Bear Valley Village is a wonderful place to get away into the mountains and still have everything you need right at hand. The village is located about 25 miles Northeast from Arnold, California, at a little over 7000 feet. I’m not sure what makes it so special, but everything in Bear Valley always seems to be more more relaxed and friendly than other similar mountain resorts. The Village, and all its amenities are open year-around.
In the summer and fall, Bear Valley is a great place to come to go fishing, paddling, bicycle riding, hiking, 4-wheeling, motorcycle riding, or just plain sitting around, doing nothing, relaxing! In the winter and early spring, this is an awesome place to come for cross country skiing, downhill skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, snowmobiling, or just plain sitting around, doing nothing, relaxing!
As you turn left into the village off of Highway 4, almost immediately on you’re left, you’ll see the Bear Valley Cross Country Ski and Adventure Company. In addition to the gas station you can see outside, the store offers a nice selection of snacks and beverages as well as seasonally appropriate gear and clothing. In the summer you can rent or buy bicycles (road and mountain) and kayaks. They also offer a variety of gear and clothing for hiking, paddling, and cycling.
In the winter, the shop pulls a bit of a cameleon act and transforms itself into a cross country ski rental and equipment shop. They also build and maintain one of the finest groomed cross country trail systems in the Sierras right on the other side of Higway 4. You can rent all the gear you need and buy your trail pass for the cross country ski trails in the shop. You can also get a pass, and equipment here for their awesome sledding hills, or snowshoe trails.
Make sure and visit their website and stop by when you come up the mountain!
Just a bit further down the road, on the left, you’ll see the Bear Valley Snowmobile shop. They sell and rent snowmobiles. I’ve not done it yet myself but have heard from others that it’s a blast!
Next, we will be coming into Bear Valley Village, and the Bear Valley Lodge will be on your right. Conveniently, particularly in winter months, under the same roof you’ll also discover a variety of places to shop and eat. The lodge itself is a beautiful, old fashioned mountain lodge. It has a large common area with lots of cozy places to curl up and read a book with an immense fireplace. There are also 53 guest rooms at the lodge. Check out their website to learn more or make reservations.
If you’d prefer, you can also rent cabins or condominiums in the area through Bear Valley Vacation Rentals.
You can enter the enclosed area with all of the other shops, restaurants, etc, either through the Lodge’s lobby, or by going around the back of the building. There are a number of signs around showing where various businesses are located.
The general store carries a nice selection of groceries, beer, and wine as well as some dry goods. In the summer there may be some local competition from the Lake Alpine general store, but in the winter the nearest alternate is 18 miles down the mountain in Camp Connell.
The Bear Valley ski area is a couple more miles north east on highway 4. It’s very popular in the winter, but closed after the ski season. However, there’s still plenty to do in the area. Right across the street (not across the highway) from the Bear Valley Cross Country and Adventure company, there is a Disc Golf course that’s open to the public. Just 3 miles further up Highway 4, there’s Lake Alpine, and there are many hiking and mountain biking trails in the area.
I hope that you decide to come up and enjoy the peaceful beauty that the Bear Valley has to offer as a destination! Remember to check out their website.
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