About Bear Valley

What makes Bear Valley the best-kept secret in the Sierra?

For families and lovers of nature and the outdoors, Bear Valley offers unfettered access and accommodations for all-season recreation and relaxation — and all without the crowds.

Nestled halfway between Lake Tahoe and Yosemite in the high Sierra, Bear Valley is a paradox of sorts — a vast alpine basin filled with all the means to explore four seasons while being so small it feels like a private escape to granite-filled solitude. 

And with a population of 150, we’re talking small. And in this tiny berg sits a fully-functional ski and snowboard resort offering 1,900 vertical feet over 1680 acres with access to shuttle-served side country surrounding the Village.

Our small community works and plays with full commitment to Pure Mountain Fun —PMF in short. We’re pure in our desire to share this special place with folks who appreciate slowing down and leaving the stress behind. We welcome families of every kind who seek a connection with nature and appreciate the warmth of a small-town community. Of course, our population grows in winter, when snow sports operations are in full swing.

Winter’s snow brings unhindered-by-lines access to skiing and snowboarding amidst 360-degree views of the Sierra. Mokelumne Peak, the shining star of the Mokelumne Wilderness and the Stanislaus National Forest, plays as the immediate backdrop to a day making turns at Bear Valley Resort.

But this tiny valley offers up much more winter fun, as Bear Valley Adventure Company, or “the gas station” as the locals call it, offers acres of fully serviced cross country ski trails (and snowshoeing) in the area’s sizeable meadow. Snowmobile rentals offer more vast access to backcountry areas as well as to cabins in town. Most residences in the Village are accessed only by snowmobile in the winter, and once here, cars are an afterthought.

By summer, the snow gives way to hiking and mountain biking trails (rentals available), a disc golf course in the Village, and kayak rentals for the surrounding lakes, the closest of which, Lake Alpine, is just  up the road. If you are staying on the Mountain in a glamping tent, Lake Alpine is just about a mile away. 

Winter activities include —

• Downhill skiing and snowboarding
• Cross country skiing
• Snowshoeing
• Snowmobiling
• Tubing
• Sledding
• Backcountry snow sports

Summer Activities include —

• Fishing and boating
• Kayaking, paddle boarding, and canoeing
• Mountain biking
• Hiking
• Disc golf
• Swimming
• Poolside lounging