Logistics of Mountain Yoga Center
When I recently visited the Southern California Mountain Town of Big Bear Lake, CA, I took the opportunity to take a class at the Mountain Yoga Center. If you might be wondering where to practice yoga in Big Bear Lake, then look no further! The studio is located in the center of town, right on Big Bear Blvd., next to Urgent Care. There is a room filled with mats, props, straps, blocks, bolsters, and blankets that are available to use for class. There is plenty of parking in the lot. Traffic in town can get nasty on the weekends, but it wasn’t an issue when I visited.
Review of the Studio Space
It is evident that the owner took great thought and care when setting up the studio. The Mountain Yoga Center is a one-room studio, cleverly designed with opaque curtains separating the front check-in area to create privacy from the parking lot. There are no mirrors in the studio. They have one bathroom at the back of the studio with a toilet and sink (no shower). The space was clean and calming. The lighting and the music were soft and subtle. The cumulative effort made it feel like I was practicing in a warm and comforting cocoon.
The Big Bear Yoga Class
The teacher, Dana, was fantastic! She was so good that I didn’t need to look at her once because she described each pose well and offered excellent modifications and refinements. The class I took was both for in-person and online students, and Dana balanced both with ease. Dana held space during physically challenging postures (Warrior 3, to standing splits, back to Warrior 3), and she always brought the class and the focus back to our breath. I thought it might feel weird, but surprisingly it didn’t. I liked thinking of these other students practicing with me in different locations. It made me feel connected to the larger world while still having an intimate studio feeling. And honestly, most of the time, I even forgot other people were taking the class.
They do not offer heated yoga classes (I imagine it is cost-prohibitive to heat the space that much). I had a long underwear top on over a tank to start, and about 15 minutes in, I needed to remove a layer because the class warmed me up! The room wasn’t cold, but if you are not from the area and it is winter, I recommend dressing in layers with a sweatshirt for Savasana.
Dana, both a teacher and the owner of this studio, has a passion for sharing yoga with her community. She taught for years in Orange County and opened this studio when she relocated to the area. She offers class packs at a discounted rate and a less expensive drop-in rate for locals as she is trying to make it more accessible. The drop-in rate for visitors is still very reasonable and much less than you would pay if you drove down the mountain to the surrounding towns of Southern California.
TLDR – Final Review
If you are in Big Bear I highly recommend Mountain Yoga Center! It is a lovely place worth supporting, and you will benefit from a skilled and thoughtful teacher. Dana told me that they also have outdoor yoga at Meadow Park by the lake in the summer months. I can’t wait to visit them and experience that as well!
Mountain Yoga Center
Address: Big Bear Blvd. Ste. 3 Big Bear Lake, CA 92315
Website: MountainYogaCenter.com
Phone: (909) 375-1552
