Do you…

• Think you know it all about Big Bear?
• Want to learn more about local natural history to beef up your first class with students, our Team Discovery Hike?
• Seek additional knowledge about the San Bernardino Forest flora and fauna to apply to your Plant Detectives, Feathered Friends, and Furry Friends classes?
• Need to find some for volunteer opportunities to Level Up?
• Just want some hiking/biking maps, and recreational ideas for your weekend adventures?

If so, you should check out the Big Bear Discovery Center located on the North Shore Drive section of California State Route 38 in Fawnskin. Co-managed by the Southern California Mountains Foundation and the U.S. Forest Service, it’s free admission year round. Here are some tips for when you go:

Check out the Natural History Museum.

Located in the main room of the Discovery Center, you can find mammal and bird taxidermy, pelts, skulls, talons, a living desert tortoise and more! I recommend taking pictures of things with labels included to help you remember these in the future. Learn how to differentiate between a black bear and grizzly bear. Identify the various pine cones descendant of coniferous trees in the San Bernardino Forest. Walk around to a smaller room to view the various rocks and minerals area. I enjoyed taking the time to read fun facts, study the characteristics of rocks, and test my mammal/bird knowledge.

Big Bear Fun Fact Cards

I was also very happy to find “Big Bear Fun Fact Cards” that were already pre-cut and full of interesting facts about mammals, birds, and plants!

These are perfect to laminate and use in any Team Discovery Hike, Furry Friends, Feather Friends or Plant Detectives classes. I envision that students could study the card with a partner or in a small group, and then teach the entire class about their card. There are different ways you could utilize these cards with students.

They are wonderful teaching resources! (And pre-made for you…what could be better?) Not to mention, it would be easy to make your own from photos you take while on your visit. Cut them out, write down some information or turn it into a matching activity. The sky is the limit. Get creative!

Talk to a Volunteer.

The Big Bear Discovery Center relies on volunteer involvement to educate visitors in the Natural History Museum, lead interpretive hikes, attend eagle counts, hold special events and more. Believe it or not, I usually get more out of an experience by talking to a real life human being, and benefiting from their local knowledge and experience, than simply viewing information. A Discovery Center volunteer, Tana, gladly shared deeper information about the history of California grizzly bears and why they were eventually hunted to extinction in our state.

Volunteer Opportunities

Another great reason to check out the Discovery Center is to learn about volunteer opportunities. You can get High Trails volunteer hours by attending a Big Bear Discovery Center sponsored eagle count. To inquire about other volunteer opportunities, feel free to contact the Southern California Mountains Foundation – a non-profit organization that believes in mobilizing individuals to engage in environmental citizenship.

Go on a hike and learn about local plants.

Every Saturday at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. and Sunday at 11 a.m. and 12 p.m., you can attend a volunteer-led nature hike.

If you feel like venturing out on your own, there is a paved sidewalk starting at the Discovery Center which includes signs that identify over 20 plant species and passes through a small native cactus garden. Again, don’t forget to bring your camera to take photos to help your memory!

Additionally, there are two other longer trails – the Alpine Pedal Path trail which is a 3.5 mile paved path that meanders along the north shore of Big Bear Lake. The more intermediate/strenuous Cougar Crest Trail is 0.6 miles west of the Discovery Center. This approximately five mile trail goes through a variety of habitats and ends at the intersection of the famous 2,650 mile Pacific Crest Trail. Along the way, there are beautiful views of the valley and San Gorgonio Wilderness. Highly recommended!

Channel your inner kid and play in the Nature Discovery Zone!

This area located to the left side of the main entrance of the building includes space for kids (and kid-like adults) to learn and play. As you walk in, there is an Adventure Guide that describes each area of the Nature Explore Classroom, a hands-on educational initiative of the Discovery Center. Within the Nature Discovery Zone, you can play a large wooden xylophone in the Music and Movement Area, and then hop on over to Messy Materials where one can build a shelter or animal den.

If you haven’t had enough creative outlet, mosey on over to the Building Block Area or hop walking stones along the Pollinator Pathway. I had a great time letting out my inner-child and reminiscing about fun, hands-on places I went as a child. Perhaps this area can inspire new kinesthetic activities for your lessons.

Don’t wait!

When I first started at High Trails in September 2014, I heard about the Big Bear Discovery Center through other instructors as a cool resource for expanding your local knowledge. Unfortunately, I waited until March 2016 to actually visit, so my word of advice to you is to go as soon as you get the chance!

The Big Bear Discovery Center is worth a visit and depending on your level of interest, you can spend 30 minutes to several hours gathering new teaching material, talking to volunteers, and exploring trails. Why not get more insider knowledge on the place you live and teach? I had a blast learning new things, hiking, and playing in the kid zone. Plan your trip before it’s too late!

As hours may be subject to change, call ahead to plan your visit. As you walk in the main entrance, check out the wooden “What’s Up” board that lists the daily schedule of events, such as an eagle count, nature walks, animal tracking, special events and more.

Address: 40971 North Shore Drive/Hwy 38, Fawnskin, CA 92333
Websites: http://mountainsfoundation.org/big-bear-discovery-center
http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/sbnf/about-forest/districts/?cid=fsbdev7_007796
Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Closed Tuesdays & Wednesdays
Phone: (909) 382-2790

At High Trails Outdoor Science School, we literally force our instructors to write about elementary outdoor education, teaching outside, learning outside, our dirty classroom (the forest…gosh), environmental science, outdoor science, and all other tree hugging student and kid loving things that keep us engaged, passionate, driven, loving our job, digging our life, and spreading the word to anyone whose attention we can hold for long enough to actually make it through reading this entire sentence. Whew…. www.dirtyclassroom.com