Big Bear Alpine Zoo review for wildlife and family visits

Visitors praise the animal presentations, the well-kept grounds and the knowledgeable staff and volunteers.

The zoo is small, which suits young kids, and its mountain setting is part of the appeal.

The setting and inhabitants

Big Bear Alpine Zoo is located at 42801 Moonridge Road in Big Bear Lake, California. This facility serves as both a zoo and a wildlife rehabilitation center. It is dedicated to caring for wild animals that are injured, orphaned, or have become imprinted on humans. Animals that cannot safely return to the wild remain on exhibit here.

The zoo houses a diverse collection of animals, featuring mammals, birds, and reptiles. These represent over 85 different species. Among the animals you might see are black bears, bobcats, bald eagles, mountain lions, wolves, snow leopards, and San Joaquin kit foxes.

Visitor experience

The zoo incorporates various methods for behavioral enrichment. These include special enclosure features, scent cues, food puzzles, and novel objects designed to stimulate the animals. Visitors can learn more about the individual animals by reading biographies that describe their stories.

While visiting, guests are not permitted to touch or hold the animals. Big Bear Alpine Zoo operates throughout the year, but visitors should be aware that heavy snowfall can sometimes affect access to the facility.

Score breakdown

Our overall score for the Big Bear Alpine Zoo is 8 out of 10. This score is determined by four distinct criteria, each weighted to contribute to the final rating. We assess what the visit delivers, the value it offers, how crowded it gets, and the ease of access and surroundings.

The experience itself accounts for 40% of the total score. This criterion measures what the visit or activity delivers directly to the visitor. For the Big Bear Alpine Zoo, this measured 9 out of 10. Visitors praise the animal presentations, the well-kept grounds, and the knowledgeable staff and volunteers.

Value, which represents 20% of the score, assesses what you get for what you spend. This was rated at 7 out of 10. Crowds and wait, also 20% of the score, measures how busy it gets and how long you might wait. This also received a 7 out of 10. Setting and access, the final 20% of the score, measures the surroundings and how easy it is to get there and park. This was rated at 8 out of 10.

Our verdict

Our verdict for the Big Bear Alpine Zoo is that it is small but well run. The animals, the talks, and the staff earn steady praise from visitors. The zoo is small, which suits young kids, and its mountain setting is part of the appeal. Strengths include well-cared-for animals, engaging talks, and ease of visiting with young children. The main limit is its size, making for a short visit, and snow can delay opening in winter.

A look back

The Big Bear Alpine Zoo began in 1959 as a wildlife hospital called the Wildlife Habitat. This was after a wildfire displaced animals in the San Bernardino National Forest. Its first residents were an orphaned black bear weighing 30 pounds and two bobcats. The facility's initial two enclosures were constructed by Loris Cady, a developer from Moonridge Mountain Estates. Local ski-area workers were the first to oversee the site.

The zoo was previously known as Moonridge Animal Park. In 1989, the supporting nonprofit, Friends of the Moonridge Zoo, was established. Later, in 1994, the Big Bear Alpine Zoo entered a memorandum of understanding with the California Department of Fish and Game. This agreement focused on the rehabilitation of native birds and mammals.

Notable moments and changes

In 2019, seven species at the Big Bear Alpine Zoo were photographed for National Geographic’s Photo Ark. These included the San Joaquin kit fox and Humboldt’s flying squirrel. The zoo moved its animals into a new facility in 2020. The move to the completed site began with the grizzly bear Harley.