Big Bear Jeep Adventure: Scenic Hike to Hidden Lake
5.0
32 Ratings
Big Bear Lake
Embark on a scenic hike to Hidden Lake Bluff Lake, a hidden gem in Big Bear Lake. Join a local tour guide for a Jeep adventure and explore the beautiful hiking areas of Big Bear Lake.
Duration:
2 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Bluff Lake Reserve - Bluff Lake is a hidden Big Bear secret. Some locals who have lived in Big Bear for 15 years don’t even know it’s here! It is by far the most gorgeous place in Big Bear to spend a morning in nature.
- Champion Lodgepole Pine - A morning at Bluff Lake is the best way to spend a day in Big Bear no matter what season it is! Our tour starts with a drive up to Bluff Lake Reserve in my SUV. Spring through fall I lead hikers on tours all over Bluff Lake, the upper portion of Castle Rock and Skyline Trail. The easy version of this hike is about a two-mile hike over the mostly flat ground, not much altitude gain. This is a great hike for kids. We can even stop on the hike and I’ll teach kids a bit about our local butterflies and instruct them on the best technic to photograph butterflies. We will hike over to our Champion Lodgepole Pine; Which is the oldest and largest tree in our national forest. If you want to do the moderate hike to upper Castle Rock (Castle Rock is the most popular trail in the Big Bear Valley), this hike is available the same pricing. Us locals prefer to hike a less traveled trail starting from the top near Bluff Lake to Castle Rock. It’s prettier and not a crowded hike. This hike has a lot more altitude gain and is about 4 miles round trip.
What's Included
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Local Guide
Additional Information
Bluff Lake is a concealed treasure in Big Bear, known for its breathtaking beauty. Surprisingly, numerous Big Bear residents are unaware of its presence, tucked three miles away up a secluded dirt road. Embarking on this secret wilderness lake journey with a local guide is an excellent approach to explore some of Big Bear Lake’s most aesthetically appealing hiking trails. Your group will be gathered in my Jeep and I will chauffeur you up the forest trail, introducing you to the flora we encounter and the fascinating chronicle of the Big Bear Valley. Upon hitting the Bluff Lake Reserve, we will indulge in one of the most picturesque hikes in Big Bear Lake. This trek is amenable to strollers, catering to those who wish to bring along young children.
Location
40101 Mill Creek Rd
Mill Creek Road
Guests will meet me at the junction of Mill Creek Road and Tulip Lane, on the south side of Big Bear Lake. There is room to park your car there on the dirt shoulder of the road. I will drive us up the dirt road through the pine forest in my SUV to where the hike begins.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(32 Ratings)
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Tvelasco
Nov 22, 2023
Excellent experience - We had such a fun time with Amber. She was very knowledgeable on Bluff Lake and her hot chocolate was amazing. We were even able to see a pack of wolves. We would definitely come again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Joona910
Oct 29, 2023
Definitely returning! 10/10 - Amber was an excellent guide!
The views and historical significance were astonishing! She provided us with delicious pumpkin spice coffee after our hike was over. And, she also provided us with delicious apples as gifts!!
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Travelerz507wg
Oct 10, 2023
Bluff Lake is a Must See Gem - Amber is an awesome guide. She shows up in a very comfortable modern Jeep, not what we were expecting. We drove five miles on a dirt road through a beautiful forest area with huge rock formations. The first thing you see arriving at Bluff Lake is an early 1900’s cabin used by the ranch owners of the area. We were amazed at how untouched Bluff Lake appears. A true unknown gem in Big Bear. We walked a simple trail around the lake. We even saw the oldest lodge pole pine tree in California. We highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Barbara
Oct 8, 2023
Amber is Fabulous! - What a perfect hike. The weather was crisp and sunny and our hike was beautiful. We highly recommended this experience with Amber to anyone who loves a simple relatively short hike with beautiful scenery.
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Deannahg8020pk
Oct 1, 2023
Beautiful Scenery - Very enjoyable tour! Amber was a friendly, knowledgeable, and experienced guide!
This experience was filled with amazing views!!
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I7757yokarenl
Sep 29, 2023
Bluff Lake Reserve Hike - Amber was friendly and very knowledgeable about the Big Bear Area. She’s also great driver and the pumpkin spice coffee was awesome. It was a great hike, beautiful scenery and perfect weather. Our dog loved it too!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mobile54986728676
Sep 29, 2023
Hike with Amber as your guide it will be amazing!!! - I throughly enjoyed this hiking experience with Amber right from the start! She showed us some really interesting and beautiful places and explained the history to us very well. We were not rushed at anytime and we’re able to take some amazing, beautiful pictures that possibly would have been missed if we hiking alone. And the trail that she took us on was was spectacular!! Her personality fit is like a glove. I didn’t want the hike to end because of having such a great time. I would definitely go on many more hikes with Amber as our guide and would recommend her to my friends and family as a must do on their trip to Big Bear. 🩷
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sabrinajohnson574
Sep 27, 2023
Hidden Gem - My friend and I took the 2 hour jeep and hike combined tour with Amber.. Amber was an excellent tour guide, very knowledgeable about wildlife and the history of Bluff Lake.
She had a great knowledge base of all of the wildlife that is there and all of the different types of flowers and trees that are common in the big bear area.
Amber from the time we reached out to her via email to set up a date and time to meet her for the tour, she was very responsive and got back to us right way. She gave a plethora of information on the tour, and we left after the two hours feeling like we made a new friend.
I especially enjoyed her passion for what she does, she glows when she talks about nature.
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488hll
Sep 4, 2023
Bluff Lake family hike - Our family had a great time hiking and seeing the beautiful views of Bluff Lake with our tour guide, Amber.
Amber picked us up from the meeting point, showed us around and shared her knowledge with us. She was personable, enthusiastic and informative. To cap off the tour, she gave us hot chocolate & lemonade as refreshments. We had a wonderful time exploring the trail. We highly recommend Amber, and we would most likely do another tour with Amber when we are back in town!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mikeai6508ud
Aug 14, 2023
A must do for your trip in Big Bear! - Amber was a great tour guide. Very knowledgeable about the area and the history of big bear. Great tour for families or couples looking for beautiful scenery and great hiking trails.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
