Seeing Big Bear Lake from a plane
A reservoir at about 6,750 ft in the San Bernardino Mountains, first dammed in 1884. Look for a long, narrow lake in pine forest, with the ski runs of Bear Mountain and Snow Summit on the slopes to the south.
7 of our routes pass it. California · rated 5 of 10
The easy pick
Las Vegas to Los Angeles: sit on the right, 25 min after takeoff.
Which side, by route
| Route | Side | When |
|---|---|---|
| Austin to Los Angeles | Right | 153 min after takeoff |
| Dallas-Fort Worth to Los Angeles | Right | 150 min after takeoff |
| Houston to Los Angeles | Right | 163 min after takeoff |
| Las Vegas to Los Angeles | Right | 25 min after takeoff |
| Miami to Los Angeles | Right | 257 min after takeoff |
| Phoenix to Los Angeles | Right | 39 min after takeoff |
| Phoenix to Orange County | Right the other side is usually better on this route | on the way down |
From the real paths of every nonstop on these routes in the last 10 days, at the usual time of day.
Questions
Which side of the plane do you see Big Bear Lake from?
It depends on the direction: the right on most of our routes (7 of 7). The table lists each route's side.
When can you see Big Bear Lake from a plane?
Near the airport, on the climb or on the way down, and mid-flight on longer routes: see the table for each route.
Do clouds matter?
Yes. These answers assume a clear day. Within 3 days of your flight, pick your exact flight in the app for the cloud forecast.
More
San Gorgonio Mountain Lake Arrowhead San Gorgonio Pass Wind Farm San Jacinto Peak Mount San Antonio Austin (AUS) Los Angeles (LAX) Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) Houston (IAH) All routes