See the stars from the clear air of YMCA Camp Oakes
Learn of new developments in amateur telescope making
Check out commercial telescopes and equipment brought by vendors for observers
Listen to excellent presentations covering observing, telescopes, and getting started in astronomy
Enjoy all the swap meet astro-goodies on both Saturday and Sunday, and
Socialize and observe with friends.

The Big Bear Valley is a four-season recreational destination that lies 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles, in the San Bernardino Mountains. The community is surrounded by the San Bernardino National Forest. Within the valley lies the City of Big Bear Lake, an incorporated city, Big Bear City, an unincorporated town, and across the lake the small hamlet of Fawnskin. There are also the residential areas further east (considered parts of Big Bear City) called Sugarloaf, Erwin Lake, and Baldwin Lake. In the two towns one can find all the necessities like grocery stores, restaurants, and lodging.

Big Bear Lake is a large recreational reservoir in the Valley. At a surface elevation of 6,750 ft, it has an east–west length of approximately 7 mi and is approximately 2.5 mi at its widest measurement, though the lake’s width mostly averages a little more than 1 mi. It is a completely snow-fed lake, having no other means of tributary or mechanical replenishment. During the summer the lake is used for water sports and fishing.

Skiing is a major draw in the wintertime. Big Bear has two world-class ski resorts, Bear Mountain and Snow Summit. When the snow is deep enough, Baldwin Lake (a dry lake) is ideal for cross-country skiing.

With a National Forest on all sides, Big Bear is a destination for mountain biking, hiking, camping, and other outdoor pursuits. The Pacific Crest Trail skirts the Valley, and there are miles of trails for mountain bikers in the forest and on the ski slopes. The forest service roads are also used for offroad vehicle recreation.

Big Bear Lake is accessible via four scenic highways: Highway 330 from Highland, Highway 38 from Redlands, Highway 138 from Victorville, and Highway 18 from San Bernardino.