Big Bear Lake — Bald Eagles
San Bernardino Mountains · near Big Bear Lake · Los Angeles / SoCal
Wildlife Watching
At a glance
- Best season
- Dec–Mar for wintering bald eagles
- Open year round
- No
What is here
- Wildlife
- birds
- Species
- Bald eagles (wintering), ospreys, waterfowl, woodpeckers, mountain birds
- Amenities
- Wintering bald eagles · Docent-led eagle counts · Mile-high mountain lake · Easy shoreline viewing
- Best for
- Winter bald eagle watching near LA
- Features
- Bald eagles near Los Angeles · Popular winter eagle counts · Mountain lake setting · Family-friendly outings
Worth knowing
- Hazards
- Cold, snow & mountain roads in winter · Bring chains & warm gear · Eagles perch distant — bring optics · Sightings vary day to day
- Good for a first timer
- Yes
Wildlife Watching detail
- Viewing
- shore
- Effort
- easy
- Habitat
- mountain
- Sighting
- 3
- Viewing notes
- Wintering bald eagles on a mile-high mountain lake near LA — join the popular winter eagle counts and watch for these giants perched and soaring above the pines
- Intl tip
- A wintering ground for bald eagles barely two hours from Los Angeles, high in the San Bernardino Mountains. From Dec–Mar these raptors perch in shoreline pines and soar over the mile-high lake; the Forest Service runs popular monthly winter eagle counts (a family-friendly way to learn where to look), plus ospreys and waterfowl. Winter mountain weather: cold, possible snow, chains may be needed — dress warmly, check conditions. Eagles perch distant and numbers vary — bring optics and patience.
The guide
High in the San Bernardino Mountains barely two hours from Los Angeles, Big Bear Lake becomes a wintering ground for bald eagle…
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to Big Bear Lake — Bald Eagles — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 34.24, -116.89