Getting around Big Bear Valley
Shuttle routes, where to park in the Village, and whether you'll need chains before you drive up — everything for getting around the valley in one place.
Shuttle routes
Mountain Transit runs year-round fixed routes across the valley plus seasonal trolleys — current routes are pulled live from Mountain Transit's own site below.
Parking
The Village has several free public lots within walking distance of Village Drive shops and restaurants, plus metered and time-limited street parking — read posted signage before you leave your car, since limits vary block to block. The ski resorts (Snow Summit and Bear Mountain) run their own day-use lots, and during peak winter weekends those lots can require a parking pass, fill early, or charge a fee — check the resort's own site for the current season's policy before you drive up. From October 15 through April 15, the City of Big Bear Lake bans street parking whenever snow conditions exist (Ordinance No. 2023-517): crews need the road clear to plow, and a car left in the way can be towed and fined up to $500. When snow conditions are in effect, free overnight parking is available at the West Civic Center and Alden Road lots. Carry tire chains or cables in the trunk all winter even if you don't expect to need them — see the chain-requirement status below before you leave.
Chain requirements
Chain and traction-device requirements on the mountain highways into the valley are set by Caltrans and can change quickly during storms — this reads the same live Caltrans feed as our homepage roads report, so status here always matches status there.
Browse the local services directory → for shuttle charters, parking and other local-services businesses in the valley.