Cougar Crest Trailhead (Big Bear)
Skip the tiny lot entirely. The Cougar Crest trailhead lot on North Shore Drive fits 10–15 cars, requires an Adventure Pass, and fills by 8:30am on summer and fall weekends. The better move: park free at the Big Bear Discovery Center 0.6 miles east and walk the paved Alpine Pedal Path (tunnel under Hwy 38) to the trailhead.
The facts
- Trail served
- Cougar Crest Trail (4.8 mi RT) → Bertha Peak (7.2 mi RT) & Delamar Mtn (12.2 mi RT) via the PCT
- Cost / pass
- Adventure Pass ($5/day, $30/yr) or Interagency pass — or park free at the Discovery Center
- Lot size
- 10–15 cars
- When it fills
- Summer/fall weekends: by 8:30am
- Overflow option
- Big Bear Discovery Center — free, 50+ spaces, 0.6 mi paved walk
- Tow / citation risk
- Don't improvise on North Shore Drive (Hwy 38) shoulders; use the Discovery Center instead
- Restrooms
- Pit toilet at the trailhead
- Road to the lot
- Paved: North Shore Drive (Hwy 38), 0.6 mi west of the Discovery Center
- Busy season
- Spring–fall; the north-shore snow lingers into spring
Getting there
40650 North Shore Drive (Highway 38), Fawnskin, CA 92333
Get directions →The mismatch
Cougar Crest is Big Bear's gateway to the Pacific Crest Trail — one trailhead serving the Cougar Crest Trail, Bertha Peak, and Delamar Mountain — parked by a lot that fits 10 to 15 cars. It needs an Adventure Pass on the dash (a pit toilet is the only facility), and on summer and fall weekends it's full by 8:30am. The demand-to-spaces ratio here is among the worst in the range.
The plan B that's actually plan A
Six-tenths of a mile east on Highway 38 sits the Big Bear Discovery Center: free parking, 50+ spaces, real restrooms, and staff who sell Adventure Passes if you need one for another day. From its lot, the paved Alpine Pedal Path runs through a tunnel under the highway straight to the Cougar Crest trailhead — a flat 10–12 minute walk that saves $5 and the 8am scramble.
One catch: the Center is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and its lot serves center visitors during open hours (roughly 9am–4pm) — so for closed days or a dawn start, it's the trailhead lot, early. Every other day, start at the Center. Trail details for all three summits are in the Cougar Crest guide on our sister site.
Frequently asked questions
Where do you park for the Cougar Crest Trail?
The trailhead lot on North Shore Drive holds only 10–15 cars and requires an Adventure Pass. On days the Big Bear Discovery Center is open (closed Tue–Wed), most people are better off parking free there, 0.6 miles east, and walking the paved Alpine Pedal Path to the trailhead.
When does the Cougar Crest lot fill up?
By about 8:30am on summer and fall weekends. The Discovery Center's larger free lot is the reliable alternative.
Do you need an Adventure Pass for Cougar Crest?
At the trailhead lot itself, yes. Parking at the Big Bear Discovery Center instead is free — and the Center sells Adventure Passes if you need one.
Facts on this page last verified July 18, 2026. Fees, hours, and access rules change seasonally — confirm with the official source before a long drive.