Location: Big Bear Lake, California
Distance: 1.6 Miles Out and Back Time: 30 Minutes-1 Hour
Elevation Gain: Less than 50 feet
Season: All (roads are sometimes inaccessible in winter)
Foot Traffic: Moderate
Date Hiked: Tuesday, August 15, 2023
Overview
For those in the Big Bear area who are looking for an excellent, short hike, look no further than the delightful stroll along the boardwalk at the Stanfield Marsh Wildlife Preserve. While it doesn’t take much distance to see the main highlights of the trail, the entirety of the trail consists of 1.6 miles. The trail follows along the Stanfield Marsh Boardwalk overlooking Baker’s Pond. It is a good idea to keep in mind that the pond and marsh can look drastically different depending on the year. Years of drought can leave the surroundings looking a little rough. However, in years of good precipitation, it’s a stunning area to behold with plenty of water in and around the marsh.
The Preserve sits on approximately 145 acres of beautiful marsh and wetlands. Bird and wildlife watching are a favorite activity here as the ecosystem is teeming with life. For those short on time, the boardwalk trail is a great option and the scenery is truly gorgeous. Regardless of how much time you spend here, the Stanfield Marsh Preserve undoubtedly deserves a stop.
Trail Description and Scout’s Story
Our most recent trip to Big Bear Lake was incredibly welcomed, albeit an impromptu one. Exactly one year ago, our daughter, Scout, was diagnosed with stage four cancer (germ cell neoplasm). As the one year anniversary of this life changing day slowly approached, my wife and I decided that we wanted to spend this day outside in nature and being as present as possible with Scout. After not being able to settle on a destination, one of my best friends informed me that his mom had a cabin in Big Bear that we could spend a few days at. We were ecstatic and couldn’t wait to get up to the mountains to enjoy what used to be such a typical thing for us before Scout got sick.
After almost nine months of treatment and multiple cycles of chemotherapy, Scout was finally approved for tumor resection surgery on April 24, 2023. After more than 8 hours of surgery to remove the right half of her liver and the tumor in her rectum, Scout’s cancer would be placed in remission a few weeks later on May 8th, one day after her second birthday. A month later Scout’s central line would be removed and our family is currently transitioning back into normal life as Scout’s Oncology team monitors her progress with visits every 2 months.
Stanfield Marsh Boardwalk Trail
After making plenty of stops in Riverside and Redlands to let Scout stretch her legs on our drive up to Big Bear, we finally reached my buddies cabin. I was getting late and the sun was about to set but I figured we could do a short walk for sunset. The Stanfield Marsh Boardwalk trail was just down the street from the cabin and offered the perfect opportunity for us to get outside before it got dark.
Visitors can choose to walk as far along the trail as they choose but a half mile (one way) should be more than enough to see the best areas along the boardwalk. Since the sun was already setting, we knew we wouldn’t get far but were just excited to be back in Big Bear and outside with Scout.
Scout brought her Dinosaur, Arlo, along for the hike and her face was lit with a smile as we walked along the marsh.
The scenery here is absolutely beautiful and the boardwalk helped add to the setting. Water was aplenty in Baker’s Pond, along Stanfield Marsh after a decent year of precipitation.
We ended up going further than I had expected but we thoroughly enjoyed the walk. The sunset was one of the most beautiful that we had seen in a long time.
This was such a great way to spend the first night of our trip to Big Bear. Furthermore, we now had a great new hiking trail to do when we were strapped for time. Scout didn’t seem to want to leave, but we gathered her up and made our way back to the cabin. We were all excited to see what the next few days had in store for us.
August 15, 2023
Getting to the Stanfield Marsh Boardwalk
42300 Big Bear Blvd, Big Bear, CA 92314
Notes, Questions and Thoughts
Are dogs allowed?
- Yes, dogs are allowed but must be leashed and kept in control at all times. Please pick up and dispose of all animal waste.
Is this a fee area?
- No. Although some hikes in the Big Bear area do require an Adventure Pass, Stanfield Marsh does not.
Are there restrooms available at the trail?
- Yes. The restrooms are located directly in front of the parking lot, just before the boardwalk.
Please recreate responsibly. Respect hikers and all visitors and wildlife. Help make everyone’s experience better by keeping the nature experience as authentic as possible. Leave no trace and pack out everything that you pack in. Please remember that we are visitors and stewards of these special places. Help keep these places as wild as possible while not diminishing the outdoor experience of others.
