Castle Rock — Local services in Big Bear Lake

Short but difficult hike. About 2 miles total worth of distance one way. There's really only one main trail to follow if you use the guide markers that are rocks in cages. Plenty of little offshoots for walking and exploring. It's a popular spot so expect to see plenty of people. The castle rock is climbable and expect to do some very minor bouldering to get to the top. Still a bit dangerous if you're not careful. During winter conditions this trail is extremely slippery. Make sure to bring proper hiking shoes/boots for this one if there is snow. This trail does lead to other trails too. So if you keep going you can find many other hiking areas. This is actually one of the harder hikes in big bear but because it's so short it's actually easy. A decent hiker will make it to the...

Great hike, easy to moderate depending on your hiking ability and altitude acclimation. You definitely want to wear sneakers or joke shoes though, we saw a number of people (adults and kids) climbing in flip flops or sandals which is dangerous. The trail is sandy with small rocks so you want to make sure you have steady footing. Great views at the top. We went early, around 9am, and were glad we did, had the top mostly to ourselves for 30 minutes. Trail was packed after 11, so if you like peace and quiet go early...

Moderate-to-challenging hike up for first timers/inexperienced hikers as it is relatively steep in spots - total elevation gain just over 600 feet within the 1.7 round trip. The 5-stars is easily earned by the incredible scenery and views on the way up, fully appreciated at the very top of the rock with complete view of the lake. Prepare for a bit of a scramble to physically get onto the rock - look for a rope to assist with the climb...