Notable lake · Whatcom, Washington
Bear Lake
Bear Lake is a lake in Whatcom, Washington.
Bear Lake: crowds and conditions
Typical pattern: moderate; weekends busier. Been there recently? Post today’s status and it shows here for the next traveller.
Status options for this lake: Full / gates open · Low water level · Entry closed.
Best time to visit Bear Lake
Season: August to December when reservoirs are full and gates may open.
Busiest days: Weekends and long holidays.
Crowd: Moderate; weekends busier.
Typical week: Mon light · Tue light · Wed light · Thu light · Fri light · Sat busy · Sun busy.
How to reach Bear Lake — distance from nearby cities
Coordinates: 48.94465, -121.31189. Road distances are estimates; the road-trip planner uses real routes and adds stops worth the detour.
Places to visit near Bear Lake
- Mount Redoubt · viewpoint · Whatcom · ~2 km · Must-see
- Bear Mountain · viewpoint · Whatcom · ~3 km · Must-see
- Redoubt Glacier · viewpoint · Whatcom · ~3 km · Must-see
- Mox Peaks · viewpoint · Whatcom · ~5 km · Must-see
- Depot Creek Falls · waterfall · Whatcom · ~5 km · Must-see
- Nodoubt Peak · viewpoint · Whatcom · ~7 km · Must-see
- Mount Spickard · viewpoint · Whatcom · ~7 km · Must-see
- Silver Glacier · viewpoint · Whatcom · ~8 km · Must-see
- Red Face Mountain · viewpoint · Whatcom · ~9 km · Must-see
- North Cascades · waterfall · Whatcom · ~9 km · Must-see
- Indian Mountain · viewpoint · Whatcom · ~10 km · Must-see
- Mount Rahm · viewpoint · Whatcom · ~10 km · Must-see
- Whatcom Glacier · viewpoint · Whatcom · ~13 km · Must-see
- Whatcom Peak · viewpoint · Whatcom · ~13 km · Must-see
- Copper Mountain · viewpoint · Whatcom · ~14 km · Must-see
- Challenger Glacier · viewpoint · Whatcom · ~14 km · Must-see
- Copper Mountain Fire Lookout · viewpoint · Whatcom · ~15 km · Must-see
- Hanging Lake · lake · Whatcom · ~15 km · Must-see
Other lakes, dams & reservoirs near Bear Lake
- Hanging Lake · lake · Whatcom · ~15 km · Must-see
- Luna Lake · lake · Whatcom · ~17 km · Must-see
- Chilliwack Lake · lake · Fraser Valley Regional · ~19 km · Must-see
- Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park · lake · Washington · ~21 km · Must-see
- Azure Lake · lake · Whatcom · ~25 km · Must-see
- Ross Lake National Recreation Area · lake · Whatcom · ~25 km · Must-see
- Ross Lake · lake · Whatcom · ~27 km · Must-see
- Lindeman Lake · lake · Fraser Valley Regional · ~27 km · Must-see
- Price Lake · lake · Whatcom · ~29 km · Must-see
- Twin Lakes · lake · Whatcom · ~30 km · Must-see
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · © GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)
Frequently asked
Is Bear Lake full? Are the gates open?
No visitor has reported the water level status for Bear Lake yet. Typical pattern: moderate; weekends busier. Busiest: Weekends and long holidays.
What is the best time to visit Bear Lake?
August to December when reservoirs are full and gates may open. Moderate; weekends busier.
What are the places to visit near Bear Lake?
Nearby: Mount Redoubt (viewpoint, 2 km), Bear Mountain (viewpoint, 3 km), Redoubt Glacier (viewpoint, 3 km), Mox Peaks (viewpoint, 5 km), Depot Creek Falls (waterfall, 5 km), Nodoubt Peak (viewpoint, 7 km).
Is Bear Lake worth visiting?
Bear Lake is listed as a notable lake in Washington on Spotwander.