| It's not hard to see why Lake Arrowhead has | | | | the Lake Arrowhead area has been chosen as a |
| always been popular with the movie stars - it's | | | | backdrop for so many motion pictures. There also |
| close to Los Angeles, yet light years away in | | | | is a special kids trail that shows what various |
| attitude. The people with money are here, all right, | | | | animal paw prints look like. |
| but there is also an element of small-town | | | | Of course there are still more trails just a few |
| America, complete with families and, yes, even | | | | miles further into the mountains where the Big |
| family values. | | | | Bear Lake resort community offers many |
| We were walking the waterfront trail in front of | | | | recreational activities of its own. There are dozens |
| the Lake Arrowhead Resort and ran into one of | | | | of lodging facilities in the area as well - many |
| the town fathers - a guy whose job it was to | | | | more than Lake Arrowhead - creating a different |
| walk some 20 miles around the lake, checking to | | | | atmosphere and experience altogether. Big Bear |
| make sure the trails were not only passable, but | | | | has more activities and lodgings; Arrowhead is |
| pristine as any semi-exclusive enclave ought to | | | | quieter, more residential and quite a bit easier to |
| be. He talked about the movie stars who live in | | | | reach from Los Angeles. |
| Arrowhead as everyday, good people. He talked | | | | While looking through the local magazines, we |
| about his daughter winning the national water-ski | | | | noticed an ad for a place called Wildhaven, a ranch |
| championship, and how water-skiing was followed | | | | devoted to the rehabilitation of sick or injured |
| just as closely here as football or basketball might | | | | animals. It's not the kind of place you can just |
| be followed in the Heartland. | | | | drop in, pay your admission and see the animals. |
| Well, okay, Lake Arrowhead is not exactly Des | | | | You have to call ahead of time and find out when |
| Moines, Iowa. But it does have a small-town feel - | | | | they are scheduling their presentations and tours - |
| in a Southern California kind of way. | | | | which usually is on weekends. |
| We went to Lake Arrowhead to spend a | | | | Wildhaven is well worth this little bit of extra |
| weekend at the newly renovated Lake | | | | hassle. Located just three miles from the Lake |
| Arrowhead Resort, the biggest and best-located | | | | Arrowhead Resort, the drive takes you into |
| resort in the area that has just taken a quantum | | | | some "backwoods" residential areas, then through |
| leap in its overall appeal to getaway travelers. | | | | the forests and up some hills until you come to an |
| Prior to the recent renovation, the resort was | | | | area that was devastated by fire in October |
| getting a little tired and starting to show its age. | | | | 2003. It's here on a hillside that Wildhaven |
| But it's amazing the things you can do with $17 | | | | directors Roger and Diane Williams saw their |
| million -- the resort's undergone a total | | | | facility greatly damaged by the fire and have |
| transformation. | | | | since rebuilt the 30-acre compound to house a |
| All of the 173 guest rooms were re-done, along | | | | variety of animals indigenous to the San |
| with the restaurant, bar and spa. New swiveling | | | | Bernardino Mountains. |
| plasma TV's, walk-in showers and just an overall | | | | The Williams offer a complete presentation in a |
| sense of luxury and class are evident in the guest | | | | small theater where they bring out various small |
| rooms. Some of the rooms have gorgeous views | | | | creatures and explain where they came from and |
| of the lake; others look out on the alpine forests. | | | | how they are progressing in their rehabilitation. |
| The new restaurant, BIN189, also is at least a | | | | Most interesting are the personal details that Diane |
| notch or two better than its predecessor, partially | | | | provides about how, as a little girl growing up in a |
| due to the efforts of Stewart Redhead, the new | | | | troubled home, she found that animals helped give |
| executive chef who was trained in New Orleans | | | | her solace and a reason for living. She knew then |
| before serving in the same city as Executive | | | | that caring for animals would be her life-long work. |
| Chef of the W Hotel. | | | | Many of the animals at Wildhaven will not be able |
| It's no wonder that June Lockhart makes the | | | | to re-enter the wild because they may have |
| Lake Arrowhead Resort her home when she | | | | limited physical ability - such as a bird's inability to |
| visits her childhood haunt of Lake Arrowhead. Her | | | | fly - or because they have become too |
| friend Peter Henry is General Manager at the | | | | domesticated. During one demonstration, the |
| resort, the latest in a series of upscale lodgings | | | | resident mule deer was eating out of the trainer's |
| where he has presided. | | | | hand and showing no fear of the group of human |
| Aside from the obvious charms that come with a | | | | onlookers. As Roger explained, "he wouldn't last an |
| mountain lake plopped in the middle of a scenic | | | | hour during hunting season." |
| forest, Lake Arrowhead has a fun business | | | | Owls, raccoons, bobcats, coyotes, eagles - there |
| district called the Lake Arrowhead Village. Not | | | | were plenty of species to observe during our visit. |
| your typical shopping center, the village somehow | | | | Especially entertaining were the two black bears |
| combines high-end boutiques with tourist shops | | | | doing their tricks and playing in their bathtubs while |
| and carnival rides to appeal to just about any | | | | visitors watched from just a few feet away |
| type of person who may visit. It's a five-minute | | | | outside their cage. All and all, this proved to be an |
| walk from Lake Arrowhead Resort to the village, | | | | ideal family activity that was both fun and |
| where you can also find several different eateries | | | | informative. |
| and, in the warmer months, listen to live music in | | | | Wildhaven is just another reason why you might |
| a fairly elaborate concert area. While we were | | | | consider Lake Arrowhead for your next family |
| there, the Rockit Scientists kept the crowd | | | | vacation. There is plenty of luxury and ambiance |
| rocking as they swigged micro-brews just | | | | for the adults, but it's also a chance to visit the |
| footsteps from the dance floor. | | | | Great Outdoors - and teach your kids a little bit |
| To get an even better view of the lake, visitors | | | | about how it all got there. |
| can board the Arrowhead Queen, a Louisiana-style | | | | AT A GLANCE |
| paddle-wheeler that takes guests on a 50-minute | | | | WHERE: Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear are |
| tour of the lake. On a busy summer day, you'll | | | | located about two hours east of Los Angeles and |
| see lots of small boats, many of them towing | | | | reached by driving a scenic, albeit curvy, highway |
| water skiers. And, it's fun to look at the | | | | northeast out of San Bernardino. |
| expensive waterfront homes and imagine what it | | | | WHAT: Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear share the |
| would be like to have a lake in your backyard. | | | | same woodsy feel and plunging winter |
| There also are plenty of hiking trails in the Lake | | | | temperatures. Arrowhead is smaller, a bit quaint |
| Arrowhead area - trips of various lengths and | | | | and is a quiet romantic getaway. Big Bear offers |
| degrees of difficulty. The lake is at 5,100 feet | | | | a larger city, but many more choices for dining |
| elevation and is nestled in a forest of pine, cedar | | | | and lodging. Both offer a variety of shops and |
| and dogwood that give way occasionally to | | | | boutiques. |
| excellent views of the San Bernardino Mountains. | | | | WHEN: Year-round. The shoulder seasons are less |
| A very easy trail to start with is at the Heap's | | | | crowded, but both summer and winter are |
| Peak Arboretum, easily accessed on Highway 18. | | | | popular because of the area's many outdoor |
| This half-mile interpretive trail identifies some of | | | | activities. |
| the 2,000 species of flora and nearly 400 species | | | | WHY: A complete contrast from the Southern |
| of fauna found in these picturesque mountains. | | | | California climate and lifestyle, yet just an hour or |
| You'll enjoy views that offer a reminder of why | | | | so from balmy places like Palm Springs. |