Area Overview

Boulder Bay

 

Most of the roads are a bit curvy and the sometimes steep terrain changes add texture to the neighborhoods. Set between the lake and the national forest, most of the homes have views of the lake or of the awesome piles of boulders that define the area.  

• Beautiful boulders/piles of boulders
• Houses built into the hillsides and around boulders
• Lake views, lakefront, docks
• Public lake access at many points
• National forest boundary
• Easy access to down the hill

Natural Surroundings

The beautiful bays—Boulder Bay and Papoose Bay—weave the shoreline on the lake here.  China Island sits just to the west. There are many fishing spots along the curved shoreline and the catch is trout, carp and sometimes catfish. The lake is freshly stocked with trout every year. It is easy to catch a nice view of shorebirds and water fowl, such as great blue herons, sea gulls, white pelicans, Canada geese, coots, many varieties of ducks—mallards, wood ducks, grebes, teals, mergansers and gadwalls–bald eagles and ospreys.  

On the forest side, trails are accessible all along the boundary, including the very popular Castle Rock trail. The majority of the forest trees are Jeffrey pines on this western end of the valley and the forest floor has many wildflowers in the spring and early summer. This area, along with Fawnskin, gets the most snow each winter, and on this south side of the lake, in the shade of the mountains, the snow lasts longer and stays deeper than anywhere else in the valley.  

Home Facts

  

• Every style and size, many older homes
• Government lease cabins

Things to Do

• Visit the Dam Keeper’s house
• Visit China Island
  • Fishing:
  • Many individual spots just east of the dam
• Hiking/biking Trails:
  • Castle Rock Trail
• Marinas:
  • Pleasure Point Marina
• Parks/Picnic areas:
  • Boulder Bay Park – picnic area, lake access
• Camps/conference centers:
  • YMCA Camp (in Boulder Bay)
  • Sacred Heart Retreat Camp

Historical Tidbits

Big Bear Lake was created in 1885 when a rock dam was built at the west end of the Valley.  The current dam was built in 1912.  Portions of the dam keeper’s house still stand just east of the dam.  In 1887, the lake was stocked with 10,000 trout.  

Utilities

• Electricity:
  • Bear Valley Electric
  • 42020 Garstin Dr
  • Big Bear Lake, CA 92315
  • (909) 866-4678
  • www.bves.com

• Gas:
  • Southwest Gas Corporation
  • 40844 Big Bear Boulevard
  • Big Bear Lake, CA 92315
  • (909) 866-4656
  • www.swgas.com

• Water:
  • Big Bear Lake Department of Water and Power
  • 41972 Garstin Dr. / P.O. Box 10000
  • Big Bear Lake, CA 92315
  • 909-866-5050
  • www.citybigbearlake.com/cityGovt/dw

• Telephone:
  • Verizon Communications
  • (800) 837-4966
  • www.verizon.com

• Sewer:
  • (included as a tax bill assessment)
  • City of Big Bear Lake Public Works
  • P.O. Box 10000
  • Big Bear Lake, CA 92315
  • 909-866-7521
  • www.citybigbearlake.com/cityGovt/publicWorks

• Trash:
  • Big Bear Disposal
  • 909-866-3942

Schools

• Big Bear Elementary School
• (Grades K-6)
• 40940 Pennsylvania Avenue/ PO Box 1627
• Big Bear Lake, CA 92315
• TEL: (909) 866-4638
• www.bigbear.k12.ca.us

• Big Bear Middle School
• (Grades 7-8 )
• 41275 Big Bear Blvd. / PO Box 1607
• Big Bear Lake, CA 92315
• TEL: (909) 866-4634
• http://bbms.bigbear.k12.ca.us/

• Big Bear High School
• (Grades 9-12 )
• 351 Maple Lane / PO Box 1708
• Big Bear Lake, CA 92315
• TEL: (909) 585-6892
• www.bigbear.k12.ca.us/bbhs

• Chautauqua High School (Continuation)
• (Grades 9-12)
• 525 Maple Lane / PO Box 1815
• Sugarloaf, CA / Big Bear Lake, CA 92315
• TEL: (909) 585-2521
• www.bigbear.k12.ca.us/cths