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Big Bear City is an unincorporated mountain community in San Bernardino County, California, set along the east shore of Big Bear Lake and surrounded by the San Bernardino National Forest. It lies about 27 miles northeast of San Bernardino, at an elevation of roughly 6,800 feet in the San Bernardino Mountains, immediately east of the incorporated city of Big Bear Lake. The two communities together form the core of the Big Bear Valley, one of Southern California's principal alpine destinations. The area's identity is built on four-season mountain recreation. In winter, the slopes of Big Bear Mountain Resort, Snow Summit and Bear Mountain, draw skiers and snowboarders from across the region. In summer, the lake becomes the focus, with boating, fishing, and watersports, while the surrounding forest offers hiking, mountain biking, and camping. This seasonal rhythm supports a resort economy of lodges, cabins, shops, and restaurants, and shapes a housing stock heavy with cabins, A-frames, and vacation homes. Big Bear City itself is a year-round residential community as well as a recreation base, with a permanent population that supports schools, churches, and local services. Public education is provided by the Bear Valley Unified School District. Housing ranges from modest mountain cabins to larger lakeside and forest homes, with a substantial share of second homes and short-term rentals. Mountain Highways 18 and 38 provide the principal access, and winter travel can require chains during storms. Big Bear City suits those drawn to high-elevation, four-season mountain living within a couple of hours of the Southern California coast and desert. It offers a true alpine lifestyle, access to one of the region's most popular recreation areas, and the quiet of national forest surroundings, while remaining connected to the Inland Empire by mountain highways.

Population 12,738

County San Bernardino County

Active Listings 404

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Frequently Asked Questions

What county is Big Bear City in?

Big Bear City is in San Bernardino County, California, in the San Bernardino Mountains. It is an unincorporated community surrounded by the San Bernardino National Forest, on the east shore of Big Bear Lake.

How far is Big Bear City from San Bernardino?

Big Bear City lies about twenty-seven miles northeast of San Bernardino, reached by mountain highways through the San Bernardino National Forest. The drive climbs from the valley floor into the high-elevation lake basin.

What is Big Bear City known for?

Big Bear City is known for its location on Big Bear Lake and its access to the ski resorts of Big Bear Mountain Resort, including Snow Summit and Bear Mountain. The surrounding national forest offers year-round hiking, boating, fishing, and mountain recreation.

What school district serves Big Bear City?

Big Bear City is served by the Bear Valley Unified School District, which operates schools across the Big Bear Valley, including the communities around Big Bear Lake. The district serves the mountain region's year-round residents.

City Guide

About Big Bear City

Real Estate & Housing

Big Bear City's housing stock is dominated by mountain cabins, A-frames, and single-family homes in a forested, high-elevation setting. A substantial share of properties serve as second homes, vacation rentals, and seasonal retreats, alongside the homes of permanent residents. Architecture favors cozy, rustic construction suited to winter conditions, with decks, wood stoves, and snow-cleared driveways common. Lakefront and view properties carry the strongest appeal, while homes set back in the pines offer privacy. The market reflects a recreation and resort economy, with a seasonal rhythm to demand.

Neighborhoods

Big Bear City extends along the east shore of Big Bear Lake and into the surrounding forest, immediately east of the incorporated city of Big Bear Lake. The valley includes a cluster of related communities, such as Moonridge, Sugarloaf, and Erwin Lake, each with its own character within the larger Big Bear Valley. Development is low-density and heavily treed, with cabins and homes tucked among the pines. There is no single downtown core; commercial activity clusters along the main highways, while residential areas spread into the forest and along the lake's eastern shore.

Lifestyle in Big Bear City

Big Bear City offers a four-season mountain lifestyle rare in Southern California. Winter centers on skiing and snowboarding at Snow Summit and Bear Mountain, while summer shifts to boating, fishing, and watersports on Big Bear Lake and hiking and mountain biking in the forest. The community has a relaxed, outdoors-oriented character, with a resort economy of lodges, cabins, restaurants, and outfitters supporting both visitors and year-round residents. The high-elevation setting brings real seasons, including snowfall, and a pace of life tied to the mountains rather than the freeways below.

Schools & Education

Big Bear City is served by the Bear Valley Unified School District, which operates the elementary, middle, and high schools that educate students across the Big Bear Valley, including the communities around Big Bear Lake. The district serves the mountain region's year-round families and is a key institution for a community located far from the valley-floor school systems. For higher education, residents rely on colleges and universities in the Inland Empire and the broader Southern California region, reachable by mountain highways.

Getting Around

Big Bear City is reached by State Highways 18 and 38, the mountain routes that climb from the San Bernardino and Redlands areas into the Big Bear Valley. The roughly 27-mile drive from San Bernardino follows winding, high-elevation roads that can require chains during winter storms, making travel seasonal and weather-dependent. Within the valley, travel is auto-dependent, and there is no rail or fixed-route transit. Residents and visitors alike depend on private vehicles, with the mountain setting defining both the journey and the destination.

Parks & Recreation

Recreation in Big Bear City runs on two seasons. Winter brings skiing and snowboarding at Snow Summit and Bear Mountain, part of Big Bear Mountain Resort, with terrain parks, lessons, and après-ski life in the valley. Summer turns to Big Bear Lake, where boating, fishing, paddleboarding, and swimming anchor the season, while the San Bernardino National Forest offers hundreds of miles of hiking, mountain biking, and camping. The Pacific Crest Trail passes nearby, and the area's golf, zip-lining, and scenic rides round out a year-round outdoor menu.

MARKET SNAPSHOT

The Market at a Glance

How homes have been selling here over the last 90 days.

home_work New This Week 34

Went Under Contract 1

trending_down Price Reductions 0

payments Median Sale Price $427,400 +14.0%

square_foot Price per Sq Ft $335

schedule Avg Days on Market 63

sell Homes Sold 55

percent Sale-to-List Ratio 99.0%

inventory_2 Months of Inventory 16.6

Price & Sales History

Market data reflects closed sales over the last 90 days and is provided for informational purposes.

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