooler weather in the 60's made this hike a very comfortable one. Highly recommended. I hike about a 30/minute mile and was able to hike this in 3 hours with a steady pace and lunch at the top. The parking lot and bathrooms are closed so keep this in mind and park at one of the short pull off areas with your forest adventure pass displayed. Recommended to bring two water bottles to stay hydrated, a tasty apple to munch and tissues for the nose due to the cooler weather. Oh yeah, don't forget your camera. :-)
Reviewed by George on 9/13/2010 My Wife and I hiked it on Sept. 12th starting at about noon. It is a great hike for both exercize and scenery. I saw no lodgepoles as reported above but numerous coulter, sugar, ponderosa, and jeffrey pines. The Sugar pines were heavy with long pitch-dripping cones. The western portion of the trail is recovering nicely from the fires and the wildflowers were still showy this late in the season. The trailhead was parked full but there was still ample parking across the street at the Grout Bay picnic area.
Reviewed by David on 7/3/2010 Nice hike - I did it on a weekday last fall just before it closed for the winter, so there were good fall colors and a lot of solitude, very different from on the weekends. It's a good, long hike at high altitude, so it provides a good workout without being too strenuous. Check out my pictures and trip report here. 
Reviewed by girljo on 9/15/2008 Hikes 9-14-08. This is beautiful hike with an easy grade. I did a roundtrip in 4 hours at a slow pace. After an hour the trail goes through the area where the 2008 fire were. It's spectacular scenery with scorched rocks and trees surround you. The peak (rocks) has beautiful view of the lake.
Reviewed by Timberdog MTB on 8/17/2008 This is a great hike/bike ride. I did this trail after over two years of not riding (excuse: new baby). I did the round trip in little over 1 hour during the late afternoon. I recommend it to all, but beginners be cautious on the descent, the trail is sandy and loose with mix of boulders. You can slide out easily if your not cautious.
Reviewed by Mtn. Bike Mark on 5/11/2008 I did the trail on 5-03-08 with two friends.A fire went through most of the trail last year, but it was still a good ride.I would say it is a great trail for beginners. It's pretty safe and fun.
Reviewed by David on 6/11/2007 Since I live up here I both hike and bike this trail. It is no less than stellar. Park your car at Gray's Peak trailhead and begin your ascent. About a mile or so up the trail you'll find yourself at a fire road that goes both left and right. Go right and hike out about 1/4 mile or so. Look for the sign to your left that indicates where the trail continues. The last time I checked the sign was leaning and I could understand how it could be difficult to spot. Continue your journey upward and enjoy the pines, boulders and the quiet. At the top you'll have a chance to kick back and take a break on the rock out cropping and take in the peek-a-boo views of the lake. The hike and/or ride down seems to go a lot faster than the trek up. Enjoy!
Reviewed by RM on 9/12/2006 I had the opportunity to run this trail twice this past weekend on a visit - very beautiful, and a twisting, challenging run if you're a trail runner. I'll definitely hit this baby each time I return to Big Bear! Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site. Keys: California Hiking, California Trails, California Hikes, San Bernardino County Hiking, San Bernardino County Trails, San Bernardino County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
