Frequently Answered Questions

WHAT GROCERY STORES ARE NEARBY?

We have 2 large grocery stores in Big Bear: Vons and Stater Brothers. They are located 5 miles from The Outpost and directly across from each other on Big Bear Blvd.
Vons (42170 Big Bear Blvd.) is open from 6 am – 11 pm daily and Stater Brothers (42171 Big Bear Blvd.) is open from 6 am – 11 pm daily.

Exit The Outpost, take a right onto North Shore Drive. Turn right at Stanfield Cutoff. Turn right at Big Bear Blvd and drive to the markets.

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IS THERE ANYTHING WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE?

There sure is! We have a great convenience store right here in Fawnskin. Exit The Outpost and take a right. The Fawnskin Market (39187 North Shore Drive) is less than a half mile down North Shore Drive on the right and is open from 9am – 8 pm daily. Inside, you'll find just about everything you need ... an ATM; fishing equipment, bait and licenses; snow boots, beanies and gloves; firewood; Fawnskin and Big Bear Lake souvenirs; a wide selection of alcohol, juices and beverages; snacks, basic food supplies and toiletries.

WHAT RESTAURANTS DO YOU RECOMMEND?

Fawnskin has one great restaurant, the North Shore Cafe, which is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday for breakfast and lunch. Take a right out of The Outpost and the cafe is about a half mile down North Shore Blvd/Hwy 38 on the left. Tell the owners, Barbara and Richard, that we sent you their way!
Check out their menu here: www.northshorecafe.com

In Big Bear Lake, there are too many great restaurants to list them all.
But here are a few of our favorites, and all are within a 15-minute drive of The Outpost.

Maggio's Pizza is great for quick Italian, eat in or take out:
42160 Big Bear Blvd. / 909-866-8815
www.maggiospizza.com

Azteca is one of our favorite Mexican spots, with great margaritas and tons of personality:
40199 Big Bear Blvd. / (909) 866-2350
www.aztecabigbear.com

Stella Luna is a new, farm-to-table breakfast and lunch spot with beachy vibes:
40696 Village Drive / 916.718.5432
www.stellalunarestaurant.com

Amangela's is home to the best bagels and vegan chili in town:
40729 Village Drive / 909-878-0015
www.amangelas.com

The Pines is a quiet, upscale dining experience. The Pines Tavern next door is located right on the lake:
350 Alden Road / (909) 866-5400
www.thepineslakefront.com

Oakside Restaurant + Bar features great indoor and outdoor dining and upscale, yet casual dining:
40701 Village Drive / (909) 866-5555
www.oaksiderestaurant.com

Hacienda Grill is another favorite Mexican spot and one of our favorite local sports bars:
41787 Big Bear Blvd. / (909) 866-8667
www.haciendagrill.net

Santana & Mavericks has the biggest menu(s) in town (GF, vegetarian, vegan, meat lovers):
40771 Big Bear Blvd. / (909) 878-0047
www.santanamavericksbarandgrill.com

DOES BIG BEAR LAKE HAVE TAKEOUT OR DELIVERY?

Lots of restaurants do takeout orders, but few deliver. We don't have apps like GrubHub or Postmates on the mountain, but Domino's Pizza delivers (wait times on weekends can be extensive):
www.pizza.dominos.com

For takeout, we love Royal Thai and Masala Craft Indian Cuisine, both located in Big Bear Village:
www.royalthaicafebigbear.com
www.masalacraftinindiancuisine.com

We also have Big Bear Takeout & Delivery, a third-party food delivery service that works with many of the restaurants in town. Wait times typically run at least one hour, so plan accordingly:
www.bigbeartakeout.com

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WHERE CAN I FIND THE LOCAL WEATHER AND ROAD CONDITIONS?

The weather in Big Bear Lake is always changing. And while you can get a good overall look at the week's weather at weather.com or on any app on your phone, the best weather report for the area is courtesy of
local meteorologist Ben Brisse and is found at www.bensweather.com

Between November and April, it's always a good idea to carry snow chains with you, no matter if you drive a 2WD or 4WD/AWD vehicle. When the road conditions call for R2 restrictions, all 2WD vehicles must have snow chains on drive wheels and 4WD vehicles must have snow tires. During R3 restrictions, all vehicles must have snow chains on, no exceptions.
For current road conditions, check out www.socalmountains.com

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I LOVE HIKING! WHAT ARE SOME GREAT HIKES NEAR THE OUTPOST?

For beginner hikers or those of you who want to take an easy, beautiful stroll while learning about the area, we love the Woodland Trail 1 ½-mile Interpretive Loop, located just west of the Stanfield Cutoff in Fawnskin. Follow this handy guide while you walk:
www.fs.usda.gov

For a longer, out-and-back hike that's not too strenuous, we love the 5.5-mile roundtrip Cougar Crest Trail. It ends at the Pacific Crest Trail and features gorgeous views of Big Bear Lake. To extend this hike, take a right at the PCT and continue on for a couple miles before starting your return trip:
www.alltrails.com

For a more advanced hike, Gray's Peak Trail is located within walking distance of the lodge
(take a left onto North Shore Drive out of our entrance) and is six miles roundtrip:
www.fs.usda.gov

FYI: Gray's Peak Trail trail is closed in winter and spring during nesting season for our local bald eagles,
Jackie and Shadow, who hatched an eaglet, Spirit, in March 2022. Check them out on their live nest cam here:
Watch the Eagles

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME FOR FISHING?

Big Bear Lake features year-round fishing from shore, and two public boat launches that are open from April to November, as well as multiple marinas that feature boat rentals and fishing charters. Fishing requires a license that can be purchased at the marinas, many sporting goods stores and our local Fawnskin market. Boats require a permit (season, multi-day and day permits are available) and all boats must be inspected for Quagga mussels. Big Bear Lake is stocked with
bass, trout, panfish and catfish.
Visit www.BBMWD.com for more info.

THE OUTPOST IS DOG FRIENDLY.
IS THERE A LOCAL DOG PARK?

Depending on your pup's fitness and experience, you can bring him or her on most hikes in the area and on the alpine pedal path on the north shore of the lake. But there is also a great dog park next to Ski Beach on the Southeast side of the lake at 41220 Park Avenue.
(There's also a great playground right next door!) Check out the dog park online at: www.bigbearparks.com

DOES BIG BEAR LAKE HAVE AN AIRPORT?

Yes, but the Big Bear City Airport is used only for private flights. You can visit their website at www.bigbearcityairport.com
There's a great restaurant located inside the airport, though! Check out the menu for The Barnstorm here: www.barnstormrestaurantonline.com

SO, WHICH AIRPORT SHOULD I FLY INTO?

Ontario (California!) International Airport - ONT - is 55 miles from The Outpost and takes around 1:15 door to door. The airport offers a full slate of car rentals and is a hub for Delta and American airlines. The Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) is 1:45 from The Outpost and LAX (Los Angeles International Airport) is a two-hour drive.

HOW DO I CHECK IN WHEN I ARRIVE AT THE OUTPOST?

Check-in is any time after 3 pm and checkout is any time before 11 am. Please contact our office if you'd like to request an early check-in or late checkout and we will do our best to accommodate you. We use keyless entry and we will provide you with the code to your cabin on the day of your arrival.

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DOES BIG BEAR HAVE A DOWNHILL MOUNTAIN BIKE PARK IN THE SUMMER?

It does! During the summer months, Snow Summit becomes a downhill mountain bike park and features a variety of single-track trails and more than 1,200 feet of vertical drop. The park features a diverse mix of natural and manmade features
including step-ups, berms and bridges to challenge riders of all levels.

There's also great cross-country trails all around Big Bear Valley that crisscross through the San Bernardino Mountains. Several sporting goods stores rent mountain bikes, as does Summit Mountain, if you don't feel like traveling with yours. The mountain also offers mountain bike lessons, as well as daily or season passes. www.bigbearmountainresort.com

I HEAR THE BIG BEAR VALLEY HAS GREAT OFF-ROAD AND DIRTBIKE TRAILS.
HOW DO I NAVIGATE THEM?

If you want a self-guided adventure, trail maps are available at the Big Bear Visitor's Center
on Big Bear Boulevard, across from the village:
www.bigbear.com

We love Big Bear Off-Road Experience for full-service, guided Jeep and side-by-side tours
around the San Bernardino Mountains:
www.bigbearoffroadexperience.com

If you want to experience the high desert in a Polaris RZR side-by-side,
check out Happy Trails in Lucerne Valley:
www.happytrailsrental.com

Give us a call for guided dirtbike and dual sport rides!

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I'D LOVE TO RENT A PONTOON BOAT OR HIRE A BOAT TO TAKE ME WATER SKIING OR WAKEBOARDING. WHERE CAN I DO THAT?

Captain John's Fawn Harbor and Marina:
(909) 866-6478 / 39369 North Shore Drive

North Shore Landing:
(909) 866-4386 / 38573 North Shore Drive

Pine Knot Marina:
(909) 633-7511 / 439 Pine Knot Avenue

Pleasure Point Marina:
(909) 866-2455 / 603 Landlock Landing

Holloway's Marina:
398 Edgemoor Road / (909) 866-5706

WHAT ABOUT STAND-UP PADDLEBOARDS
AND KAYAK RENTALS?

Big Bear Kayak Rentals in Boulder Bay:
(909) 878-3155 / 39158 Big Bear Blvd.

Big Bear Outdoor Adventures:
(909) 878-3155 / 510 Knickerbocker Road

Paddles and Pedals:
(909) 936-2907 / 40545 North Shore Lane

WHERE CAN I BUY GREAT, LOCAL GIFTS?

Tons of gift shops are located in the downtown village at Big Bear Lake. But we'd love for you to start by shopping locally in Fawnskin. Old Chair Photography Lab – right around the corner from The Outpost – is the perfect place to start. Owners Rick and Amy curate an incredible selection of locally sourced gifts, photography, art and provisions. In fact, we feature their gorgeous artwork in our cabins!

714.913.0612 / 9185 North Shore Drive
www.oldchairphotographylab.com

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WHAT IF I NEED TO SEE A DOCTOR?

There is an Urgent Care center in Big Bear Lake and an ER at Big Bear Hospital. If you need basic supplies like headache or cold medicine, crutches or ankle wraps, there is a CVS and a Walgreens on Big Bear Boulevard, about 15 minutes from the lodge.

Big Bear Urgent Care:
(909) 878-3696 / 41949 Big Bear Blvd.
www.urgentcarebigbear.com

Bear Valley Hospital:
(909) 866-6501 / 41870 Garstin Drive
www.bearvalleycommunityhospital.com

CVS: 42136 Big Bear Blvd. / (909) 878-0060

Walgreens: 42107 Big Bear Blvd. / (909) 866-1076

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WHAT IF I NEED TO DO LAUNDRY?

We don't offer in-cabin laundry at The Outpost, but there's a great laundromat located in the
Interlaken Shopping Center next to Vons, about a 10-minute drive from our lodge.

Frequently Answered Questions

IS THERE ANYTHING WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE?

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME FOR FISHING?

THE OUTPOST IS DOG FRIENDLY. IS THERE A LOCAL DOG PARK?

DOES BIG BEAR LAKE HAVE AN AIRPORT?

SO, WHICH AIRPORT SHOULD I FLY INTO?

I'D LOVE TO RENT A PONTOON BOAT OR HIRE A BOAT TO TAKE ME WATER SKIING OR WAKEBOARDING. WHERE CAN I DO THAT?

WHAT ABOUT STAND-UP PADDLEBOARDS AND KAYAK RENTALS?

THE OUTPOST IS DOG FRIENDLY.
IS THERE A LOCAL DOG PARK?

WHAT ABOUT STAND-UP PADDLEBOARDS
AND KAYAK RENTALS?