Big Bear Lake is a large reservoir in the San Bernardino Mountains of California. It sits at 6,743 feet above sea level and is fed only by rain and snow. The lake is about seven miles long and up to 2.5 miles wide, with its deepest point reaching 72 feet. The Old Bear Valley Dam was built in 1884 and is now a California Historical Landmark.
The area has been home to the Serrano people for around 2,500 years. They called it Yuhaviat, meaning Pine Place, and lived in small villages near water. They ate plants, acorns, and local game and viewed grizzly bears as ancestors. Several nearby towns carry names that reflect this Native history.In the mid 1800s, European settlers reached the area. Benjamin Wilson, a rancher and official, led a search party into the mountains to find Native groups accused of raiding ranches. During the trip he discovered a valley full of bears and named it Bear Valley. A nearby seasonal marsh was called Big Bear Lake, though today that spot is known as Baldwin Lake. Wilson’s group hunted many bears and brought back numerous pelts on their return.









