Big Bear Lake is a city in the San Bernardino Mountains of San Bernardino County, California, set at roughly 6,750 feet elevation around the reservoir of the same name. It is the commercial and civic heart of Big Bear Valley, a four-season alpine region about two hours northeast of Los Angeles that also includes the unincorporated community of Big Bear City. The lake itself is a reservoir, and the surrounding valley evolved from a mining and logging frontier into Southern California's principal mountain-resort destination. With roughly 5,000 full-time residents and a median age in the mid-40s, Big Bear Lake is a genuine town as well as a resort, home to long-time locals, retirees, and workers in the hospitality and outdoor industries. The economy runs on tourism and recreation: Big Bear Mountain Resort operates the Snow Summit and Bear Mountain ski areas in the city, along with nearby Snow Valley, drawing skiers and snowboarders through the winter, while summer brings boating, fishing, hiking, and mountain biking. The city's neighborhoods are distributed around the lake and up the forested slopes, from the lakeside Village commercial district to communities such as Moonridge, Fox Farm, and Castle Glen Estates. Schools are part of the Bear Valley Unified School District. Access climbs through the San Bernardino National Forest via Highways 18, 330, and 38, connecting the lake to the San Bernardino and Redlands areas below. Big Bear Lake suits those seeking a four-season mountain lifestyle, resort amenities, and a true alpine setting within reach of Southern California's cities. Its combination of a high-altitude lake, dependable winter snow, and pine-forested National Forest terrain gives the area a character found nowhere else in Southern California.