Dog Friendly Big Bear California Itinerary

Use this itinerary for an adventure both you and your dog will love in the beautiful Big Bear, California!

My dog, Ramsey, and I experienced Big Bear as a day trip from Palm Springs which is around 1.5 hours of drive time. Big Bear is also close to LA and San Diego, so it is a great day trip option from those cities as well. This itinerary is for recommended for a warm day in late Spring, summer or fall. I went in mid-September, which gave me temperatures in the 60s to low 70s. The itinerary has 3 parts:

1. Hiking at Castle Rock
2. Lunch in The Village of Big Bear
3. Kayaking Big Bear Lake

Keep reading for all the tips you need for an adventure-filled day with your pup in Big Bear, California.

Itinerary Part 1: Hiking Castle Rock trail

Castle Rock trail is the best trail for beautiful views of Big Bear lake as well as several cool looking boulders. It’s short enough to leave plenty of time for parts 2 and 3 of this adventure, but steep enough to tire you pup before putting him or her on a kayak (I personally prefer a calm dog on a kayak with me).

It’s a very popular hike, so be prepared for crowds on weekends. Ramsey and I were lucky enough to go on a random Wednesday morning, so we only had a few others on the trail with us.

Quick facts to know before hiking Castle Rock Trail with your dog

Difficulty: Moderate (short, but steep)

The trail is pretty easy to follow at the beginning, but gets a little confusing towards the top. I’m typically pretty bad at navigation, so of course I lost the trail. Luckily there are several blue spray painted markers that can help.

Distance: 2-2.5 miles total- out and back trail

Elevation gain: 500ft – with rock scrambling and steep hills

The steep, sandy hills and rock scrambling should be considered when it comes to safety. There were several times I had to Ramsey up to get him over or off of a rock during some of the scrambling. Luckily, he is light weight and pretty athletic. He is also good about not pulling me on his leash, but if your dog pulls (especially if you have a large dog), this could be dangerous on the way back.

Where to park: One of the turn outs along highway 18

If you type in Castle Rock Trail in google maps, it will get you to the trailhead. There is a turn out just after the trailhead on the lake side which will be your best option for parking. It’s a small area, so it might be full on a busy day. I did see one car parked right next to the trail, but there was only enough space for one vehicle. There are more turnouts throughout highway 18 as backup parking options. Many of the parks and hiking areas in southern California require one of the following paid passes (linked in case you want more information or to purchase for another hike): Adventure pass or America the Beautiful. However, parking at the Castle Rock turnout does NOT require a pass 🙂

Itinerary Part 2: Lunch at The Village in Big Bear

Before taking on the next adventure, it’s time to relax and get some food.

Parking:

The Village at Big Bear Lake is just down the street from the Veteran’s Park (where the kayak launch is for Part 3). I recommend parking in the lot for Veteran’s park (it’s also a church parking lot) and walking over to the Village. If you take a right out of the church/veterans park parking lot. You’ll come to a big sign on the left hand side. You can’t miss it. If you prefer, the village also has several parking lots that are free during the day (until dusk) as well as street parking.

The Village at Big Bear Lake:

This is a nicely walkable area with several shops, restaurants, breweries and bars including many pet-friendly patios. Ramsey and I stopped at 572 social for their large patio and delicious menu. Try the Ahi Tuna tacos! They are the bomb! They do have a couple of items for dogs on their menu as well.

Itinerary Part 3: Kayaking on big bear lake

Kayak Rental:

I rented my kayak from getboards.com (they also rent paddle boards, bicycles, skis and snowboards). Their kayaks are dog friendly with the option to rent a dog life jacket for $8 (human life jacket included and required). Get Boards Ride Shop has 2 locations- Veterans Park and Boulder Bay Park. Boulder Bay was closed for the season when I went (it looked like a pretty paddle from what I could tell driving by!). I rented from the Veteran’s Park location- Store address: 40905 Big Bear Blvd, Big Bear Lake, CA 92315. The store is across the street from the Veterans Memorial Park parking lot (also a church parking lot). Go into the store to pay for your rental and get your wristband, then head back across the street to Veterans Park. You will see the kayaks and dock under the California flag in the park. Note- If you plan to bring your own kayak or paddle board, you have to get it inspected and purchase a pass.

Where to paddle:

From the Veteran’s Park dock (don’t worry, the staff will help you get set up and into the kayak), paddle out past their boating docks then turn to paddle against the wind staying between the shore and the buoys. Marine patrol will fine you if you paddle out in the middle (motorized boats only). It’s not an area where you can easily get lost (thankfully- considering my aforementioned navigation skills). Because you paddled out against the wind, your paddle back will be a little easier. Overall, this was a pretty and peaceful paddle. My dog, Ramsey, seemed to love it. He does not like to swim, so he is content to stay in the kayak. The water was chilly, so be warned if your dog is a swimmer. The dog life jackets provided have a handle on top to make it easier to get your pup back in the kayak.

Lake rules you should know before you go:

• Life jackets are required to be worn (not just inside your boat) at all times
• Stay between the buoys and the shore. The middle of the lake is fore motorized boats only
• Both motorized and non-motorized boats (kayaks, paddle boards, peddle boats) must have a permit issued by the BBMWD (Big Bear Municipal Water District)
• All boats (motorized and non-motorized) must be inspected prior to use in the water
• If you bring your own vessel, you can get it both inspected and permitted at public launch ramps as well as most marinas. The BBMWD main office issues permits, but you will still need to make another stop for the inspection.
• Board rental from Get Boards already includes permit and inspection, so you can skip these steps.

After kayaking, we called it a day and drove back to Palm Springs. Let me know in the comments if you have been to Big Bear, or if you have more suggestions on dog friendly things to do in Southern California. If you liked this Dog-friendly Big Bear itinerary, take a look at one of my other southern California itineraries like this one about hiking in Joshua Tree National Park.