BIG BEAR LAKE, California — Castle Rock Trail, the most popular hiking destination in the City of Big Bear Lake, now has a fresh new parking lot that is open to the public as of Wednesday, July 9, 2025. This parking lot provides the much-needed infrastructure for the trail.
The recently built Castle Rock Trailhead Parking Lot, which can be found at 38501 Big Bear Boulevard and is situated close to the intersection with Talbot Drive, offers free parking and does not require a pass to be used.
In accordance with a written statement issued by the City of Big Bear Lake, the development of this project has been going on for more than ten years.
After more than ten years of planning and construction, the Castle Rock Trailhead Parking Lot is finally ready to be used by the general public. We are thrilled to share this news with you! an announcement was made by the City on Facebook.
The construction of the building began in August of 2024 and was made possible by a combination of funding sources. These sources included $741 thousand from the Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP), $180,000 from a state grant under the California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection, and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2021, and additional support from local funds.
Some of the new trailhead amenities are as follows:
- 38 parking slots, each of which is accessible to people with disabilities
- A facility that houses restrooms and has two unisex stalls that are ADA-compliant
- Bins for both recyclable materials and solid garbage
- There is a bicycle rack that can accommodate seven bicycles.
- Improvements to Talbot Drive’s storm drainage system and the enlargement of the street
- A repurposed and more secure entrance point to the trailhead
According to the written statement released by Mayor Perri Melnick, “Castle Rock Trail is by far the most popular hiking trail in the City of Big Bear Lake, and it is frequented by both residents and visitors alike.” The city saw the need to establish off-street parking and a new trailhead in a significantly safer location. This new trailhead would be able to accommodate a greater number of people and would also provide facilities that are in high demand, such as restrooms and waste receptacles.
In the past, the trailhead was located at a steep curve on State Route 18 (SR-18), and there was no authorized parking area. As a result, people were required to park on the road shoulders and walk in the traffic lanes.
“People were walking on narrow shoulders and across the highway in an area with low visibility, creating safety concerns for both pedestrians and vehicles,” the City noted on social media. “This was both a problem for pedestrians and for vehicles.”
The City of Los Angeles expressed its appreciation to S. Porter Inc., the contractor working on the project, for producing improvements that “complement the natural beauty of our surroundings.” Additionally, the City commended the Southern California Mountains Foundation for their efforts to realign trails.
