The area is bordered to the north and east by national forest, providing lots of open space views of the surrounding hillsides and forest. The southwest portion of the area has some trees while the rest is open brush land. Erwin Lake, usually a dry lakebed, sits at the east end of the area. The Pacific Crest Trail is located in the mountains to the east.
The Erwin Lake area of Big Bear consists of; Hamilton Ranch, Meadowbrook Estates, Wildhorse Ranch, State Lane North and State Lane South.
The main areas for Big Bear City are Baldwin Lake, Erwin Lake, Lake Williams and Whispering Forest.
