56. Big Bear Lake

Length:	10 miles round trip
Hiking time:	8 hours or overnight
High point:	5,800 feet
Total elevation gain:	2,850 feet
Difficulty:	moderate
Season:	mid-June through mid-October
Water:	plentiful along most of the route; purify first
Maps:	USGS Tangle Blue Lake, USFS Trinity Alps Wilderness
Information:	Weaverville Ranger District, Shasta-Trinity National Forest

Granite-ringed Big Bear Lake makes a good overnight backpack trip: A variety of plants line the trail on the way up, you'll love the lake's clear waters and steep glacial cirque, and it's easily accessible from Highway 3.

Take the northern end of Bear Creek Loop Road, which leaves the west side of Highway 3 about 16 miles north of Trinity Center. Follow this dirt road to the signed trailhead, which is near the road's crossing of Bear Creek.

The trail begins the long climb to Big Bear Lake in a forest of incense cedar, Douglas fir, and ponderosa pine and travels close to Bear Creek for the first mile. At 0.9 mile you'll see a stock trail heading to the right. Continue straight another 200 yards and take a footbridge across the creek. The trail then switchbacks steeply up a ridge between Bear Creek and the smaller stream you just crossed. Manzanita and huckleberry oak, two common chaparral shrubs, line and occasionally intrude onto the path, while numerous black oak and an occasional stand of knobcone pine provide some shade.

Approach the creek again at 2.1 miles, then begin alternating between a mixed white fir and western white pine forest and lush open patches with numerous ferns. The first open views of the glacial granite cirques harboring Big Bear Lake, your destination, and cousins Little Bear Lake and Wee Bear Lake, appear at 3.1 miles.

From here, the occasionally steep route passes through numerous moist areas inhabited by mountain alder, ferns, and some western azalea. At 4.6 miles the trail crosses granite outcrops, where rock ducks (cairns) guide you. Be sure to look back for an exquisite eastward view of Mount Shasta.

At 5 miles you finally reach Big Bear Lake, where steep granite walls tower over 1,000 feet on the south, west, and north sides. You'll find good deep spots for swimming by walking to the steep granite on the east shore. Several adequate campsites, most shaded by mountain hemlock, western white pine, and red fir, sit above the lake on both sides of the outlet creek.