Grand View Point Hike

Grand View is an aptly named overlook on the high country rim that offers a commanding vantage over the Santa Ana and San Bernardino valleys. Though there are ways to get closer by road, the hike from Aspen Picnic area via Pine Knot Trail is a pleasant hike that is worth the trek all on its own. It meanders southward from Big Bear, sharing segments with unpaved forest roads here and there and passing through Deer Group Campground. Along the way you will explore ponderosa groves, mixed conifer glades, wildflower meadows, and manzanita gardens. You will also get views of Big Bear Lake and surrounding mountains. The last section of the hike parallels the rim and grants glimpses of open skies and distant peaks, but these are really only teasers before the view really opens up at the final destination. Soon you will see the reason for the name, as the valley spills away below and the treeless summit of San Gorgonio Mountain towers beyond. Take time to enjoy the panorama before retracing your path. This is a fairly long out and back, but it makes a great way to spend a day with family or friends in San Bernardino National Forest.