Bear Valley is a ski area located near Angels Camp, on highway 4, between Lake Tahoe and Yosemite, approximately 3 hours southeast of Sacramento, California, USA.
Near Bear Valley lies Ebbetts Pass, which is perfect for backpacking. Day rides can vary from unstrained, quarter mile rides to full day excursions on strenuous mountain peaks. One of the best rides is at the Spicer Meadow Reservoir Area. This area has three different trail paths.
The first trail is Elephant Rock Lake to Rock Lake, which is a 1.8 mi/2.9 km, one way mountain trail with 800 ft/244 m elevation, gain rising. If you want to try an easier trail, go to Elephant Rock, a half mile trail each way, where the terrain is level.
The second trail is Around Utica Reservoir, which is a 6 mi/9.6 km, one way cross country trail with 100 ft/30.5 m, up and down elevation. It is not an official trail, but it is an obvious one around the lake. You can bring fishing gear and fresh water to experience camping, enjoying the surrounding beauty of the scenery.
The third trail is Spicer to Sand Flat, which is a 5.5 mi/8.8 km, one way mountain trail with drop 1000 ft/304.8 m elevation, going up. There is a bridge you can cross and hike up to Highway 4, at Big Meadow for pick up.
