Aspen Glen Picnic Area Sledding

Aspen Glen Picnic Area, just a mile from The Village in Big Bear Lake, is a convenient, fun sledding area in the winter that is easy to get to and offers tons of potential sledding routes. The picnic area itself offers numerous tables and barbecue stations as well as unheated pit toilets in a small concrete building. The setting is picturesque, and while the picnic area itself can get crowded, the surrounding rolling hills give breathing space that allows sledding families to make their own runs without fighting for access to the slopes. For bold adventurers looking to get into the mountains, Aspen Glen is also the launching point for the Pine Knot Trail available to snowshoers and skiers.

Use of Aspen Glen requires a Forest Adventure Pass, which costs $5 per day or $30 per year. Parking along the street can fill up quickly on holidays, but there is a long stretch of road available, so at worst you may have to walk a ways. Though there is no warming hut in the picnic area, many families grill lunch and prepare hot beverages to take the bite out of the cold.

The Village in Big Bear Lake offers numerous shops, cafes, and restaurants for warming up and re-fueling after your sledding runs, and it is definitely worth a visit. Nearby ski resorts are also available for when the kids are tired and you're ready to up your vertical game.