Snow Drift Snow Tubing Park

This is one of those places that gets a high rating in spite of itself because the park is just so much fun. The staff isn’t amazing, they charge for parking, it is cash only, there are long lines, the restrooms are port-​a-​potties– and yet this is still the best part of big bear! Even our 2 year can go down by himself (I recommend helmets for kids — there are lots of collisions especially ok busy days). If you resign yourself to the other inconveniences, the park itself is a blast!

Had a great time. Used to go here as a kid and now got to take my daughter. She had a great time, glad we drove up.

Had a blast taking the kids to enjoy their first time in the snow. Got there about half hour before it opened. Plenty of time for us to eat some snacks (pack some, they only have vending machine) and get sunblock and winter gear on. Staff was friendly, did not experience anything like some of the previous reviews about bad customer service. Guessing it helps to go early, before the crowds. Kids enjoyed the snow for two hours. Bring cash, and toilet paper (portable toilets only). Only complaint was one of our tubes started to deflate by the end but we were pretty much done so it was all good. Fun, friendly place and kids loved it! Will definitely be going again next season!

15 an hour per person is a little steep. I’m not offering you employment, I just want my kid to slide down on some snow. Can add up for multiple hours for larger family’s.
All in all its a good time, several slides to utilize from 10 ft drops to maybe 30 – 40 foot? Good for kids 3 – 13 or really anyone who wants to have some winter fun.
Worst part was it was slippery at the top of the stairs, it didn’t seem maintained, elderly and younger could have some trouble with this. Would recommend the staff add snow or scrape the ice that’s accumulating at the stop of some of the stairs. Seems like a liability and something that’s common sense for a places that’s geared towards family’s.
Staff was typical mountain resort staff (you know what I mean) some nice, some just there to get a check. Plus was the way the organized the bottom of the runs and stairs. I would recommend additional staff at the top of the runs to address the ice and assist guests.

We had a blast today. Got there right after they opened. That I believe was the key. Once we were done, line to get in was super long. I would have been bitter to be stuck in that line. Will come back again!

The price wasn’t bad and the tubing was fun on the hills. The issue I have was the rude staff. They kept taking the fun out of it by constantly yelling over the loud speaker. You could also tell that some of them hated their job and that isn’t the customers fault. We also signed a release of liability so they shouldn’t be constantly yelling at people over the speakers.

It was a blast for our toddler, but he had more fun just playing with the snow. He stopped tubing after the third/​fourth time we went down the hill. We went a few more times after that, but I think an hr was enough for us. TONS OF FUN!
Here’s the breakdown:
$ 15/​person/​hour — pro-​rated after an hr.
$ 5 a car for parking, but you can try parking along the highway if you can find a spot.
I think they can make more money with a snack bar, and souvenir shop. We needed another pair of gloves for the little one, so a shop with those things would’ve been nice.
Port-​a-​potties only, but it was expected. I’m sure this place is a cash cow with all the people we saw there, and waiting to get there. It took us 2.5 hrs to get up to this location, and it was already packed.
CASH ONLY! Kids under 36″ are free.

Was on our to check out the park — with my kids.
Well i guess they were sold out we were turning in the driveway and a guy at the gate yells at us. We cant come on (i guess a employee) gate was open and their was no sign. They was traffic on both directions of the highway, the guy would not allow to make a uturn. We tried to tell him we just need to make a turn. He yells at us Just get out of here. Thank heavens we were able to make a turn and cars lets in. save your money and go elsewhere

My review is two-​fold, one for the place itself and the other for the staff/​management. Seems the issues with this place are not unique to our experience.
THE PLACE:
The tubing and runs themselves are pretty fun and our family had a nice time. The price is a bit high but still reasonable deal for a family. The kids had a blast Walking up the steps is a pain but also a good workout. The grounds could use better upkeep and the stinky gross dirty porta-​potties could be switched out for at least acceptable bathrooms — they never get cleaned — GROSS!
The place is very ICY all over the steps and on the hills themselves — DANGEROUS and in all the wrong places. We slipped and fell several times, my 2 and 4 year olds both hit their faces on the ice as a result — thankfully they are OK. The staff/​mgmt clearly don’t give a damn because when I informed them about it they said «well, we have a sign so we’re covered». They have you sing a total-​release waiver when you walk in and that’s all they really care about. A little effort to clear the icy portions would go a long way towards preventing accidents.
THE STAFF/​MANAGEMENT:
The staff/​management are some of the rudest I have ever encountered in a customer-​serving establishment. I witnessed them being rude to numerous customers from the moment we walked in. They talk down to customers, are impatient — their only interactions are to collect your money and have you sign their indemnification waiver.
One of the staff members clearly had an AWFUL cough, indicative of a serious illness and yet there she was, collecting money, touching people/​items and spreading her illness around. This is highly irresponsible. She and the manager also spent the bulk of their time yelling at customers who committed the slightest infractions in the tubing process. And I don’t mean friendly warnings but more like «hey, stop doing that stupid, can’t you listen?».
At one point I witnessed a staff member pull a family off the slopes only to accuse them of sneaking in the park without paying. They totally embarrassed the family and it turns out they were dead wrong. The manager semi-​apologized to the family, only after he realized how irate the customer was.
THE MANAGER:
Apparently we are not the first to have issues with this manager. The manager wants to kick you out of the place the minute the clock strikes 4pm, which I can somewhat understand.
Our car battery was dead in the parking lot. I pulled out my jumper cables and tried to get a jump from the person next to me, got the battery pretty close but not quite to starting. The friendly helper had to go and he was the last person in the lot, all that was left was the manager. He was clearly pissed off that we were delaying him, which I can also somewhat understand. However, he did not once come up to us and say, «hey guys, anything I can do to help?». He just sat in his truck with his lights on us from about 50ft away pissed off while we were stuck and called AAA for assistance.
It took AAA about 90 minutes to show up, the whole time the manager was just clearly upset with us. Meanwhile, we are in our car with no heat, 3 small children all freezing, crying, hungry, etc. The manager didn’t so much as ask us if we are ok let alone offer to let us wait inside where it was warmer. He just didn’t care at all except to demonstrate his visible frustration — very surprising behavior. At one point I walked over to him and said, «hey, I’ve got the jumper cables, if you just hook up to us for 5 minutes I can get the car started and we can get out of your hair.» He refused, claiming he had a weak alternator.
As we sat freezing waiting for the AAA to show up, my son realized he had left his expensive snow cap by the entrance. My son/​wife had a clear visual on the hat. My wife went out and offered the manager some of our limited snacks and then politely asked if, while we wait for AAA, we could go retrieve the hat. The manager flat out refused. So there we are, staring at the hat and knowing it’s an arm’s length away and we had to let it go because this manager just had a rotten attitude.
Finally, AAA showed up and jumped us in a matter of seconds. The AAA tech asked us why we supported this establishment in the first place — he knows the manager and staff well and said they are known to be rude and ill-​mannered towards customers.
The following morning, my wife calls the place to request they hold my son’s expensive hat at the office. The rude manager, without so much as looking for the hat, said «It’s not here». This after we CLEARLY saw it there. My wife asked to speak to the owner at which point this manager hung up the phone on her.
BOTTOM LINE:
Hard to say if we will go back here. On the one hand, the kids had a super fun time but on the other, the rude and poorly-​mannered staff/​management took what was otherwise a great experience and made it pretty awful.

Such a blast! Fun for all ages, because of the different size slopes. One hour is literally all you need to have a blast. Us California kids don’t handle the cold all too well!
Longer drive then expected, this place is literally at the top of big bear & Expect lots of traffic going home.
$ 15 per person for one hour
$ 5 a car for parking
No snack bar
Port a potty’s only
Tube rentals included

My kids and I went on a Saturday in January. It was pretty busy. We hit traffic both getting there and coming back down the hill. We took chains for our tires but didn’t need them. $ 5 parking and $ 15 for one hour of snow tubing. We arrived a little after 3pm and stayed until closing time at 5pm. There were people of all ages. I recommend wearing appropriate snow clothing and shoe wear. We wore double layered clothing and regular gloves and regretted it soon after arriving. We still enjoyed ourselves There was about a 15 minute wait in line to pay for our entrance into the park. Those that don’t pay cannot go in. They have port-a-potty’s, they were pretty disgusting (as most are) and didn’t have any toilet paper but after notifying staff, they quickly refilled toilet paper rolls in all stalls. Staff was friendly and helpful. They have a fairly big parking lot.
Be ready to climb some stairs and have a great time, we sure did!

Like any other touristic attraction near big bear traffic was horrible!
5 $ parking fee and 15 $ flat fee which includes the equipment.
Bathrooms were disgusting, they only have portable bathrooms and no sinks or wash rooms. Super gross.
You have to sign a waver fee with all the liability Mumbo jumbo and basically if you get hurt, your fault.
The stairs to reach the top of the snow slope is slippery, rough and dangerous.
HOWEVER, my kids had a lot of fun and would def come again.

This place was awesome!!! Went over New Years Weekend so it was busy but they did a great job of keeping everyone moving. I have 3 girls (7, 3, 3) and they all had a great time!!! Different size hills as they get more brave. As an adult I felt like a kid again!!! So much fun! $ 15 by the hour (CASH ONLY, prorated after 1 hour) tube included. $ 5 to park. No concessions, port-​a-​potties for bathrooms. An absolute great place and must stop in the winter on the mountain.

Went on New Years Day and had a blast! My wife and 2 daughters (age 5 & 10) got in just under the wire after 4pm and stayed for an hour. Trust me, that’s about all the time you need! If you want more than an hour, you could break for lunch in your car and then head back for more.
PRICING…
$ 5 to park and a flat $ 15 entry fee gets you an hour to go anywhere on all the slopes. They prorate overtime based on the time you leave relative to the time stamp on your wristband. Cash-​only payment and a signed waiver form gets you in relatively quickly. Even though they closed at 5pm, our 4:18pm start time had an expiration of 5:18pm. They have their own cutoff based on volume at time of close. In other words, they honor the 1-​hour initial entry even as they approach their closing time. We left the parking lot at 5:45 and there were still a lot of people on the slopes. This was definitely a welcome surprise!
PLAN AHEAD…
They have an onsite ATM and a decently accommodating parking lot. It only took a minute to get a spot since people are constantly coming/​going. The line to get through the gate moved relatively quickly, but it could be miserable in the wind. As long as you’re dressed warm and have a cap and gloves, you’ll be fine. All the tubes were in great shape and came in many sizes. The steps up to the slopes, the slopes themselves, and surrounding areas were well kept. The only negative were the portable restrooms. Plan ahead and stop in town to take a rest first beforehand.
FUN & CAUTION…
The slopes are instant-​satisfaction. You can can go down even the steepest slopes several times in a manner of minutes. Of course, it didn’t appear that it was very crowded at the time we went, so I assume it was either their own crowd-​control or that it was later in the day and the crowds had thinned. You definitely need to be aware at all times, though, since many people ignore the warnings to immediately move away from the slope paths. The best course of action is to always be sure your path is clear before going down, and to be prepared to stop or slow in advance of those at the bottom. I only had one close call in the hour I was there. In all, it was a very memorable family adventure!

Very nice and friendly staff. Both our 10-​year old and 8-​year old enjoyed themselves very much. Varying levels of steepness to accommodate all comfort levels. The boys started at the lower hill and «graduated» to the highest hill. Family-​friendly except for the portable restrooms and no water to wash hands. Bring hand wipes!

Headed up in December on a Friday afternoon with the nephews and had the best time! The cash only threw us for a quick loop but fortunately they had an ATM so that was no problem. They had a lot of different size hills so it was great for a 3 and 9 year-​old to easily split up and feel really comfortable. We all had such a great time and although the stairs were tiring it was well worth it to feel like you got a bit of a workout in while having a blast– felt like a kid again and will definitely be going back!
I wouldn’t recommend going on the weekend– on our way out of town tried to stop in on a Saturday and it was nuts! So weekdays are way better if you can swing it.

Went with a group of friends super fun and good price only need about an hour anyways. Tips bring cash, feets will get wet after an hour if you don’t have snow boots. Move fast after getting to the bottom of the hill or you will get run over by other tubers. Definitely worth the $ 12per hr we had so much fun would love to do it again next year.

My wife and a couple friends were very excited to go snow tubing at this park as we have seen it several times as we drive to Big Bear. Sadly, we had a poor experience.
We arrived excited to go tubing, as we pulled to the parking lot there was an attendant that charged 5 dollars (irritating, but not uncommon).
As we checked in, we informed the attendant that my wife was pregnant an asked if she could ride down on her butt instead of on her stomach. The attendant was very rude in her reply and told her that she cannot come inside of the facility. To be clear, she was short, terse, and presented no options to us (my wife could have taken photos just outside of the activities area). There was no arguing of the policy, just a polite request of options. I understand that there are policies and procedures in place to keep everyone safe, but that is not how to address people (especially a pregnant wife).
After we made the easy decision to leave we went to collect our 5 dollars paid for less than 5 minutes on non-​activity parking and were informed that there are no refunds. Even SD city parking has better policies.
With so many great places to go in Big Bear I would highly recommend somewhere else.
This should be a family friendly fun environment. I encourage their operations to look at the staff and consider how their actions affect business.

I can’t understand the bad reviews here. Its cash only, no biggie. Either call ahead or get cash at one of the two gas stations a few miles back. As for the price, I assume its $ 5 to park as its a leased deal on County or State park land, no big deal either, it cost $ 8 at some county parks so whats problem here? As for the price of admission, $ 12 seems fine to me, an hour is all you need and they don’t even bother you if you stay over and if you do stay over quite a bit, its pro-​rated so its fair. You can always take the kids to Disneyland and see how that goes price wise!
The staff is awesome, every one of them is super friendly and the vibe is family oriented, much better than anything closer to Big Bear. I have no complaints here either.
As for the bathrooms, yeah they are a bit like a rock concert, but I did my research ahead of time and deal with it, not that bad.
I did ask the staff while I was there about the complaints that people get charged just to watch or be on the outside of the fence and not participate, and was told that normally they are laid back. However, when it gets super crowded, parents will try that option and then try to scam and blend in and grab an inter-​tube and cheat. So I get it. Sad thing that some ruin it for all, but that’s how it is.
As for the stairs versus the magic carpet thing, get your exercise on! Work that Starbucks off, or you can go over to Big Bear ride the Magic Carpet and on the way up hear the snow glam crew talk about their Gear or Big Trucks and then only get 2 runs in since its so over crowded. I don’t know about you, but I have a job to do, entertain my child and this place gets the job done no doubt.
I am as cheap as they come, and this place was not expensive by any means. Very fair and a good time had all around. Super easy to get to, like 30 min once off the 210 fwy, cant beat that. Friendly staff, good vibes and all around good time had by all.

SO FUN!
This was my first time tubing and pretty much the first time playing in the snow, so Snow Drift Snow Tubing Park will leave a special place in my heart. Both my boyfriend and I had so much fun here.
Snow Drift opens at 10am and closes around 4pm. I recommend getting here as close to 10am as you can (especially on the weekend) since it gets more crowded the later it gets. My boyfriend and I got here a little after 11am on a Saturday and the ticket line was already pretty long, but it was bearable. Tickets are $ 12 an hour per person. We were going to buy two hours worth, but when got to the ticket window, we were told to just buy one hours worth and we wouldn’t be charged for another hour unless we were there over 1.5 hours and we could pay on the way out for hour two if need be. Honestly, one hour is enough and we left about an hour and ten minutes after we got there. I like it when sales people are fair and honest. Also, CASH ONLY!
Onto the tubing. They have different sized tubes, ranging from small to large, depending on how tall you are. We then went off to the hills. Snow Drift has small hills meant for the under five crowd and it goes up from there to a pretty decent sized hills. My favorite hill was the second to top hill, it seemed to go the fastest and had a decent amount of snow (the top hill was more in the sun and didn’t have as much snow, so you wouldn’t go as fast). You can go down the hills solo or as a «train» (where two or more people are connected). I went solo a few times, as well as going down in a train with my boyfriend. So much fun!
Only downside to Snow Drift is that they don’t have lifts to the top of the hills. So, you pretty much have to walk up decent sized hills via stairs. Needless to say, it is a good workout, especially the more you go tubing down the hills. My boyfriend and I had to take a break and rest about 40 minutes into tubing and I was sweating so bad that it looked like I just ran 10k race (and it was like 50* out, too!). Come prepared to sweat!
We left about 12:15pm and we were glad we got to Snow Drift before noon — the line to get in when we were leaving was insanely long! Good to know to go early!
Overall, I had a lot of fun here and I really want to come back again soon!
Cheers!