Feriehus i Bow Canyon

I'll meet my guests at one of a few different scenic autumn colors areas; Either at the golf range for the hike that starts nearby or at the Aspen Glen Picnic Area (A forest adventure pass is required to park at Aspen Glen and can be purchased from most local business, or you can park on neighborhood streets for free and I can show you where to park for free) Wherever the fall colors are peaking on that particular day, I will lead you up the leave covered trail and into the oak forest where you can trek through the fall colors. Most of these hikes do go uphill so it's not classified as an easy hike but if you are a beginning hiker or have kids joining us we can hike at a slow pace; Whatever pace you prefer, after all, it is your hiking experience. Both these trails have amazing views of Big Bear Lake as you climb higher into the forest. We will hike as many or as few miles as you would like. I will show you a few other great photo opportunities along the way. If you wish to bring dogs on this hike, please do! I love dogs and I bring my pup with me on the hike when my guests are okay with my furry friend. Other things to note This is a moderate hike and you will have a better time if you are prepared to at least hike three miles, although I will make the hike as easy or hard as your skill set.

We will be hiking a section of the Pacific Crest Trail. This trail was built by the USFS in the 40’s. It runs from Mexico to Canada, and comes through our beautiful town. This is a favorite section with gorgeous desert views, awesome looks down into Holcomb Valley, that turn into lake views as you continue. The lake views are stunning from this section. Depending on the time of year you visit us, there will be wildflowers, you will see horses in the meadows below, hopefully even catch a sighting of Big Bear’s famous burros left over from the gold mining days. In the distance you will see active mines, although no gold today, we will tell you the stories of days past. This area is rich with Big Bear Valley history. We will complete a “section hike” of the PCT, and try to imagine what it’s like to hike the whole 2600 miles up to Canada. Imagine what that original settlement must have looked like with children playing and moms working while the dads were in the mines. We will begin the hike in Van Dusen Canyon meeting at the trailhead on Van Dusen Canyon Road. A short up hill area as we begin then the trail walks the ridge, winding from back desert views to front lake views. The trail takes you behind Bertha’s Peak as the forest opens up to some of the best views in Big Bear Lake! A round trip hike is almost 5 miles but the awesome views make it feel like 2. Other things to note Fitness level doesn’t matter on my hikes. The minute you book, it becomes your hike. You set the pace, and the breaks. No hike is to slow. If you are in a hurry I’m down for a great workout too!

A morning at Bluff Lake is the best way to spend a day in Big Bear no matter what season it is! Spring through fall I lead hikers on tours all over Bluff Lake, the upper portion of Castle Rock and Skyline Trail. This hike can be modified for how easy or hard you want your hiking experience to be and as many miles/hours on the trail you want. The easy version of this hike is an hour, 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. 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. I also offer longer 3-5 hour hikes (and they are a higher fee. Inquire for pricing) and I also host beginner mountain bike rides. (2-3 hours in the saddle) Message me for more info or any questions you may have but really, the type of hike we do is up to you and your fellow hikers and how easy or hard (Or fun!) you want your hiking expirence to be. Other things to note This is a high elevation hike. The hike starts around 7,600 feet and you can get sunburnt quicker at these altitudes so high SPF sunscreen is a must.

Guests will meet me behind Baldwin Lake in a neighborhood where there is lots of trail parking. I will lead guests on a locals tour along the Pacific Crest Trail and hopefully, we will get to interact with Big Bear’s wild burros (from a safe distance) I see wild burros here in the morning 8 out of 10 times I hike here. I will take my guests on the best route to hopefully see Big Bear's wild burros. Guests who are joining me on this hike mid-April-May don't be surprised if we meet friendly PCT Thru-hikers on our journey on the PCT! These hikers hike 2,650 miles in a season as they follow the trail from Mexico to Canada. Pretty wild cactus flowers are in bloom in the springtime along this trail; If the cactus are in bloom, I’ll even harvest a cactus blossom snack for my guests. Or we might stop to try other edible plants of the San Bernardino National Forest. If you choose to hike the trail with me in February or March there may still be small patches of snow on the trail. There are many great photo opportunities along this section of the trail. If we are lucky we willget to even see wild donkeys hanging out trailside. This hike is pretty easy, good for kids, not a lot of elevation gain. I see donkeys 8 out of every 10 times I hike here but seeing the wild donkeys is not guaranteed. Other things to note Dogs are invited on this hike but I recommend they be leashes. There are rattlesnakes on this trail. If guests are interested in a longer tour of the PCT I offer that also. Ask about pricing.

What’s better than a snowy day playing in freshly fallen snow in the Big Bear wilderness? If your adventure guide brings cocktails of course! Aside from being your nature guide on this trip into the best place for you and your family to play in the snow, I also provide Bailey’s with coffee for the adults. Which is my favorite thing to drink while frolicking in the snow. Our tour begins at a snowy place in the Big Bear Valley. This can be a different location based on how much snow we have on a particular day. From there I will guide you to one of the prettiest snowy wilderness areas for great family photos, a short snowy hike and snow play. All these places are a local's secret & for the most part not crowded. In these times of Covid it's a safer alternative to crowded snow play areas with tons of tourists. There’s a great little hike we can do to an amazing viewpoint to get snowy family photos to start the tour. It’s about half a mile each way. From there I will show you some nice hills for sledding and pretty areas for snow play. I’ll hang out with your group for an hour to an hour and a half to answer any questions you might have about the Big Bear area and show you the best places to play in the snow, take great photos with snowy views etc. Dogs are welcome on this hike. Please bring your own sleds. (I do not provide sleds as they often break)