#goldfevertrail

Big Bear Lake was also a mecca for gold mining before it was a popular four-season resort. History records show that in 1860, a bear hunter named William Holcomb discovered gold in the area now called Holcomb Valley. After tracking a bear’s blood trail to a creek he found gleaming with flakes of gold. Try as he might to keep it a secret, word spread and Southern California’s largest gold rush began! From 1860 to about 1875 the area was heavily populated with prospectors and their families.

For more history follow the Big Bear website.