Bertha Peak Hike: A Scenic Big Bear Trail with Panoramic Views
After years of drought in California, a late-season snowstorm finally blanketed the mountains. While we only saw a little rain along the coast, the higher elevations received the kind of snowfall we'd been hoping for. We didn't need much convincing to spend our next free weekend in the mountains.
By the time Saturday morning arrived, we were already on the road to Big Bear. The drive up the winding mountain highway was an adventure of its own. Thick fog covered the road in places, reducing visibility to just a few feet at times, but the Subaru patiently carried us through the mist and safely into the San Bernardino Mountains.
Before starting our hike, we stopped at the Big Bear Discovery Center to check current trail conditions, then drove a short distance to the Cougar Crest Trailhead. Bertha Peak is roughly an 8-mile out-and-back hike with about 1,250 feet of elevation gain. It isn't the most difficult hike in the area, but it offers a steady climb, beautiful forests, and outstanding views on a clear day.
The trail begins on the Cougar Crest Trail, climbing gradually through a forest of tall pines. As the elevation slowly increases, occasional openings in the trees reveal views of Big Bear Lake below. We were greeted with cool mountain air, lingering snow, and the fresh scent of the forest after the recent storm.
One of my favorite parts of this hike was simply how peaceful it felt. We encountered only four other hikers all day, giving the trail a quiet, almost secluded feeling that can be hard to find on popular Southern California hikes.
After about three miles, Cougar Crest meets the Pacific Crest Trail. Following the PCT for a short distance, we reached the junction leading toward Bertha Peak and began the final climb up an old fire road. The last stretch is noticeably steeper and rockier than the earlier portion of the hike, but it doesn't take long before the radio towers marking the summit come into view.
At 8,200 feet, Bertha Peak offers sweeping views across Big Bear Lake, the surrounding San Bernardino Mountains, Antelope Valley, and even the Mojave Desert on a clear day. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't quite ready to cooperate. Low clouds still drifted across the summit, hiding much of the scenery we'd come to see. Even so, there was something special about standing above the clouds with patches of blue sky beginning to appear overhead.
As we made our way back down the mountain, the weather slowly improved. The fog began to lift, the skies opened into patches of blue, and some of the views that had been hidden during our climb finally started to reveal themselves.
Not every hike has to end with perfect summit conditions to be memorable. Bertha Peak delivered everything we had hoped for: quiet trails, beautiful mountain forests, a solid workout, and a wonderful excuse to spend a day in Big Bear after a fresh snowfall. On a clear day, the views would simply be the icing on the cake.
